Highland Park Neighborhood Association

March 2003 edition in full

Feb 23, 2003

page 1
MARCH 2003 THE HIGHLANDER
NEWSLETTER OF THE HIGHLAND PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
Let?’s move on the ?“Big 3?”
By HPNA President Rachel Cywinski
It?’s time to take action!
In December and January I asked many HPNA members what their primary neighborhood concerns were. There were three issues that were clearly areas of concern for many residents (other than implementing the Highlands Community Plan which includes all of them):

1. developing Cellular on Patrol
2. getting adult classes at Bode Center
3. developing citizen Code Compliance awareness and support.

Many say we need Cellular on Patrol, but no one has signed up. We need every community resident who can to attend this class so we can be educated about the issues. Just attend the class; you have no further obligation.
Please sign up on page 3.
The Cellular on Patrol class includes not only information about crime but about Code Compliance?—what constitutes a Code violation and what the Code is. That was another of the ?“Big 3?” issues that you all have expressed as primary concerns.
So sign up for the class and also sign up a neighbor! Let?’s do it!
The third issue of the ?“Big Three?” was getting adult classes at the James Bode Community Center.
We took a major step in that direction during the February meeting by having an open forum discussion with Mike Gonzaba, Assistant Director of San Antonio Parks and Recreation (SA PAR) and Brenda Burton, Regional Recreation Director of SA PAR.
The result is the survey on page 3.
If you have something to say, then say it on the survey so it will be heard.

Lastly, we can build a stronger organization than ever with a few simple steps.
I would like for 20 of our members to attend the March 22 class offered free by the Neighborhood Resource Center. Sign up on page 3!


There is strength in community.
Here is YOUR chance to participate!

Highland Park Neighborhood Association
General monthly membership meeting

Our invited guest speakers:
Presidents and block captains from neighborhood associations throughout Bexar County !

They have agreed: To explain how they increase the effectiveness of their associations in their own neighborhoods!

Please come welcome them to our neighborhood!

Saturday, March 8
James Bode Community Center
Highland Park, 900 Rigsby Avenue
9:15 a.m. Breakfast reception to welcome our guest!
10:00 Panel discussion presented by our guests
Also: Announcements, Discussion about banner led by Secretary Loyd LeBlanc

Meeting will adjourn by 11:30 a.m. Board Executive Session will follow at 12:30.

Neighborhood events

Saturday, March 1 Highland Park Cleanup and Dial-a-Trailer: Dumpsters will be at Highland Park from 8:30 to 2:30 to collect large items. Volunteers from Keep San Antonio Beautiful welcome others to help them clean the park.

Monday, March 10 Free ?“Essentials of Gardening?” class at Fanick?’s nursery, 1- 4 p.m. From W.W. White, take Holmgreen east toward Loop 410 until it ends.

Tuesday, March 11 Free ?“Wildscaping?” class 7 p.m. at McCreless Library, 1023 Ada Street. Learn how to beautify your yard with native plants.

Saturday, March 15 Highlands Community Plan implementation team meeting at 9:00 a.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3318 S. New Braunfels

Saturday, March 22 ?“Building a Better Board?” is vital for anyone interested in developing a stronger neighborhood association. Breakfast is provided. Class is free but reservations are required. Reserve your space by calling (210) 735-0586. Meet at Highland Park parking lot at 8:00 a.m. to carpool by 8:15.


