Development across from Presebyterian Hospital

Josh Rogers and Jim Strozier joined us to talk about their development project across from Pres that contains mixed use, high end apartments, hotel and retail. Through this project they also plan to make the Central underpass more enjoyable: dealing with pidgeons, installing lights, and pulling back the concrete slopes to increase walkability.

ART Update

Moises gave a brief report about the ART charette and walk from last month. Discussed the changes that we would like to see (slower traffic, posted speed of 25mph at Central, etc). Isaac Benton, ABQ Ride and Innovate ABQ were all present, listened to proposals

Lead/Coal Update

Tom Menicucci visiting from city council services. Bonnie gave a brief history of our Lead/Coal debate. Tom discussed how ped. HAWK lights must be 100ft from an intersection (midblock). Recommended we continue stoplights west of I25 with a signalized timing regime to match lights E of I25. City has a current policy about the signal regime W of I25 to Broadway due to past periods of heavy rush hour traffic, but this policy is likely amendable. Upon the amendment of this policy we will have to raise $300,000 to put in two stoplights, one at Lead and Walter and one at Coal and Walter. We must practice patience with this process! It is likely to take to up two years. Ben moves to write a resolution to change the signal regime on Lead and Coal in the HUning Highland corridor. Approved. Bonnie will write to Isaac Benton and Tom will talk to Diane Dolan about getting this resolution made!

ART Charrette

Bonnie will email ART to notify them of our desire to install signalized lights in our neighborhood.

• Plan to build microlofts at Broadway and Central (across from Innovate ABQ)
• There will be a large building constructed behind the Baptist church at Broadway and Central
• Poppin’ taco will become a mixed use building

Lead/Coal Update

Ann gave brief history of Lead and Coal. Sam brought two guests to join the discussion; a civil engineer and an urban planner. Sam advises the Board to make a decision that focuses on pedestrian safety and began implementation ASAP. Discussed a variety of options to encourage traffic to slow down, including the 9 warrants to be met to install a stoplight at an intersection. It was reiterated that the neighborhoods aim is to slow traffic and help pedestrians cross safely, not to eliminate traffic.

Miscellaneous

Ben will check in on the park project to see the plans for 2016

Zachariah will follow up with Wewerka about the house on High across from Holy Cow

ABQ Rapid Transit Project seems to be moving ahead

Dickens of a Dinner

Ann Carson gave a rundown of the Dickens schedule, the order of houses, and the volunteers serving at each house.

Lead/Coal Update

Lead got new striping, configured in such a way as to give the impression of narrower lanes. Councilor Benton’s staff (Tom) will be meeting about Coal in the coming days. The Board discussed the merits of signalized crosswalks at Edith and Walter. Bonnie will find out what they look like.

 

New Board Member

The board met and welcomed Pam Leverick as a new board member, replacing Mary Karafonda, who moved out-of-state to care for family members. Pam and her husband own three properties in Huning Highlands.

Fire Station #2

Patrick McKinney attended the meeting to announce the success of Random Acts in acquiring the fire station, which has stood empty for many months. Random Acts will be transformed into temporary housing for families of fire fighters. There are still some minor zoning hurdles to overcome.

Crime Report

Scott Seibel reported the crime activity

Election Results

The August election returned all board members on the ballot. Zoey Fink is back from study abroad, so will resume her position on the board. Officers elected were Bonnie Anderson, President; Moisés Gonzalez, VP; Joe Boyd, Secretary; and Ann Carson, Treasurer.

First Presbyterian Anniversary

Ron Halbgewachs invited all to an upcoming celebration on Sat., Sept. 26, for the First Presbyterian Church’s 60 years at its Copper location. The event will have classic cars, a saxophone quartet, an organ demonstration, food, crafts, book sale, and historic displays from the archives.

Crime Report

Retired Officer Seibel, now Crime Prevention Specialist, reported counterfeit money making the rounds in Huning Highlands and warned all to

Since our last annual meeting/block party on August 17, 2014, the Board has worked on the following major activities:

1. Ongoing input to the government (city, county, etc.) regarding the impact of various development projects on the neighborhood (Highland Park renovation; development of the block bounded by Arno, Gold, Broadway, and Central; Lead/Coal issues; Walkable Cities and Complete Streets projects; Albuquerque

316 Central—Solve Maxwell wishes to open a business at 316 Central that serves coffee and specialty drinks in the morning and craft beer and counter food in the evening. Solve brought his concerns before the board that Zoning is interpreting the HH Sector Development Plan Section 1A, Item #3 in such a way as to require a restaurant license before he can open his taproom business. The Item reads, under Permissive Uses: “Restaurant with full-service liquor for on-premise consumption, including microbrewery.”  Elaine McGivern has researc

412 Lead SE (between Edith and Arno)—Jonathan and Angela Murray, who live at Huning Gardens condos at Lead and High SE, wish to build a house on the vacant lot at 412 Lead SE, and had requested to pass their ideas through the neighborhood association before they submitted plans for the June LUCC review. Bonnie, Ann, and Kathy held a preliminary meeting with them and their builder Sean Gilligan last week. The house will be contemporary, and Ann had some suggestions to make it more complementary to historic Huning Highlands. An

Crime Report—Citizen Seibel reported that he talked to the beat officer and added patrols in response to a neighbor’s complaints at the last board meeting of crime, transients, and trash. He also said the department has a new computer that allows him to do more with crime stats analysis. Ron asked the police why the bicycle patrol was being eliminated. Mr. Seibel said the department needs to put officers in cars to cover more ground, but the bicycle patrol will continue until June next year.

Reconsideration of funding for Easter Egg Hunt—Annabelle Candelaria stepped up to take charge of the 20^th annua

Police—Civilian Siebel told the board the neighborhood has done a good job of reporting suspicious activity. The good: There was only one residential burglary since Jan 1. The bad: Auto burglary is up, as well as DUIs. The ugly: Much vandalism and graffiti. A neighbor wanted to know if the police would deal with homeless people in her alley who she has been cleaning up after. Cmdr. Donovan replied that no laws are broken just hanging out, but that they would try to patrol the street more often and that she could contact Safe City Strike Force or 311 if the problem continues.

Tree project—Charge of the project has changed departments yet again, this time under Municipal Development. Planting, scheduled

Police Relations—Lt Sanchez and Valley Area Commander Donovan asked for a neighborhood-association volunteer to help reinvigorate a program called Coffee with a Cop. It’s part of a drive through Citizen Policing Council to reframe and improve citizen attitudes about police. Volunteers are required to pass a background check. Ron, attending from the Presbyterian Church and Nob Hill NA, described his positive experience with the group, meeting once a month at the Caesar Chavez Community Center. He is the VP of the Nob Hill Neighborhood Assocation. Interested parties can call Celine Espinoza at 761-8800, or email her at cespinoza@cabq.gov

Lead/Coal traffic as part of Downtown Walkability—Bonnie reported that Councilor Benton has added into the Plan to move the lanes closer to parking and have the other side serve as a buffer between the bike lane, supposedly safer for bikes and resulting in traffic calming by narrowing the lanes. Sam Kochansky offered that the idea doesn’t make sen