Mayor's Neighborhood Preservation Commission

Mayor's Neighborhood Preservation Committee 6/2/10 Minutes (Draft) CITY OF NORWALK MAYOR'S NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION MEETING REGULAR MEETING JUNE 2, 2010 ATTENDANCE: David Shockley, Redevelopment Agency; Christine Abraham, West Main Street N.A.; Hal Alvord, DPW; Julie Burton, CNNA; Maribeth Becker, Wall Street; Helen Bryan, West Main Street N.A.; Dori Wilson, Zoning; Katherine Griffing, Golden Hill Association, Glenn Iannaccone, Fire Department; Marilyn Maitland, Health Department, Christine Names, NASH, Ron Muller, Village Creek Homeowners Association; Al Raymond, Spring Hill/Hospital N.A.; Nancy Whitmore, West Main Street N.A.; Patrick Vingo, Golden Hill Association, Jackie Lightfield; Mayor Richard A. Moccia (10:30 a.m.), Lt. Paul Resnick, Norwalk Police (10:57 a.m.) STAFF: Connie Blair, Customer Service CALL TO ORDER Mr. Shockley called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. Mr. Shockley said that Mayor Moccia and Lt. Resnick were downstairs at the D.A.R.E. graduation and would be joining the meeting later. WELCOMING REMARKS, REVIEW AND APPROVE THE MAY 5, 2010 MEETING MINUTES The following correction of the May 5, 2010 minutes was noted: Page 1, under ATTENDANCE: Please change the following "Helen Bryan, West Avenue N.A." to "Helen Bryan, West Main Street N.A." ** MS. GRIFFING MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 5, 2010 AS CORRECTED. ** MS. NAMES SECONDED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNAMIMOUSLY. CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER UPDATE Ms. Blair said that an email had been received from Governor Rell regarding the storm damage for those who need assistance. She had copies available for those present. ANNOUNCEMENTS City of Norwalk Mayor's Neighborhood Preservation Meeting Regular Meeting June 2, 2010 Page 1 City Staff: Mr. Alvord announced that there will be some services reductions during June such as street sweeping and mowing the grass at the traffic islands and cul de sacs, and trimming bushes as there is a staffing shortage. Mr. Alvord said that there were other issues such as catch basins that are failing and work on MLK before the paving can be done. These are priorities. If there is a sight line issue, please call Customer Service. If the cul de sac has a fire hydrant, please mow around it so the Fire Department can locate them easily. Mr. Shockley said that the Emergency Disaster Office would be having a free training session, which will be targeted towards agency staff, management staff and others in learning what to do and what to expect in the event of a major incident. It will be on June 15, at NCC from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Fire Marshal Iannaccone said that if there was a disaster, there was the possibility of being stranded for 72 hours. He said that if anyone had the opportunity to attend the training, it would be valuable. Washington Village will be doing a clean up on Fri. June 18th. New copies of Norwalk At Your Fingertips 2010 are available. Discussion about having it available in electronic format followed. Fire Marshal Iannaccone volunteered Ms. Lightfield to convert the document into an electronic format. Neighborhood Representatives Village Creek - great clean up. Golden Hill Association - Mr. Vingo said that he wanted to bring to the attention of the meeting a problem that has been occurring on Taylor Avenue. He then said that the street is about 3,000 feet long, with seven side streets. It is a straight away. There is nothing to slow down traffic between Flax Hill and Route 1. He said that recently there had been an incident where a vehicle had sideswiped two vehicles and then careened into the bushes at the intersection of Crown and Taylor. He then listed a number of other accidents that he was aware of over the years. Mr. Vingo said that he would like to see a four way stop installed at the intersection of Couch Street and Taylor Avenue. He said that Taylor is an access road for South Norwalk and used by emergency vehicles for access to South Norwalk. He said that a stop Sign would not impede emergency vehicles. Mr. Vingo said that Fire Chief McCarthy had been at a Golden Hill Association and this was discussed. Mr. Vingo said that he also had spoken to Mr. Eshraghi about this and Mr. Eshraghi had said that stop signs were not used for traffic slowing. Mr. Vingo said that there had been a stop sign installed on Avenue C and it had proved to be