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Response to the ?“Ask Ed?” segment on WOAI TV that aired February 12 (sent by e-mail February 14, 2003):
Mayor Garza:
We were very disappointed in the lack of response to the question posed by the Highland Park Neighborhood Association during the "Ask Ed" segment of WOAI TV news this past week. We contacted the news team because all of our requests for assistance and information from the City of San Antonio had been stalled or ignored. Your response to the question "What is the future of the vacant fire station at 2903 South New Braunfels Avenue?" only increased our concerns.
As you know, officials from the San Antonio Fire Department made an agreement with community members in 2001, that they would retain ownership and use of the former fire station if we would beautify and maintain the grounds. The SAFD staff stated that they wanted to retain the building because they were using it for storage and because their "Backdraft" band preferred to practice there. SAFD staff stated that the band had practiced at other facilities, but the neighbors in Highland Park were the only ones not to complain about the noise the band made in their neighborhood.
I personally met three SAFD officials and reviewed their site plan with them at the site during the same time that our community members were formulating the Highlands Community Plan.
The San Antonio Fire Department staff agreed to retain use of the building and for community members to provide fencing, a xeriscape garden and picnic tables and benches in exchange for their use of the grounds. The SAFD staff also agreed for placement of a playground if we could raise the money--something which we did not include in the initial plans. SAFD staff stated that it would be a great relief to them to have the neighborhood groups take over the grounds because otherwise they would have to auction the property off. The SAFD staff asked that we also fund security lighting for the building, which they would retain; and have the Texas live oak trimmed.
As you know, the Highland Park Neighborhood Association received $1,000 from the Neighborhood Resource Center to go toward this project. As you also know, the City of San Antonio Planning Department was willing to award an additional $5,000 to finish the project but did not because the SAFD staff told them they planned to auction the property after we beautified it. For obvious reasons, many of the residents of our area believe we are being exploited by the Fire Department in this manner.
Our treasurer Bertha Saucedo and I attended the City Council meeting as requested this summer to be recognized for receiving the award from the Neighborhood Resource Center. During that meeting, I requested assistance from you and from City Manager Terry Brechtel in resolving the future use of this fire station. I was told that your assistant David Espinoza would have a prompt resolution. Mr. Espinoza returned my phone calls on several occasions, but quit responding to messages after August of 2002.
I began asking simply for us to be informed of what the future plans for this facility are, and received no response.
Failing any response from our city government, we then contacted WOAI TV in hopes that at least they could obtain an explanation of what the future of the building is.
Your response to our question was no change. You stated the city government would work with the neighborhood to get funding while not guaranteeing that the City would retain ownership. We would already have the funding if the San Antonio Fire Department had agreed to retain ownership!
Unfortunately, it appears that you agree with their plan to use volunteer citizen labor to beautify this municipal facility only to auction it off.
You suggested we contact our "councilman". Our councilwoman has continually been informed of this project. During the Neighborhood Resource Center conference in June of 2001, Toni Moorhouse asked me to send all the information to her at "district3@sanantonio.gov". I sent this several times and received no response. She suggested I send it to "amoorhouse@sanantonio.gov". We have still received no response.
It is already a bad for the neighborhood for this municipal property to apparently be auctioned off as a potential "4th gas station" at this corner! But to ask us to beautify this municipal property only to get the government a little more auction money is a betrayal of public trust.
We sincerely hope that the City of San Antonio and our government leaders will work with the Highland Park Neighborhood Association to do what is best for the residents of our community. Our door is open to true and constructive dialog. However, we are not open to exploitation.
Can we work together to do what's best for our community?
Sincerely,
Rachel Cywinski, President
Highland Park Neighborhood Association



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Here?’s your chance to participate! Bring to HPNA meeting March 8 or mail to HPNA:
Highland Park Neighborhood Association PO Box 10210 San Antonio TX 78210-0210 or HighlandParkNASA@aol.com

CELLULAR ON PATROL
I will attend a Cellular on Patrol training (with no further obligation) if it is (Please check all that apply):
___ all day Saturday, July 12, in place of the monthly general membership meeting
___ all day one Saturday but not in place of a monthly general membership meeting (also keep monthly meeting)
___ half a day July 12 and August 9, both Saturdays in place of the monthly general membership meetings
___ half a day on two consecutive Saturdays but not in place of monthly meetings (also keep monthly meetings)
___ from 6 to 10 p.m. on two weeknights the same week
___ from 6 to 10 p.m. on the same night of the week in two consecutive weeks {preferred weeknight:________________}

Would you be willing to provide sandwiches or other refreshments for such an event? _____ yes

MARCH 22 ?“BUILDING A BETTER BOARD?” CLASS SIGN-UP:
___ Yes, I want to build a stronger association and will attend the class from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, March 22 .
___ And I will meet you around 8 a.m. so we can carpool to the event together at 8:15.
___ I will even volunteer to take my car as park of the carpool if needed.

JAMES BODE COMMUNITY CENTER USER SURVEY
1. What activities would you participate in if they were offered at Bode Community Center?

