cover
TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Planning Commission
DATE: January 6, 2015
SUBJECT:
Discussion on the University Neighbors Neighborhood Plan created as part of the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative (City of Aurora - L14-00279 / ANPI-13.409-AP - TV - Wards 4 & 5)
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Resolution is to adopt the University Neighbors Neighborhood Action Plan.
BACKGROUND:
Since 2000, the City of Aurora has taken a more proactive stance in working with its neighborhoods to articulate common issues and work together to identify solutions. Based on the acknowledgment that each of Aurora's neighborhoods has its own character, its own unique set of issues, and, perhaps, its own priorities for improving its quality of life; the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative was started to provide a forum for neighborhoods to collaborate with the City in addressing neighborhood issues through long-range planning.
The ANPI is a community based process in which the City provides support to neighborhood stakeholders who agree to come together to craft a vision for their neighborhood and to create a "road map" for achieving that vision. The resulting plans help guide City service delivery in the neighborhoods.
The City of Aurora began the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative in 2003 with the Bardwell Area Neighborhood Action Plan. Since 2003 the City has approved five more neighborhood plans for a total of six, the last one being the Light of Our Community Neighborhood Action Plan approved in January of 2008. The University Neighbors Neighborhood is the seventh neighborhood to participate in the ANPI process.
Funding for the ANPI program was restored in the 2014 Budget allowing the City to contract with Teska & Associates (consultant) to develop one neighborhood plan that year.
There were several factors that were taken into account when determining the area for this 2014 neighborhood initiative. Of the six neighborhoods that have been completed to date, three neighborhoods are located on the "near east side" of Aurora, two neighborhoods are located on the "far east side" of Aurora, and one neighborhood is located on the "west side" of Aurora. By conducting the 2014 initiative on the west side of Aurora the goal was to attempt to keep a balance between the three different quadrants of Aurora. When looking at potential neighborhood areas a large factor considered is the presence of a galvanizing issue or change facing the neighborhood. The area around Aurora University has had several years of increasing parking and student housing which has had a growing influence and changing effect on the character of the neighborhood. For these reasons, as well as having the alderman and several residents showing interest in participating and providing leadership for this neighborhood, the University Neighbors Neighborhood was chosen for this 2014 initiative.
DISCUSSION:
The University Neighbors Neighborhood is located at the southwest section of the City, in close proximity to Downtown Aurora. The area is served by the City's 4th and 5th Wards and is generally bounded by Garfield Avenue on the north, Highland Avenue and the railroad on the east, Ridgeway Avenue and Jericho Road on the south, and Edgelawn Drive on the west (See Map Attached).
Throughout the initiative process, a series of meetings were held to give residents and local stakeholders the opportunity to participate in the planning of their neighborhood. These meetings took place at Wesley United Methodist Church, which is located a few blocks outside this study area. These meetings were well attended by the community including property owners, land lords, business operators, employees and residents.
Early on a Leadership Team was created from the community stakeholders. This smaller group of 16 individuals assisted the consultant and city staff in creating the activities and compiling the results from the neighborhood meetings.
During the first neighborhood meeting, the participants took part in a series of exercises, including the "One Word" exercise with regards to parking and the SWOT Analysis with focus on all other aspects of the Neighborhood. At the end of these exercises the attendees were provided a set of dots stickers to vote for their top priority issues, with the understanding that the general topic of parking was already a priority issue. The finding from this meeting were categorized into Focus Areas: 1) Street Congestion; 2) Housing Character and Composition; 3) Connections; 4) Amenities & Economic Development.
The second neighborhood meeting consisted of small groups discussing the four focus areas in greater depth and identifying the top key assets upon which to build and issues to address. By the end of the meeting the top ideas were compiled and the Priority Topics for the focus areas identified.
At the third neighborhood meeting, the participants broke into small group again to brainstorm potential Strategies that the neighborhood, City, and their partners could implement to address the Priority Topics and to support improvement and strengthen the neighborhood.
These Strategies were prioritized during the fourth meeting, with the participants being provided a set of dots stickers to "vote" for their high priority strategies. The result was the community's collective assessment of the Strategies that are the most crucial to address.
This information and prioritization from was used by the Planning Team to identify the final Focus Areas, Priority Topics and Strategies which are as follows:
Focus Area #1 Street Design
Priority Topic 1-1: There are a large number of cars parking on the public street with inconsistent and ineffective regulations.
Strategies:
· Complete a Comprehensive Parking Management Plan for the public streets in the University Neighborhood.
