LIVEBLOG: Consolidation Review Task Force Meeting October 10, 2013

[TheCat]

Laura: It may be a good idea to utilize the IBM smarter cities research. We are not using our natural resources and our available resources.

Alton: Until we fix the drainage issues we are not going to have the type development that could really impact that area. Then we have many absentee landlords with significant overgrowth. What results from that is the "broken window" theory. It looks like a dump and people start using it as a dump.

Carmen: If just some of the laws on the books were enforced would be helpful. Suburban standards are impacting our historical aesthetic. They city will just tear apart our area because the standards are different for suburban neighborhoods. Our allies are not maintained by the city.

Christina: We have the same issues that Riverside/Avondale but we our issues are more serious because we don't have full time representation. Our parks are not maintained. Our drainage is terrible. The suburban design standards has had a very negative impact on our area. Lots of problems with demolitions in our city. We have city departments trying to renovate a home and another department tearing the same building down.

[TheCat]

Carmen: It's important that city departments include the neighborhoods into their development plans. We need to be on the front end of those conversations not once the decisions are made and we can barely impact change.

[TheCat]

A few on the panel are discussing that the city is not successfully allowing for Jacksonville unique areas to flourish and/ or be properly serviced.

A few others are saying without consolidation Jacksonville's neighborhoods would be much worst, "Springfield would be a slum."

[TheCat]

Lori asks a series of if anyone is aware of the "neighborhood bill of rights"

Only one lifted her hand.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to cover the last 15 minutes of the meeting. Click on the link below to watch the rest of the video. They will be discussing the "neighborhood bill of rights". Super important.


http://media.coj.net/COJCouncil

[Cheshire Cat]

Cat, thank you for this meeting blog.  I found the statements from the mayors of the smaller communities very interesting.  I think they gave us some insight into how Jacksonville's operations under consolidation are not always working for them.  The lack of communication some recited between these smaller communities and the City of Jacksonville is somewhat troubling. 

[sheclown]

Laura: It may be a good idea to utilize the IBM smarter cities research. We are not using our natural resources and our available resources.

Alton: Until we fix the drainage issues we are not going to have the type development that could really impact that area. Then we have many absentee landlords with significant overgrowth. What results from that is the "broken window" theory. It looks like a dump and people start using it as a dump.

Carmen: If just some of the laws on the books were enforced would be helpful. Suburban standards are impacting our historical aesthetic. They city will just tear apart our area because the standards are different for suburban neighborhoods. Our allies are not maintained by the city.

Christina: We have the same issues that Riverside/Avondale but we our issues are more serious because we don't have full time representation. Our parks are not maintained. Our drainage is terrible. The suburban design standards has had a very negative impact on our area. Lots of problems with demolitions in our city. We have city departments trying to renovate a home and another department tearing the same building down.

yay Chris!

[sheclown]

City of Jacksonville Neighborhood Bill of Rights
From Ordinance 95-247-106

Every organized, officially-recognized neighborhood in the City of Jacksonville has the right to expect and receive the following from the officials, employees and agencies of the City of Jacksonville:

*Prompt, courteous, informed responses to all questions regarding City business. Replies, if only to report that inquiries or research are underway and a full response will be forthcoming at a later time, should be made within one working day of the original neighborhood contact.

*Advance notification of any City-related public works or utility project taking place within or adjacent to a neighborhood (e.g. road paving; water, sewer or drainage work; traffic signal installation or removal; park renovation or substantial maintenance; land purchases, etc.), including the day(s) and probable length of any street closures, utility interruptions, or other adverse impacts on the neighborhood, and the name and phone number of the City representative most knowledgeable and able to immediately answer questions during the course of the work.

*Notification of the submission of any application for rezoning, zoning or land use variance or exception, Development of Regional Impact (DRI) or Planned Unit Development (PUD) application, or other significant land use action; a clear explanation of the date, time and place of all applicable public hearings and other opportunities for public input on the application; and a clear explanation of the type of testimony that is allowable and relevant from neighborhood organizations and residents.

*Opportunity for formal input into the annual budget process, including the opportunity to express preferred city government priorities, suggested capital improvement projects and other statements that fairly represent the opinion of a majority of the neighborhood's residents.

