Here is a study from 2009 on community gardening.
Issues
Report from the community gardening meeting
Last night at Summit Commons June Daniel presented her plan to create community gardening in Lippitt Park. Also in attendance were eight neighbors, five of which are current SNA board members. It is unfortunate that there was little notice about this meeting, but now that we are in contact with June, we will give advanced notice of these meetings as they get set.
June presented her ideas for the project, including potential locations in the park and the basic format, which would be modeled closely after the Sessions Street community garden of which she is a current member. In essence, the city would bring water to the location, build a fence, and then allow land use rights to the community garden group. The proposed area of the project would be 4,800 square feet. The group would then lease the 10′ x 10′ plots to individuals who would use them to grow vegetables. June said that the details of this arrangement are still in the works, but likely costs could be $100 for the first year and $35 for each additional year thereafter. Members who have a plot in the current year get first right of refusal for a plot next year. She reported that most other community gardens in the city have a waiting list.
Specific locations discussed included:
1. Southeast corner of the park
2. Southwest area where the Open Market is usually held
3. Northern point where the Farmer’s Market is usually held
Locations #2 and 3 above would have those markets moving elsewhere inside the park. Everyone agreed that giving the Farmer’s Market first location choice is essential, as that market brings much enhancement to our neighborhood.
The neighbors present participated in the discussion, suggesting other locations in addition to Lippitt Park for consideration. The group seemed split on whether Lippitt Park was an appropriate location for this type of activity, with perhaps a few more than half of those present thinking that it was not the best location.
Another location discussed was Collier Field, which perhaps has closer access to water and is a less-used location.
This project is something being pursued by June Daniel. For its part, SNA hopes to gauge neighbors’ wants in this area and advocate accordingly. To that end, there will be a survey created, as well as at least two additional public meetings. Access to the survey will be made available on this site, on the SNA e-mail list, and in the next SNA newsletter for people without Internet access. June has agreed to not pursue this project in Lippitt Park if it becomes clear that the neighborhood is against it. It is difficult to get any accurate reading of neighborhood consensus, and the best methods discussed last night were through the survey and public meeting discussion.
So if you have an interest in this issue, please participate in one of those methods, if possible. If you are unable, please do contact someone from SNA (sna@sna.providence.ri.us) to make your voice heard. Of course, SNA is not the only way to weigh in here; the Parks Department and Mayor’s Office should also be willing to hear your voice on this issue.
The additional public meetings are set for September 26 and October 24 at 6pm. Location will be Summit Commons (99 Hillside Ave).
Environment
First public meeting on community gardening to be held this Sunday
Two meetings have been set for initial discussions on community gardening in Lippitt Park. The first will be held this Sunday, August 22 at 5pm. The second will be held Sunday, September 19 at 6pm. Both meetings will be held at Summit Commons (99 Hillside Ave).
The meetings were set and will be lead by Summit neighbor June Daniel, who is an individual interested in creating community gardening in Lippitt Park. She has been in contact with the city on this issue and hopes to move forward with the project. Recognizing that other neighbors and community members will have concerns on the issue, she is hosting the two meetings to provide a forum for those concerns, as well as to allow people to speak up in support of the project.
We hope that this short notice will not prevent attendance at the first meeting. Contact was only made with the meeting’s host today, and we are sending out word as timely as possible.
At this time, SNA as a whole has not taken a position on this project. We are waiting to hear more from our neighbors on the issue. We urge you to show up at one or both of these meetings to make your voice heard. We will be doing the same individually.
City Government
East Side Candidates Nights
Here are some upcoming candidates nights to take place on the east side. The SNA will also be hosting one in the fall, and we will update you with that information when it is scheduled.
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Issues
4th Street bicycle shop zoning issue
The zoning variance for the proposed bicycle shop on 4th Street goes before the zoning board on September 1. If you are interested in reading the letter sent from SNA to the zoning board, it is here:
February 10, 2010
Myrth York
Chairperson
Providence Zoning Board
Dear Madam Chairperson,
The Summit Neighborhood Association supports the North Hope street business district. Strengthening this business district is important to helping make our neighborhood strong and an enjoyable place to live. In these hard economic times we don’t want to limit owners or tenant businesses in their efforts to be successful.
While the neighborhood association supports a zoning variance that would allow the sale and service of bicycles at 210-212 Fourth Street, we respectfully request that the Providence Zoning Board formally rule abandonment of a nonconforming use at this property before opening any discussion of the new zoning request by the property owners.
Specifically, according to zoning ordinance 201.10 Abandonment; 210-212 Fourth Street, lot 77 in plat 93 has lost any zoning exceptions it may have previously had for the property’s use as a detailing shop, car wash or auto sales/garage repair due to the fact that for more than two years it has not been in use and in fact, such facilities necessary for these uses are no longer in the building. The ordinance states that, “If any nonconforming use is halted for a period of one year, the owner of the nonconforming use will be presumed to have abandoned such nonconforming use.”
