BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES – Meeting of August 4, 2014

PRESENT: Matt Ruben, President; Don Phillips, Vice-President; Steve Richman, Treasurer; Larry Freedman; Delores Lyons; Sharon Richman; Chris Somers; Anne Waginger; Logan Welde; Sasi Judd; Jennifer Baker; Michael CoyneABSENT:  Janet Finegar, Secretary; Katrina MansfieldThe meeting was called to order by the President at 7:10 P.M.Motion: “ To approve the minutes of the July Board meeting” Passed   10-0-0President’s ReportPLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND POLICY

1. Matt met with a commercial corridor representative in the city Commerce  Department who told him of some funding options. The goal is to create a fund that would be used to strengthen the commercial environment in Northern Liberties with the specifics yet to be determined. There is a business tax program that NL can potentially use to raise approx. $88,000 which the city will match, resulting in around $170,000 a year for the development fund.Concerns expressed by some Board members are that the funds that might go to the commerce development group could be funds that might otherwise go to other NL projects. Also concerns are that activities set out by the commercial development group could conflict with goals and activities of other NL ventures.

2. Proposed changes to the bylaws are that to be a voting member of NLNA, one must have resided or owned a business in NL for a minimum of 1 year and have attended 2 general meetings per year. Also, there will be at least 4 general meetings a year.  Amendments to bylaws passed 11-0-0

  EVENTS AND OUTREACH

1. Second Street Festival – The Festival appears to have been a success yet again, with high turnout and reports by vendors of strong sales of food, beverages, and merchandise. It appears the NLNA did not bring in as much revenue as last year, in part because of our tent’s location relative to where the hot spots of the Festival turned out to be. While this of course has an impact on our budget, it’s also worth keeping in mind that the Festival doing well – and this year the Kearny group also apparently doing well with moonbounce and face-painting – is very positive for the neighborhood.

General Membership Meetings – I am open to ideas for the September General Membership meeting.COMMUNICATION AND PUBLICITY

1. Internet – The email list and Facebook group continue to grow, as do our Twitter followers; all appears to be running smoothly on the online front.
2. Northern Liberties Neighbors Association • 700 N. 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123 215.627.NLNA • f 215.627.5705 • info@nlna.org • www.nlna.org
3. Articles in the News – Larry and I published zoning-related articles on PlanPhilly.com during the past couple of weeks, one on how we deal with front-facing garages, and the other on a problematic classification in the new Zoning Code. You can find them here:http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2014/07/25/how-northern-liberties-is-curbing-garage- fronted-rowhouse-developmenthttp://planphilly.com/articles/2014/07/29/opinion-new-zoning-classification-has-strings- attached-no-one-should-want

           President’s report approved 11-0-0New BusinessThe office security system batteries need to be replaced. Ira Upin thinks that the cost of new batteries and inspection will be around $800.Treasurer’s Report – End of Fiscal Year 2014 Steve summarized that with the current balance around $16,000, there will be expenses during the rest of the fiscal year with some amounts yet to be determined. The projected balance for the end of fiscal year 2014 could be around $2,000.2013-14 Budget: October - July Financials (tables attached)

1. For the ten months ended on July 31st all funds income was $156,612; this was $54,758 more than projected. Expenses totaled $103,311 -- $1,563 more than anticipated. Net income was $53,301 -- $53,195 more than projected. However, these amounts include nearly $52,000 in income from grants and $15,000 in grant expenses.   
2. Excluding grant fund activity yields a more accurate representation of our financial position. Thus, if we limit the calculation to income and expenses from the General Fund and Liberty Lands accounts the following is our financial position after the first ten months of the fiscal year:
3. GF & LL Income: $104,800 -- $6,700 more than anticipated.
4. GF & LL Expenses: $88,300 -- $9,300 less than anticipated.
5. GF & LL Net Income: $16,500 -- $16,000 more than anticipated.
6. Significantly, about $5,100 of the positive balance is due to lower than anticipated spending for property taxes ($876 spent vs. $6,000 budgeted). Based on our success in the first level review, our tax bill for 2014 will likely be around $3,400; this would be a budgeted savings of $2,600 – not $5,100.
7. We have not been billed as yet this year for any litigation-related legal expenses. This translates into a $2,000 savings, which may well be temporary depending upon the amount approved by our insurance companies.
8. In addition, about $2,900 of the positive balance is from fundraising activities specifically for project Clean Streets. These funds are restricted, with any remaining balance carried over to the next fiscal year.
9. As a result, a more accurate representation of our current net income would place our positive balance at approximately $8,500.

Key Factors Contributing to Current Budget Status

1. Income from our Annual Appeal surpassed budgeted expectations by $1,800. On the other hand, Operation Santa fundraising fell well short of expectations – by approximately the same amount. Taken together, we collected $14,525, approximately the amount budgeted for the two initiatives.
2. Income from Individual Donations currently exceeds budgeted estimates by about $3,400. This is attributable to the receipt of almost $3,100 from the United Way in April and a $2,000 donation for Liberty lands received in June.
3. Our recycling initiatives have been very successful. To date we have collected $1,530, slightly more than the budgeted amount for the entire year. Similarly, we have already received $4,585 for Project Clean Streets, which is $2,900 more than the annual budgeted amount. In February we received $1,500 for Project Clean Streets from Waterfront Square and in March the Variety Show generated $1,875 for Project Clean Streets.
4. Other significant variations from budgeted projections through June were:

