Jun. 13, 2007 - Neighborhood Meeting

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~Bi-monthly Meeting~

Second Thursday of each even month

6:00PM at the

Parkview Baptist Church

3403 NW 13^th Street

Voting area Meeting Room or across from it .

(Meeting dates for 2007 - Feb.8, April 12, June 14, Aug. 9, Oct. 11, Dec. 13)

Jun. 11, 2007 - Critical City Commission meeting on Monday June 11th for Gainesville's neighborhoods

Critical City Commission meeting on Monday June 11th for Gainesville's neighborhoods

Monday evening, June 11 starting at 6:30pm at City Hall, four petitions will be voted on that, depending on their outcome, have major implications for neighborhoods in our city:

1. Landlord license points lasting three years: Currently, the city deals with the problems associated with rentals in single family neighborhoods using the landlord license system, in which violations (noise, yard parking) rack up points on a license. At six points, the landlord can have their license suspended. The system, however, has not been effective because points are removed from a license after just one year. The biggest victory we had in committee discussions to strengthen the point system is to increase the duration of points to three years.
   
   It is now up to a vote this Monday. We are sure to face significant opposition from those landlords who wish to operate their businesses free of such regulation in our neighborhoods. This vote will be the most significant the Commission has made in the past year on this issue.
   
2. Two eastside neighborhoods, Carol Estates and Highland Park Manor, had a church set up illegally in their neighborhood that also buses in the homeless to feed. It's had a terrible effect on the neighborhood and the church has sued the city when it tried to enforce the zoning laws. The city is now trying to just settle what is a winnable lawsuit by changing the codes to allow the homeless shelter to remain in the neighborhood. In this case, the city is taking the path of least resistance - sacrificing a neighborhood in order to save a buck in the short-term.
   
   The Plan Board on May 17th voted against this code change. It's now up to the City Commission to make a final vote.
   
3. A company that runs a chain of supersized porn stores wants to open a new location next to a neighborhood on SW 13th St. They can't do it legally right now and are threatening a lawsuit if the city doesn't change the rules to accomodate them. Rather than defending the neighborhood, the city attorney's office wants to cave in and is asking the plan board to make a rules change.
   
   The Plan Board on May 17th also voted against this code change. It's now before the City Commission this Monday.
   
4. Prohibition of outdoor storage of furniture and pools on rooftops: This is a common problem in neighborhoods with student renters and is both damaging to the character of neighborhoods as well as a safety issue.
   
   I strongly encourage neighborhood leaders to attend this Monday's Commission meeting in the evening and invite their neighbors to join them. The agenda is packed with petitions of importance to us. Reposted from Jimmy Harnsberger, blog posting: http://gainesvilleneighbors.blogspot.com/