Controversy arises over 7-11 at S.E. 52nd and Woodstock Blvd.

By Merry MacKinnon
The Bee, Nov 3, 2010

Ever since Arby’s Restaurant at S.E. 52nd Avenue between Woodstock Boulevard and Martins Street closed two years ago, cracked asphalt has accumulated in piles around the empty building, and the parking lot has become a dumping ground for stained mattresses, derelict couches, and other detritus.

Homeless men hang out there and, were it not for a border of mature sweetgum trees blocking some of the unsightliness, the corner could be a textbook example of urban blight.

Which is why some may be surprised that when word spread that a 7-Eleven convenience store could locate there, a group of Woodstock residents, including many homeowners on S.E. Martins Street, quickly organized to oppose it.

“If enough concerned citizens stand up and say, 'No!', I think we can stop this,” says Yvette Clark, who owns a house on S.E. 51st and Martins. “Better to be empty than be a 7-Eleven.”

Click here to read the full article.

TONIGHT'S AGENDA VIA THE WNA

Tonight's meeting will be run by Woodstock Neighborhood Association President, Kathryn King. Please see the below agenda.

7-11 7:00pm
Ground rules: up to 1 minute per person for comment during discussion. Recap on strategic plan 2 minutes, update on SEUL position 2 minutes. Meeting adjourn at 8:00pm, exit church 8:30pm. Once spoken, new parties will have opportunity for comment prior to additional 2nd comments.
Call to order	7:00
Brief introductions	7:02
Brief Background
WNA Position – Kathryn	7:06
Site plan & elevations – Terry	7:07
Good neighbor plan – Leah or Terry	7:09
Petitions, yard signs, strategic plan - Yvette	7:12
Long term vision for neighborhood – Kenny	7:15
Organizing opposition and outreach – Creation of steering committee 1. Pass around sign-up sheets for email, taking yard signs &/or petitions; 2. Decide on email address; 3. Someone to manage a list serve; 4. Formal spokesperson.	7:16
Ideas for desirable neighborhood businesses: 1. Summary of online survey and website for taking survey; 2. Strategies for approaching these businesses and property owners.	7:45
SEUL position - Leah	7:58
Close “at large” meeting	8:00
Steering committee discussion & organizing
Exit building	8:30

Come to the planning meeting, Nov 9th at 7pm!!!

The meeting time is 7:00pm, and not 7:30pm as I accidentally previously posted. Please pass it on.
WHAT: Planning Meeting (without developer, realtor, & 7-Eleven rep!)
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 9th, 2010 @ 7:00pm
WHERE: Our Lady of Sorrows - Corner of SE 52nd and SE Woodstock (kitty-corner to 7-Eleven site)
WHY: At this public planning meeting the objectives are...

1. Inform the public about what is happening (in detail) with news from the Woodstock Neighborhood Association Land-use committee and others who have been working on the issue.
2. Discuss educated next steps on how to either stop 7-Eleven from entering at all, or (if unable to stop them) find a way to get them to make changes such as no malt liquor sales, address traffic issues and litter, lease to local tenants providing products and services that will better the community, and/or AVOID the installation of a check-cashing store, chain coffee shop, and other bad choices.
3. Distribute lawn signs, organize petition signing, and create a communication web to ensure people are informed quickly of meetings and updates.
4. Organize what we are doing in preparation for the next public meeting with the realtor, contractor, and chain rep. (e.g. who is inviting the media, getting the community informed, etc.)

NEW NEWS: THE 9th IS NOW A PLANNING MEETING

WHAT: WNA SPECIAL SESSION: FORMAL LETTER MEETING
WHEN: NOV. 9th, 2010
WHERE: OUR LADY OF SORROWS (Corner of 52nd and SE Woodstock)
TIME: *****7:00pm****
MEETING TYPE: PUBLIC-all welcome!, RUN BY WNA PRESIDENT AND LAND-USE COMMITTEE CHAIR

DETAILS: According to the Woodstock Neighborhood Association (WNA) as per last-night's monthly meeting, the developer and realtor asked if we could CANCEL the meeting on the 9th and reschedule for later in November, TBA. **WE ARE STILL MEETING ON THE 9th**, but instead the Woodstock Neighborhood Association officials are meeting to drafting a formal letter to the city, the realtor and contractor with very specific points of concern. The WNA has been advised that this is the best way forward. THE DEVELOPER , LAND OWNER AND REALTOR WILL *NOT* BE IN ATTENDANCE ON THE 9th.

We have some very informed and great people working on this via the WNA, so please come to become more informed on what us as citizens can do moving forward. Specifically the Land-Use Committee Chair of the WNA has done a great deal of research to understand our steps moving forward. Do understand, however, that this is a WNA meeting and so will be held to order and standards in order to complete this letter in a timely manner. Please keep your tempers in check.

There is also a meeting this Friday, November 5th, but this meeting is specifically about getting petitions signed. The formal compliant letter, better details of what we are doing moving forward, etc., will be at the meeting on the 9th.

Thank you again for being part of this. Please attend both or just one! Please let others know about this.

- Woodstock Cares

PLANNING MEETING: Friday, November 5th at 6:30pm

Please come if you would like to hang signs, get petitions signed, and/or contact media outlets etc., in opposing the 7-Eleven moving into SE Woodstock and SE 52nd. This is a planning meeting for what to be done before a November 9th public meeting.

For those of you that didn't know there is a big meeting on November 9th, 2010 with the landowner, developer and 7-Eleven rep. Please let's make sure this meeting is well attended by media outlets, concerned citizens and public officials!

The planning meeting is this Friday at 6:30pm at Pappacinno's to arrange outreach and petitioning for keeping 711 out.

If you can't come please email CareAboutWoodstock@gmail.com if you would like to post posters, take petitions door to door to get signatures, and/or do anything else for the November 9th Meeting.