Bennet Hill Progress Neighborhood 2006 Staff Presentation
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Transcript of Bennet Hill Progress Neighborhood 2006 Staff Presentation
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8/4/2019 Bennet Hill Progress Neighborhood 2006 Staff Presentation
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Bennett Hill/ Progress
Neighborhood
Town Council Work Session
March 7, 2006
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Bennett Hill / Progress
Neighborhood
WINS
TONA
VE.
GILBERT
ST
.
BA
RGER
ST
.
McDO
NALD
ST.
VIRGINIA
ST.
N.M
AIN ST.
GILES
RD
.
PROGRESS ST.
MONTG
OMERYST.
FRANCIS LN.
OLDH
ARDINGWI
LSON
AVE.
McCO
NKEY ST.
DICKERSONLN.
FRANKLINDR.
OWENS ST.
COLLEGEVIEWDR.
HEARTHSTONE DR.
PRICE
S
TURN
ERST.
FACU
LTY
ST.
HARD
ING
BENNETT S
T.
ROAN
OKE
ST.
FORK
RD.
AVE.
A
VE.
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Neighborhood Characteristics
81% of the dwelling units are Rental (2002) Average Age of Housing is 45 to 55 years Zoning History- Housing Conversions
Adjacent to Downtown Between Downtown and High Density
Residential Uses Transitional Area beginning in the 1970s
Identified since 1996 as a TransitionalArea in Comprehensive Plan, 1997 Zoning History of Noise Complaints for over 20
years
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Neighborhood Issues- 2005
Drunken, Unruly Behavior
Noise
Rentals, non-responsive landlords
Over-occupancy, non-effective enforcement
Pizza Business Approved for Progress/Main
Overgrown Bushes
Litter, Trash Cans
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Task Force Established
To develop new strategies to address old problems
Meeting 1- April 7, 2005 Improve the livability of the neighborhood; build on the positive
attributes, abate the negative.
7 residents, 5 staff, 1 Town Council member attended
Meeting 2 April 21, 2005 Goals: Enforcement, Market Neighborhood Differently
7 residents, 5 staff, 1 Town Council member attended
Marketing Meeting May 18, 2005 Ad on Graduate Student Planner
Neighborhood Web Page for Rentals, and more
Neighborhood Enhancement Matching Grant
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Task Force
Meeting 3- May 19 Graduate Planner Ad idea
Three residents, 2 staff, 1 Town Council memberattended
Meeting 4 June 23 Positive reaction to planner ad
Next initiatives discussed, desire for broaderneighborhood meeting to bring more residents to thetable to work on these items, and prioritize.
Next meeting to be after the quarterly BHPNAmeeting
Two residents, 3 staff, 1 Town Council member
attended
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Neighborhood Progress July 2005 Web site established by BHPNA Graduate Student Life Center Opens at Donaldson
Brown August 2005 Student Planner Distributed September 2005 complaints:
Over occupancy and underage drinking at 711 Montgomery Zoning Inspector findings: 2 brothers + 2 unrelated Police findings: Complaints not validated
Party complaints at 615 Progress Police findings: Noise complaint, no violation on Officers
arrival in October. Two additional noise complaints inFebruary, same disposition.
Illegal gravel parking lot Zoning Enforcement actions: Violation resolved.
Parking on Grass, Wilson Avenue Zoning Inspector findings: Periodic Inspections
Staff attends Code Enforcement Workshop in Roanoke
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Task Force Activities BHPNA Quarterly meeting October 25, 2005
Plan Neighborhood Meeting Attendees state their priority on enforcement within the neighborhood,
including direct funding such as a special tax district. Three residents and 4 staff attended
Bennett Hill/Progress Neighborhood Mtg November 9, 2005
408 Postcards mailed, (Owners and residents) Work of Task Force Reviewed Ideas for Further Work Noted, Ranked by votes Landlords request, staff agrees to provide updated publication of key Town
Ordinances for new residents. Twelve residents and landlords, 6 staff and 2 Town Council members attended
Minutes of Neighborhood Distributed - December 21, 2005 BHPNA Quarterly meeting February 1, 2006
Focus of meeting was to bring more residents to the table. Ten residents and 1 staff member attended
Emails Residents indicate dissatisfaction with direction. Priority is requested on
enforcement.
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Wong Park No Parking 10 pm to 6 am sign posted to address overnight parking
Large rocks have been placed to prevent vehicles on trails in the park
VT Horticulture Class (Dr Greg Eaton) is looking at ways to landscape andimprove the appearance of detention areas.
Parking lot plantings, rain gardens and house landscaping will becompleted this spring by Public Works and Rotary
Playground and picnic shelter ordered in December, will be installed laterthis Spring.
Walking and biking trails will be completed to parking lot after playgroundis installed.
Crosswalk will be installed across Progress Street at Faculty to directpeople to connect the park to the Downtown.
Bennett House Renovated, HNS Offices moved in to the house on January3, 2006
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Occupancy Enforcement
Occupancy Standards Enforcement (Reprinted from minutes of March 30, 2004 Town Council Work Session )
Mr. Chris Lawrence, Development Administrator, called attentionto public perception that the Towns enforcement of occupancystandards was not timely or effective and proceeded to discuss
housing demographics and occupancy violation issues in thecommunity. Mr. Lawrence referred to the definition of occupancyand reviewed current enforcement efforts and challenges ofgathering proof of violation complaints. He provided Council witha comparative of enforcement practices in other communities andnoted the success of the Towns Rental Inspection Program inresolving some occupancy cases.
Following considerable discussion, Council suggested that theTowns enforcement program be maintained as is for the next yearand for staff to determine if recent changes in the NoiseOrdinance help to control behavior incompatibility issues inresidential neighborhoods. Council also emphasized the benefitof staffs follow-up with complainants when occupancy standards
are questioned.
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Findings Staff resources focused on Bennett Hill Progress
Police
Zoning
Neighborhood Enhancement
Wong Park
The small number of active residents are stretched insupporting new directions and desire more automatic, nonreactive enforcement.
Enforcement is not eliminating the problems, and can not.
No Easy Answers
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Positive Outcomes
Targeted ABC Enforcement Grants
Involvement of VT College Alcohol AbusePrevention Center and Judicial Affairs
Turnover of Some Problem properties
8 of the 13 original problem properties havechanged ownership since 2003.
Improvement in some tenant behaviors
Housing Grants via CDBG
Encourages owner occupancy and stable tenants
Residents buying rental properties
Mediation services are available
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Future Directions
Continued CDBG Funding for Rehabilitations, with associatedeligible owner/tenant restrictions
Continued Targeted Enforcement ABC grants
Reconsider whether there is sufficient neighborhood support topursue neighborhood marketing or improvement initiatives at thistime.
More aggressive enforcement of criminal, nuisance codes?
Increased Street Lighting along Progress Street?
Public Postings? Sign posted on property listing violation,property owner and property manager.
More dedicated staff resources? Funded through special tax
district? Or other new revenues?
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Special Tax District Potential
Bennett Hill has 202 legally describedproperties
Total assessed value includes buildings
and land $25,564,300 Each $0.01 / $100 = $2,556/year
The mean assessed value is $126,550,$13/yr
No property as of this date is receivingany form of tax relief.
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Council Direction ?
What are the core problems?
What are the realistic expectations?
What are the long term solutions?
What role should the Town play? This neighborhood? Town wide?
What is the role of the neighborhood residents ?
Bennett Hill Progress Neighborhood Task Force
Meeting March 16, 2006, Bennett House, 7 p.m.