Susie Johnson to speak at next association meeting

City of Bloomington Public Works Director Susie Johnson will speak at the next neighborhood association meeting. She will discuss current projects dealing with and affecting McDoel Gardens as well as answering questions from neighbors. This is a great opportunity for residents to bring concerns to the city's attention. Come join the discussion on June 7 at 6:30pm at the McDoel Baptist Church, 1008 S. Rogers Street. Please use lower west entrance.

Guest Speaker Ann Kreilkamp about Green Acres Community Gardens @ our next meeting!

Ann Kreilkamp from the Green Acres Neighborhood Community Garden (GANG) will be the guest speaker at our Dec. 3 neighborhood meeting.  She will be reporting (with pictures!) on the process that Green Acres has gone through to establish and maintain this garden, including the relationship that has unfolded with the city's planning department.  Many Green Acres neighbors have consistently come together to make this garden a great success, and have even held a series of permaculture workshops to increase their knowledge & enhance the community aspect of the garden. 

Check out their blog to learn more about the work they are doing:
http://tendrepress.com/archives/category/urban-farmstead

Many neighbors in McDoel Gardens have expressed interest in the possibility of creating a community space of some sort in our own neighborhood (garden, compost, park, or otherwise).  This presentation will be a good opportunity to hear about and consider the realities of executing & maintaining such a project.  We hope to see you all there:

Thursday, December 3 @ 6:30 in the basement of the McDoel Baptist Church on the corner of Rogers & Allen

Bringing Out the Character of Our Neighborhood as a Permanent Culture

Please join us at our next neighborhood meeting, on Thursday  November 5 at 6:30 at the McDoel Gardens Baptist Church.  We will have a special guest, Rhonda Baird, who will address 
how we, as a neighborhood, can draw out a permanent sense of place and enhance it with things that really work for individuals -- like edible landscaping and home retrofits, but also communal centers for exchanging information/food/celebration/games, etc.  She will also talk about resources and also how individuals can build resilient, sustainable homes that contribute to that neighborhood health we all want when we are invested in a place. 

We will have the opportunity to brainstorm our own ideas for enhancing our community.  Some neighbors have discussed the possibility of a community garden (we are McDoel Gardens, after all), and one of our next guest speakers will be from the Green Acres Neighborhood Garden.

Bring your ideas, along with your friends & neighbors to the meeting.  We want to hear what you want to learn about in the upcoming workshops.  From your input we will schedule the next speakers.

Rhonda Baird is a permaculture designer and teacher.  She will be helping to teach a full permaculture design course over five weekends this fall and winter (beginning October 15-17).  Contact Rhonda for more info:   river_bird_1@yahoo.com

Neighborhood Meeting Sept. 10

Please join your neighbors at the McDoel Baptist Church (basement) at 6:30 on Thursday, September 10.   The church is at 1006 South Rogers Street.

Summary of Plan Commission with Comments from Jack Baker

     Brian White is proposing a 19 lot subdivision on the lot at Morton and Dodds. The first hearing with Bloomington City Plan Commission was on Monday Aug 31. A second hearing and most likely a vote accepting or denying the project will be held on October 5^th. 

     Plan Commissioners heard from Mr. White and his local engineer. He wants to build 19 homes using several traditional designs including Queen Anne and Craftsman and place them on narrow lots, with all homes a short distance from, and facing, the phase II B-line trail. The homes would range in cost from about $170000 to $300000 and approximately 40% would be eligible for an affordable housing program that reduces the cost to a home buyer depending upon their income and family size.  

     Commissioners questioned all aspects of the project including density (number of homes), house spacing, materials and design, driveways, tree preservation and new tree plantings, and the extent of passive solar and the ‘green’ details. The Public questioned density and spacing of the homes, timing of the project, and tree preservation. The Planning staff questioned some of Mr. White’s project details including roof pitch, porch depth and building set-backs.

     My reading of the public commentary at the PC meeting and consensus at our last neighborhood meeting is most of the neighborhood is in favor of the project, with a few persons still concerned about the number of homes proposed for the property size. My reading of the Plan Commission is that it is also favorable to the project although there is some concern about the quality and density of the homes.

     While I too would rather see fewer homes on larger lots I believe it is not an option in this project – the developer considers it uneconomic to reduce the number of homes. But, if we can be assured the homes will be built with high aesthetic and material qualities I think the worry about density and closeness will be offset. As usual the recipe for a successful project is in the details. The Plan Commission staff noted all of our criticism at the Aug 31 meeting and is working with the developer to improve the proposal. For example we have asked that vinyl siding not be allowed as a building material (poor quality, lack of color range and paint holding), metal roofs be of a specific type, and roof pitch must be steeper. We are working on a commitment that the styles built will be true to the originals. 

This is the first project along the B-line trail and we need it to be a good one.

--Jack

Planned Construction Goes to Second Commission Meeting

The Planning Commission reviewed the proposed housing project (along Dodds & the B-line) that could have impact on McDoel Gardens neighborhood at their meeting on August 31.  The developers had hoped to bypass the need for a second hearing in order to begin construction this season.  As many details were not agreed upon, and several neighbors voiced concerns, the Commission voted to go to a second hearing.

You can still catch the broadcast of the Aug. 31 meeting on CATS local channel 12.  Click here for this week's schedule.

New Construction Project Goes to Plan Commission August 31

At our neighborhood meeting on August 13, developer Brian White presented information about a planned construction project that he hopes will go in south of Dodds Street along the future B-Line trail. The project would consist of many narrow homes ranging in size from 25' wide by 25' - 75' long. There will be a 5' space between the homes. The fronts would face the future B-line trail, and driveway access would be from the rear, via the paved area along the existing storage units.

The developers plan to use many eco-friendly building techniques and products, although some will be optional. Aesthetically, the homes will have varying traditional styles, as to reflect the surrounding neighborhood character. Also, 40-50% of the homes will be subsidized, allowing a greater range in affordability.

The project goes to the City of Bloomington Plan Commission on August 31, 2009, at 5:30 in Common Council Chambers in City Hall. The project will next have to go to City Council, likely in October. Attend and make your voice heard.

Meetings

The McDoel Gardens Neighborhood Association meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the basement of the McDoel Baptist Church. The church is located on Rogers Street, between Dixie and Allen; enter the basement from the alley behind the church.