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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNeighbor to Neighbor Citizens Congress II" Neighbor to Neighbor Report on Citizens Congress I I-Neighbor to Neighbor September 22, 2007 College Station , Conference Center 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Prepared by Peggy Calliham, Community Relations Manager Table of Contents Executive summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 Goals and objectives ----------------------------------------------------------------------------5 Civic Engagement -------------------------------------------------------------------------------6 Neighborhood Integrity -------------------------------------------------------------------------9 Neighborhood So I ution s ---------------------------------------------------------------------14 Communications and connectedness ---------------------------------------------------19 Li st of pa rti c i pants -----------------------------------------------------------------------------27 Ack now I edge me nts ---------------------------------------------------------------------------29 2 Executive Summary Purpose The idea for a second Citizens Congress was initiated by the City Council in the Spring or 2007 for the purpose of listening to their constituents regarding neighborhood issues. A proposed format and topics were presented to the Council for approval and the program was implemented in September 2007. Participation Sixty-five residents making up a very good cross-section of the community signed up to participate and only four were unable to attend. A list of those applicant/participants are provided at the back of this report. Setting the stage Dr. Gilda Garcia, Vice President of Institutional Equity and Diversity at North Texas State University kicked off the session with a presentation on inclusion and diversity. She was very well received and was able to set the tone of successfully working and communicating with people of different cultural, ethnic, and philosophical backgrounds in any setting. Breakout sessions The group was divided into four sections and four working groups that moved from one session to another throughout the day. Following are brief highlights and some of the more general themes gathered from the feedback in each session Civic Engagement-Positive interaction • Citizen focus groups • Citizen University and Citizen Congress type forums • Citizen user-friendly website • Information packets to new neighbors • Neighborhood associations • Neighbors to neighbor communications Neighborhood Integrity-Sharing our values • Attractive • Compatible • Friendly • Low volume traffic • Parking control • Peaceful • Respectful • Safe • Single family residential • Walkable • Many ideas about what assistance is desired from Neighborhood Services Office Neighborhood Solutions • Educational programs like CS: 101for students • Landlord registration • Letter from associations to new neighbors • More proactive, consistent, and expeditious code enforcement • Neighborhood associations • Neighborhood meetings • Personal communications between neighbors • Better communication with developers and real estate agents • Regulation of numbers of renters • Websites to keep all connected 3 Communications and Connectedness -Information sharing • Ability to communicate with landlords/registration • Channel 19 considered good, needs a published schedule • Citizens forums • City email groups • Dedicated hotline • Improved city website and navigation • Signage helpful in neighborhoods • Small group sessions with Mayor • Suggested call in shows to Mayor and panel • Utility Bill flyer is considered excellent Evaluation of the program The original plan for this program allowed for up to 200 participants. However due to the fact that it was an all day event and many people do not have the ability to commit for that long, only 65 signed up. In the final analysis, the group size was perfect and a larger group would have been much more difficult to manage. The participants offered high praise for the format and content of the program and felt they were able to share concerns with fellow residents in a productive and positive manner. Obviously it will not be feasible to implement all of the ideas but they should give elected officials and city staff a very good idea of the concerns of residents and the solutions that they recommend that the city explore. Peggy Calliham Community Relations Manager 4 jcitizens Congress 11-Neighbor to Neighbor Plans Goals: Provide an organized opportunity for residents and neighbors of College Station to come together in a facilitated public forum to brainstorm and suggest creative problem-solving ideas and/or solutions to issues that cause them concern. Objectives: Strategies: • Identify and prioritize what attendees consider to be the most effective and efficient methods of civic engagement. (interaction) • Define neighborhood integrity. • Share creative ideas among neighborhood groups for solutions to their own issues. • Identify and prioritize the most effective and efficient formats for staying connected and informed regarding city and neighborhood issues. (information) • List suggestions for services and programs you would like to see offered through your Neighborhood and Community Relations Office • Keynote speaker to set the tone of the workshop as inclusive and positive relations • Brainstorm ideas and solutions to specifically proposed questions through facilitated breakout groups of participants. • Record the suggestions within each group • Develop some agreed upon statements that reflect the general consensus of each group's answers to each set of questions. • Information session ont how the city currently quantifies and measures Quality of Life. • Report the group's statements at the end of the workshop. • Prepare a report of the ideas and suggestions made by the group for further use by staff in developing plans and programs that affect neighborhoods and the community as a whole. 