NBN6 Meeting November 8, 2021
Facilitator: Judy Hay
Minutes: Linda Baier
Shout out to all the people who have helped in the past and especially to Sandy and William Brewer for taking minutes of the past meetings.
Crime Prevention Officer Report:
Genesee and Central Section Officer Johnson
- Domestic assault
- Car wash on Elmwood transported hospital
- Robbery 275 Westfall Road gun point robbery
- Robbery at 1142 Mt Hope Ave. two juveniles trying to steal a vehicle left running. victim observed car moving owner jumped on hood of car and injured
- Burglary at 439 South Avenue sometime between 2am and 7am the morning of Halloween evening someone smashed out the window and burglarized the convinience store of cigarettes and miscellaneous items
- Approximately 11 thefts from vehicles addresses 400 Kendrick Road, 30 celebration Drive, 13 University Park, 300 Westmoreland and 66 London St., Cypress Street, 64 Rosner Road, Gregory Street 390 South Avenue, one of those was a catalytic converter the others were unlocked vehicles with people going in and taking visible items. Please make sure you lock your vehicles and don’t leave valuables in plain sight!
- On 1000 East River Road an unattended purse was taken from a playground as a mother was playing with her children. Please don’t leave personal items unattended.
- Added to this list is the sole package theft from 185 Mt Hope Avenue, 390 Gregory had some home improvement supplies taken from their side yard.
- Working with Abundance Co op on an issue involving aggressive panhandling. A black male with dreadlocks being aggressive towards customers when he doesn’t get what he wants. Police know who this individual is and are working with Abundance to address.
- At the September meeting it was brought to our attention there was a speeding issue on Linden St. A speed trap was set, we did successfully get speeders, unfortunately the placement of the speed trap caused traffic issues and a person who requested the speed trap requested it be taken down a short time later because of backed up traffic.
Any questions:
- Discussion: Lisa Reagan had raised the issue regarding the placement of the speed trap to reduce excess speed. Officer Johnson willing to discuss new ideas to procedure. Lisa suggested having a police car parked at the stop sign at Poplar or near the traffic light on Linden to get people to stop at those areas. The other day there was a car speeding around Linden with two young men on the car roof. Concern about snow in the winter months.
- Glynis Valenti: Does your section cover Gregory between South and Goodman? Office Johnson not sure. Farmer’s Market is inside at Oddfellow’s building. There are lots of speeders on the street. We had a couple of very close calls; city ordered signs to put in the road; both signs destroyed within 45 minutes. An elderly shopper that walks with a cane was crossing the road; someone ran into the road to stop a car as it would have run her down. Question if police car could sit in that area.
Adam.Johnston@cityofrochester.gov please send me an email regarding the time of the Farmer’s Market and he will assist.
Goodman Section – Officer Tony Belliard in response to Glynis’ question: we do have a turtle costume that has been shown to be very effective as a traffic control tool, if somebody was willing to volunteer their time while you have your market your group is welcome to use it.
- Crimes for the Goodman Section for the last four weeks, two motor vehicle thefts – one in the 100 block of South Clinton on Nov. 4th then one in the 100 block of Cayuga Street victim dropped their keys as they were leaving their car somebody grabbed the keys and took the car, vehicle was recovered on the West side of the city and no arrest.
- There were 8 larcenies – three were catalytic converters, two were cars in parking lots for several days and the converters were cut from the cars. Suggestion: if you have a driveway, park your car in the driveway. If you have motion lights, good to help alert you to somebody around your car, just try to park your car in a well light area.
Any questions:
Lt. Robert Wilson: As we set the clocks back with it starting to get dark sooner, we see an uptick of violent crime – “robbery season.” Pay attention to people around you. People are walking into people’s houses and stealing their car keys, as doors were unlocked. Beware people are checking car and house doors for unlocked doors. Happy Birthday Officer Tony!