Income:$1,900 from the Fall Fest;$1,365 from community center rentals;$1,350 (net) from the spring music festival;$640 in Liberty Lands dues & user fees. Expenses:$4,150 for communications -- $3,500 of which was associated with the purchase of the northernliberties.org website;$950 for equipment (new water heater and DVR);$4,300 for administrative support;$1,700 for program expenses (Madison Park, tree planting, Fall Fest).End-of-Year Projections

1. On a current year basis income in the General Fund and Liberty Lands accounts is likely to exceed expenses by less than $10,000. However, after adjusting for use of prior year funds, carryout for Clean Streets and a budgeted deposit into the Reserve Fund, the positive balance is reduced to about $2,000.
2. This projection assumes remaining fundraisers will come in on budget, rental and user fee income will continue as anticipated and no unusual expenses will be incurred over the next three months.

 Fiscal Year 2015 Budgeting

1. Steve suggested that the Neighbors Association needs to think of ways to increase our annual fund raising for the next fiscal year.
2. The Finance Committee will present the draft 2015 fiscal year budget to the September Board meeting and the final budget plan will be voted on at the October Board meeting.

Motion to accept the treasurer’s report passed 11-0-0New Business

1. Anne says the air office conditioning isn’t working and needs to repaired.
2. Lara and Monika recommend that for the fall and spring festivals coming up that it would be good to have more food and promotion. Bringing in food trucks is also recommended.

ZoningLarry reported on the Monday, July 28 Zoning Committee meeting.The NL proviso for the 10 house on 413 Green Street proposal has several points as detailed below. The one point that the developer contested is that there would be no roof top decks. The developer and Larry reached a compromise as follows, no pilot houses, roof decks set back 15’ from Green Street and Wallace Street, and 3’ planters on units 1,6,7,10 to offer privacy to existing homes.A proposal for 1133 N. 4^th Street, an existing building currently zoned as IRMX is to become 28 residential units with no parking. The committee said it can’t approve so much housing with no parking and also asked that a new proposal have non residential uses on the ground floor.ZONING COMMITTEE MEETING – Monday 7/28/14Members present: Larry Freedman (chair), Charlie Abdo, Anthony Bottenfield, Beth Emig, Ken Grono, Chris Issacson, Kyle Koenig, Melissa Magness, Tim McDonald, Joe Mikuliak, Sharon Richman, Ira UpinMembers absent: Jonathan Sher, Michael Simons413 Green Street - ICMX – Kevin O’Neill: A return visit with a proposal for 10 single family dwellings.July 1, 2014 Motion (Joe) - 2nd (Ira): Vote 7-0Thank you for your presentation. Please return with detailed plans that include measurements for:- 4 homes on Green and only 5 homes on Wallace with a more traditional row home design and materials;- 1:1 parking in the interior with no garages;- no roof top decks (no pilot houses);- a plan for hiding utility meters; and,- a swinging gate to the parking entrance.Additionally we will need to see façade drawings from all directions with all dimensions clearly marked. The drawings should be in context with adjacent structures. Please also provide 11”x17” copies of these documents for all committee members.The project returned with:- 6 houses on Wallace, not the requested 5 (The builder claimed that 5 houses each with a 20’ width was not in keeping with the character of the block.);- the pilot house was set back 15’ from the front of the house with paired pilot houses;- house #6 maintained the garage with a curb cut in the front of the house;- façade materials were modified to include red and light brown brick, cast stone accents, and recessed utility meters hidden by horizontal slats; and,- the parking gate is a swing open split gate.The height and parking for this project is adheres to zoning requirements. The Streets Department approved the turning radius for car entry to the garage on house #6 as well as the drive aisle in the back of the houses. Lot size is the only zoning issue.Discussion: Wallace Street neighbors did not like the modern façade. It was suggested that the neighbors should come to the UDC meeting regarding the façade materials. The Green Street neighbors did not like the roof decks facing into their bedrooms. They preferred having a deck off the study on the top floor.Motion (Joe) - 2nd (Ira): Vote 6-5We support the variance for 10 houses with the following provisos:- eliminate the roof-top decks and pilot houses, and- increase usable outdoor space by installing a balcony/deck off the 3^rd floor rear study.Please go to the UDC to discuss increasing the amount of red brick on the front façades.1133 N. 4th St. – I2 – Roland Kassis: A proposal for 28 residential units.This project is the repurposing of an existing building and turning it into “micro” apartments (9 @ 1-bedroom and 19 @ 2-bedroom small apartments) with 28 indoor bike racks for tenants.   There is no way to accommodate sufficient parking spaces within this building.Discussion: Neighbors agreed that this was a great building and while the concept for small apartments was admirable, there was no way to guarantee that the tenants would not own cars. The existing parking situation would be exacerbated by the potential number of cars from this 47 bedroom project.Motion (Ira) - 2nd (Joe): Vote 11-0We cannot support this project as presented with 47 bedrooms and no parking. Please return with ideas for non-residential use of the first floor.Also, Larry reported about the N 3^rd Street residential proposal for where the Clock Tower mall is now. Larry said that when the developers presented to the ZBA, they had not incorporated any provisions stated by the NL Zoning Committee. As a result, the ZBA did not vote.Larry also is working on an arrangement where the driveway to parking entrance changed from 3^rd Street to Oriana Street. Where the 3^rd St entrance had been, a ground floor office is proposed with an 8’ tall and 12’ wide window that NL can use for displays.Zoning report approved 11-0-0