Introductions: Chris Brown, Carmel Siler, Justin Arnhalt, bht, Emily, Neil, Adrien, Cathleen Pequeuyo, Terrie Quinteros, David Rogers, Chris, Kuniko, Bill Jackson, Dan Bower

Announcements: as appear

Elections:

• Descirbed chair positions
• requested ideas for other chairs
  - none
• call for nominations
  - bht nominated self for land use
  - neil interested in fundraising/grantwriter, greenspace (open position)
  
• called for volunteers for annual events

Fremont/Mississippi Intesection - Dan Bower:

• light to be replaced by a four way stop, blinking light, city decided this on the basis of traffic volume not necessitating it and also safety (record of accidents of people getting hit going up the hill)
• q- what governs blinking rather than four stop signs a- not sure, probably volume

Land Use Update - Justin Arnhalt:

• justin reported on some permits, mostly subdivisions of lots; also, appeal of Kaiser development on SE corner of Fremont/Williams
• q- whats up with the appeal? a- the apellant lives in CA, but owns adjacent property and is concerned about it being out of scale with the neighborhood
• q- is Trader Joes happening? a- no. Kaiser thinks new statistics might convice them, but right now they're not interested
• justin also gave info on a city project to examine in-fill projects.

Safety Update - Dan Bower:

• alley clean-up happened this weekend in hot spot for criminal activity

Kurisu Garden Update - Koichi and Kuniko:

• Handout: "Designing Heart Helathy COmmunities"
• Koichi: they've learned about a $4000 grant for which they are applying for garden projects on the Ballroom block
• read proposal, which includes underground parking topped by greenspace; also productive garden space in conjunction with PCH
• significant unknowns: whether nighbors will allow vacating of alley and whether the lot north of Mississippi House
• further vacating the alley needs 100% approval of those who liv eon block
• question re: maintaining spaces and insurance liability
• q-can the alley way remain a bike/ped through way? a- yes
• q- could the vacated alleyway just be subsumed into residents property? a- yes
• q- what restrictions on public use for the Kurisu spaces? a- not resolved - probably have a closing time (no smoking, no herbicides or pesticides, no fossil fuel vehicles)
• described legal/fiscal options (somewhat complicated)
• submitted proposal and called for comments
• Neil: contacted OSALT (Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust) about development of mini-farm, preservation of Douglas Fir with a cob bench under it. also, educational classes re: gardening
  - proposes formation of committee in conjunction with BNA and others to develop these ideas/programs/spaces
• koichi: also hoping to use the Miss Ballroom space as a community learning space
• Kuniko: they've sent out a mailing in part requesting input re: the alley vacation
• neil: has anyone gone door to door? kuniko: yes, but they dont know whether she actually talked to people
• questions about the parking. the bank demands parking spaces in order to fund
• q- the $4000 grant falls into Kurisu's pocket if the significant unknowns dont pan out. why cant it cascade back into the neighborhood till?
• chris gave the history of the grant
• Koichi: the grant could very well go back to the community if thats what the NA decides should happen.
• neil: how will the "retail" be serviced by trucks? kuniko: they're hoping for health and well-being services rather than "retail"
• q- will NAYA stay? do they want to stay? a- the amount of space they want currently is available, but they are looking at options
• q- any more outreach/oppurtunity to discuss further? a- koichi made contact info available
• dan: how does the grant process proceed? chris: not sure, we'll discuss at board meeting.

Drug Free Zone Discussion:

• Chris Brown (CB): last month DA Hayden and Officer Smith came to present on the DFZ in the neighborhood, it comes up for approval every 3 years.
• Chris O'Conner (CO): non-profit public defender (not from the city) - did last legal challenge against DFZ
  - described process whereby exclusions are made
  - criticisms:
  - civil liberties MATTER
  - too much oppurtunity for police to abuse power
  - doesnt take issue with post conviction exclusions
  - the process by which the city renews this
  - the relations of DFZ's to racial profiling
  - wants us to ask the city to make the exclusion dependent on conviction
  - wants us to demand the numbers on the success of the practice
  - ask for more time. its currently on the docket for next wednesday the 19th
  - asks us to go down to the city council meeting
  - have a community-only meeting
  - the DFZ is premised on the failure of city government and judicial means to confront drug crimes
  
• David Rogers: wearing two hats, neighbor and worker for Western Prisons Project
  - the dfz is disturbing:
  - 60-75 of exclusions are served on people of color
  - strips citizens of due process
  - dubious constitutionality
  - ACLU, Portland CopWatch, Rep. Chip Shields, et al, all find the DFZ problematic
  - Mayor Potter wants this looked at, especially the no-conviction aspect
• note: portland was the pioneer on this but all other cities doing it dont have no conviction exclusion.
• david proposes that whether or not a letter has been sent, we should consider drafting a new one.
• q- isnt it more like a traffic ticket and appealable as such? a- the problem is that it puts you in a special class of citizen with fewer rights from the get go a- also, on your 2nd parking ticket, youre going to jail
• david: police routinely exclude when theres not enough evidence to convict
• CO: those most likely to get busted are most likely to have the least stable homes or no homes at all
• caleb: understood that the letter was going to be drafted and reviewedat this meeting
• david: would like to see us write a new letter tonight - possed out "please contact the mayor" handout
• Monica Goreke: new resident, Oregon Law (something)
  - concerned about unequal impact this law has on poor and homeless people
  - the speeding ticket metaphor is a little fallacious because of peoples unequal access to the legal assistance
• q- how long do you have to appeal a (CO)- 10 or 15 days
• q (to David)- are you proposing we write a letter tonight a- if there has been a letter sent, we send another that does not endorse, but adds these five points
• caleb moved that these 5 bullets be inserted in - koichi moves they be added as an addendum so the original is preserved - caleb agrees
• dan: thinks thats a resonable plan
• all in favor of endorsing the 5 points from the handout: 15 in favor, 1 abstention
• 2nd motion to draft 2nd letter that includes these points
• neil moved to NOT support the DFZ in this neighborhood unless these five points were addressed: 16 in favor, 1 opposed, 1 abstention
• david offered to draft the letter and email it to dan
• kay: beech street bicycle parking spot has been approved
• david: thanked everyone for sticking with the whole process

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