Mistletoe Heights Neighborhood August 7, 2012 Meeting Minutes
OLD BUSINESS
1. The rezoning of all the properties on the north side of West Rosedale Street South 2200 block has been completed and now are zoned Single Family/Duplex.
2. Approximately 15 residents signed up for the City of Fort Worth’s Tree Planting Program and about 20 trees were planted. The tree planting program will resume this fall – the neighborhood will be notified to sign-up for trees at that time.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Norm Stemple spoke on the “shut-in” royalty payments received by those who signed the XTO leases. The recent royalty payments will hold the leases until 2013. Following that one of two scenarios will occur. Either XTO will issue another shut-in payment to hold the leases until 2014 or XTO’s plan to have transmission lines finished and will be producing gas. Otherwise, the leases will expire after 2014 and you will be free to renegotiate with new gas companies. Also Norm asked if anyone in the neighborhood who would like to take over his duties as the point-of-contact for gas leases issues for the neighborhood. [Ed. Note: Thanks to Norm for all his great work in helping Mistletoe Heights on this important issue.]
2. Rosaline Eastepp spoke about the sound wall to be located on the berm on Vickery/Rosedale Street. Rosaline, along with Melissa Kohout, are part of a committee working with NTTA and Joel Burns. NTTA has agreed to some landscaping measures to reduce sound, remove the dead shrubbery but also to eliminate the overgrowth that allowed the homeless to shelter unseen against the wall.
Rosaline also spoke about the Streams and Valleys meeting regarding the Chisholm Trail Parkway and related projects, specifically the MH Bike Trail Access. The trailhead will be located at Mistletoe Drive and West Rosedale South and will have a pedestrian bridge crossing the Trinity (located near the current miniature train bridge), information kiosks, benches, bike racks, and signage. There are also plans for a pedestrian and bike lane on the Vickery bridge. Everyone is invited to the FW Trinity Trails/Friends of the River/Streams & Valleys ribbon cutting for the Tilley pedestrian bridge (adjacent to Lancaster Avenue) on August 25th at 10 a.m.
Also, Streams and Valleys is recruiting more volunteers, canoes and small boats to clean up the Trinity River Oxbow located near the zoo between the Trinity River and Mistletoe Heights.
3. Susan Pressley spoke about the Forest Park Boulevard Road Diet and how Mistletoe Heights and Berkeley have been working for over a year to get some measure of traffic relief on Forest Park Boulevard. Susan stated that Joel Burns was instrumental in getting the speed radar signs on the dangerous curve prior to any other measures being planned and residents are already noticing a significant impact on speeding. The city Transportation and Public Works Department other city departments will hold a meeting to reveal plans for the road diet but more significantly to gauge the public’s interest and feelings about the traffic issues. Susan encouraged everyone to attend the meeting to be held on September 10, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn - Midtown.
4. Mike Danella spoke on the landscaping and maintenance of Jerome and Forest Park Boulevard. He proposed hiring a company to perform services, such as trimming the crepe myrtles, cleaning of debris and trash, clearing the sidewalks. This is part of an initiative to beautify the neighborhood, and depending on the future of the road diet, help make Forest Park Boulevard a more livable and attractive roadway. Volunteer help alone cannot sustain the required level of work to maintain the amount of real estate involved. Discussion commenced and resulted in a notice that will go out to inquire about prospective companies that may be interested in doing the work. All applicants will be evaluated and bids received. A decision will hopefully be reached once all the applications are submitted.
5. Mike Brennan spoke on the TexRail Project, Passenger Rail Working Group formed with the city, the T and other entities to push forward the TexRail Project. The PRWG is tasked with trying to streamline the project and to try and cut through bureaucratic red tape. He explained the Medical Center Station’s Next Step from 3rd quarter 2012 through 4th quarter of 2016.
· Final Environmental Assessment and completion of initial engineering is slated for next spring.
· Final Design, which gets into the details like the sound wall, lighting, etc., will kickoff late next year.
· He anticipates the FTA will award funding and construction will begin in the 4th quarter of 2014.
· TexRail will begin operations in the 4th quarter of 2016. However, the working group’s goal is to try to speed up the project.
· Another goal is to try to “reach” a new type of vehicle, a universal vehicle such as the Sadler trains.
Mike Brennan also kindly fielded questions and offered guidance with whom to speak with regarding our questions about design issues, wall/sound, etc.
Claudia Camp raised the issue of the neighborhood wanting a longer sound wall and asked which part of the Next Step process would negotiating this issue take place. The neighborhood traffic committee will be coordinating with The T and their consultants to ensure that the neighborhood concerns are presented and evaluated as part of the Final EIS.
6. Cynthia Wahl spoke about the newsletter. She discussed the proposed increase in advertising rates to align with other neighborhoods and to help generate income. She gave the advertising rates for Fairmount, Berkeley and Arlington Heights. She proposed raising rates as follows: business card - $25, ¼ page - $50, ½ page - $100 and full page - $200. Rosaline Eastepp made a motion to accept and Claudia Camp seconded the motion.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
· The next neighborhood meeting will be in October.
· The fall Covered Dish Dinner will be next month at the Lily B. Clayton cafeteria. Announcemnt will be sent out via email.
· Bow-tying Party for Street Light Decorations, November 18, 2012, 3 p.m., 2237 Irwin - Hosted by Susan and Gary Willis
· The Mistletoe Heights Neighborhood Holiday Party sponsor is needed.