www.lincoln.ne.gov

City of Lincoln Urban Development Department Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable Meeting Summary: September 2006

1. Open Forum with Mayor Coleen J. Seng

2. Graffiti
   Captain Bob Kawamoto, Lincoln Police Department

3. Proposed Zoning Amendment
   Proposed amendments to the zoning and subdivision ordinances relating to deadlines and timelines for applications submitted for review by the Planning Commission.
   Ray Hill, Planning Department

4. Announcements

5. Adjourn

The regular meeting of the Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable was called to order by Carol Brown, Chair, at 4:30 p.m., on Thursday, September 14, 2006, in Room 113 at the County/City Building, Lincoln, Nebraska. Sixteen participants were in attendance.

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Carol Brown, Chair, opened the meeting with introductions.

OPEN FORUM WITH MAYOR COLEEN J. SENG
Mayor Coleen J. Seng thanked everyone for attending. The Mayor noted there will be some service cuts to programs due to the budget cuts. She reported the first weekend without an Animal Control officer on duty saw a little girl bitten by a Pit Bull. She reported the State Fair attendance was up this year.

Last weekend, September 9th, 10th, and 11th, the Mayor attended several community events, including: the Patriot’s Day ceremony at Veteran’s Garden, the No Place for Hate Rally at Pioneers’ Park, the Neighborhood Alliance picnic at Antelope Park, and the picnic at the Northeast Family Resource Center. These events were attended by many, and help bring the community together.

Craig Groat commented that the salt storage facility at 32nd and South Street does not meet the needs of the City’s southeast quadrant. The traffic is congested in the neighborhood and the diesel fuel fumes are an enviromental hazard. He suggested looking at 134th and A Streets for a salt dome site to serve the City and County. He discussed concerns about diesel fuel fumes from buses idling near schools. He provided information on the hazards of diesel fuel emissions.

Lin Quenzer responded the City had met with the Neighborhood Association for a year prior to construction of the salt dome. The neighborhood was a part of the process and provided input on the design of the salt dome.

Jan Jensen, Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department, reported they have partnered with Lincoln Public Schools to install a device to limit exhaust on school buses. This issue is taken seriously by the Health Department.

Mayor Seng responded that with Budget constraints, she did not believe there would be funds to purchase the land at 134th and A Streets, but she will pass the information on to Public Works.

GRAFFITI IN THE COMMUNITY
Captain Bob Kawamoto, Lincoln Police Department provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding graffiti in the community, and what it means for Lincoln.

Showing several examples of gang graffiti, e.g., "CK" is a Crip Killer, "BK" is a Blood Killer, "SSW" is SouthSide Winos, "X3" is for the MS13 gang. Taggers are not usually gang related, e.g., "Soda", "Episode", and "Skillet", but their graffiti is still vandalism. Anytime gang graffiti is X’d out, it is disrespecting the gang. The MS13 gang began in California, with northern and southern branches of the gang and is spreading across the United States and South America. He explained the six-sided star symbol is not related to a religious group, but is the symbol used by the Gangster Disciples. He commented that while you often hear there is no gang activity in Lincoln, gangs have been active here for years. He explained that some are considered “wannabes,” but, if a 14 year old is associating with a gang and committing criminal acts, they are criminals.

The Free to Grow program has helped clean up a lot of the graffiti in the Clinton neighborhood. Channel 8 Television Station put out a “Call to Action” a couple of weeks ago, to recruit volunteers to cover the graffiti. Volunteer Partners is coordinating a graffiti clean-up project.

Captain Kawamoto noted that often when graffiti is painted over, the walls will be tagged again. This may happen a few times, but if it is painted over quickly, the message that graffiti will not be tolerated gets through.

The City Council has passed an ordinance amending Title 8 of the Lincoln Municipal Code relating to health and sanitation by creating a new Chapter 8.52, Graffiti Abatement Act, to set forth the title, purpose and definitions, to prohibit the act of placing graffiti on any public or private building, to prohibit the failure to remove graffiti, defining graffiti as a public nuisance and providing for notice and abatement procedures, to provide the means and conditions for appealing a notice and order to abate graffiti, and to provide for the enforcement and penalties for violations.

Craig Groat suggested that the City provide paint that deters graffiti for property owners. He also suggested the Victims Compensation Fund could be used to purchase the paint.

Carol Brown asked if an ordinance has been considered that would restrict young people from buying spray paint.

Lin Quenzer responded they are looking at Omaha’s ordinance, there are some concerns with the ordinance.

Diana Cruz noted that she had found some resources for graffiti removal at the Krylon spray paint Website. They offer free graffiti clean-up kits (a $400 value), and up to $6,000 in prizes awarded to groups completing a paint brush mural to cover up graffiti.

PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT
Ray Hill, Planning Department, provided information about the proposed amendments to the zoning and subdivision ordinances relating to deadlines and timelines for application submitted for review by the Planning Commission. The proposed changes will go before the Planning Commission in October. These changes are related to downzoning requests by neighborhoods. They will adjust the time period for applications and the timeline for the Planning Commission to review and vote, to prevent “pigeon-holing” by the Planning Commission, or putting an application on hold. There will also be an amendment to the Planning Commission bylaws.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
Amy Borens, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Community Outreach Partnership Center (UNL-COPC), provided information on the regarding the Community Conversation program, a half-day gathering which will focus on fostering awareness and creating a more in-depth understanding of the way Lincoln’s growing refugee and immigrant population enhances our community. This event will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2006, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Clinton Elementary School, 1520 N. 29th Street. The purpose of the gathering is to assess needs for New Americans and Immigrant populations, and identify resources available.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Joyce Jensen, LLCHD, announced the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, 4021 N. 56^th Street.

ADJOURNMENT
There being no other announcements, the meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m.

Submitted by: Diana Cruz, Urban Development Department

Urban Development Community Development Division Neighborhood Roundtable Summaries 2004

---