2. Would you be willing to volunteer to teach a class at Bode Community Center? Which one?

3. What time of day would you attend a class if it was offered at Bode Community Center? Day of the week?

4. What suggestions do you have to improve programming at Bode Community Center?

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION SO WE CAN CONTACT YOU FOR THE EVENTS:
NAME:
TELEPHONE NUMBER(S):
E-MAIL ADDRESS(ES):


2003 Highland Park Neighborhood Association Board of Directors
President Rachel Cywinski Vice President Madeline DeLaO Secretary Loyd Le Blanc Treasurer Bertha Saucedo Directors: Al Lindsey Diane Cortez Ramon Quintero Lydia Romo Rita Pe?±a Harry Oliver
Newsletter and Website Editor: Rachel Cywinski HighlandParkNASA@aol.com


A Great Big ?“We thank you!?” : February 2003 General Membership Meeting Participants:
Door Prize Donor:Lydia Romo
Refreshment Donors: Bertha Saucedo, Rachel Cywinski
Leader of Invocation:Rev. Roger Hotopp of Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Leader of Pledge of Allegiance: Harry Oliver, San Antonio Independent School District Trustee
Program Presenters: Mike Gonzaba, Linda Ximenes, Brenda Burton
Supplemental Program Presenters: Felipe Castro, Toni Moorhouse



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Our business members:

Little Red Barn
Steak House
"Over a 1,000 Steaks a Day"
1902 S. Hackberry
San Antonio, Texas 78210
532-4235

Wallace Cook Agency, Inc.
Life, Hospital, Group, Auto, Home, Commercial, Casualty & Property
Independent Insurance Agent
3902 Clark Ave.
P. O. Box 23428
San Antonio TX 78223
(210) 534-9293
Fax: (210) 534-9297

South East Community
Credit Union
123 Waleetka
San Antonio, TX 78210
210/534-7221
534-6262 (fax)

Brown's
Mexican Food
Enchiladas Our Specialty
Hours:
Monday - Thursday
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday - Saturday
11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
533-8174
2405 S. Hackberry

County Judge
Nelson Wolff

Michael?’s Day Care
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Saucedo

San Antonio Fighting Back

Neighborhood Resource Center
P. O. Box 120246
San Antonio TX 78212
(210) 735-0586
www.nrc-sa.org

H.E.B. store 13


Survey summary
In the survey from the January newsletter the only area of agreement was the invocation, with one person suggesting it take the form of meditation on community.
The majority of respondents wanted a pledge of allegiance.
One person voted against carrying the HPNA banner in the MLK and Chavez marches, with all others voting for, and several others signing up to march in the events with the banner.
However, both the person who voted against and one who voted for believed the banner should be used only in HPNA or neighborhood events, with one of them feeling that the two marches qualified as such events.
Our Secretary Loyd LeBlanc has asked to lead a discussion to develop guidelines for use of the banner at the end of the March 8 meeting. Please come join the discussion!

Join the discussion! http://www.
Neighborhoodlink.com/sat/hparkna

To receive this newsletter by e-mail:
HighlandParkNASA@

Highland Park Neighborhood Association
PO Box 10210
San Antonio TX 78210-0210






ATTACHMENT TO NEWSLETTERS GOING TO MEMBERS CURRENT IN DUES:
LETTER RESPONDING TO SOUTHEAST CITIZENS COMMITTEE:
[FROM:]
Highland Park Neighborhood Association
PO Box 10210
San Antonio TX 78210-0210
HighlandParkNASA@aol.com
February 17, 2003
[TO:]
Angelo DiPasquale, President
Southeast Citizens Committee (College Heights)
PO Box 10201
San Antonio TX 78210-0201

Mr. DiPasquale:

I so much appreciate you contacting me to clarify a confusing situation.

In December of 2002, as I was contacting Carol Haywood of the City of San Antonio Planning Department regarding another matter, she mentioned that you had contacted their department to request a discussion regarding the boundaries of our respective associations. I asked for the details of your concern, and Ms. Haywood related that the only document they had from you was a poorly defined map with some areas highlighted. I asked if she could explain it, and she stated with great uncertainty that it appeared you were requesting the Highland Park Neighborhood Association to alter its boundaries to exclude my house and the house of one of its directors, Harry Oliver.

I told Ms. Haywood I was sure this was not correct, as I knew that as a resident of this area I have never been contacted by College Heights or Southeast Citizens Committee (hereinafter referred to as ?“SCC/CH?”) to participate in anything, whereas I have twice in the last year received invitation flyers from the Highland Park Neighborhood Association (hereinafter referred to as ?“HPNA?”) which it paid to have inserted in the Southside Reporter, as well as reading numerous notices of events HPNA hosted which were open to all area residents. When I have asked when SCC/CH meets, I have only been told that residents meet whenever Angelo DiPasquale wants them to. For this reason, I asked Ms. Haywood to please clarify your request.

Ms. Haywood also was unable to determine whether your request involved any action on the part of HPNA or was simply a request for the Planning Department to list your organization in the list of community groups. I asked Nina Nixon-Mendez of the Planning Department. After extensive research, Ms. Nixon-Mendez informed me that there was no written document or formal map in their files with which to determine what your request was.

