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

1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Open Forum with Mayor Coleen J. Seng
3. Parks and Rec Update
   Lynn Johnson, Parks and Recreation
4. Neighborhood Networking
   Bring your concerns and ideas for future meeting topics.
5. Announcements

The regular meeting of the Mayor's Neighborhood Roundtable was called to order by Carol Brown, Chair, at 4:30 p.m., on Thursday, October 12, 2006, in Room 113 at the County/City Building, Lincoln, Nebraska. Eleven 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. She discussed her visit to Independence, MO, to see what they are doing in their Community Learning Centers and After School programing. The middle school she visited had more advanced security than the airport. Lynn Johnson had also visited an Independence, MO, elementary school, where he had to ring a door bell to enter. The Mayor reported they visited a neighborhood in transition, where they were in the process of building a community center. Lincoln has 19 Community Centers, and would like to build more.

Mayor Seng noted that she had vetoed the settlement for the Nebraska Disability Services. Lincoln has very strong zoning codes and requirements for the distance between group homes and the number of residents allowed. A Task Force has worked on these issues, and when the lawsuit is finished, the City will know where it stands.

The Mayor encouraged everyone to vote on November 7th. She complimented Carol Brown on the candidate forum she had organized at the Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Coleen J. Seng asked if there have been any neighborhood associations that have voiced concerns about a curfew for Lincoln. There were no responses from participants. The Mayor went on to explain the issue had been discussed, and it was voted against.

The Mayor noted that Lincoln is listed as a “Cool City,” where all departments are looking into building green buildings, using energy efficient fuel, and recyclable material. The Mayor will visit Hastings, NE, on Friday, October 13th to discuss green and sustainable communities with regional communities -- Kearney, Hastings, Grand Island, and North Platte -- and the Sierra Club.

A coordinating Council was put together to look at plans in case of a pandemic flu. The Council includes members of the business community, education, health, government agencies, etc. They are developing a plan for dealing with a pandemic flu episode.

Craig Groat provided a newspaper article regarding the salt storage building at 3180 South Street. The article reports that Thomas Shafer, Public Works, acknowledged that the City dropped the ball when it came to communication beyond the initial stages of the project. Craig feels a better location would be at 133rd and A Streets.

Mayor Seng responded that she has met with the neighborhood and Public Works staff to do landscaping and other things to soften the site. The site mentioned by Craig Groat is owned by the County, and is not available to the City. They will continue to meet to find ways to resolve these issues.

Carol Brown asked about the progress of the Public Square downtown, where the Douglas 3 Theater was.

The Mayor responded they are waiting on the acquisition agreement one property owner, Taste of China, to complete the Redevelopment Project Plan, before releasing the Request For Proposal (RFP).

ZONING TEXT CHANGE
Tom Cajka, Planning Department, provided information regarding a text change to Section 27.03.160 to amend the definition of “Club.” This text change is to clarify the right for “Clubs” to rent their facilities to non-members, as a secondary/accessory use. When speaking of Clubs, he is referring to organizations such as the Seostoris Shrine, Knights of Columbus, VFW, etc.

Craig Groat commented that Club refers to an organization, and not the facility. He suggested changing the text to reflect that.

PARKS AND REC UPDATE
Lynn Johnson, Parks and Rec, provided a status update of projects. There are a number of park renovation projects going on, and some new park construction projects.

• Stonebridge Park, northeast of 14th Street and I-80, is a new park on which constuction will soon begin.
• Holmes Park renovations include a rubber surface under the playground area, installation of which will begin soon.
• Schliech Park, north of 27th and Fletcher, is a new park, and a picnic shelter will be built there this year.
• Pocos Park, in the Country Club Neighborhood, south of South Street, will receive a new playground and shelter by Spring 2007.
• An older playground at Pioneers Park will be replaced with a new one.
• At Peterson Park, South 21st Street and Hwy 2, they will be replacing the playground.
• Parks and Rec is working with the Witherbee Neighborhood Association to build a small climbing boulder park at 46th and O Streets.
• They will be working with the Arnold Heights Neighborhood to develop Heights Park on the east side of N.W. 48th Street.
• Bowling Lake Phase II renovation is on schedule. B, by next Spring the project will be finished.
• Bearence Park, north of 80th and Old Cheney, is being developed in Southeast Lincoln.
• At 44th and Gladstone, a park associated with the Dietrich Bike Trail, a new playground has been installed.
• Larson Park, on S. 56th Street north of Hwy 2, has a new playground.
• Parks and Rec has been working with the South Salt Creek Community Organization to put a new playground in Cooper Park.
• Parks and Rec has been working with the neighborhood association to develop a master plan for Trago Park.

