Drake Neighborhood
Association
Board meeting minutes
September 8, 1999
Attending: Rachel Ahlmie, Nathan Brooks, Bernie Burke, Patty
Daniels, Catherine Dietz-Kilen, Nancy Geiger, Jennifer Hoover,
Larry James, Ron Langston, Eldon McAfee, Forrest Meyer, Tony
Schmitt
Absent: Mark Bequeaith, Carl McPherson, Jim Monroe
Guests: 13 guests were present
The August minutes were approved and no Treasurer's Report was given.
New business
Proposed relocation of the McDonalds along Forest Ave
Eldon gave a summary of the events to date concerning the proposed
relocation of the McDonalds restaurant to the southwest corner
of 30th and Forest Ave. There were informational meetings on
August 12th and August 26th. The company has meet with City staff
and some alterations to the original drawings have been made
due to those suggestions. The project was an agenda item at the
City of Des Moines Planning & Zoning meeting of September
2nd but was deferred to September 16th. The rezoning includes
an alley closure and R2 to C1 status.
Audience members were asked to comment on the issue before the
board considered their position. There were no comments against
the restaurant as a neighbor but several concerns about the design
of the building, the number of parking spaces and the building's
placement on the lots. Additional issues raised included:
1) the entrance/exit lane onto 30th street being too close to
the intersection
2) the driveway on the northside of the building
3) zoning changing from residential to commercial
4) number of parking spaces for the site
Eldon shared comments from persons who were unable to attend the meetings. The comments were not in favor of the site change at all. There was discussion that opposition to the zoning change might loose the business in the neighborhood totally.
A question was raised as to other plans for the area that may be known to Drake but not yet unveiled to the DNA. The response from Dr. Don Adams was that the next projects are planned for the internal area of campus. There was interest in Drake and the DNA Board communicating more on future developments surrounding the campus.
After two hours debate, the following
motion was passed:
Drake Neighborhood Assn. supports the development of a McDonalds
restaurant on the corner of 30th Street and Forest Ave with certain
conditions and recommendations for the current site plan which
will tie the structure into Drake University buildings, show
historic influence and be more pedestrian friendly rather than
totally favoring auto traffic.
The conditions:
1) Want solid brick facing on the building
2) Due to continued safety concerns about the 30th Street entrance/exit,
move this to the southern one-third of the property
3) Do not use a mansard awning or roof
4) Provide additional patio space along the Forest Ave sidewalk
The recommendations:
1) Use fabric retractable awnings over the windows to keep in
character with neighborhood buildings
2) Noting there are many factors in this short time frame, the
property owners allow for a process, with a definite deadline,
for someone from the general public to come forward and move
a house/building from the site.
3) If a structure is not moved, the owners allow for material
salvaging.
4) Remove the driveway on the north side of the proposed building.
Old business
Financial support for
CCI for building renovation
The board passed on its second consideration the following:
Approval to pledge $1,000 to the Citizens for Community Improvement
building campaign to be covered with existing treasure funds
and solicitations at the Annual Meeting
Special events
Beaverdale Fall Festival Parade - September 18th
Arrangements were made: Eldon will pull the trailer and purchase
the candy, Larry has puppets to go along with the house in Nathan's
yard. $50.00 was suggested for candy.
Annual meeting October
23rd
The location is the Grace Methodist Church. A slide projector
is being sought to use for the presentations.
Committee reports
Nominating committee
Dawn Price, 1410 Forestdale, will be nominated to begin a two-year
term in January.
Civic affairs
There will be a planning meeting next week for next year's Farmer's
Market.
Neighborhood Based Service
Delivery
The report was an announcement of Carl Barnes' accident and hospitalization.
Tait's Foods
No activity recently on a change of ownership is known.
Drake University
No response from President Maxwell yet on the letter Eldon sent
regarding the proposed Walgreens.
The motion was made and passed to give President David Maxwell
a plaque and a Keokuk book at his inauguration in early October.
Submitted by Nancy Geiger, Secretary
The meeting notes are copied and pasted from a variety of sources, and so the font sizes may be inconsistent. If you have trouble reading any of the notes, please let us know.