Volume 114, Issue 6 June 2014 T H E UPLANDER THE UPLANDS RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION, EST. 1902 Garage Sale Success President’s Comments Our 2014 garage sale was a great achievement Hello neighbors! (as it is every year). Have you ever wondered It appears that most of the construction projects who organizes this event every year? Who is the person who sets out the garage sale signs, sets up surrounding our neighborhood are near completion. newspaper advertisements, etc.? Our garage sale Most of you probably have an opinion on the nature of chair person is your neighbor Kay Ahl. Kay has this large re-design of the Uplands Neighborhood. What been organizing this great event every year for well are your thoughts so far on this new blueprint? Have the over 20 years. Let’s give credit where credit is due. raised speed pads on our north-south streets working? A special thank you goes out to you, Kay Ahl. Have you seen any reduction in “cut-through” traffic? I realize it may be too early to see if this new design will Uplands Neighborhood Meeting work as promised. I have been reading some of your Our next Uplands neighborhood will be held on June 12th. There will be no July messages on the neighborhood website. After reading meeting (per by-laws) The next scheduled some of your e-mails, it seems certain details are the meeting after June will be August 14th. same as pre-construction time. However, this is by no Have a great July! means a good time to be passive. If you have an opinion, complaint, or suggestion, regarding the new construction Uplands Residential Association Meeting project, or anything relating to our neighborhood, Thursday, June 12, 2014 • 7:00 p.m. please contact your city engineer and/or your District 2 Bradley Epworth United Methodist Church Councilman directly. Remember, these folks are employed 1316 W. Columbia Terrace by you the tax payer, so don’t hesitant to voice your matter. 7:00 p.m. Call Meeting to Order Michael Rogers, P.E. – Director of Public Works • Welcome and Introductions - President Burgit Smith Lester D. Bergsten Public Works Facility • Approval of Minutes of Prior Meetings - Secretary 3505 N Dries Lane, Peoria IL 61604-1210 Lindsey Clayton Hours of Operation: Mon. – Fri. 7:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. • Treasurer’s Report—Treasurer Melissa Stevenson Phone: (309) 494-8800, (309) 494-8850 Committee Reports Chuck Grayeb - 2nd District Council Member URA Representatives to Outside Organizations • Bradley Institutional Planning Contact Info: 419 Fulton Street, Peoria, IL 61602 • West Bluff Council Cell: 309-213-6629, email: [email protected] • Peoria Alliance • Greenway Sincerely, Burgit Smith New Business Adjournment CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL The Uplands Residential Visit our website: Association is on OF THE 2014 GRADUATES FROM Facebook. Like us for www.TheUplandsPeoria.com current news on the neighborhood! OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. If you have information for Join the Uplands Yahoo Group! The Uplander, please contact GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE! It’s easy - just go to http://groups. Brenda O’Russa at 673-2776 or yahoo.com/group/uplands/ [email protected] Neighborhood Directory Peoria Cares It’s hard to believe it’s already been two Have you ever been out and about our neighborhood and years since we put together our neighborhood noticed a street light that is burned out, a sewer drain that directory, but it has therefore we are looking to update, revise and print again. is clogged up with debris, a down cable or power line, or an over grown tree or shrubbery inhibiting vehicular traffic in an We have advertising space available! If alleyway or street, code violations, etc.? you are interested in placing an ad for your business or for any services you offer The City of Peoria has a hotline for these kinds of problems. (lawncare, babysitting, house cleaning, etc.) You may want to store their number in your cell phone to please submit your ad via email to me at report problems as you see them. You may leave a message if [email protected] or drop you call after hours. in my mailbox at 1517 W Columbia Terrace with payment (payable to Uplands Residential The City of Peoria, Peoria Cares office takes service requests Association). for any service the City of Peoria provides. The city will be glad to also answer or forward any requests for information. Ads will be printed in black and white and are priced as follows: Please feel free to email them your request for service and/or 1/4 page (business card size) = $25.00 information at www.peoriagov.org/peoria-cares/ or you may 1/2 page = $50.00 reach also them by calling (309) 494-CARE (309-494-2273). Full page = $100.00 Their hours of operation are 8am until 5pm, Monday All Uplands houses will receive a copy of the through Friday, with the exception of official city observed directory. holidays. Please