VNA Council Meeting Minutes
January 22, 2020
Council Members
o Sarah Bahauddin (present)
o Pat Scheckel (present)
o Ben Blitz (present)
o Lea Jacobs (present)
o Hans Borcherding (present)
o Jim Corkery (present)
o Wendy Fearnside (present)
o Karie Krantz (present)
Call to Order
Appointment of President, Treasurer and Secretary - Positions for 2020 will be as follows:
o Sarah Bahauddin – President
o Pat Scheckel – Treasurer
o Jim Corkery - Secretary
Approval of Minutes - previous minutes were approved
Announcements
· Special thanks to HotelRED for making the meeting room available for our use this evening.
· Communications
o A reminder that our neighborhood web site is www.vilasneighborhood.com
o Email address for the VNA: vnapresident@gmail.com
o The Vilas Ink newsletters are now being posted on the web site at https://www..vilasneighborhood.com/vilasink
New Business
1. All present council members were introduced.
2. On agenda President provided list of committees that VNA members can join. President also indicated a goal for this year is to have all discourse be respectful during discussions of difficult issues.
Existing Business
1. Treasurer’s report –Pat Scheckel
o Pat provided an overview of the proposed 2020 operating budget – the council approved the budget.
o Pat indicated there is $2,200 in account after having paid for the Holiday party and annual insurance. Pat indicated he has taken over production of Vilas, Ink which is saving the association approximately $2,000 per month.
o There was a dues discussion. Pat indicated there are approximately 700 households in the Vilas neighborhood, of which there are approximately 100 dues paying members.
o Pat indicated the submissions deadline for the next Vilas, Ink is February 21st.
2. VNA directory and Block Captains
o There was a discussion of producing a new VNA directory – Pat indicated he is early in the planning process for the directory. Pat also asked for data entry assistance in compiling member information. Brad Ricker indicated he would like to participate in the directory committee because he was involved in the previous directory publication.
o Roz Woodward indicated she needs another person to assist with Block Captain duties because Sarah has taken the President position.
3. Social Report
o Lee Lazar (not present) has indicated a need a host for the VNA tailgate this year. If no one steps forward, we may need to cancel the tailgate this year.
4. Listserv Update
o Brad Ricker is seeking a co-moderator to assist with maintaining the listserv. Brad indicated the listserv with be transitioned to GroupsIO from Yahoo Groups. All current listserv subscribers (approximated 280) will receive future notice of this transition.
5. Monroe/Regent streets retail news and updates
o The Seven Eleven has closed due to competition from the Monroe Street Kwik Trip.
o New Orleans Take-out has closed, but is expected to open as Lorraine’s, with a similar menu.
6. Edgewood Liaison committee report
o Lengthy discussion on what the next steps will be now that Edgewood has withdrawn their Master Plan. Jon Standridge indicated that now if any of the three entities want to make changes on their campus, they will need to follow the City’s project approval processes.
o Sarah has indicated a desire to continue serving on this committee. Craig Stanley and Shawn Doherty indicated they would be willing to serve on this committee if it continues. Sarah indicate she desires to maintain communication with Edgewood High School.
7. Alder Update – Tag Evers
o Board of Public Works has approved an alley upgrade project within a portion of the Vilas neighborhood.
o The City’s tourist housing ordinance will be revised to require that entities need an affidavit that they reside in the residence being rented. Public hearings will be held on this proposed revision soon.
o Madison Police ask that people lock their cars and garages to prevent vehicle thefts.
o To stay informed about City news affecting the neighborhood, sign up for Tag’s blog by visiting cityofmadison.com/council/district13.
8. Zoning Committee update.
o The council approved Lea Jacobs as chair of the committee.
o Discussion was had as to how proactive this committee should be. Issues in the purview of this committee include the Vilas Park Master Plan, the Alcohol Outlet Density Study, the Monroe Street District Commercial Plan and the Regent Street Development Plan
Other Business
1. Vilas Park Master Planning – Wendy Fearnside and Ann Rivlin led discussion to get input to pass on to the City for consideration to incorporate into the Master Plan. Wendy’s and Ann’s notes from this discussion are as follows:
Vilas Neighborhood Association Feedback for the Vilas Park Master Plan
1/22/2020
The Vilas Neighborhood Association met on January 22, 2020, for a regularly scheduled meeting. Prior to the meeting, the Association advertised as an agenda item that Wendy Fearnside and Ann Rivlin would seek input about particular issues that were under discussion for Vilas Park. Thirty-two people attended, including 23 Vilas Residents, 8 VNA Council members, and our District 13 Alder, Tag Evers. The following is a summary of the input received from meeting attendees. Please note, the below information does not represent approved positions by the Vilas Neighborhood Association. Instead, it consists of the feedback from a variety of Vilas Neighborhood residents.