· Propose City Parking Strategies for parking on private property, including changes to the ordinances for parking restrictions relating to resident only parking, student parking, use of driveways, and snow accommodations.
· Create a standing Parking Committee to advise the City and the neighborhood on parking concerns.
· Create a user friendly Neighborhood Parking Map that indicates available parking spaces and identifies parking regulations.
Priority Topic 1-2: Streets were not designed or constructed to safely accommodate the current level and type of vehicular traffic experienced in the neighborhood.
Strategies:
· Develop an inventory of the street types, truck routes, dimensions, and signage to identify elements such as intended traffic capacity, street widths, and existing traffic signs, traffic calming devices, and lighting distribution.
· Recommend alternatives to curbing for streets that are lacking curb and gutter.
· Complete a long range public improvement plan for the neighborhood.
· Identify locations for implementing the City's Traffic Calming Ordinance.
· Work with the Aurora Police Department to add more police presence in the neighborhood.
Priority Topic 1-3: In many locations pedestrians do not have dedicated safe environments in which to travel.
Strategies:
· Collaborate with the local IDOT liaison to strengthen the Illinois Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program in the neighborhood and identify strategies to increase visibility for pedestrian and bicycle crossing.
· Establish a sidewalk installation program that encourages residents to build collective support from their block to provide new sidewalks along their street.
· Create a standing schedule for a "Neighborhood Walking Watch" which walks the neighborhood on a regular basis and identifies unsafe conditions such as landscape maintenance and sidewalk issues to be addressed by the Task Force.
Focus Area #2 Neighborhood Character
Priority Topic 2-1: The number and intensity of rental properties have increased in recent years, which have impacted the character and composition of the neighborhood.
Strategies:
· Use the existing Rental Licensing program to develop specific rules and regulations to address unique issues regarding the renting of property to college students.
· Work with the real estate community to develop an owner-occupied marketing program which emphasizes the diversity, affordability, and architectural quality of the neighborhood's housing stock.
· Create a means of public identification of contact information for rental properties.
· Create a standing Student Resident Outreach Committee that collaborates with the Aurora University and Aurora Police Department to create a "Welcome to the Neighborhood Program" including education and regulation for students at the beginning of each term.
Priority Topic 2-2: There is a need and a desire to have better communications and camaraderie within the neighborhood (including residents, businesses, institutions and the City) to cultivate the unique advantages and benefits of those connections.
Strategies:
· Publicize and re-energize existing opportunities to meet with Aurora University and the City such as Aurora University's quarterly meetings and ward meetings.
· Work with the Aurora University to provide outreach to the neighborhood and to find an effective way to inform and invite them to cultural events at the university, including lectures, concerts, exhibits, classes, celebrations, athletic events, etc.
· Create a standing Neighborhood Happenings Committee that encourages and advises residents to organize get to know your neighbor events such as walking and biking events, block parties, soup nights, or holiday crawls within the neighborhood.
· Neighborhood Happenings Committee that also creates a digital University Neighborhood newsletter and a publicity campaign for neighborhood social media (Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, etc.) to stay informed and connected with neighbors and local institutions.
· Neighborhood Happenings Committee that also works with Aurora University to create a community gathering event in which residents and students work together to organize and attend.
Priority Topic 2-3: The housing stock in the neighborhood continues to age and the cost of modernization and maintenance increases, which increases the need for financial assistance and makes enforcement of regulations more important.
Strategies:
· Work with the City to revise and revisit the "Be a Good Neighbor" pamphlet to educate the public on regulations and related penalties for nuisance violations (e.g., noise, trash, light, open fires, etc.)
· Request systematic inspections in the neighborhood for the enforcement of existing property maintenance ordinance violations.
· Advocate for a tree protection campaign that advocates for the protection of the neighborhood's tree-lined streets, including tips for tree care, pruning, proper removal, and planting of new trees.
· Work with Student Resident Outreach Committee to develop and distribute a "Neighborhood Pride" care packet, including the City's existing brochures (Be a Good Neighbor; Welcome Home: A Guide to the Aurora Housing Code; Keep It Clean and Green; Improving Tomorrow's Neighborhoods Today) and a list of local contractors and realtors.
· Collaborate with the Aurora Historical Society to develop a walking tour of the neighborhood with a local attractions map to highlight the local history and architecture.
· Encourage the City to assist residents with accessing existing home repair programs offered by local, County, and State agencies and organizations, including the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).
· Advocate and publicize widely a modern mobile device "app", such as the "SEE CLICK FIX" app, that is coordinated with the City's 256-INFO call number and centers on a user friendly method for reporting issues to the City with accountability.