While the Neighborhood Association looks forward to the addition of a bicycle sales and repair service in the neighborhood, we do not support a variance allowing auto sales and service due to significant parking and traffic congestion issues. The Association believes any auto repair/service would bring unsustainable auto congestion to this already crowded corner of our neighborhood. Bank of America is on one corner with limited parking. Many of their employees park on this section of Fourth Street because the bank does not allow its employees to park in their small lot. On the opposite corner is the Seven Stars bakery also with limited parking space. Finally, the RI Ballet is just opposite with limited parking. We understand from the neighbors on Fourth Street that there is no street parking available on Saturdays when there is ballet practice or a recital. The truth is that this intersection of our neighborhood is so over crowded with parked cars and traffic, that is extremely difficult to turn off Fourth Street onto Hope Street or vice versa, and is in fact sometimes very dangerous.
Additionally, we would ask that the zoning board postpone granting the sign variance until next month to allow time for the applicant to submit to the Summit Neighborhood Association a full color, dimensioned drawing or mock-up of the sign and how it will be hung in relation to the building. In turn, the neighborhood association will ensure that our neighbors on Fourth Street have the opportunity to review the drawing and comment on it. In this way our new business neighbors can move forward in setting up their new store short of installing the new sign.
Thank you very much for helping us to build and maintain a quality neighborhood for families, businesses and visitors.
Jim Kelley,
President of the Summit Neighborhood Association
SNA
PO Box 41092
Providence, RI 02940
Hope Street
Clarke’s Flower shop zoning issue postponed until September meeting
In case you have not heard it elsewhere, the drive-thru zoning issue will not be on this evening’s agenda at City Hall. It will likely be on the September agenda.
There is good discussion on this issue at the Preserve Providence”s Hope Street Facebook page, if you’d like to follow further:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=147165855300258&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=147165855300258&v=info
City Government
Zoning variance for drive-thru coffee shop on Hope Street?
The proposal is to knock down the Clarke Florist building and erect a new building for a coffee shop, which would include a drive-through. Given its proximity to Summit Neighborhood and that the lot is not currently zoned for a drive-through, we are hoping to gain some insight into how our neighbors would prefer this project to proceed. The project needs a zoning variance to include a drive-through, and many neighbors have already expressed concern for potential increased car and foot traffic, not to mention its closeness to Hope High School.
Have an opinion? Please comment here and/or on the listserv.
Also, there are two meetings to attend to voice your concerns. This evening there will be a meeting, with the new owner in attendance, at the YMCA on Hope Street (421 Hope St) at 6:30pm.
The zoning meeting will be held on August 16 at 5:30pm, at City Hall, 5th Floor (25 Dorrance St).
Look for other members of SNA at both meetings and join forces!
There will be a meeting Thursday, August 12 at 6:30pm regarding this issue.
Issues
Take SNA’s 2009 Summit Issues Survey
What does your neighborhood need? Help plan Summit Neighborhood Association’s activities for 2009 by taking SNA’s amazingly quick 2009 Community Issues Survey Click Here to take survey.
The top issues emerging from this survey will be discussed in detail at our 2009 Annual Meeting coming up on February 23 at 7pm at Summit Commons Nursing Home 99 Hillside Ave.
City Government
City pushes Summit charrette back to fall
The City of Providence informed SNA last week that a neighborhood planning “charrette” for the Summit, Mt. Hope and Blackstone areas of the East Side will be postponed to September rather than being held in June as previously announced by the Dept. of Planning and Development.
The charrette for our neighborhood is now (and still “tentatively”) scheduled for Sept. 24 through 28 with a follow-up meeting on Nov. 14. For updates, check with SNA or with the city Planning Department web site: ProvidenceTomorrow.org.
General News
Hillside Health building still in limbo
John Smithers and neighbors near the former Hillside Health Center continue to monitor the bankruptcy court process that will determine whether and when the facility can be sold and re-developed.
This week John spoke with Attorney Rick Land of the receiver, Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C. and learned the following:
1) The Hillside Center has not been sold;More…
2) The unconditional offer (no use specified) from Davenport is the offer that is presently before the Court;
a) The original Davenport bid was for 3.2 million dollars, it was never acted upon because of the Suburban Mortgage issue;
3) Davenport and other bidders do not have to indicate their intended use, if zoning variances are required for their proposed business model then they are required to go before the Zoning Board for those variances, this would typically occur AFTER the sale (thus the “unconditional” bids);
a) Previously other Nursing Home operators were interested but one cannot speculate as to their current level of interest nor their desire to compete with the Davenport bid;
4) Instead of the Hearing scheduled for May 1st the Judge will hold a Conference with the Receiver (Winograd, Shine & Zacks, P.C.);
a) During which the Judge will hear the Receiver’s recommendation to solicit bids for the property;
b) Attorney Land suspects this will result in an auction type setting at a later date where all bidders will openly compete for acquisition of the property;
John will speak with Attorney Land on May 2nd to learn the outcomes of the Conference and provide an update.