Picnic Shelter/Warming House
· Desirable features in a Vilas Park picnic shelter/warming house mentioned by residents include:
o Fireplaces available for public use
o Family bathroom
o Good rental space for group picnics and gatherings
o Solar panels on the shelter
· Possible models for a new shelter
o The Elver Park shelter was suggested as a model for Vilas. Its key features are:
- Heated
- Benches
- 4 seasons building
- 4 seasons bathroom
o Tenney Park’s shelter with its glass windows may be a good model, too
o A key feature of the current shelter is that there is both covered space and easy access to the outside. Its open design allows park users to see through to the lake, lagoon and open space during most of the year. Can there be a shelter that has the option of being enclosed or open depending on the weather?
· Having staff on site or some other manner of making sure the bathrooms are kept up
Dogs and Vilas Park
· There was a strong sense in the meeting that allowing dogs on leash on the walking paths and along the road.
· There was a virtually unanimous opinion that there should not be an area for unleashed dogs/an off leash dog park in Vilas Park. One person who attended the meeting contacted us later saying he would like a dog park at Vilas Park or somewhere convenient to the neighborhood.
Parking and Traffic
· There was a strong feeling that adding new parking spaces in Vilas Park would do very little to address parking challenges and would reduce green space in the park.
· Most participants opposed adding to or changing the location of the currently available parking.
· Most participants opposed blocking traffic on the park drive, as there were concerns that traffic would then be redirected through the neighborhood. It was also mentioned that people enjoy seeing the lake as they drive by.
Pedestrian safety
· There was a strong concern expressed about pedestrian safety; there was general agreement that pedestrian usage of the park, including pedestrians pushing strollers, is important and pedestrian safety should be a priority.
· Key problem areas for pedestrian access and safety that were mentioned are:
o Path near the zoo on the Lake Wingra side, where the grassy area narrows and puddles form on the road. A boardwalk extending over the shoreline was suggested for this area.
o Crossing the Park Drive to get to Lake WIngra
· Suggestions for improvements:
o A protected lane for bikes and pedestrians, separated from the rest of the roadway. Alternatively, a separate pedestrian/bike path that is distinct from the road.
o Speed bumps
o Road management solutions
- Have bicycles use both sides of the road, traveling in the same the direction of traffic. Having bicycles going both directions in the pedestrian/bike section of the road is a safety issue.
- Signage directing bicyclists and pedestrians on where to ride/walk along the road
· There was a high interest in seeing multiple design options that are geared towards pedestrian safety.
Lagoon/Natural Areas
· There was a strong sense among meeting participants that they want to know more about the water challenges affecting Vilas Park, what the options are for the lagoon/drainage in the park/protection of Lake Wingra, and what the tradeoffs among the options are. We strongly recommend that more information about these issues be provided to the neighborhood.
· There was not agreement about dredging and maintaining the lagoon versus letting the lagoon and other low lying parts of the park return to wetlands. Different views were represented, but all felt they just didn’t have enough information.
· People want ice skating to continue to be available, but recognize that there are fewer and fewer days when weather and ice quality permit skating. This will be exacerbated over time and may be a factor to consider in future decisions about the lagoon
· Several residents asked if all of the paths need to be paved or whether pea gravel or another, permeable material could be used instead, to facilitate water management.
Enjoying natural beauty of the area
· Boardwalks along the lake in the area where the park narrows between the zoo and the lake, to provide greater connectivity across the park, pedestrian safety, and space to enjoy nature.
· Consider altering the location of the road —can it be put further from the shoreline to allow more enjoyment of the lake? Potentially with the shelter on the lake side of the road?
· The group was largely supportive of benches along the lake, potentially with people able to dedicate a bench as a memorial/in honor of someone.
Connections in the park
· Walking path around the zoo that pedestrians can use when the zoo is closed would be a help.
· There is less need for an improved connection between the park and the Arboretum, since most people accessing the Arboretum from the Park are interested in long walks/runs.
Other
· One parent expressed concern about the safety of shredded tires as ground cover in the playgrounds. Another said his child had been cut when he fell on a piece of tire that contained a metal stud.
Adjourn