In the items you sent to me January 23 (and also in those sent to former HPNA President Al Lindsey around the same time, which have since been forwarded to me), I see that you have demanded that the Highland Park Neighborhood Association change its by-laws to remove the area bounded by Gevers Street South, and Avenues Steves, Clark and Fair; from within its association boundaries. This demand was first made in 1997.

As I informed Ms. Haywood and Ms. Nixon-Mendez, I do not speak for the association alone. Any action taken would have to be approved by the Board of Directors and by the membership. As I explained to them, last year we made changes to our by-laws which were eventually unanimously approved. However, even this standard change of by-laws took five months from the date it was officially set into motion, which was only after several months of contemplation of the correct and needed wording.

I would anticipate, and I feel certain that you will agree, that the residents of the area should be the ones who determine what happens to them. Perhaps you already have a written request from more than 50% of the residents in this area asking for the HPNA to change its by-laws. Do you? This would certainly be the standard procedure.

If you have not already taken this step, then I am certain you would propose that we take a survey of 100% of the persons in the affected area, with an open and unbiased format such as this:
Which neighborhood association do you want to represent you:
__Southeast Citizens Committee (College Heights)
__Highland Park Neighborhood Association
__both
__neither
__I don?’t care.
__I don?’t want a neighborhood association.

I anticipate that we would also agree that this survey must be delivered by someone who is not a member of either organization, to prevent any suggestion of bias. There would, of course, also have to be a delivery address or courier that was independent from both associations.

Customarily, I believe the costs for such surveys are borne by the organization making the request. Are you prepared to pay for having these surveys printed and delivered to each and every resident of the area in question until we obtain a 100% response? If, as you suggest, the Highland Park Neighborhood Association should change its boundaries based on the results; then that clearly implies that you are willing to completely and immediately dissolve Southeast Citizens Committee (College Heights) if those in the area feel it does not represent them. I assume you are willing to do this, based on your demands.

While I agree with you that every person should have a say in determining the future of their community, I truly do not feel that you represent me or my neighbors. The reason is quite basic: During the Highlands Community Plan process, you attended only one meeting during which you made it obvious to all of us present that you were far more concerned about an incident that happened in 1997 than about all of us working together for the future of our community.

During this meeting, I was struck by the eloquence and passion with which you redramatized the event which occurred several years earlier. At the same time, I did notice that the persons with whom you had had this dispute remained silent during this meeting and continued to participate in the planning process after you left. It appeared that they believed keeping the community together in the planning process was far more important than discussing their opinion of the incident or trying to defend their own actions which you had found so objectionable.

I understand that this incident caused a real rift in the community; however I am more concerned with how we can all work together to make our community the best place for all of us to live.

There is more to a community organization than just speaking at zoning meetings or determining building specifications! To truly be a ?‘neighborhood association?’, I believe that any organization must provide an open and public forum for all issues affecting that community, to create opportunities to network, to educate and to empower all residents of the area. Certainly any true neighborhood group would have open elections on a regular basis, and it might choose to do as the Highland Park Neighborhood Association has done?—to set term limits to encourage persons from throughout the community to participate in the leadership.

For these reasons, I simply do not feel that you represent me as a resident of the area you claim to represent.

However, as I told Ms. Haywood and Ms. Nixon-Mendez, this is not a decision for one person to make. It is a decision for the whole association to make. If the members of both of our associations agreed to be bound by results of a survey, then it would be the decision of ALL residents of the area to make.

I have asked Madeline De La O, Chairwoman of our By-Laws, Events and Fundraising Committee, to contact you toward the end of this month to discuss your view of this matter.

I view my role in this organization as a facilitator of community involvement, and any decision will be made by the membership. If the membership of your organization and ours both agree to survey the residents of the area and contemplate change of our by-laws or dissolution of SCC/CH, then I would estimate that the required time to conduct a survey, hold adequate public hearings and develop a consensus of the issue would be two years.

During this time, I would propose that the City of San Antonio and all its departments, send all required notices to every organization in this area which meets neighborhood association requirements (by-laws, regular and open elections, open meetings, etc.).

An alternative would be for both organizations to continue as they are. Based on my observations of the character of the community and its residents, I think this is the most likely outcome.


In regard to another matter, I welcome you to confer with us regarding conservation districts. I was surprised to learn from the Planning Department staff that you had refused to participate in the planning process and, having failed to obtain signatures of more than 50% of the area you claim to represent, that you are now ineligible to apply for conservation district status.

