ALERT - Important City Council Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended our Special Call NHPA meeting on Monday evening to discuss the State of Florida's plans to open a Probation and Parole Center in the Historic Coca-Cola Building on Palafox Street. It was a packed house and I'm glad that Councilmen Charles Bare and Brian Spencer had the opportunity to hear from the citizens.

As of a result of that meeting, City Councilman Charles Bare has added the discussion of sending the issue of the proposed Florida Department of Corrections, Community Corrections Parole and Probation Center in the Historic Coca-Cola building at 1625 North Palafox Street to the Agenda for City Council's Meeting which will be held on Thursday, March 13th at 5:30 p.m. 

The Coca-Cola Building is NOT zoned for such a use.  It is zoned C-3 and R-1AAA (front is commercial/back portion of the property is single-family residential) The zoning districts of our City's Municipal Code restrict these facilities to the M-1 and/or M-2 Industrial Districts.  The CURRENT  Probation and Parole office is located at 3101 North Davis Highway and it is IN the correct zoning district.  The State intends to combine and co-locate ALL of the county's Parole offices into our neighborhood, with estimates of  8,000 or more offenders coming to this office according to their website's statistics for last years' numbers.

If City Codes were followed, this project would REMAIN in the correct zoning district of M-1, Light Industrial and would not be adjacent to any residential neighborhood.

The City's Inspections Department has issued the owner of the property the required permits for the renovations and the State expects to begin their 7-year lease as of April 1st (you can't make this stuff up). No Public Hearing for this use was conducted as required by State Statute.  The Planning Department's stance is that it is just another office, which the zoning allows.  We strongly disagree and point to the section of the code that expressly states where these facilities are allowed, which is the M-1 Industrial Zone.  We are urging the City and State to READ their codes and follow the law.

We must convince the City Council to look into this further and correct the errors that have been made.  The back portion of this property is zoned single-family residential and this building backs up to the neighborhood of single-family residential homes, an established and registered neighborhood of over 100 years.  The proposed project has parking on-site that will provide for the employees of the Parole Center, but not enough for the parolees, probationers, or other persons under criminal process supervision which could push their parking use into the residential neighborhood. The facility will also have a drug lab where tests will be conducted and whereby parolees could be arrested on the spot if they failed their tests.  This would further negatively impact the neighborhood by creating an abundance of arrest reports for this address in the neighborhood, which could put our district's crime statistics off the charts and further negatively impact property values.


If this concerns you.....you should attend the City Council meeting on Thursday, March 13th, 5:30 p.m. at City Hall next week with your neighbors.

North Hill Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday, April 19th

Easter Egg Hunt

Come join us on Saturday, April 19^th at 5:30 p.m. as we welcome Spring to North Hill with an Easter Egg Hunt in beautiful Alabama Square. All ages are welcome! We will divide the park into different age groups so that everyone has a chance to find some eggs and win prizes. Refreshments will be served in the Gazebo for everyone, and as a special treat, there will also be a craft table set up for the children. To participate, please contact Jo Elizabeth “Joey” Brown at pegasus53d@yahoo.com or call 429-9941 so that we have a good head count for refreshments. Please bring one dozen, filled plastic eggs for each child who will be participating to 109 West Blount Street by Friday evening, April 18^th. Please fill the eggs with small items such as wrapped candy, stickers, coins, small toys, hair barrettes, etc. Everyone is welcome!

Cinema on the Green will be held in the Square at 7 p.m., so consider bringing a picnic basket dinner and making a family evening in the Park.

We look forward to seeing you in the Square!

*Rain date will be Sunday, April 20^th at 5:30 p.m.

Walking Tours of North Hill with Professor Broxton

The Jared Sparks Historical Society of Pensacola State College

Presents Historical Walking Tours of Pensacola with Professor Randall Broxton

Looking for something fun to do while learning more about this great historical city? Join Professor Broxton for his FREE walking tour series of Historic Pensacola. His next two tours tours will take place in North Hill. Even if you have lived here for years, you will learn something you never knew about the homes and early inhabitants of our lovely neighborhood.

North Hill Azalea Tour (featuring the northern half of North Hill) – Saturday, March 15^th 10 till noon. Meet in Alabama Square Park.

Lower North Hill Tour (featuring the southern half of North Hill) – Saturday, April 19^th, 10 till noon. Meet at the southwest corner of W. Jackson Street at Palafox Street.

