Southwest Partnership
Safe, Vibrant, and Walkable Streets Committee
September 22nd 2016
1138 Hollins St 7pm
Present
Chris Redwood
Jea Chapman
Bernd Kieckbusch
Schlonte McGee
Elizabeth Weber
Dan Morrison
Biff Browning
Nancy Littlepage
JR Lee
Trash Project
Julie Rivera is a new social work intern, who is going to be working with the Safe, Vibrant, and Walkable Streets Committee. Julie introduced herself. She is working on creating a program through part of her class work, her group mates are interested in what community members wanted to work on. Project wouldn’t start until the spring, and doesn’t want to start it until she’s heard from community members what they are looking for. Has a couple of questions to begin the conversation:
- Have Committee members seen trash and have they called 311?: yes, everything from litter to dumping, and they have used 311 and called 311. See an immediate result, but no long term change. Jea has seen a decrease in dumping because she sees people dumping and calls them out on dumping. Chris has done everything in terms of picking up actual trash to asking the city–but in his view it’s based on behavior that doesn’t change as well as the physical structure of the neighborhood (ie, no access to removing trash for residents on the second floor). Also, landlords are not doing what they need to ensure access to trash removal.
- What has been done before? How did it turn out? Nancy’s family has filmed and documented a trash problem on W Baltimore St to identify offenders. Got feedback from the city that there was nothing they could do and not to call them again. Nancy thinks it’s an issue of enforcement and that the owners of the building needs to be fined. Turnover is also an issue, and Biff thinks that it’s easier to work on owners rather than tenants. Jea also sees an issue with people coming into the neighborhood and dumping. It’s also important to have the political level engaged. A responsive councilperson is very important.
- Different levels of trash: on the street litter, improperly disposed household trash, improperly disposed business trash, and dumping. Also an issue with the schools–children littering.
Chris wants to start to look at outside companies that can serve the SWP area for trash cleanup and maintenance needs. He doesn’t think that there’s necessarily the person power to do large scale clean ups throughout the area. Dan said that War Horse CDC is looking into clean up and maintenance for the area around Hollins Market and may be willing to extend the boundaries. Jea suggested applying for grants to pay for the clean up.
JR is working with the property and business owners on starting a pilot program for W Baltimore St, starting at the top of Fulton, where area residents will 2 days a week sweep the sidewalks, curb, and gutter for six hundred dollars a month.
DPW will start street sweeping along W Baltimore St in December. Chris will reach out to DPW about having street sweeping on Hollins St.
Biff suggested an advocacy item such as pushing back through the bag bill, as well as talking to the schools.
Nancy: bulk trash pick up doesn’t function well. Jea suggested adding it to a newsletter. Nancy suggested having a monthly dumpster. Chris–city is committed to picking up bags along the major streets in the SWP area (including community clean ups) before 1pm. (Pratt, W Baltimore, Lombard, Fulton, Carey Sts). If you’re doing something in advance, let Elizabeth or Chris know and we can let DPW know.
Engineers without Borders Project
Undergraduate students from JHU are Interested in doing a parklet and chose Hollins Market. Occupy the equivalent of a parking space, would construct a shared space. The only spot that was viable was right in front of where CUPs was.
No other parklets or Engineers without Borders projects in the city. Dan’s main concern was making sure that the structure could be removed and stored in the winter. Jea asked about speed bumps along Hollins St in front of the Market. The students will bring their designs back to the neighborhood association when they are ready.
Committee Events Updates
This Saturday through the end of October the Committee is holding a lot of outdoor projects. Flowerbed planting on September 24th at the intersection of Ramsay, James, and Cross Sts, tree plantings on October 1st (W Fayette St), October 8th (Mount Clare), October 15th (1300 block of W Pratt asking for commercial size trees), October 22nd (Pigtown planting, still needs to be confirmed), October 29th (Franklin Square Park)
Volunteers are coming from universities, associations, schools, and businesses. Announced to the neighborhoods as well.
Carey St Underpass
Need an engineering study of the design for the underpass, wanted to work with the B&O’s engineering firm but need to wait until the B&O is ready to move forward
MLK sidepath project
DOT wants to fundraise to make a match for a grant they are going after to repair the brick sidepath. We haven’t heard an update yet.
Bike Infrastructure
There will be bike racks and bike share stations installed along Hollins St, near Hollins Market and near Union Square Park.
Flag
We haven’t have any luck contacting the owner of the firehouse, but will keep trying.
Chris suggested doing banners along the light posts along Carey St. Chris asked the presidents present to begin talking about banners and see their neighborhood’s interest. The Committee expressed interest in having banners. Presidents will let Committees know the general consensus. Elizabeth will look into it.
Rain Garden at Southwest Baltimore Charter School
Still a gap in funding for construction costs but we are continuing to look for gap funding.
B&O Mural at Mahogany Furniture
B&O and Mahogany are interested in having the mural resurfaced and repainted, but is in need of funding. BOPA wants new locations for Open Walls 3, but we will need to identify at least six lots. We will get in touch to with BOPA.
Telemar
Veterans program that seeks out green space for urban farming training. Chris has information that can be sent around.
Code Enforcement Legal Section
the new contact is Jane Lewis (jane.lewis@baltimorecity.gov)
Announcement
Police-Community softball game October 8th.
Alley clean up and greening at 10am in Union Square on 9/24
Caleb Stein in Union Square Park on Sunday 9/25
Meeting adjourned