effective in City of Norwalk Mayor's Neighborhood Preservation Meeting Regular Meeting June 2, 2010 Page 2 slowing people down on Morton Street. Mr. Vingo said that Taylor Avenue was a pedestrian area. Fire Marshall Iannaccone said that a number of the streets in that area had sight lines issues. Mr. Alvord said that he would have the Traffic Department look at the issue. Mr. Alvord said that those who are breaking the laws will continue to do so. He added that for a number of years, there had been a request for traffic management study for the City. Recently, a grant of half a million has been awarded to the City. The north/south and east/west corridors will be studied first. NASH – Ms. Names reported that it had been quiet in Silvermine. A Historic House tour in the works and is scheduled for September 25th. More details to come. Harbor Shores - Mr. Draper mentioned the possibility of Norwalk establishing a blight ordinance. Mayor Moccia joined the meeting at 10:30 a.m. Mr. Draper said that he had picked up three more bags of garbage that had blown out of the bed of pick ups along Martin Luther King. Mr. Alvord pointed out that Municipal garbage trucks have to be contained. Smaller containers and dumpsters are not required to be covered. A question then arose about City Carting having material blow out of the truck. Mr. Alvord said that this had been discussed at a meeting with City Carting the other day. Ms. Lightfield suggested that monitoring be done at Crescent Street. Mr. Alvord said that City had an ordinance against illegal dumping, but that the dumper must be caught in the act with enough evidence to go to court. Discussion followed about this. Mr. Alvord said that in 2007, a major effort was made to work on the Wall Street garbage and it took a month's worth of pictures to send to court. The City won, but it took the concentrated effort of one staff member. The court system slows things down. Mayor Moccia said that Norwalk needs a zoning court. He said that between housing court and zoning, there would be 170 cases right now. Discussion about the fine practice, due process and appeals process followed SpringHill/Hospital - There is still a problem with a sanitary sewer spewing discharge on Magnolia. Mr. Raymond said that he would be happy to maintain the traffic island, but that the grass was too high right now. Mr. Alvord said that it would take a bit before the City crew to clean up the tree limb that came down during the recent truck incident. West Main - When the trash picks up the garbage, they toss the cans in the gutter. Mr. Alvord said that he would remind the crews again about this. Ms. Blair was asked if the issue about the mailbox at #26 had been handled. Ms. Blair said that City of Norwalk Mayor's Neighborhood Preservation Meeting Regular Meeting June 2, 2010 Page 3 she sent the request to the Permits department. Lt. Resnick joined the meeting at 10:57 a.m. Wall Street – Ms. Becker said that the area was looking good. In mid-May, instead of picking up trash, plantings were done in the tree wells. Volunteers are watering the new plantings. Mr. Alvord said that the dead trees have been removed, but the stumps still have to be removed. Mr. Alvord said that he had to give Ms. Becker credit because she had worked very hard to form a group and maintain the area. Ms. Becker said that the volunteers are going to the local businesses and asking for water for the plants. This helps the neighbors relate. Ms. Becker said that the Farmer's Market was now located in Freese Park. The Mayor said that the U.S. Conference of Mayors will be in Oklahoma City. Norwalk submitted the Fodor Farm project for the City Livability Program sponsored by the Conference. Norwalk was one of five awarded the recognition from the conference. Lt. Resnick thanked Ms. Blair and Mr. Alvord for their efforts regarding the follow up on debris. He said that when he sees things on patrol, he sends a photo and an email. DPW has been very prompt in following up on clearing it up. Ms. Becker said that at the parade, free ice creams that were given out, and the wrappers just got tossed on the ground. The Mayor said that on his way back to City Hall, he saw all the debris. Next year, there may not be free ice cream. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Shockley adjourned the meeting at 11:06 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon L. Soltes Telesco Secretarial Services City of Norwalk Mayor's Neighborhood Preservation Meeting Regular Meeting June 2, 2010 Page 4