Board Members Present: Michele Baskin (Secretary), Corey Jennings (President), Chris Billak, Sadie Baker (Treasurer), Matt Williams, Sam Solomon (Zoom), Pete Morrill, Wynn Engle-Pratt (Vice President, Zoom)
Staff member – Jennifer McKenzie, Amanda Rothschild
Total Attendees
~ 24, ~ 11 on Zoom
Start: 7:06 pm
End: 8:06 pm
Votes: NA
Agenda
- GRIA Updates
- Tree Planting Update:
- Since Spring 2023: 158 native trees planted, 6,000 square feet of concrete removed
- Grants provide for ongoing maintenance of Trees (watering, weeding, mulching)
- Solidified our connection with Baltimore City Forestry Department – Providing tree stock and expertise (fee waiver for new tree well permits)
- Urban Trees Grant Award 2024
- Location: Remington, Charles Village, Harwood
- Grant Program Name: Chesapeake Bay Trust, Urban Trees: $168,000
- Johns Hopkins Matching Funds: $84,000
- Will provide for (224) New Street Trees and (180) new tree pits as well as ongoing maintenance
- Goldseker Operating grant – Awarded a grant to help fund employees and programs across neighborhood. Ensuring our part time employees continue to stay local
- Webmaster/Website – We need someone to help work with a graphic designer to update and make www.GRIAonline.org a better resource for the community
- Fundraiser/Fundraising planner – Immediate need: Help setup a “pledge drive” type of campaign; Long term need: Capital campaign fundraising.
- Tree Planting Update:
- Baltimore Comprehensive Plan (GRIA)
- All jurisdictions in the state must update comprehensive plans every 10 years.
- Must include land use plan and suggests map is best
- City kicked off required process in 2021 with focus groups of residents on how to do outreach best
- Plan was approved by Planning Commission and is at City Council for adoption
- 2022-2023
- Community Engagement Leadership Team (15 community based organizations across city) hosted multiple listening sessions, 3 Planning Dept sessions
- 12 Planning Dept public input workshops across city
- 2 citywide community conferences, in-person and virtual for further input
- Fall 2023
- Draft Land Use Map published for comment
- Each plan topic released online for input by topic
- Public meetings for input beyond online option
- 2024
- Presentation of Draft Plan to Planning Commission
- 60 Day Comment Period and 4 more open houses
- Rumor: Rushed Process with no public input
- Dozens of meetings held online, geographically across the city, both by Planning Dept and Community Orgs
- Over 2,000 comments received from residents in 60 day comment period
- Planning Dept hosted Remington Q&A with GRIA in July
- Rumor: Plan Rezones to Makes Homes Commercial Only
- Plan does not rezone anything. Recommendation for future land uses over the next decade
- Recommendations in plan don’t prohibit existing residential uses, just permits a broader mix of uses
- Any zoning change would require future legislation
- Baltimore Comprehensive Plan – https://www.planourbaltimore.com/
- November Land Use Meeting: 11/06/2024 @ 7pm, www.griaonline.org/zoom
- Link to July meeting notes of Planning Commission presentation
- All jurisdictions in the state must update comprehensive plans every 10 years.
- Land Use Updates
- Land Use committee application for 2024-27 is up on the website!
- DUE: November 10th, 2024 – A few days after next LandUse Meeting
- GRIA Board of Directors will review applications
- New Process ensures that there Is a clear way to join Committee over time
- Nov 6th meeting is happening and the application and process wlll be discussed there
- Application will also be sent out on social media
- Land Use committee application for 2024-27 is up on the website!
- Wide Angle Youth Media
- Outreach Manager – Jake Saltzberg jake@wideanglemedia.org 443-759-6700
- Presentation slide deck
- Middle school programs run on location at the schools & High school introductory and advanced workshops are held at the main office with offerings in design, photography, video and animation.
- Also have summer programming (Media Works) run in partnership with Baltimore City and County Summer Youth Employment Programs
- Apprenticeships & Internships (Wide Angle Youth Productions) for 18-24 year olds participate in design, social media, or video production tracks and receive paid vocational training.
- Taking over the first floor at the Service Center
- Currently located at Millers Court, and this new location will be tripling our space!
- Includes office space, student work and social space, media lab space, gallery space, etc
- Goal is to be able to be open up for the community during non-work hours by utilizing the Gallery and other social spaces in the reception area
- Follow us and sign up for our newsletter!
- Q&A:
- Pete: Have you reached out to our local school Margaret Brent about partnering with programming? A: They are on our short list!
- The high school programs are super popular and run with long waitlists! When is the best time to get in touch for students who are interested? A: Get on the list! We do send out communication to that list when registration is opening, typically in the spring.
- Jones Falls Gateway project
- Zac Blanchard – representing Midtown Benefits District
- Looking for partners to work with for this section of the Jones Falls to solicit engagement on current and future desired usage
- This project presents a public space opportunity, with a promenade feel, along the Jones Falls. Currently have funding for planning to engage communities and create designs ($1 million), and will need community feedback using two surveys (5 minute survey on current usage of area, closes Oct 27th and second survey through Thanksgiving, presenting options for future)
- Also involved in arts improvements along the area from the Maryland Ave bridge (new mural!), bridge under lighting, new building murals, etc
- Q&A:
- Corey: Street Car Museum area (CSX bridge) to Penn Station? A: yes. Follow-up: Is there still a plan to close through traffic along Falls Road, including north of this section under discussion? Can we come back to that if it is off the table for this project? A: Please take the survey and communicate those desires on local and through traffic to have all sentiments captured.
- (From Zoom) Will you flier about the survey? A: We can provide fliers to go through the normal GRIA process and also table at HAUNTingdon to speak to people directly with their questions and concerns.
- HAUNTingdon 2024
- Saturday October 26th, 5pm – 8pm
- Along 3000 block of Huntingdon Ave
- Kevin Sherry confirmed! Other artists and activities planned
- FaceBook event is up, please share
- Looking for volunteers! More bodies (set up tables, decorations, help running activities: maze, face & pumpkin painting, glow stick crossbow, and handing out treats) start set up around 3 pm
- Community Cleanup
- This Sat the 19th, 10:00 am
- Plan is to clean up trash and leaves along Huntingdon Ave and assist with a large scale planting on the 2700 block of Huntingdon
- Doppio treats sponsored by Spinello!
Community Announcements
- Hampden Fire links for donations
- Food Pantry at CGA every Wednesday 9 am, no requirements or restrictions. Volunteers needed Tues and Wed mornings to help organize food organization and distribution.
- Night Market – this Friday, 5-9