feel free to contact me with any questions also. They will respond promptly to any messages or requests left after hours. Thank you for caring about Peoria! -Melissa Stevenson 256-0649 Dues It is that time again! If you haven’t already done so for 2014, please pay your annual dues of $10.00. Thank you to those who have already paid. Please make checks payable to The Uplands Residential Association. If you are interested in donating extra money to our beautification fund please indicate this on the registration form below. You may include the additional amount on the same check as your dues. In 2013 your dues helped pay for the printing of the monthly newsletter, the annual picnic, and the re-building of our account after 2012 expenses. We continue to plan for the future of The Uplands to make this the best neighborhood it can be and your dues help to make this possible! Please fill out the form below and send with your check. THE UPLANDS RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION 2014 MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION Name _______________________________________ Address _____________________________________ Home Phone _________________________________ Work Phone __________________________________ E-mail address _______________________________ (This is for Association use only. It will not be divulged to anyone.) Would you be willing to volunteer with: Block Captain Newsletter Delivery Traffic Parking Safety Beautification Long-Range Plans Zoning/Land Use Send completed form and check payable to Uplands Residential Association Treasurer Melissa Stevenson, P.O. Box 6532 Peoria, IL 61601-6532. Dues are $10 and allow the neighborhood to do many good things. Please consider a donation to the Neighborhood Beautification Committee. _____ YES! I/WE will pay our $10 association dues, and contribute and additional $________ for beautification. URA Meeting minutes 5/8/14 Pi Phi House update: city has reversed decision to have Meeting called to order at 7:05 pm. permanent sorority zoning. The house cannot be used as such. Current zoning for home is R4 Greenway: Soliciting for participation in the community garden. Planning fundraiser for gas station land. Neighborhood construction: Bollards far enough apart Working on seeding. for trucks/cars to drive through, concern was expressed. Beautification along University not occurring as No Bradley Planning report. desired. Renders of post construction showed trees, No Peoria Alliance report. Neighborhood rep moving recommend city replace dead trees on right of way this summer, will need a new rep for the Peoria on University. Follow up on sign placement on road Alliance- attend Peoria Alliance meetings and provide humps, these are required and correctly placed. Please updates at neighborhood meetings. park at least 5 ft from alleys and bumps. West Bluff Council: Water is subcontracted in Neighborhood beautification: Peoria apparently has a Peoria and city if reviewing the policy of reviewing tree fund to plant trees on boulevards and right of way. contract every 5 years. The city would like to do this Currently understaffed so funds have not been allocated. review every 20 years instead of every 5, the WBC Reach out to city for information and to request trees is concerned about this potential change. As it is, be planted, city will likely do fall planting. Discussed water prices in Peoria are higher than other areas in mowing boulevards, talked about potential for Uplands the state (8000 gal in Peoria= ~$62, Aurora=~$52, to bid for the contract. Chicago=~$42, Springfield=~$30). Still working to Discussion of tour of homes, not sure if scheduled. identify rental properties in the west bluff. Bradley will be informing neighbors of music events prior to event Marathon: Church has water stop, streets will be as courtesy. blocked, delays expected, post in news group and facebook. Treasurer’s report: The available balance is $1794.11. Beautification fund balance is $956.16. 57 paid Discussion of dumpster day: Clearly well utilized; members. however seems evident neighbors are not aware City of Peoria offers great trash pickup services, including large Rest Room for Upper Bradley Park: Council members items, during regular garbage collection. Check website have been informed that requests for a rest room in to find out all city will pick up. Upper Bradley park made it to the appropriate parties. We will reach out to park manager and board members Current officers re-elected. to encourage the park to undertake this project and will Meeting adjourned at 8:21 pm. offer to help fund-raise. Welcome to our New Neighbors: Uplands Residential Association Officers: 1304 W Parkside Drive President: Burgit Smith 1500 W. Parkside Dr., 674-0567, [email protected] Jonathan Wright & Maegan Gilliland 1st Vice President: Daniel Armich 1104 N Glenwood Ave., [email protected] 1024 N Maplewood Avenue 2nd Vice President: Desiree Kane Matt & Erin Tyler 1313 W.