Meeting Tonight: 7pm @ Howth/Josiah/Ridge Lane (May 14)

You are welcomed to attend tonight’s meeting of Ridge Lane Neighbors!

Location: Intersection of Josiah, Howth, & Ridge Lane

Time: 7 – 8:30pm

 

MINUTES MAY 14

Minutes RLN meeting

Date: Thursday May 14 2015

Time: 7-8:30pm

Location: Ridge Lane at Howth

Attendees: Warren Longmire, Robert Rodriguez, Scott Kauffman, Mary Beth d’Alonzo, Patricia Ris (minutes)

Regrets: Robert Muehlbauer and Moneka Urbanske

1/ The conversation begins with a review of the tragic accident that occurred on May 12th at the intersection of Lakeview and San José Avenues.

Moneka Urbanske, one of our loyal and committed steering group members and wife of Robert Muehlbauer was severely hurt by a hit and run

at that very same intersection and is recovering at home from broken bones and severe bruises. Our thoughts and well wishes go out to her and

her family, as well as the family of 12 year old Andrew Wu, our Ingleside Heights neighbor who lost his life.

2/ We are waiting for information from Heather Clendenin and Nahal Sohbati of SFAAU about the next rounds of drawings for the first stretch of

Ridge Lane. See updates below.

3/ Mary Beth and Patricia attended the excellent workshop of the SF Parks Alliance ‘Organizing Your Community Group’.

Here are some highlights (thanks MB).

We had a discussion about the following topics:

–  The importance and reasons for having a mission statement and by-laws.

– Best practices around group communication and meeting facilitation, including the importance of having an agenda,

establish meeting norms and roles.

– A panel discussion about the following topics: How to keep volunteers (us), how to prevent burnout.

– Organizational models: hierarchical v. egalitarian

4/ Patricia and Mary Beth attended the SFAAU Spring Show and the prominent placement of the drawings of Ridge Lane by Nahal Sohbati.

Congrats Nahal!

5/ The brochure design is on hold until we have the latest, more detailed version of the drawings for section 1 of Ridge Lane (Howth to Margaret).

6/ Our clean up/community mixer is on hold so it can be timed to occur along with the next step for landscape design and timeline. Most likely

it will happen in July (our ‘sunny’ month).

7/ Deputy Attorney Jill Cannon, will attend our next meeting.

We would like to talk about the following issues:

– Pedestrian safety and traffic calming, not just at the fatal intersection (speed bumps for Ridge Lane crossings?)

– Drug dealing on Lakeview Avenue

– Encroachment issues on Ridge Lane

– Dumping/Cleanliness, SF Recology service schedule

– Garage conversions without permits

– Single family home conversions without permits

– Sidewalk parking and parking congestion (due to illegal residential conversions and overcrowding)

– Fire hydrants without red zones (Howth/Josiah)

For your convenience here are the issues we can address with her, as quoted by SFBS legislative Aide Frances Hsieh:

*Substandard housing and building code violations – dilapidated conditions, unsafe or illegal construction, plumbing/electrical/mechanical problems

*Fire Hazards – lack of working sprinklers, blocked exits, overcrowding

*Criminal activity – drug houses, prostitution, illegal businesses, gang activity, nuisances from liquor stores or entertainment venues, excessive noise, gambling houses

*Health code violations – insect or rodent infestations, excessive trash, abandoned cars

*Land use issues – unauthorized property uses, commercial auto repair in residential zones, illegal signs, destruction of San Francisco historical landmarks

*Public works violations – illegal dumping, blight, broken sidewalks.

Next meeting: Thursday June 11th, 7-8:30pm at the Public Library on Ocean Avenue at Plymouth.

Respectfully submitted by Patricia Ris/with notes from Mary Beth d’Alonzo (thank you!)