*A timely personal response of its district councilperson or that councilperson's aide to questions directed to the City Council office.

*The opportunity to participate in the design of publicly-funded projects within or adjacent to the neighborhood, including the opportunity early in the planning process to express neighborhood preferences about choice of location, materials, orientation, size, land use intensity, and other features.

[Noone]

Thanks for the update. Good information.

[Cheshire Cat]

City of Jacksonville Neighborhood Bill of Rights
From Ordinance 95-247-106

Every organized, officially-recognized neighborhood in the City of Jacksonville has the right to expect and receive the following from the officials, employees and agencies of the City of Jacksonville:

*Prompt, courteous, informed responses to all questions regarding City business. Replies, if only to report that inquiries or research are underway and a full response will be forthcoming at a later time, should be made within one working day of the original neighborhood contact.

*Advance notification of any City-related public works or utility project taking place within or adjacent to a neighborhood (e.g. road paving; water, sewer or drainage work; traffic signal installation or removal; park renovation or substantial maintenance; land purchases, etc.), including the day(s) and probable length of any street closures, utility interruptions, or other adverse impacts on the neighborhood, and the name and phone number of the City representative most knowledgeable and able to immediately answer questions during the course of the work.

*Notification of the submission of any application for rezoning, zoning or land use variance or exception, Development of Regional Impact (DRI) or Planned Unit Development (PUD) application, or other significant land use action; a clear explanation of the date, time and place of all applicable public hearings and other opportunities for public input on the application; and a clear explanation of the type of testimony that is allowable and relevant from neighborhood organizations and residents.

*Opportunity for formal input into the annual budget process, including the opportunity to express preferred city government priorities, suggested capital improvement projects and other statements that fairly represent the opinion of a majority of the neighborhood's residents.

*A timely personal response of its district councilperson or that councilperson's aide to questions directed to the City Council office.

*The opportunity to participate in the design of publicly-funded projects within or adjacent to the neighborhood, including the opportunity early in the planning process to express neighborhood preferences about choice of location, materials, orientation, size, land use intensity, and other features.

This information is awesome and it needs to be brought to the attention of all the established communities in Jacksonville.  I wonder how this information might be re-introduced to the people of Jacksonville.  Cpac's maybe?

[Ralph W]

This information was disseminated throughout the various neighborhoods a number of years ago. We, as representatives of our repective neighborhood groups, met several times to attempt coordination between the various contiguous organizations, to encourage cooperation and envolvement of as many residents as possible and ensure that the "Bill of Rights" was honored by all.

It was going well until politics outside the scope of our endeavors intruded and hoped for envolvement dwindled to the few who gave a rats ass.

Many of us still stay involved in our own neighborhoods and participate in groups such as Neighborhood Watch and SHADCO and CPAC as well as some pet projects but for every participating resident there are maybe a hundred on paper only and the few (thankfully) "Names" that show up only for the photo ops.

[Cheshire Cat]

This information was disseminated throughout the various neighborhoods a number of years ago. We, as representatives of our repective neighborhood groups, met several times to attempt coordination between the various contiguous organizations, to encourage cooperation and envolvement of as many residents as possible and ensure that the "Bill of Rights" was honored by all.

It was going well until politics outside the scope of our endeavors intruded and hoped for envolvement dwindled to the few who gave a rats ass.

Many of us still stay involved in our own neighborhoods and participate in groups such as Neighborhood Watch and SHADCO and CPAC as well as some pet projects but for every participating resident there are maybe a hundred on paper only and the few (thankfully) "Names" that show up only for the photo ops.

I think it may be time to recirculate the info and refresh everyone's minds as well as bring it to the attention of new CPAC members.  Just a thought.

[Scrub Palmetto]

Thanks, TheCat, for putting this together!

Is there a list anywhere or can someone list "organized, officially-recognized" neighborhoods of Jacksonville? I'd like to get an idea of what areas are lacking representation or organization.

[mvp]

http://www.coj.net/departments/neighborhoods/housing-and-community-development/neighborhood-initiatives-(1)/neighborhoods/directory-of-neighborhood-organizations.aspx