River Road Neighborhood Association

• The RRNA is receiving responses to its April memo re: drainage issues (see previous website postings). Nefi Garza of the San Antonio River Authority will be invited to a future RRNA meeting to update us.
• The bidding process for the Park Reach portion of the hike and bike trail has been slow, delaying construction. The River Oversight Committee/Park Reach Subcommittee will use the delay to consult with local experts on the bird sanctuary and river restoration along Avenue A.
• The San Antonio Zoo plans to construct a wastewater treatment plant, which will reduce pollution in the San Antonio River.
• Nell Grover was officially appointed as Chair of the Bylaws Committee.
• Community Garden Update: Planting beds are now prepared and ready for planting fall crops in early August.
• Report to the RRNA from the neighborhood’s Zoning Overlay Committee (John Larcade, Chair): A representative from the City of San Antonio’s Office of Historic Preservation will come on July 8 to discuss the process for becoming a Historic District. All neighbors will be notified via flyer and email. The meeting will be held at Lions Field.
• The neighborhood’s 4th of July parade will start at 9:30 AM. All households will be notified of the festivities via flyer and email.
• The next RRNA meeting will be on July 16, 7 PM, at Lions Field. All are welcome!

You Are Invited

A Conversation with Marilyn Lanfear at the San Antonio Museum of Art
200 West Jones Ave.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 6:30 pm
Auditorium. Free.

Please join David S. Rubin, The Brown Foundation Curator for Contemporary Art at SAMA for his public conversation with artist Marilyn Lanfear.

In her art, Lanfear “uses personal symbols, familiar materials, and imagery culled from everyday life to tell stories.” She will show photographs of her past and present works.

Lanfear lives and works in the RR neighborhood.

Our May RRNA meeting was low-key, as both our Chair (Richard Reed) and Vice-Chair (Larry Clark) were absent, but here are a few highlights:

• A letter summarizing the April 14 meeting to address drainage issues in our area of the city,* and calling for a moratorium on all projects until issues of River Road neighborhood flooding are addressed, was sent by Reed to the appropriate government officials. [*See April 16 Meeting Highlights on RRNA website.]
• Another house has been demolished in the neighborhood, this time on Trail St. This is another cautionary note that we need to get protections in place for the neighborhood via Historic District or Neighborhood Conservation District status. A committee to explore this possibility has been meeting [NOTE: this process is separate from the RRNA]. Board members volunteered to communicate urgency to Zoning Overlay Committee Chair John Larcade.
• RRNA committee chairs who are not board members are requested to attend the monthly RRNA meeting or send a representative.
• Work on our community garden progresses. Compost has been spread, and water spigots have been installed, thanks to a donation by Councilperson Cisneros. Check it out!
• A neighborhood crime report link has been added to the RRNA website.
• The RRNA is planning a July 4th celebration, organized by Lea Brogan and Diane Briseno. Volunteers welcome!

Our next RRNA meeting is June 18, 7 PM, at Lions Field – all are welcome!

http://www.mysanantonio.com/crimebase/crimeBaseSummaries.html?searchValue=78212&firstResult=%2010

Thanks to Bill Sibley for spotting this feature on the MySA.com web site. This link will also be available on the right-side column of this site under “Government.”

7:00 PM Lion’s Club Field House

SAPD Officer Betty Cardona, our new neighborhood SAFFE officer, came to introduce herself and discuss her role and safety issues in our neighborhood.

The main topic of discussion was an April 14 meeting convened by District 1 Councilperson Cisneros to address flooding issues in our area of the city. Attendees included the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) staff and SARA District 2 representative Roberto Rodriguez, staff from the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, and RRNA representatives Larry DeMartino and Barbara Witte-Howell. DeMartino reported on the meeting content and recommendations of the RRNA Drainage Committee. These include:

• A review of short and long-term Witte Museum projects to determine flooding implications for the River Road neighborhood
• A request for a time schedule of current projects to alleviate flooding, by the cities of San Antonio and Alamo Heights, Bexar County, and SARA, that increase discharge into the San Antonio River above the neighborhood
• A request for a time schedule and cost of projects to alleviate flooding in the River Road neighborhood.

The RRNA Drainage Committee calls for a moratorium on all projects until issues of neighborhood flooding are addressed. The board approved sending a memo summarizing meeting content and RRNA recommendations to appropriate government officials. [Note: A copy of this memo was emailed to the neighborhood 5/15/09.]

We also elected RRNA Officers and confirmed RRNA Committees. Elected by acclamation were: Richard Reed, Chair, Larry Clark, Vice-Chair, and Anne Larme, Secretary. Ed Piner will continue his appointment as Treasurer.

