After a couple of dormant years, the Liberty Hill Neighborhood Association (LHNA) is back. On Tuesday, April 6th over forty people attended a meeting hosted by Elizabeth Zitrin and Clint Mitchell at their gorgeous restored Victorian on Hill Street. Newer neighbors got to meet the original team who helped protect our neighborhood's historic structures by getting the historic district designation. Thanks, Elizabeth, Clint, John Barbey and Risa Teitelbaum!
Interest was strong to reinvigorate LHNA with discussion about forming several committees including; Design Review, Communications, Outreach, Transportation, Open Space & Parks, and Commercial Corridor Plans and Improvements. Neighbors are encouraged to sign up for one of the new committees or create another. Clint volunteered for the Design Review Committee, Laura Wentworth volunteered to advise. Laura, Tracy Wheeler and Vaughn Shields volunteered for the Communications Committee. Todd Mavis volunteered for the Outreach Committee. Another area we may want to address is Safety and Disaster Preparedness.
Other issues discussed included; residential parking (Peter recently got Hill Street done), undergrounding power lines, homelessness, blighted storefronts, group buying power for solar installation, continued vigilance of historic preservation and the plans for Valencia Street from 15th-19th as well as plans for Mission Street. Partnering with other neighborhood associations is a high priority as well.
Dues were set at $20 per household, $10 for singles and $5 for seniors and students, with a policy that no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Sherry Steiner agreed to be acting Treasurer at least until there are proper elections. Peter Heinecke offered to be acting Secretary and Clint offered to be acting President but only until elections are held. Anyone who's interested in being President or VP please prepare your campaign platform!
Elizabeth gave a brief history of the controversy surrounding
827 Guerrero Street - a lovely mansion near the corner of Liberty Street that is currently being used as an unlicensed drug treatment and rehab center. After some debate, it was agreed that Elizabeth would represent LHNA as being opposed to the pending conditional use permit application on the grounds that the treatments being offered should be licensed and the business owner should reapply after obtaining licensing.
The Planning Commission hearing is Thursday, April 9th at 1:30 pm. Commission Chambers – Room 400 City Hall. 827 Guerrero is item 8a and 8b of the Regular Calendar. Anyone who is interested should attend the meeting.
Another issue of immediate concern is the
proposed building where Spork is there is concern that it will push new height allowances. We need someone to volunteer to research that project.
The next meeting is set for
May 4 at 6PM and all meetings will be held on the first Monday of each month unless there's a holiday. The next meeting will be at Greg Elich and Vaughn Shields's home at
24 Hill Street.
There were a couple of other people who volunteered whose names we didn't get, my apologies, please contact Tracy(at)palindrome.com with your information.