East Hill Tour – Saturday, May 3^rd, 10 till noon. Meet at the corner of East Gadsden & 20^th Avenue.

North Hill Preservation Association Membership Drive - 2014

Dear Friends,

We would like to start by saying “Thank you” to all of you who were members of the North Hill Preservation Association in 2013. Your financial help and volunteer support enabled us to match grant funding which will add additional landmark signage throughout the district, add safety improvements to Alabama Square Park, sponsor community clean-ups, food drives, toy drives, and community gathering opportunities such as Cinema on the Green, and our Spring and Fall Festivals. North Hill is truly a neighborhood of southern charm and grace where neighbors know each other and work together to improve our community.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the North Hill District is one of Florida's finest collections of remaining Victorian architecture still existing in its residential setting dating back to 1868.

We invite and encourage ALL who believe in strengthening and preserving our wonderful North Hill neighborhood to join us in 2014, and work with us to enhance, preserve, and protect North Hill – our period structures, our historic battlefield sites, our five parks, and of utmost importance, the quality of life that we enjoy in the neighborhood.

Membership dues and donations fund our website, e-news broadcasting, newsletters, our many community gathering events that are so important to weaving and strengthening the fabric of our neighborhood, and fund the capital improvements that beautify the whole district and contribute to our property values.

We look forward to your 2014 participation in the North Hill Preservation Association.

Sincerely,

Your North Hill Board of Directors

2014 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

North Hill Preservation Association

Name: ________________________________________________

Other Adult Residents: ___________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

**City, State, Zip Code: ___________________________________

{*Only if you reside outside of North Hill, Pensacola, FL 32501}

Telephone(s): __________________________________________

E-mail: _____________________ E-mail: ____________________

{Please list all e-mail addresses where you will want E-news/alerts delivered}

Enclosed is my check for:

________ $50 annual dues per household or business organization

________ $ _______ additional tax-deductible donation

________ I have financial challenges and would like to be sponsored.

________ I have completed the volunteer card (on back) to indicate additional ways that I can support the work of the NHPA.

Please make check payable to: NHPA, and mail in the enclosed envelope to P.O. Box 12451, Pensacola, FL 32591. Or, if you prefer to pay using a debit or credit card, please go to the Membership Page of our website at www.historicnorthhill.com

WE THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

NHPA IS AN IRS RECOGNIZED 501(c)3 NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

AND ALL DUES AND DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE 

Cinema on the Green - Spring Schedule Announced

Cinema on the Green - 

Each Spring and Fall, NHPA presents Cinema on the Green in Alabama Square. These wonderful evenings provide a chance to mingle with neighbors and view a family friendly movie under the stars. The movie events are FREE to everyone, and as a special bonus, members of NHPA receive free refreshments from our concession stand (come early to get your arm band). Events begin a half hour before the movie start times, when we fire up the popcorn machine and movies begin at dusk.
Upcoming dates for the Spring Season are: 
Saturday, March 15th, movie begins at 7:15 p.m.  
Saturday, April 19th , movie begins at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 3rd, movie begins at 7:30 p.m. 

We're looking for movie sponsors...hint, hint, YOU GET TO PICK THE FILM. Film sponsorship can be made for a tax-deductible donation of $200 to NHPA, and we'll even feature your advertising promo at the start of the film. It's a great way to advertise your business and support your neighborhood! 

*All movies begin at dusk
**Rain dates are the following Sunday evenings

Article about Lee Square in the Independent News Today

Interesting reading for all our North Hill History Buffs!


http://inweekly.net/wordpress/?p=4810

Tree Information

There have been many tree removal individuals/firms giving quotes to neighborhood residents that are claiming that a tree species, Quercus hemisphaerica (laurel oak), is protected as a City Heritage Tree and telling residents that they CAN'T take down the tree.
Q. hemisphaerica is NOT protected, but another tree species, Quercus laurifolia (common name also laurel oak) IS protected.

We only have Q. hemisphaerica in the neighborhood. They are the large, tall, straight oak trees that have a gray-ish bark and yellow/brown leaves. Many that are older (>40-50 years) SHOULD be removed as the inner bark rots and the shallow root system fails and they fall over during/after large storms and can casue severe property damage.

If you have heard of anyone with tree questions or these type of issues, please direct them to me. I will be happy to help :)

Rayne
549-7779