Clean & Green Committee Meeting Notes
09.12.2023
7 pm at Haw Creek Commons
Present: Storms Reback (chair), Chris Pelly, Lisa Hadley, Renate Rikkers
Storms relayed Marti Terry-Purdy’s thoughts about her efforts to eradicate sidewalk weeds. She used the “potion” she described at a pervious meeting in the spring and again a couple of weeks ago. Both times there was no chance of rain in the forecast, and both times it rained and the solution got washed away. She’s feeling a little defeated after the weather conspired to ruin her plans two times in a row. She purchased an electric weedwhacker and is hoping to take care of the sidewalk weeds that way.
Storms gave a brief update about the neighborhood sign project. He recently asked the manufacturer to provide an updated ETA and he was told the sign should be arriving by the end of September. The next step in the process will be to buy the locust posts and hardware to assemble the structure that will hold the sign. He will be asking for funds to do this at the next board meeting.
Renate provided an update about the growing problem of weeds obscuring visibility for drivers at nearly all the intersections in Haw Creek. Evidently NCDOT, which is responsible for maintaining New Haw Creek Road, hasn’t done its usual maintenance this year. The fear is that the problem will get so bad there will be an accident or DOT will use herbicides to solve the problem, which will leave ugly brown scars on the side of our roads and pollute our watershed. To address this issue we’re hoping to have a sit-down discussion with DOT’s district engineer Chris Medlin. We’d like to develop a better relationship with him so that he’s more amenable to our requests.
Chris gave an update about the Arco Road Greenway project. Recently the head of the Parks & Recreation department Pete Wall visited the neighborhood to hear about the project. Impressed by the work we’ve done, he has given his endorsement for the project, with one stipulation. If we want Parks & Rec to be responsible for the maintenance of the Greenway, the bridge across the creek needs to be eight feet wide to allow a mower to cross it. We are now entering the fundraising portion of this project.
Chris also gave an update about the New Haw Creek Road Sidewalk project. The City and DOT met on August 25 to discuss our neighborhood’s concerns about the concrete drainage ditch. Ken Putnam promised to provide an update, and Chris said he would nudge him soon if needed.
Storms briefly described the Climate Conversations discussion he’s leading at the Haw Creek Commons September 18. The hope is that if the first one goes well there will be more in the future.
08.08.2023
In attendance: Storms Reback, Renate Rikkers, Elizabeth Matthews, Linda Fornoff, Bruce Black, Lisa Hadley, Barber Melton, Marti Terry-Purdy, and Doug BaughmanStorms provided an update about the entrance sign project. The project has been divided into two phases. The first involves installing the sign after it arrives in two or three months. Doug offered the use of his truck to pick up the locust posts from Bee Tree Hardwoods and drive them to Burnsville where the timber framer Barron Brown will cut the joints needed to attach them. The second phase will involve landscaping around the sign and will take place in the spring of 2024.
Storms also gave an update on the Arco Road Greenway Project led by Chris Pelly and Shelley McKechnie. Jake McLean has shared a proposal outlining the necessary steps to turning this property into a greenway along with a budget (roughly $80,000). The next step is a meeting with Pete Wall, the head of the Parks and Recreation Department, to see if it will endorse the project.
Renate gave an update about the overgrowth of vegetation at nearly every intersection along Old Haw Creek Road and New Haw Creek Road. Of particular note are the following intersections: Cisco and Old Haw Creek, Cisco and New Haw Creek, Bell and Old Haw Creek, Beverly and New Haw Creek, and Trinity Chapel and New Haw Creek. The City has not trimmed the vegetation in these areas enough to improve sightlines for drivers and pedestrians despite Renate reaching out to them several times. The fear is that there will be an accident or the City will end us using herbicides to control the growth. One possible solution is posting a message on the HCCA website reminding homeowners that it’s their responsibility to trim trees and shrubs adjacent to roads. Another is to enlist some volunteers and trim the vegetation ourselves.
Barber gave an update about the New Haw Creek Road sidewalk project. She helped write the tree ordinance, but unfortunately the committee she was on didn’t consider the possibility of trees getting cut down to make way for a sidewalk. She intends to reach out to Maggie Ullman and Antoinette Moseley and tell them that 78 trees are going to be removed on Hunter Carson’s property alone.
Storms will be scheduling the next committee meeting, ideally on a Tuesday in September.
06.15.2023
In attendance
Storms Reback, Renate Rikkers, Elizabeth Matthews, Linda Fornoff, Bruce Black, Lisa Hadley, Chris Pelly, and Doug Baughman
Storms provided an update about the project that involves replacing the sign at the entrance to the neighborhood and landscaping around it. The City of Asheville approved the permit on May 30, which means we can now proceed to buy a new sign and install it. Storms acknowledged that in the ideal scenario the board would present the neighborhood with several options and have people vote of them, but then he described how difficult that process would actually be. In an effort to get another design idea he reached out to Larry Colman, who built the current sign. Larry said he’d retired and referred Storms to Moss Signs, which said they didn’t make neighborhood signs, and to Mike McCue. After much back and forth, Mike said he could make the same sign the committee unanimously agreed on in the previous evening for $2,250, which is $550 more than Bassett Signs quoted. Given the difficulty of finding an option everyone likes that’s cheaper than Bassett Signs’ design, Storms called for a vote asking to take Bassett Signs’s design before the board July 16 and have them vote on purchasing it or not. Everyone in attendance voted yes. He will provide a cost breakdown of Phase One of this project (installing the new sign and the structure to hang it from). Storms is also going to follow up with Peter Tennant, the owner of Bee Tree Hardwoods, to see if he has any 6x6 locust posts.