· Work with the Aurora Police Department to have bike or walking patrols to foster more face-to-face interaction with residents.
· Design neighborhood welcome signs to place at key entrances into the neighborhood.
Focus Area #3 Amenities, Services, and Mobility
Priority Topic 3-1: There is an absence of community and student based goods and services within walking distance of the neighborhood.
Strategies:
· Create an Economic Development Committee to work with Seize the Future to develop a detailed business attraction plan for the neighborhood, including an inventory of available sites, marketing materials, available parking, and potential incentives.
· Economic Development Committee to work with the existing Prairie Street Merchants Association to strengthen the association's presence, promote membership benefits, and develop improvement programs that help member businesses and the overall community.
· Economic Development Committee to collaborate with the Aurora Downtown organization to assess the potential for enhanced connectivity, such as a trolley or paths, between the neighborhood and downtown.
· Collaborate with the local institutions to promote existing services, programs, and volunteer opportunities available to residents and identify needs for new programs.
· Economic Development Committee to develop and distribute a business-oriented survey that asks residents and students for ideas for potential businesses to attract to the neighborhood.
· Work with local businesses to establish a discount program for Aurora University staff and students.
Priority Topic 3-2: The mobility, recreation and open space amenities in the neighborhood need to be promoted, protected and enhanced.
Strategies:
· Publicize and distribute transit routes/schedules in key location within the neighborhood.
· Develop a long range neighborhood level chapter for the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
· Create an Open Space Sub-committee to collaborate with the Fox Valley Park District and City of Aurora Parks Department to assess potential improvement or expansion of park or open space amenities, particularly focusing on more even distribution within the neighborhood.
· Collaborate with the Fox Valley Park District to provide trail connections to the Gilman Trail and to ensure public safety thereon.
· Create more way finding signage to walkable and bikeable destinations..
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The Planning and Zoning Division would anticipate that this project will increase the City's overall tax base and viability. By identifying the primary focus area and priority topics to prioritizing its strategies for neighborhood improvement, the University Neighbors Neighborhood will play an integral role in shaping its future to improve the neighborhood's quality of life and in turn increase property values.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Planning Commission recommends APPROVAL of the Resolution adopting the University Neighbors Neighborhood Plan created as part of the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative (Wards 4 & 5)
ATTACHMENTS:
University Neighbors Neighborhood Action Plan
cc: Alderman Saville, Chairman
Alderman Donnell
Alderman Irvin
Alderman Hart-Burns, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution adopting the University Neighbors Neighborhood Plan created as part of the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative (Wards 4 & 5)
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City desired to undertake a comprehensive neighborhood planning initiative, and contracted with Teska Associates, Inc., a firm qualified to provide professional consulting services for comprehensive neighborhood planning; and
WHEREAS, City Staff and its consultant thereby created the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative and began work in the neighborhood planning area; and
WHEREAS, a coalition of University Neighbors stakeholders came together beginning in July of 2014 for the purpose of preparing a Neighborhood Plan that will help guide future neighborhood revitalization efforts; and
WHEREAS, the University Neighbors stakeholders convened regular meeting open to everyone and regularly attended by a range of 40 to 70 residents, business owners, representatives of institutions, residents, and other stakeholders during the next six months; and
WHEREAS, this outreach process that included mass mailings, focus group and large group discussions, and utilizing neighborhood planning tools such as surveys, existing conditions analysis, visioning exercises, photo benchmarking, and needs assessments, led to a generally recognized vision for the University Neighbors Neighborhood in the year 2020; and
WHEREAS, this outreach process also created a list of 21 high priority action items and 20 other action items with three task forces to continue addressing said items detailed in the University Neighbors Neighborhood Action Plan; and
WHEREAS, the University Neighbors Neighborhood Action Plan, attached as Exhibit "A, was reviewed and approved by neighborhood stakeholders in response to a neighborhood wide mailer and final meeting; and
WHEREAS, Planning staff has presented said neighborhood plan to the Aurora Neighborhood Council, Planning Commission, and Planning and Development Committee for their general review; and
WHEREAS, the high priority conceptualized action items of the University Neighbors Neighborhood Action Plan were reviewed by the Aurora Neighborhood Council, Planning Commission, and Planning and Development Committee
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, that the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, hereby recognizes the effort of the University Neighbors residents and the completion of the University Neighbors Neighborhood Action Plan, of the Aurora Neighborhood Planning Initiative, as a comprehensive examination of said neighborhood's issues, resulting in a neighborhood vision and high priority conceptualized action items, along with conditions for consideration by neighborhood task forces, that are designed to reach essential revitalization goals.