Memo to SLCA members, concerned citizens (2/17/06)

TO: All members of Staring Lane Community Association,
Other concerned citizens

FR: Dr. Gwynn Shamlin, President,
Staring Lane Community Association

RE: Update on Staring Lane Widening Project and date of next scheduled meeting


At this time, I see no need to meet because of a lack of concrete data / information as related to the Staring Lane portion of the Green Light Plan. We will keep you informed via telephone or written correspondence.

Do find below a summary of contacts, times, dates and communication I had with city/parish officials as related to political plans for Staring Lane widening:

1) City/Parish Councilman Mickey Skyring (Feb. 17, 2006, 8:15 a.m.) – Talked to him by cell phone and he made the following comment:
a. Met with Walter Monsour and Michael Songy after the Metro Council panel and got a sneak peek at 18 road projects
b. Called to their attention the conflicting report in what the panel heard versus what the media reported in an article titled, “Council Panel gets glimpse into roadwork” in The Advocate (dated Feb. 16, 2006). NOTE: PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE. Section B1.
c. Only one thing he was sure about was the Burbank project would be among the first.
d. Skyring would continue to try and have the work on the opening of the extension of Staring Lane from Highland Road to Burbank done first to see its effects, thus determining the amount and / or need to widen Staring Lane.
e. Upon my request, Staring promised he would keep us informed as to what and when anything concrete is decided as related to plans for Staring Lane widening. Our conversation ended with me further requesting in-put.

2) Administrative Assistant to Mayor Melvin “Kip” Holden, Mr. Hampton Greunwald (Feb. 17, 2006, 8:25 a.m.) – Talked to him at his office. He made the following comments:
a. Will have a chronological listing of all projects to include dates to begin and complete each by April 15, 2006.
b. He asked me to e-mail him requesting the above data on or before the 15th. I will then inform you of his response immediately!

3) City/Parish Engineer David Guillory – Talked to him at his office on Feb. 17, 2006, 10 a.m., and he had the following comments:
a. They now have the contract with the engineers in place and approved.
b. They can now sit with them and see what can be done in terms of our requests as related to the Staring Lane project.
c. Upon my request, I reiterated that we, as an association, and other concerned citizens wanted to reduce the widening to a minimum needed footage in order to save homes and remain residential. If there isn’t a need at all to widening, it certainly would make all of us happy.

Be reminded that every effort toward our concerns are appreciated. Always feel free to call or visit us at 225-766-9439 or at 402 Staring Lane. Thanks again!

Meeting Minutes, Monday, Jan. 23, 2006

Staring Lane Community Assn. Meeting Minutes

Special guests invited to today’s meeting included Hampton Grenwald and City Council Rep Mickey Skyring. Skyring did attend while Grenwald did not.

Purpose of today’s meeting: to save our homes

Introductions:
No cost to be a member at this times; no dues have been discussed
Members from other neighborhood associations have been invited (including Worthington Lakes, King Crest Parkway, South Hills, Wildwood).

Reports:
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE: Chairman Pattie Herke has contacted
- Chad Rogers with http://www.thedeadpelican.com/ (he wants to be on our e-mail list) chad@thedeadpelican.com chad@thedeadpelican.com
- Veronica Mosgrove (but Ms. Mosgrove has not called her back)
Regarding today’s meeting, the following media were contacted via e-mail:
- WBRZ Channel 9
- Linda Lightfoot at The Advocate
A meeting attendee suggested we try to contact Ed Buggs, but currently his radio station is off the air and no one seems to know where he is working presently. A meeting attendee; Carol O’Neal wrote a letter to the mayor, which could also be a letter to the editor, and read it outloud for the association’s feedback
- New member to the Publicity Committee: Millie Williams

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Chairman Pamela Labbe typed the roster and had copies available for those attending; e-mail notices for today’s meeting along with last meeting’s minutes were compiled on a blog and the blog web site address was e-mailed to everyone on the membership roster list who has e-mail. Dr. Shamlin called everyone on the list without e-mail addresses to notify them of the meeting. No other membership activity has taken place since the last meeting.

BYLAWS COMMITTEE: Chairman Pete Territo is working on the bylaws with Gwynn Shamlin Jr. Pete reported that a meeting was held at Dr. Shamlin’s house with Grenwald with Dr. Shamlin and Pete. Grenwald said that only five lanes would be appropriate. But Pete found out other streets in the area that had only four lanes and no turning lanes and no boulevards. Grenwald said that we must stay with the five lanes for safety reasons. Is the set-back distance from the end of the right-away to the front wall of the house 15 feet? We need to find out this for certain.

FINANCE COMMITTEE: Chairman Howard Polk suggested that because our expenditures are low at this time, we should not charge dues. And instead we should determine dues via a means upon what expense come up. He has an operational cross manual available via e-mail. Polk said that he found out that Staring Lane is NOT a state road; there is no detailed plan for Staring Lane as of yet. There is a possibility that the Staring Lane Project will not start for another 10 to 14 years. The Dept. of Public Works features a link to the Green Light Plan. Regarding specific volume capacity ratio: what is this for Staring Lane? ADT: what does this stand for? No time elements exist in the survey; The road should reflect the residential character of the area and this plan fails to represent this.

CONTACTS OF INTEREST: Mayor’s Rep has been in communication with Dr. Gwynn Shamlin regarding the Staring Lane Project. There are so many unanswered questions regarding this project, admitted Grenwald to Dr. Shamlin.

Wanda Stewart – President of Worthington Lakes Subdivision
135 members in her association; her association supports our efforts in keeping the area taken to a minimum.

WELCOME TO MICKEY SKYRING:
He said nothing is set in stone, everything based on conjecture, no meetings have been held. CSRS has been selected as project planners but their contract is still under negotiation.
- They are the current directors of the Green Light Plan.
- They have an idea of approximate costs
- They are certain BURBANK is ready to go (construction will start there first)
- Staring Lane is not going to be first, but it won’t be soon (nothing determined as of yet)
- Contact for CSRS: Michael Songi
- Contact for traffic count: Mike Bruce

Mickey says that no boulevard is determined, but it has to have curbs, gutters & sidewalks. But Grenwald has said four lanes will not work. Skyring admits that he hasn’t made every meeting, so he might be wrong about this. The engineers are driving this, and mentioning all safety concerns, etc.

Magnolia Woods wants to form another organization just to prevent Staring Lane from going commercial. Committee is in favor of property being taken from both sides to equalize. Those pushing the “overlay district” want to do something different with Staring Lane, as some might find part of it an eyesore.

Mickey says he wants to keep Staring Lane residential, not commercial; but what if he’s not the city council member of this district any more by the time these decisions are being made? E-mail: mskyring@brgov.com

Dr. Shamlin would like to have Michael Bruce or Mike Songi attend the next meeting. We’ll follow up on this, and notice will be sent out regarding the next meeting.

Our attorney, Gwynn Shamlin Jr., is not present tonight. Suggestion is to let the possible lawsuit rest until we can talk to more sources of information.

OTHER ASSOCIATION SUPPORT:
General Assembly of Baton Rouge: Gwen Butler
Wildwood Assn: Mr. Johnson; respresents 150 homeowners; priorities can be changed so easily depending on who has power and money
South Hills: Ms. Clemmons
Magnolia Woods: numerous attendees are also members of this assn.

Syring wants to put turning lanes at Highland and Staring first, before the rest of the projects, to alleviate traffic problems. The light at Perkins and Essen/Staring needs to be synchronized.