Lynn also discussed the status of City bike trails.

• The Jamaica North Trail is under construction, and should be finished this fall. There is a grant application submitted to complete the section of the trail from Calvert to J Street and through the South Salt Creek neighborhood.
• The Antelope Creek Trail extension from the dog run east of Holmes Park to Old Cheney should also be completed this fall. Phase II, from Old Cheney to Hwy 2, should be completed next summer.
• The trail between Peter Pan Park and Downtown UNL campus is out for bid this fall, and should be finished early next summer.
• A pedestrian overpass on the MoPAC West Trail is being designed and should be out for bid next winter.
• Parks and Rec is working with Public Works and the South Salt Creek Neighborhood to make some connections at 9th and 10th and VanDorn Streets to keep the trail accessible. This is would be constructed in conjunction with the safety project in that area.
• The trail sections along Superior Street and along 70th Streets are in bad condition and Parks and Rec is trying to find funding to rehabilitate these sections .

Harry Haefer asked about funding for the Homestead Trail.

Lynn responded the NRD is working on the funding, and has funds to complete the trail from south of Satillo to Pickerell.

South of Capitol Parkway and N. 27th Street, the demolation of the Rose Garden has been completed. The Parks Foundation and the Lincoln Rose Society are finishing a $350,000 fundraising campaign for rennovations and improvements to the Rose Garden. The new rose garden should be completed by Spring 2008.

The Parks and Rec Advisory Board is working on an update to the Pools Plan. A public meeting is planned for November to invite the community to talk about pools.

The Community Action Project grants were not funded this year for the first time in 19 years.

Harry asked if Kukland Pool would be rebuilt?

Lynn responded that the Trago Park Master Plan does not include plans for a pool, but they are looking at putting a water Sprayground in Trago Park. They are continuing to look for a site to rebuild Kukland Pool.

Bill Vocasek asked if Parks and Rec is still considering a trail connection from Van Dorn Street to the east side of Coddington Avenue. Currentl, the West A Neighborhood does not have trail access to Pioneer Park. He also asked if there were plans to replace the Austrian Pines that will be removed with the widening of Van Dorn and Coddington.

Lynn responded that the trail connection will be put in with the street widening. They are looking for funding to begin plantings along Van Dorn and Coddington prior to beginning the widening project.

Craig Groat commented that he felt the City needs to hire a competent, highly trained aborist and forester.

Cherie Krueger asked about the status of McAdams Park at 44th and Y Streets.

Lynn responded the next step is installing two drinking fountains. They are working with Public Works to find a frost-free fountain that can be operated all winter. There is also funding to complete additional walkways at McAdams Park.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING
Carol introduced Kristine Kulp and Emily Zimmer, UNL Government Liason Committee. Kristine and Emily explained they are part of the ASUN Student Government. This year they are trying to make some connections and create some relationships, and get to know the neighborhood associations. They started by attending meetings of neighborhood associations near campus. They worked with the Big Event last year and neighborhood cleanups.

The next Big Event is March 31, 2007. The concept is “One Big Day, One Big Thanks.” Students, faculty and staff volunteer to provide assistance for any type of service project there is a need for on that day. If any neighborhoods have projects that they'd like included, they can contact any ASUN member or complete the assistance request form available from the Big Event Website. They would like to have all site requests in by the end of October.

Harry Haefer noted that mini-grants are available to neighborhoods for litter clean ups, through the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Information on those mini-grants will be available in December, with grant applications due February 1, 2007. These grants could be used in connection with The Big Event.

Emily mentioned that some UNL students have contracted with North Bottoms to do a litter clean up after the football games. Harry Haefer told her he would have litter bags available for the students to use for clean ups.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Harry Haefer announced that the last Household Hazardous Waste collection for this year is Saturday, October 14th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at State Fair Park, 4-H Exhibit Building.

ADJOURN
There being no other announcements, the meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

Submitted by: Diana Cruz, Urban Development Department

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Urban Development Community Development Division Neighborhood Roundtable Summaries 2004

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