Fellow Neighbors,

There are several issues I want to report on:

1.   Per City Commission discussion at the joint City/County Commission meeting last May 1, a special meeting of the Gainesville City Commission is tentatively being scheduled sometime in March to discuss the possibility of changing the Future Land Use designation on the Koppers site to something other than Industrial.  It will be a complex discussion.  I cannot overemphasize the importance of this meeting, and I urge everyone with an interest regarding the future of this site to attend.  When the date becomes finalized, I will post it. 

In conjunction with the aforementioned meeting, I have been informed by city officials that rather than this month (as had been previously expected), it will probably be summer before the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) issues its ROD (Record of Decision) regarding the recommended remediation level (industrial or residential) for the Koppers site.  This delay could be very fortuitous.  The policies (and personnel) of the new administration might yield a more favorable ROD than what I was previously expecting.  And, if the City Commission initiates steps to change the Future Land Use designation on the site to something other than Industrial at its meeting in March, that decision might then influence the ROD by the USEPA.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that we must concentrate our energies on and utilize to the fullest.

2.  There have only been 7 responses to the blog survey regarding the allocation of our Planning Program Grant monies.  I will post all responses on the blog prior to our next meeting.

     In association with our potential purchase of neighborhood identification signs, I am currently in discussion with city officials regarding;

            A.  Installing "Speed Limit/25 MPH" signs at all entrances to neighborhood,

            B.  Moving existing speed limit signs to more noticeable positions near entrances (rather than on street signs themselves),

            C.  Adding "No Trucks" signs to all speed limit signs, and

            D.  Adding traffic calming language to our neighborhood identification signs, e.g.

"Stephen Foster Neighborhood"

[Insert Artwork]

"Watch for Children"

3.  There have only been 8 responses to the blog survey regarding the Name and Boundary Poll.  I will post all responses on the blog prior to our next meeting.

Name and Boundary Poll

The City of Gainesville currently recognizes the neighborhood organization that meets at the Parkview Baptist Church on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month as the "Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association".  This organization has also been known in the past as the "Stephen Foster Neighborhood Crimewatch Group."

After discussion at the 1/8/09 meeting of this organization, we are asking for opinions from neighborhood residents about what they think this group should be named—and if different from either of the above two names, what other name?

Additionally, the City of Gainesville GIS Map Library and the City of Gainesville Community Development Department currently identifies NW 39^th Avenue as the northern boundary of the Stephen Foster Neighborhood.

Also, after discussion at the 1/8/09 meeting, we are asking for opinions as to whether or not neighborhood residents want to extend the northern boundary farther north to the intersection of NW 13^th Street and NW 6^th Street (approximately NW 50^th Avenue).

Please post your comments to

stephenfosterneighborhood@gmail.com

January 7, 2009

Madam Mayor and City Commissioners;

Upon reviewing the Audit, Finance, and Legislative Committee consent agenda item 080702 regarding the 2010 City of Gainesville Federal Legislative Agenda, under Non-Appropriation Issues/Cabot/Koppers Superfund Site Immediate Measures and Cleanup, I noticed that there is no mention of the ongoing problem of the untreated stormwater runoff flowing directly into Springstead Creek.  This is an important consideration that should be included.

I respectfully ask the Commission to add the following sentence, or something similar, into paragraph #4, following sentence #1.

"There is no stormwater management system on the 90-acre Koppers superfund cleanup site.  Stormwater runoff flows directly into Springstead Creek-- underscoring the critical importance that the site should be cleaned up to residential standards. "

Thank you for your dedicated attention to these matters.

Sincerely,

Robert Pearce

President, Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association

Stephen Foster Neighborhood Association

Meeting Agenda

1/8/09

Parkview Baptist Church Voting Room

6:00 P.M.

1)            Call meeting to order

2)            Approval of the agenda

3)            Approval of minutes of August 14, 2008; September 11, 2008; October 9, 2008; November 8, 2008

4)            Public comments (Part 1) (10 min)

                A.   Ron Nichols (name of neighborhood organization/boundaries)

5)            GPD crime report (10 minutes)

6)            Old business

A.    $15,000 Neighborhood Planning Program Grant disposition/City of Gainesville Community Development Department (20 minutes)

                                1.             Possible uses/prices/locations/maps

                                                a.             Stephen Foster Neighborhood decorative

                                                                identification signs (12"x24" on steel post installed

                                                                at possible 30+ entrances into neighborhood?/design?)            $140. /ea.

                                                c.             Bus shelters           (RTS matching funds?/exact locations?)       $6000.   /ea.

                B.            TreeMendous Program (primarily along main corridors?/exact locations?/arborist input?)

7)            Officer's reports (5 minutes)

                A.            Communications Director

                                1.             Blog update/Googlegroups

                                2.             Sign-up List

                                3.             Meeting notice signs

                                4.             Phone notification

9)            Public comments (Part 2) (10 min)

                A.   Jennifer Muir

                B.   Sharon Sheets

                C.   Additional comments

9)            Adjourn (7:00 P.M. sharp)

Please note:          Our meeting time is limited to 1 hour.  Please be respectful of each other's time and perspective.  All unfinished business will be carried over to the next month's meeting.