Steering Committee - District 13

Steering Committee Minutes for March 16, 2004

Mar 20, 2004

Present: Ron Weston, Steve Clark, Reggie Paschal, David Rhodes, Inez Lynch, Casey Jones, Jenny Sangster, Linda Duncan

Absent: Ray Pierce, Jim Caskey, David Marlow, Nate Hollingsworth

Minutes for the February meeting were read and our purpose reviewed for our two new members who are seniors at Fairdale High School, Casey and Jenny, reminding us all that the purpose of this Steering Committee is for members to give in-put on what District 13 needs in order to improve it, to give in-put on how members feel about issues before Metro Council so that Ron can take these opinions under advisement, and to give in-put in consultation with the Office of Planning and Design on a Neighborhood Plan for at least four areas within our district.

New Business:

Wish List:
Ron shared that his wish list for District 13 includes a request for $100,000 from the Metro budget to help pay for the $25,000 consultant fee needed for each of our four Neighborhood Plans. He has also asked for $75,000 to develop a Master Plan for Jefferson Memorial Forest.

Other projects he is working on funding for include extending the sidewalk from Fairdale Rd. east to the railroad tracks, extending sidewalks from the Fairdale Welcome Center up Mitchell Hill Rd. to Holly Hills, and making one of our schools into a Community School, open in the evenings and offering activities appealing to our district's youth.

Already approved and paid for are sidewalks along Mt. Holly Rd. from Fairdale Rd. to Nola Drive and the paving of Fairdale Rd. AND Mitchell Hill Rd. to Top Hill Rd.

Needing state attention and help from our reps in Frankfort is National Turnpike south of Fairdale Rd. to Coral Ridge Elementary. This is a state road, and as such, the state needs to correct the drainage problem along the road AND widen and pave this road. Ron recommends we contact Perry Clark, Kevin Bratcher, and Dan Seum to let them know we want them to work on getting this done.

Issues before Metro Council:

Smoking ban - Ron asked for members' opinions concerning banning smoking in all establishments. Most members felt the ban should be limited to restaurants, allowing other businesses to make their own determinations on smoking.

Adult bookstores and adult live entertainment - Ron wanted to know if members supported the restrictive ordinance Metro Council passed on adult bookstores and cabarets. Most of the members felt the ordinance was not a good one because it cannot be supported constitutionally. One suggestion supported by most members was that, not being able to do away with adult entertainment establishments, Metro government should try to see that these businesses are located away from urban / suburban convention centers, schools, churches, and family entertainment centers, maybe even creating a type of Red Zone for these establishments.

What youmg people would like to see in District 13 - From Casey and Jenny, they suggested we have more small grocery stores, more businesses offering job opportunities for youth, Laser Tag center, an arcade, a sporting goods store, and possibly a hunting and fishing store.

Fairdale Village Task Force - This group will be meeting with Charles Cash on April 20 to work on the Neighborhood Plan for Fairdale village. Members of this task force will include Clyde Elzy, Bill Nichols, Carol Avis, Ted Longacre, Don Wittry, Reggie Paschal, David Rhodes, David Marlow, Casey Jones, Jenny Sangster, Linda Duncan, Jim Caskey, Ron Weston, Steve Clark, and our consultants.

Adjourned: 8:00 p.m.
Next meeting: April 20, 2004 - Fairdale Library