Happy Valley Board Meeting November 2015 Minutes

Happy Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) Monthly Board Meeting 11/9/15

Meeting called to order at 7:00pm.  The meeting was facilitated by President Aaron Walters and took place at Millworks Co-Housing.

Present: Kathy, Aaron, Jim, Kim, Yvonne, John, Wendy, Becky, Sully, Hue, Kate, Ray and Bobbi.

Jim offered to research and write a letter to elected officials about concerns for global warming from the perspective of our neighborhood.

Concerns were raised regarding the new LED street lighting being installed throughout the city.  The light seems too bright, too harsh and more blue than yellow.  Is there a way to still influence which kind of LED lighting to use?  Kim will research this.

Ray D. presented the treasurer’s report (checking balance is $475.23 and savings balance is $630.64).  We have had an increase in people who have paid membership dues, but many others still need to renew.  Strategies were discussed.  Aaron W. will put a reminder to renew on the Nextdoor neighborhood social network.  We will print 300 newsletters for the January edition and walk the neighborhood with them.  Becky Langholz to organize a meeting to discuss setting up a new website and email system.

There will be a tree planting session Saturday, November 21st at 9:30am.  Meet at the parking lot across the street from Hillcrest Chapel.  We will plant about 12 new trees.  Thanks to John H. for researching and organizing.

Wendy brought up a recent tour of the neighborhood with Rick Sepler, the new planning commissioner.  Rick will also speak at our next quarterly meeting on February 18th, 2016.  Issues regarding regulation of Airbnbs is on his agenda.  We would like to help set up a meeting with other neighborhoods to talk about Airbnbs at some point in the near future.

The City Planning Commission is hosting a hearing regarding ADUs (accessory dwelling units) on November 19th at 7pm.

Our Southside Community Meal will be this Sunday, the 15th from 5-6:30pm at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (OSLC) at 1720 Harris Ave.  Wendy, Yvonne and Sully are working on signs.  We authorized Yvonne to get six new signs made, three orange ones for the meal and three green for quarterly meetings.

Rainy Day Play, for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers, will take place on the second Wednesday of the month from 9:30-11:30am in the basement of OSLC from November-April.  The first session is this Wednesday, November 11th.  Contact Becky Langholz for more information.

Some other topics discussed: election results, visioning process for the new Sehome highschool, recent house fires in our neighborhood and why the shopping plaza at 1-5 and Old Fairhaven Pkwy is called “Fairhaven Plaza” if it is not in Fairhaven.  There were also trees recently removed from that property.

Respectfully submitted, Becky Langholz (beckylangholz@gmail.com)