Patrick Meredith, Director of Monroe County Parks, Kara Osipovich and Jeff Springut
The Pandemic has affected the Lilac Festival over the last couple of years. It was cancelled in 2020 and in 2021 it was held over three weekends. It was the first successful and safe large event held outdoors. This year’s challenge includes the ongoing presence of the pandemic in our lives and the reconstruction along South Ave. from Elmwood to Bellevue. For 2022 the promoter is suggesting to again run with a similar hybrid format as last year and have the festival during three weekends starting on Friday May 6th and running through Sunday May 22nd. To minimize traffic, May 12 and 19th street construction would not be permitted except during the week when the festival is not running. The Lilac Committee will hold a planning meeting around the first week of April to discuss concerns related to the festival such as traffic control, public safety, festival security, entertainment festival rules and operations and litter, crowd control and after-hours activities. Also plan to have an internal security meeting likely the third week of April to discuss the status of road projects and any comment from the public brought to our attention. Questions/Comments:
Barb Zinker from Laney Road: Glad to hear about the hybrid festival, Thank You for including our neighborhood in the April meeting, I think it will be very important.
Q: Are you saying there will be no road construction on any section on the whole of South Avenue during that time?
A Response: Construction will more than likely have already begun, but the days that the event would be held there would not be any active work going on. There may be some small restrictions but there won’t be any of the workers or equipment there during those dates, nor will there be any flag slowing traffic. No workers, but construction will have already started in some way, shape or form.
Q: So three Fridays right?
Kara Osipovitch: City will be working with the construction company regarding not having construction during the festival days. Q: So the City will determine whether the contractor of the construction will comply with this plan or not? A: Kara Osipovitch, yes. No contractor currently, but once on board we will absolutely be talking with them about the Lilac Festival and the restrictions once we get them on board.
Joan Lindeburg -Lilac has a question regarding the community meeting. Thank you for very much for considering having a community again. I attended in person last year and there were some people, specifically RPD, who attended online and we couldn’t hear each other. So I would like to ask you to consider carefully whether you’re going to have it all in person or all online as it was a bit of a glitch. A: Patrick Meredith :Thanks for understanding. I think we will try to do the meeting in person.
Jeff Springut – Thank you for the opportunity. We always work closely with the various neighborhood associations at those meetings prior to and after the festival so we can learn what people liked and how we can improve. It will be interesting next year with construction but I have confidence after speaking with Pat and Kara we can work through it.
Mark Quinn – Just a point of interest – the lilacs are blooming right now, if you want to take a look.
Jeff Springut – Hopefully we can bring back the stage entertainment but only on the days we talked about. It will be a challenge but we’re hopeful to have a typical festival next year.
Patrick Meredith – If anything comes up you can run it through Judy and she can get it to me or you can email me at Patrickmeredith@monroecounty.gov.
Judy Hay – Thank You we appreciate the heads-up knowing the kind of change and the complexity of trying to work with the construction on South Avenue. The neighbors raised this with the City early on regarding the construction on South Avenue and the Lilac festival. The neighbors really supported Lilac Festival and didn’t want the construction on South Avenue to disrupt it.
Barb Zinker – discussed walkway along east side of South Goodman through the park as part of the master plan identifying that more people were walking through the park during the pandemic. Wonderful to see this park increasingly appreciated, won’t be the last time you hear about the walkway. Patrick Meredith – this is the first I’ve heard about a walkway through the park. I will talk to Mark about it, it’s something I would love to see.
South West Neighborhood Service Center
John McMahon – I’m pleased to introduce my new Assistant Administrator, Shaniqua Smith.
Shaniqua Smith – Hello everyone. As John told you, I’ve been with the City now for 15 years and I’m happy to be a part of the NSC team. I used to be a 311 operator. glad to be a part of the southwest team. I’m getting to know and become familiar with people and what you are looking for here, your concerns and finding ways to address them. So any questions that you have for me, please feel free to reach out. my email address is Shaniqua.smith@cityofrochester.gov.
John McMahon – We lost our grant clerk but we are keeping our grants going and over the next couple of years our grant money is going to be even more for roofing grants and things coming down the line. so we’re filling in staff and training people.
Clayton Jones, Senior Director of Local Government Community Relations at the University of Rochester
Native Rochesterian from the 19th Ward. Presentation today is a facilities operations center that the University is looking to build. I want to present the rationale behind the need of the facility and how we can work with the community to make sure it blends in. This project is a work in progress and not even close to being fully baked. We will continue to work with the City as well as the County to get their feedback and of course we want our neighbors in the community to be at the table as well. Your feedback is really important and will continue to be important moving forward. Follow up conversations will be needed as concerns come up. Open to your feedback.
