JACC Housing and Development Committee meeting minutes for May 11, 2010.

The following meeting minutes were submitted by committee co-chair Daniel Rother:





Mayʻs meeting came to order @ 6:30 PM. The meeting was held at the JACC office.

The attendees were Daniel Rother, Polly Peterson, Deb Wagner, Greg Hiniker, Chic Hanssen,

Georgianna Yantos, Todd Heintz, Jeff Houge, Lynn Riskedale, Connie Beckers, Keith Reitman,

Claudia Perez, Randy Lane, James Powers, Rock H. OʼBanasa from NHS, Chris Dettling of

PPL and Robert Porter from North Community Development Center.

Mayʼs agenda was reviewed and Georgianna Yantos was added to the agenda to talk

about 26th Av. N.ʻs Bikeway. The Aprilʼs Housing & Development Committee meeting minutes

were read over & approved by the committee.


First on the agenda was Connie Beckers, who introduced herself and her new business,

The Goddess of Glass & Friends, located at 2205 Lowry Av. N., opening on June 5th. The store

will be open 3 days a week. The store will sell gifts, have an art gallery and teach classes on

glass art.


Next, Rock OʼBanasa from Northside Housing Services talked about a $100,000 loan,

approved by NHS board of directors, to James & Helen Powers, owners of 2115 Emerson Av.

N., for a rehab of 2115 Emerson Av. N.. The Powers purchased and payed cash ($65,000) for

the property which needs a rehabilitation before it can receive a certificate of Occupancy and

they can move in. The loan will come from Jordanʼs revolving loan fund which has limits on the

amount that can be loaned for any rehab ($50,000). NHS and the Powers are looking for

approval from Jordan for the full loan amount of $100,000. After a discussion about this issue

Keith Reitman made a motion to approve the full amount of the loan by the Housing &

Development Committee, the motion was seconded by Deb Wagner and a vote was taken to

send this issue on to the JACC Board with the H & D committeesʼ approval. The vote was 8 for

and 1 against, so the motion passed. After the vote it was noted there would $2,000 in closing

cost which would be part of the loan.


Robert Porter as the Executive Director of the newly formed Northside Community

Development Corporation came by to introduce himself and talk about NCDC. Robert

mentioned the corporation is organized as a 501c and that the group is interested in helping

improve all of northsidesʼ neighborhoods and is looking for a representative from each

neighborhood to sit on its board of directors. He talked about his experience in creating and

being part of neighborhood development centers and their success in improving neighborhoods.

Robert left a multipage description of NCDC as to who, what and why The NCDC has been

organized. Robert asked for Jordansʼ participation with the NCDC.


After Robert Porter, Chris Dettling from PPL introduced himself and presented PPLsʼ

intention to rehab a fourplex apartment @ 2521 Girard Av. N. and rent the units as affordable

units to low income people in section 8. Chris was asking for a letter of approval from the

neighborhood for support for the project. Dan Rother made a motion to write a letter of support

from the neighborhood for PPLsʼ rehab of 2521 Girard, Tod Heintz seconded the motion and the

H & D committee unanimously approved the motion.



Jeff Houge, representing Autozone (an auto parts retailer), and Randy Lane owner of the

properties on W. Broadway Autozone wants to develop, presented revised plans for the store to

be developed on W. Broadway to the H & D committee looking for its support for the project to

take to the JACC board for its support from the neighborhood as it goes to the city for its

approval to move forward on purchase of the properties from Randy Lane and construction of

the store. Jeff Houge said they have support from the West Broadway Coalition & property

owners within 100ʼ. He said Autozone will own the property and that it will be well managed and

that Emerge will be helping in the hiring of employees and that the employees will be found

within the neighborhood. The city will have to approve zoning changes to the properties from C2

to C1 for the project to move forward. Keith Reitman made a motion to support the new,

improved & highly artistic Autozone plan, Chic Hanssen seconded the motion. The H & D

committee discussed their proposal and took a vote. The vote was 3 for approval and 4 against.

The proposal for support of the development by the H & D committee was denied. The

Autozone presenters still intended to present to the JACC Board for their approval. Randy Lane

noted that if the development for an Autozone store was denied by the city that the property

would continue to be a car wash.


The last agenda item was Georgianna Yantos on the 26th Av. N. Bikeway. Georgianna

said she was trying to organize a major meeting with interested parties. Public Works is not

supportive in moving the project forward, but Hawthorn neighborhood wants to get Public Works

to move the bikeway project into Quickworks ( determining costs of project) to move it forward.

Hawthorn neighborhood is moving forward on its own by contracting with Biko Associates to

determine costs of alternative solutions 2,3 and 4 of the bikeway proposed by Biko and the

neighborhood is committed to spend $20,000 of their NRP funds. They are asking for a letter of

support from themselves and the Jordan neighborhood to our board for Public Works to bring

the bikeway project forward. Other supporters of the project are Bob Miller from NRP, mayor

R.T. Rybak, and city council members Barb Johnson, Don Samuels, and Diane Hofstede. Bob

Miller said the meeting would be on May 19th. Dan Rother made a motion to send a letter of

support from the Jordan neighborhood to the city council for submission to CLIC (Capital Long

range Improvement Committee). The motion was seconded by Tod Heintz and passed by the H

& D Committee.



Announcements:

Dan Rother announced that there is an Aids walk Sunday May 16th.

The meeting adjourned @ 9 PM.