In person at the Griffin School, and online via Zoom. Anyone is welcome to join us, though only those current on their membership may vote on HPNA Resolutions.
If you have questions on your membership status, please contact us at hydeparkna@gmail.com
Among the meeting agenda is a vote on the HPNA/Griffin School covenant from 2015. See notes below the Zoom information. A link is provided to the redlined covenant in the text below.
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Hello HPNA members,
At our next Monday meeting (June 2nd, 7pm at the Griffin School), one of the agenda items is to discuss and vote on changes to the current Griffin School covenant.
This is outlined in the current issue of the Pecan Press and summarized below by Adam Wilson of the Griffin School:
Griffin School’s Evolution in the Neighborhood
Griffin School has been helping young people become curious, creative, compassionate, engaged members of the community for almost three decades, and we are proud of the contributions we have made to the neighborhood community in that time. As we look ahead to our 30th year, we are exploring ways to expand our campus footprint and enrollment so that we may increase our positive impact and ensure our nonprofit school community continues to thrive.
Our main campus is on the old Trinity Methodist Church property, a beautiful piece of land that has always been a community center around which a residential neighborhood grew up on the north side of Hyde Park. In order to grow, the school is looking at several properties in close proximity that could work as satellites of our main campus.
Relevant to this growth plan is a restrictive covenant formed in 2015 between Griffin School and the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association (HPNA) that caps the enrollment at the school’s main campus at 5001 Evans Avenue to 125 students. The covenant contains other provisions, including requirements that address the flow of traffic and congestion in and around our campus.
The restrictive covenant between HPNA and the Griffin School was formed at a time when there were concerns about the unknown – would the Griffin School’s operations and addition of a new building on campus cause increased parking and traffic issues for our immediate neighbors; would Griffin School have a positive impact on the neighborhood. We believe we have proven ourselves to be a good neighbor and have added significantly to the creative and inclusive culture of the Hyde Park community.
At the June 2nd HPNA meeting, we are requesting a discussion and vote on whether the restrictive covenant between the HPNA and Griffin School should be: (a) eliminated; or (b) revised to eliminate the enrollment cap, specific student disciplinary terms, and letter of credit requirement but maintain all parking and traffic controls. A copy of our proposed amended restrictive covenant agreement is attached for your review.
Interested neighbors are encouraged to attend. I will be there to discuss the school’s evolution in the neighborhood and answer questions.
Griffin School is seeking:
Remove the enrollment cap included in the agreement and allow the school to grow as long as it is able to continue to abide by the parking and traffic controls that are the key concern of immediate neighbors
Allow the school to determine the appropriate student disciplinary measures that will be effective to ensure compliance with the parking and traffic controls
Stop requiring the school to maintain a $10,000 fund that can be used by the NA to bring a lawsuit against the school
Remove and update some outdated language in the agreement
Key areas that would remain in the agreement include:
Maintain transparency about the school's enrollment for neighbors and other members of the public
Maintain the requirement that Griffin School students not park on its main campus or in public spaces on the streets bounding the main campus and that the school maintains adequate parking in other nearby areas to ensure that is possible
Maintain the requirement of one-way traffic flow for Griffin School drivers on Evans Avenue (north only) and Martin Avenue (south only)
Other parking and traffic controls listed in the agreement
This covenant only applies to the current school. Controls around any other property the school is able to acquire will be discussed and agreed upon once there is a specific property under contract and the school has more specific plans to share in that regard.
Attached is a revised/redlined version of the Griffin School/HPNA Amendment, modified to reflect these proposed changes.
We will be voting on this issue next Monday, June 2nd at 7pm. Please note that only current/active members may vote on the issue at hand; we will have a list at the door. Please check in upon arrival.
Sincerely,
Paul Smith and Kathy Jackson
HPNA Co-Presidents
hydeparkna@gmail.com