The University is pretty decentralized: there are many satellites that have occurred over the past few decades and as a result there are some redundancies in operations. As a result, trying to organize for better utilization and efficiency. The University is looking to combine the University and Medical Center side to have a more efficient facilities operation site. The site proposed will do things like decompress storage and stock rooms around the campus and university that will allow an increase of campus storage and to increase supplies in the future. Also thinking about the environment, health and safety, as well as some of our emergency management departments and operations, as some are located across the City and County and some of those will be moved from off-campus locations back to campus if this facility is operating. The Facilities’ buidling is going to be for shipping staging, plumbing, painting and some small FLEX space for carpentry. As well as some space for office management and for public safety patrols to warm up during cold weather.
Slides – Google maps shot The facilities operations at the building already exist off the campus drive. The proposed spot for this new facilities operation is adjacent to the existing facilities building along the Western periphery of campus between the inner campus and Moore Road which is the main driveway into (Genesee) Park. Slide is a rendering not drawn to specifications, but based on the feedback we received and our needs, this is the type of space that we’re thinking about. The University wants to be respectful of the Park and its history. Estimates of size 40 yards wide, and about 100 yards long a bit more narrow than a football field and probably about 20 to 25 feet tall. Again one of our main goals is to preserve and make sure the Park continues to look good for the people who use it. There will be a host of new shrub placements and plantings as well as a new fence, to prevent the building from being seen, we painted green just like the existing facility to keep it with the color aesthetic of the area. We will be working with the City Zoning Office on the site review to ensure not only where the building is located but also tree surveys and site review. Working with appropriate agencies for plantings and landscape. Timeline working with the City going through several transitions right now and will continue.
- Hugh Mitchell – Genesee Park: A woman named Frances A Baker gave her farm in 1889. She was buried next to access road unfortunately the grave is lost. University back in the 70’s had said they would not disturb any existing memorials and have done that, but the Memorial grave of Frances Baker has been lost. The original access road to the University Maintenance building, the grave was right along there. Clayton Jones responded that he would like to have a conversation with Mr. Mitchell regarding this. Hoping that the grave is marked and if isn’t need to make sure it is marked. C .Jones email: Clayton_Jones@URMC.Rochester.edu
- JoAnn Beck – Question: wanted to see what was proposed, when, where and scale. She is Chair of Rochester Parks Olmstead Alliance. Good to see the drawings and renderings.
- Lisa: question about number of trees which need to be removed for the building to be built. Based on image and the size of the building many of the trees will need to be removed.
No parking increase with this construction.
- Bruce Mellon – Number of monuments in the area. Response didn’t see anything in the area, Clayton Jones happy to meet anyone out in the space to walk and look for the monuments. Some monuments are not readily visual from the road. C. Jones wants to make sure everyone is comfortable with plans, structure etc.
- Judy Hay suggested it would be helpful to have Clayton Jones come back as project moves along. Clayton Jones happy to come back.
- Q: Building 25 ft. tall, are mechanicals on top of that? concern about noise with steel building and construction vehicles? A: Clayton Jones does not see mechanicals on top, feels there will be minimal noise – no more than current. Unaware of the height of the fence, think it will be a shielding type of fence.
- Q: Will there be large trucks, tracker trailers coming in and out of the area? A: Possibly.
- Q: Concern about the parking lot access, what is the access from the Park at all? A: no need for an additional road in Park, access will be from Moore Road. The present access road will be closed.
Construction at Hospital on Elmwood – UR looking at building new Emergency Dept. tower due to community need. Project much further down the road than the facilities operation building. Willing to come back and talk further about this. Not till 2022 – 2023. University is embarking on a new Strategic Plan. Next couple of weeks emails will be sent regarding this process. Clayton Jones will attend another meeting to discuss the construction at Strong.