Because the Highland Park Neighborhood Association did participate in the planning process and those participating agreed to apply for status of various conservation districts within the entire plan boundaries, we have set the process in motion to obtain such designation in all boundaries within the area, and as matches the character of each area. The Planning Department staff inform me that the ?“College Heights?” area will be eligible for consideration as conservation districts as long as it remains in the boundaries of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association, because HPNA did participate as a partner in the Highlands Community Plan. They also inform me that if HPNA were to change its by-laws as you request, that this area would then not be eligible for conservation district status.

We very much welcome your participation in this process, and I hope that we can all work together for the benefit of our community in this regard!

In a related matter, I was contacted last week by a person claiming to be ?“Alfredo Ramos, the owner of the property at 250 Cosgrove?”. ?“Mr. Ramos?” was extremely rude and I believe it is fair to say the only reason he called was to attempt to trick me into saying anything which he could misconstrue as my approval for his project.

When I answered the phone, he stated several times that he was calling because Toni Moorhouse said that I would be the person who would ultimately determine what type of construction his house had to have. I told him numerous times that I was the president of a neighborhood association, not an employee of the Development Department, and demanded to know who he was. He was extremely rude, at first refusing to identify himself until he realized that the conversation would be terminated unless he did so.

In the letter you sent to me you state, ?“Recently we met with a developer who is interested in constructing homes in our College Heights Subdivision. We are negotiating with this developer on certain aspects of his project so that it will conform to the scheme of development that exists by virtue of our declaratory judgment. We were informed that your organization received a notice from the city regarding this project.?”

In fact, we did not receive such a notice although we should have. I do not know if the individual who called me is the same one to whom you referred. ?“Mr. Ramos?” told me he was the person who had been the subject of the declaratory judgment but claimed that your contact with him had been a statement that you were going to sue him for building an adobe structure.

Mr. Ramos demanded to know what I personally thought of his plan, and I repeatedly told him that no one person?’s opinion was needed because it had been the clear will of the entire community which had gone through all the effort of the planning process, that conservation districts be used in the entire planning area to preserve the character of the neighborhood by ensuring that all new development matched the predominant characteristics in areas where the housing stock was at least 50 years old.


In fact, I elaborated a great deal, giving him some examples of potential conservation districts and their possible requirements, such as:
AREA 1
Boundaries of conservation district:
Interstate 10 from Interstate 37 to Clark Avenue, Clark Avenue south to and including Steves Avenue, Steves Avenue to South Gevers Street, South Gevers Street south to Fair Avenue, and Fair Avenue west to Interstate 37
Characteristics of majority housing stock and required for all new development:
Pier and beam construction, roofline specs, impervious cover maximum limit, garage detached or otherwise not visible from street, siding, front porch, possibly fireplace, tree cover minimum limits, window specs

AREA 2
Boundaries of conservation district:
Vanderbilt from South Gevers Street to Clark, Clark to part of Hiawatha, part of Hiawatha to Gevers, Gevers north to Vanderbilt
Characteristics of majority housing stock and required for all new development:
Pier and beam construction, roofline specs, impervious cover maximum limit, fireplace, tree cover minimum limits, brick or stone exterior, garage detached or otherwise not visible from street, window specs, lot width dimensions

AREA 3
Boundaries of conservation district:
Part of Hiawatha to South Gevers Street, Gevers south to and including Waleetka, Waleetka, Clark from Waleetka to Hiawatha
Characteristics of majority housing stock and required for all new development:
Slab construction, roofline specs, window specs, brick exterior, garage in line with house in block and on side of house on corner lots, tree cover minimum limits, impervious cover maximum limits, lot width dimensions

AREA 4
Boundaries of conservation district:
Fair Avenue from Clark to South Gevers Street
Characteristics of majority housing stock and required for all new development:
Slab construction, roofline specs, brick exterior, garage in line with house, impervious cover maximum limits, lot width dimensions

Although I explained these examples in great detail, ?“Mr. Ramos?” was impatient and quite frankly did not seem to care. He told me he had been waiting years for someone to give him approval for him to just do what he wanted for his family. I strongly implied that he could have showed an interest in the community by participating in the planning process during those years, and suggested that we all needed to look at what was good for the community as a whole. In general, I do not believe that ?“Mr. Ramos?” paid the least attention to anything I said and am not really sure what his reason for calling was.

Mr. DiPasquale, please know that you are always welcome at all meetings of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association, and I hope that all persons in the area are also welcome at the Southeast Citizens Committee (College Heights) meetings. We all need to work together to make the future the best future it can be for our community!

Sincerely,
Rachel Cywinski, President