Chris provided an update of the Arco Road Greenway project that he and Shelly McKechnie have been working on. Jake McLean from Wildlands Engineering has created a preliminary feasibility study and an estimated cost for the project (roughly $50,000). The plan is for Jake to make another site visit in the coming weeks.
Doug discussed a volunteer opportunity that would help RiverLink. More volunteers were needed to sell wristbands at Downtown After 5 on June 16. All proceeds would be going to RiverLink.
Renate pointed out the many places in Haw Creek, particularly on New Haw Creek Road, Beverly, and Cisco, where vegetation was encroaching on roadways and creating a safety hazard. She had discovered that in many places it’s actually the homeowners’ responsibility to clear this vegetation, so the question is, how to inform them of this and encourage them to do it? For places where it’s the City’s responsibility or that of the Department of Transportation, she suggested that people take note of trouble spots and email photos of them to her, so that she can compile a list, which she will pass along to the right entities once a month.
Storms will be scheduling the next committee meeting, ideally on a Tuesday so that Marti can attend, soon and will email everyone the time and location.
05.02.2023
In attendance: Storms Reback, Renate Rikkers, Elizabeth Matthews, Linda Fornoff, Michelle Decker, Lisa Hadley, Chris Pelly, Marti Terry-Purdy, Doug BaughmanAfter a brief welcome, Storms provided a quick Earth Day recap. Nine volunteers spent three hours clearing vines and brush from Haw Creek Park.
Storms then showed a PowerPoint presentation that provided an overview of the project to replace the sign at the entrance to the neighborhood and install new landscaping around it. Phase 1 would focus on the hardscape portion of the project (erecting a new sign and building a retaining wall in front of it) and Phase 2 would focus on filling the “raised bed” created by the retaining wall, filling it with good-quality dirt, and installing new plants and shrubs. One obstacle was mentioned by a committee member who thought the City would never allow a new sign to be erected. The committee narrowed the selection of new signs to two (both designed by Bassett Signs) and agreed to send the proposal to the board for approval.
Chris provided an update on the Arco Rd Greenway project. Connect Buncombe declined to endorse the project, so Chris organized a meeting with Jack Igelman, who spearheaded the Hominy Creek Greenway. Jack shared the Memorandum of Understanding he has with the City with Chris and suggested we create one of our own and do the same.
Storms discussed the idea of making Haw Creek Park clean-ups a regular thing and recapped his discussion with John Shaw, Parks and Rec’s program operations manager, who agreed that the park was underutilized and needed the underbrush removed to create better sight lines and make the park feel less dark and creepy. Storms said he’d email John to see if the City would mow and weed whack in the spots cleared by Haw Creek volunteers.
Renate shared the good news that the City has agreed to create a neighborhood compost site at the East Asheville Library.
Doug provided a recap of recent RiverLink activities, including the removal of 35 shopping carts from the Swannanoa River.
Storms suggested creating a Treasured Tree List for Haw Creek that would encourage residents to participate in the city-wide initiative and promoting it within Haw Creek with a Treasured Tree tour and/or dedicated page on the HCCA website.
The next meeting date is TBD, pending the availability of the Haw Creek Commons.
04.04.2023
Present: Storms Reback (chair), Marti Terry-Purdy, Renate Rikkers, Michelle Decker, Linda Fornoff, Chris Pelly
Discussion of litter cleanup days. Marti remains the point person on this project. We just need to reach out to her if we ever need to borrow supplies. Renate reported on the new City of Asheville Cleanliness Pilot Program for roadside litter cleanup, a 2-year pilot project. Residents can report litter problem areas using the City's app.
Storms and Marti to discuss scheduling volunteer cleanup events. Storms will be reaching out to Lindsay Spratt to organize a kid-friendly cleanup.
Storms discussed ideas for Earth Day (April 22nd). These include kudzu and English ivy removal from Haw Creek Park. Another idea is to plant a tree at Haw Creek Commons. Storms has received permission to do so and is in the process of looking for a free tree. The final idea is to plant some colorful native plants the at the Haw Creek entrance where ivy was recently removed. A subcommittee that includes Michelle, Laurie, and Jack are looking into acquiring plants for this project. It was also suggested that we solicit from community cuttings and other perennial transplants for use at entrance. Remainder could be sold at the May 6th yard sale.
Another subcommittee consisting of Storms, Renate, and Doug are meeting to discuss whether to repair or replace the “Welcome to Haw Creek” sign at the main entrance. Chris to provide Storms contact info for Larry Coleman, Haw Creek resident who installed the existing sign in 2000. Michelle offered that the Trappers Run and Applewood subdivision entrance signs were good examples of attractive signs.
Chris reported on the April 19th presentation by Connect Buncombe to ask for their endorsement of the Arco Rd Neighborhood Connector greenway. Program presentation is at noon at the East Asheville library.
Marti reported on a natural weed killer solution for use on sidewalks overgrown with weeds. Combine one gallon of a concentrated vinegar solution, such as Harris 30% pure white vinegar, one cup of salt, and a couple tablespoons of dish detergent, such as Dawn.
Renate suggested a tree identification program idea “Know Your Trees” for new residents not familiar with our local trees. She also suggested publicizing the county's Treasured Trees program to encourage Haw Creek residents to submit their nominations.
The next C&G Committee meeting is scheduled for 7-8 pm Tuesday May 2nd in the History Room upstairs at Haw Creek Commons.