Your Neighborhood News - January 17, 2016
JEFFERSON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD 
ANNUAL MEETING
Making suggestions 
for 2016

January 27, Wednesday, 6pm, Ward III Meeting Rm 
This will be the neighborhood annual meeting. All neighbors encouraged to attend.  
Grant Road maps (Phase 2 and 5) will be on display, input charts for you to make suggestions, sign up for committees, and Pizza and hot cider so you will not have to miss dinner.  A business meeting will follow to elect officers, and consider by-law changes.
GRANT ROAD NOISE STUDY
Did you miss the meeting?
The Ward III meeting room was full on the evening of Jan 13.  Jefferson Park, SAMOS, Midvale, and Catalina Vista neighbors were present to hear the results of the requested noise study.  Many were hoping to hear justification for mitigation including walls similar to those enjoyed by Campbell Ave residents.  
The presenter Bill Holliday, PE from Sound Solutions http://ssacoustical.com , under contract with the city of Tucson,  presented his findings. 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
*The study was completed in November 2015;
*The study focused on the parcels from Hampton to Santa Rita;
* Five test sites were established equidistant between Hampton and Santa Rita;
*Levels were reported which represented the situation now and 20 years out (2037);
*The noise level  at which mitigation would be considered was 67dBA.  That number   was set by the FTA and the RTA;
*If the noise readings were below that level the engineer could make no  recommendations for mitigation.
THE RESULTS
* From west to east    63    61    64(Park/Grant)    63     62
AUDIENCE RESPONSE
* Attendees on the north side of Edison, who now border Grant Road expressed       surprise at the study results as they experience a considerable change in noise;
* Home owners stated their property values would fall without mitigation;
* Homeowners said their homes would be hard to sell without mitigation;
* Homeowners stated that they now had a view of traffic from their property;
* Homeowners noted an uptick in rodent population when adjacent homes were destroyed.
WHEN RESIDENTS STILL ASKED FOR NOISE MITIGATION
The city engineer present, Beth Abramovitz and PSOMAS engineer Angel Alejandro said they could do nothing.  No funding could be released for mitigation.  Only the Mayor and Council can authorize expenditures.
(J. Daniels)
After the noise meeting-A letter from Edison St
"if my value goes down so do the rest of my neighbors 
who are at the mercy of comps..."
What follows are excerpts from a letter written to the city by a Jefferson Park neighbor in the 1100 block of Edison "on the front line":
" I'm slightly horrified about having one of the busiest roads in the city merge with my back yard...Now I watch the traffic from my kitchen window, or when sitting in my back yard - previously my sanctuary...
this has likely reduced my home value by 20k, but I believe that number is extremely conservative. And, if my value goes down so do the rest of my neighbors who are at the mercy of comps when listing their homes for sale...I think I speak for everybody on the front line, and beyond, that what we really want is a wall, similar or identical to the one on Campbell and Grant... Whatever the city decides will either make our situation better or worse and I hope the powers that be realize that improving our neighborhoods - especially historically significant ones - improves the city as a whole." 
(Printed with permission, J. Daniels)
GRANT ROAD-Central Segments... COALITION MEETING
Remnant Plans * Noise Study
January 18, Monday *  6:00 pm * Ward III Office
All neighbors are welcome to attend.  The Coalition, in negotiations with the City, was able to prevent commercial development and preserve R-1 and NR-1 for the central segments. The Coalition, in negotiations with the City, was able to obtain City funding for the consultant to redistrict the Historic boundaries to preserve JP's historic status.
Neighborhood oversight improves the process and the eventual outcome.  Watch for all updates at grantroadcoalition.com.  This is a neighborhood Coalition website monitoring the issues and progress of work with the city. FAQs , minutes from meetings etc. can be found there.  

If you value what the Coalition is doing please sign the support form on the website. 
U of A Working with Neighbors in 2016 
Design Proposals to be completed by Spring
The U of A College of Architecture + Landscape Architecture +Design will be designing their concepts for the remnant parcels of the Grant Road Project.  These graduate students  will be presenting the designs at a meeting TBA in April.  As the process unfolds it will be posted to the Coalition web-site grantroadcoalition.com .  Thank you 
U of A!
Coming to a doorknob near you.
A bag of neighborhood information complied by your neighbors. Paid for by your neighbors.  Distributed by your neighbors.   Jefferson Park area representatives and other volunteers will be walking the neighborhood and dropping Info bags on your doorknob.
PROPOSED CLOSURE OF HAMPTON
SAMOS retired engineer, Henry Jacobsen,  will be assisting Jefferson Park in its request to the city for the partial closure of Hampton where it intersects Grant.  The neighbors in that area signed a petition to obtain a closure.  Cut-through traffic from Grant has been a continual problem.  Henry will create the maps required by the city.  The city will do the construction and bill the neighborhood.  Henry will be working pro-bono, thank you very much.  Yes, Jefferson Park will have to shoulder the cost of the closure.  More will be coming on how you can "Help Hampton".   
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT ALERT!
Kolb/Broadway
Speedway/Campbell
Golf Links/Swan
Broadway/Wilmot
Kolb/Speedway
Grant/Alvernon
These six intersections have the most collisions in Tucson. They will be targeted for stronger enforcement of aggressive driving practices.  See the cost of a ticket and drive safely!  
GREEN COLUMN
SIGN UP FOR A FREE WATER AUDIT TO SAVE WATER AND MONEY - Water efficiency is more than just conserving a resource. Tucson Water's Zanjeros are specially-trained water efficiency experts who have performed thousands of comprehensive inventories of home water use that helped customers lower their water bills. Learn more about your home's water-using fixtures, water meter, plumbing, irrigation, and more. Request an appointment by calling (520) 791-3242 or emailing [email protected].
Tucson Water Zanjero Program:  http://1.usa.gov/1I1uVod

