Quick UPCC Meeting Notes

The University Park Community Club
23 March 1999
(as taken by R'ykandar (Dar) Korra'ti while trying to be involved in the meeting at the same time.)

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UPCC INTRODUCTION

UPCC was incorporated 1972, existed many years before. Has $900 in bank acct. Been working on Cowan & Ravenna park issues, YouthCare, Ravenna House aka Blade House for young homeless pregnant women, CUCAC and other planning efforts. This public meeting's turnout is the largest in 10 years!

OTHER MEETINGS UPCOMING:

University Community Urban Centre Planning Meeting (IMPORTANT!):
     Noon-3pm, SATURDAY (27 March), U. Heights Community Centre, on the Ave.
Neighbourhood Action Team Seattle (NATS):
     5:30-7pm 31 March, Ravenna/Eckstein Community Centre
UW Master Plan kickoff meetings (there are two):
     1) 12:30-2:30 27 April in the HUB, Room 200 ABC
     2) 6:30-8:30 27 April in Kane Hall in the Walker-Ames Room
U. Village Master Plan kickoff meeting:
     Thurs. 7:30 U. Heights

SLUMLORDS! PARTIES! NOISE!

When making noise complaints, record: Police incident #, times, who you talk to; CALL the landlord, and record EVERYTHING about the incident and what you do.

New noise ordinance: Council will deal w/it in April. Eliminate provisions requiring warnings. Currently any claim that they'll stop cancels the claim. CALL THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING THE NOISE ORDINANCE CHANGES. Public Safety Committee - Tina Podlidowski is in charge - will hear the proposed changes first. Tina's # is 684-8808. Also, you can SUE in small-claims over excessive noise on violations of the right to enjoy your own property! EACH PERSON in your house can sue - and you're suing the landlord, not the tenants.

Mr. BUDIGAN owns 8 problem houses. Lives in Magnolia. Now 50th & 16th - 5251 16th? (This is disputed by several people.)

CODE ENFORCEMENT

Stepping up enforcement of current codes. Includes training city employees to spot possible code violations & report for investigation. There may be opportunity for residents to do the same. NATS is working on all this, we should too. A two-month effort is starting tonight in Roosevelt to target worst offenders of code. We want to emulate this process.

Complaints about institutional bias against homeowners in Seattle in general and the U. District in particular. Attitude: "It's the U. District. Deal with it." De facto commercial developers are moving in using archaic building use permits & pretending not to be commercial. There's a history of DCLU being the problem. MUST find a way to deal with DCLU.

Lots of problems started in 60s after city upzoned area to duplexes in 50s, a change later reversed with much damage undone. This can be done again.

There's the possibility of getting decimetre (?) readers going around to record noise levels in problem cases.

WHO WANTS TO BE ON WHAT COMMITTEES?

     Brian Lange ofters to head committee on land use/zoning. What is legal & illegal.
     Eloy will chair committee on trash and yards/neighbourhood beautification. Club used to have (better) annual cleanup w/a truck and stuff.
     Housing Problem documentation
     Susie will look into historical info.
     Willy Williams - police & UW.

THOUGHTS ON THE UNIVERSITY

     UW has made it harder to party in Frat Row. Annoyance at them decllning to deal with resultant off-frat-row parties. Dean of Student Affairs says "off campus = not our problem." REQUIRES intervention by state legislator to get answer. Proposals of student code of conduct, Ed Murray has shown some interest. NEEDS an organisation behind it. Opportunity here.

SUGGESTIONS:

     Identity signs for area - $100 for city designs. Help build awareness.
     Make Zone 6 apply overnight to stop parking availability for all-night parties.
     U. Heights-based cleanup Sat. May 8th. Karen Ko (head of U. District community service centre) urges people to come into community service centre on the Ave.
     Eloy suggests welcome-to-neighbourhood packet w/info.
     Jim Crider (secretary/treasurer) suggests more serious block watch. Diane Horswell is city co-ordinator for Block Watch in general in our area.
     Karen Ko recommends using city matching fund programme. Has application forms for simple twice-a-month grants. Must document why you want it, who supports it, must do multiple times usually.
     Proposal for regular meetings to make club easier to find. Kent will make signs.
     U. Heights is starting community newsletter. We have space in it & should use it.
     Geri Larson - lived here 12 years, didn't know about any of this, urges! more communication.

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