RRNA committees include:
Communications – Boothe-Meredith, Sullivan, Grover
Traffic and Sidewalks – Clark
Drainage – Reed, Witte-Howell, DeMartino, Sullivan, Schweers
History – Sibley, Larme
River Care – Clark, Augie Cortez, Russ Smith
Events – Brogan, Briseno
Yard Sale – Piner, Mimi Quintanilla, Griswold
By-Laws (special committee) – Sally Buchanan, DeMartino, Hector Gonzalez, Chris Green, Grover, Quintanilla

Neighborhood Affiliative Representatives:
Zoning Overlay (changed from NCD/Historic District) – John Larcade, chair
Kings Court – Bob Buchanan, DeMartino
River Oversight Committee – Reed
San Antonio Conservation Society – Witte-Howell

RRNA Annual Membership Meeting and Directors’ Meeting – March 22 and 29

Twenty-five members and guests, along with the RRNA Board of Directors, attended the RRNA Annual Membership Meeting at Lions Field on March 22, 2009.

• Guest speakers included District 1 City Council candidates Mary Alice Cisneros, Chris Forbrich, and Ruby Krebs, SAISD School Board candidate Ruben Cuero, and John Toohey, of ARTS San Antonio, who announced a July 4th concert at Sunken Gardens Theatre and requested our support.
• Nefi Garza, of the San Antonio River Authority, gave an overview of flooding issues and discussed efforts to mitigate the potential for flooding in the River Road neighborhood, in coordination with Bexar County and the cities of San Antonio and Alamo Heights. One of the most viable solutions being explored is the construction of retention ponds.
• Board elections were held. New RRNA board members, elected to three year terms, include Diane Briseno (River Rd.), Tammy Griswold (Woodlawn), and Matt Wallace (Trail). Outgoing board members Larry DeMartino, Nell Grover, and Mimi Quintanilla were commended for their service to the neighborhood.
• A committee to review and update the RRNA bylaws was created, and will include Sally Buchanan, Larry DeMartino, Hector Gonzalez, Chris Green, Nell Grover, and Mimi Quintanilla.
• Richard Reed, RRNA Chair, reported that in the past year, the RRNA successfully lobbied to get the Hike and Bike Trail located on Avenue B rather than through the neighborhood, and to get Avenue A designated as a bird sanctuary. He noted that we need to be vigilant about the effects of the Fort Sam Houston expansion on the neighborhood, particularly on traffic on Mulberry.
• Updates for other RRNA initiatives were given, including the community garden, neighborhood history interviews, and the Upper Labor Acequia study and historical marker.

A short follow-up Annual Directors Meeting was held on March 29. Normally board officers are selected and committees are established at this meeting, but due to low attendance, these actions were deferred to the April Board meeting.

7:00 PM Lion’s Club Field House

Thanks to Roy Schweers for organizing yet another spectacular family event! Click the slideshow to see larger versions of the photos.

Guest speakers included Chris Forbrich, District 1 Councilperson candidate, and representatives from the San Antonio Water System, who came to explain the recent sewer reconstruction work on Lindell.

Plans were made for the annual membership meeting of the RRNA, which will take place on Sunday, March 22. The nominations committee reported that neighbors Diane Briseno, Matt Wallace, Russ Smith, and Tammy Griswold have agreed to run for the two open board positions. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor.

The communications committee reported that an easily accessible copy of RRNA bylaws is now posted on the RRNA website.

Work on the community garden is progressing. The current project is constructing stone-walled raised beds, which will then be filled with soil. The goal is to be ready for a fall planting.

City archeologist Kay Hines is proceeding with plans to excavate the acequia area near the garden, with consultation by neighbor/archeologist Karen Stothert.

Money from leftover City bond issues has been distributed among the ten city council districts, and RRNA chair Richard Reed has communicated neighborhood infrastructure needs to Councilperson Cisneros. These include an electric speed sign on Mulberry, and a sidewalk between the bridge on Mulberry and St. Mary’s St. Cisneros is also proposing to resurface River Road.

John Larcade reported on the Neighborhood Conservation District (NCD)/Historic District committee plans. (Note: This committee is separate from the RRNA.) They recommend that the neighborhood apply to be a Historic District rather than a NCD, because this designation provides for better protection of the neighborhood character. The focus of the guidelines, which the neighborhood committee itself writes, would be on demolitions, scale of housing, setbacks, limits on impervious cover, and other aspects to retain the neighborhood’s “funky bungalow-type feel.” Minor items such as paint color, window type, etc. would NOT be included. Fifty-one percent of property owners must vote in agreement in order for a Historic District to be approved.

See you at the Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, March 22, Lion’s Field, from 2-4 PM!

Anne Larme,
RRNA Secretary

Welcome to the newly upgraded RRNA Web Site! This is the Aeros theme for Wordpress. The background is from a photo by Bridget Sullivan.

Questions or comments? You can leave them by clicking the number to the left, under the date. It’s easy!