Josh Bauroth – Redistricting
The whole thing began on October 8th with a committee of 5. Advertisement and fliers went out for the meeting on Oct. 13, 14 and 15. Low attendance at first one, moderate attendance at second, heavier at third. At the meeting on the 15th there would be an announcement of next meeting by Chair Carbone- no meeting was set. No response to public meetings and commission as a whole has not met to consider maps or any other things. The only statement was by Steve Brew, who designed the map.
Expect some sort of announcement at legislative meeting to discuss map that was suggested. In the meantime Governor changed the way districts are drawn, were allowed plus or minus 5%, changed now to 2.5% from the highest to the lowest. No maps being drawn up on the Democratic side to be discussed, there is one the Republican side. This is a failure of duty. He cannot give a report because the Commission as a whole, the group of 5 people, is doing nothing. He will be vigorously opposing at the next meeting. There will be a public hearing before the vote of redistricting, likely Dec. 14, with a vote the same day. Can attend a County Legislators meeting and speak, have 2 minutes but can attend.
Lisa commented that several people testified regarding concerns about neighborhoods being split up in different districts. J. Bauroth: There may be discussion about concerns brought up. He is optimistic that the concerns raised on this call will be addressed. Q: are those meetings open? A: Imagine not open. Marcia Reaver: Thank you for all you are doing. What are our next steps after things are rammed through and approved? A: Public hearing then to County Executive who can veto or approve. If veto to County Legislature can over ride any Exececutive veto before January 1. At that point in time passed officially, two things could happen – law suit, or possibility get a petition signed for a referendum. 10 to 15K and then there would be a special vote. If map approved go into effect if not redrawn. Jayne Morgan – Is there anyway you could put out information on what we can do? A: Can’t predict what it’s going to look like? Suggest write the President of County Legislator, in dereliction of duty, and demand they do their duty.
Carolyn Hoffman – maps already in favor of folks who are writing them.
Kelvin Knight – Neighborhood Service Center closed this Thursday for Veterans Day.
Lisa Reagan –
Thanks to Glynis at South Wedge Planning Committee for getting rest of South Ave bump-out at Caroline finally poured, and commitment for RGE to finally pour missing sidewalk sections on Caroline St.
Flooding on Oakland and Mt. Vernon last time was during Highland reconstruction work. We did ask County Water Bureau to talk about this; they did make some suggestions. But if this is a structural issue when we will have more frequent extreme water events, need planned solutions. If having problems with flooding please contact Lisa.
Stacey Bershod – Flooding on Mt Vernon, in the past County did come out and look at basements and streets; they cleaned the street drains because we called. It helped clear out this issue for us.
Update on Gateway Park Project – grant funding proposal put in for ground level access to the River and access for emergency vehicles. Goes to State, have not heard back yet.
Other Comments
- Rose O’Keefe – It’s a Wonderful Life first Saturday in December, vendors excited!
- Beth Seibert, Rep of Councilman Gruber was Welcomed
- Carolyn Delvecchio Hoffman, incoming County Legislator introduction.
- Q: Kelvin is there a safety meeting planned? A: Kelvin doesn’t know, hasn’t heard. Meeting ended 7:02 pm.
Addendum: Judy Hay emailed Bill Putman regarding the basement flooding issue – the following is his response.
Good morning,
I’m sorry to hear that your neighborhood is experiencing flooding. It has certainly been a wet year. Especially this time of year with the leaves falling and potentially plugging storm grates. The sanitary and storm systems in the City of Rochester are operated and maintained by the Rochester Pure Waters District (Monroe County). The majority of your area is considered a “Combined System” which one sewer pipe handles both storm and sanitary water. During rain events, the street run-off water enters the combined system through catch basins and combines with the sanitary water within a single pipe. During heavy rain events, sewer systems could become surcharged or over capacity. When this occurs, low lying basements or unprotected basements are vulnerable to potential flooding. A few suggestions that property owners can take are:
1) Secured caps on all basement piping ex: clean-outs & floor drains. (Helps to keep water from street sewer and roof conductors from entering your basement)
2) Remove roof conductors from the internal plumbing (Helps to limit the amount of rain water from entering your internal plumbing)
3) Consider installing a Back-Water Valve (Helps to keep water from street sewer from entering your basement)
4) Do not flush disposable wipes, cooking grease, coffee grounds, egg shells or noodles.
I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
Bill
NBN6 