PLANT A TREE FROM TREES FOR TUCSON TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR
 As you get rid of your cut Christmas tree, it's a good time to think about planting a tree in your yard. Three types of trees are available for $15 each (limit three trees). If you order this month or next, you will get free delivery to your home. Trees for Tucson is an urban forestry program of Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Inc., and the Home Shade Tree program is sponsored by Tucson Electric Power. The five-gallon trees must be planted within 15 feet of the west, east, or south side of the home. Planting instructions are provided at time of delivery. Please follow the link below to place your order. If you have any questions, call (520) 837-6835.
Trees for Tucson/Tucson Clean & Beautiful:  http://bit.ly/1QrhPCg

PSA for Tucson Organic Gardeners Spring 2016
The Tucson Organic Gardeners holds monthly meetings the 3rd Tues of each month, Sept through April.  Doors open at 7 p.m. at St. Mark's Church, 3809 E. 2nd St. (n. e. corner)
Upcoming events:
Jan 19  "A Year in a Desert Container Garden" with TOG board member Mohyeddin Abdulaziz
Feb 16  "Grow Fruit Trees Organically in Tucson" with Master Gardener Deb North
Mar 15  "Low Water use Methods for the Desert" with JC Matthews of Cutting Edge Ceramics
Apr 19  "The ABC's of Aquaponics" with Brendan Woltman of EcoGro Garden Center
TWENTY FOUR JP HOMES HAVE BEEN "ECO-SEALED"
Eco-Seal, a free service throughTEP seals your vents to prevent precious heat loss. Additionally, they donate $10 to the neighborhood for every home serviced.  The neighborhood received  $240 this month.  If you were thinking of  calling for this service be sure to tell them you are in Jefferson Park.  Eco-Seal 1-800-450-7982 or e-mail [email protected]
HELP TUCSON GET A GRIP ON GRAFFITI - The swift reporting and abatement of graffiti discourages future vandalism, so when you see graffiti report it immediately. Graffiti Protective Coatings and the City of Tucson have a smartphone application for reporting graffiti. MyTucson is a free download on the iOS App Store and Google Play for Android. You can also report graffiti by emailing   [email protected], or calling (520)792-2489 and choosing option 1. 
City of Tucson apps:  http://1.usa.gov/1vknBch
Watch a University of Arizona PSA about the app:  http://bit.ly/JLX8TO
NSN - A website for Tucson's Neighborhoods
Crime Stats and  Code Violations listed by neighborhood
What is a code violation...?
What is a code violation...and who do I call? Click here for a downloadable information sheet approved by the City Code Enforcement Division.
A site listing all the neighborhoods in Tucson, and important things affecting them.
City Code Violations in Jefferson Park  C ode violations such as weeds, garbage, abandoned vehicles, etc.
Police Incident reports for Jefferson Park  the 80 most recent incidents are reported here.
JPNA 
ANNUAL  MEETING
WEDNESDAY
January 27, 2016
6:00 pm
Ward III office 
1 510 E. Grant Rd 
Changes to the bylaws
Annual elections
Renew your voluntary membership of $15.   Membership form
Renew your dues on-line with paypal. Click
HERE.
Friends 
ANNUAL MEETING
MONDAY
January 25, 2016
Ward III office
1510 E. Grant Rd. 
elections
NEIGHBORHOOD
REPRESENTATIVES
Area #1 - needs rep
Area #2 - 
Area #3 - George Milan
Area #4 - Judy Janson
Area #5 - J. Lisa Jones
Area #6 - Chad Waits
[email protected]
Description of procedures for reporting an unruly gathering
U of A
Good Neighbor Program
24 hr hot line
520-282-3649
Report problems
concerns

What is Happening on Grant Road?
City website with maps and phases.
City web-site with plans and meeting dates.
LEND-A-HAND  
Senior services 55+
Doctor appts, errands, yard work etc.  
Call Michelle at 
248-6882
Joan Daniels, co-editor                                   Joanne Osuna, co-editor
[email protected]3 23-2165                       [email protected], 798-3602