5 Civic Engagement-Positive Interactions Objectives: • Brainstorm ideas of positive civic engagement.( Neighbor to Neighbor) (Citizen to City) • List some ways that individuals and groups can become positive influences • Describe or list some methods and or formats that might bring about win-win type solutions to mutual problems. Neighbor to Neighbor Conflicts Associations/Communications • Breach of personal boundaries -personal conflict between neighbors • Lack of cooperation (behavior) -communications, people like to be asked • No respect for neighborhoods • Point of contact -Know who to contact with these issues, neighbor or owner • Renters (effects on neighborhoods) Other • Drainage (2)Commercial development, lot to lot issue Regulatory • Lawn maintenance/ Rodents and snakes, aestheic looks • Litter • Noise -bands, parties, dogs, kids) (2) • Non-compliance of restrictions • Offensive emanations (physical) -stuff that comes off your properties, animals, junk, trash, tree limbs, drainage • Pets -restrained litter , picking up after them • R.V.s, boats, parking • Trash/ Overfilled trash containers, request of second container (2) • Unrelated number of occupants • Yard and property maintenance(2) Safety/Traffic • Lack of pedestrian, bike access • Parking (on street) emergency vehicle access • Parking and overcrowding on the streets(2) • Postal access issues • Safety, emergency access • Traffic (volume and speed)(2) Solutions -Neighbor to Neighbor Associations/Communtcations • Associations(2) • Communications between neighbors (3) 6 • HOA -to get with new neighbors, or a welcome package from the City for new residents, don't do it too soon , can be overwhelmed when moving in. City life information • Homeowners associations working together with city employees to develop this dialog • Letter from associations to new neighbors • Neighborhood meetings • Neighbors talking-to neighbors(2) • Parking /neighborhood makes parking plan • Socials • Strong neighborhood associations strong deed restrictions • Mediators Other • Develop quality of Life -elect official who value quality of life , planning and zoning department need to be more than a rubberstamp • Poor use of eminent domain /Better selective use of imminent domain • Require city sign off (study) -drainage Regulatory • City of code enforcement • Code Enforcement -use city employees to reporting and establish dialog between HOA and city staff-(meter readers, utility/public service workers) more interacting of the city employees with reporting this • Code Enforcement -more proactive, not reactive I • Code Enforcement should be quick and consistent thorough in neighborhoods. • Define rental homes as 2 unrelated residents • Dogs, parties, kids -citizens must report after consulting neighbors • Mowing contract • More code enforcement officers, expedite procedures • Police (2) • Register all landlords • Register rental landlords (different tax status) -vary complicated legal issues - rental properties should not be in the same tax bracket as single family dwelling - these are businesses and they are making money • • Require of street parking, one space per bedroom • Ticket (hang tags) Safety/Traffic • Make citizens aware of parking rules -make the public aware of what they are Citizen to City Conflicts Communications • Citizen User Friendly Website -it is very difficult to find what you need • Better notices to public on proposed development • Little or no notification from public works when work is being done in the easements 7 Development • Not familiar with the UDO • Issue of Developer vs. quality of life -pay the cost of doing business • Issues of zoning variance • Poor use of imminent domain (drainage) • Relationships between city planners and developers Regulation • A lot of positive changes due to the good work of police/code enforcement both doing a great job tying code enforcement and police department together • Code Enforcement • Code Enforcement -proactive and consistent /When a complaint is filed, be sure the are given a response as to what action is taken, feedback from City • Lack of Code Enforcement • Encourage the city to utilize targeted , logical development, • Enlarging Police Department Traffic/Safety • Safety Issues -on street parking, emergency vehicles/trash trucks coming down • Senior/retirement residential (upscale) /Residential separations /Senior center • Street, police visibility, timing of road construction Solutions -Citizens to City Communications • Avenue of citizens to address code requirements that need development • Citizens focus group • Develop searchable database code for staff and citizens( Web) • Effective citizen input • Information on public hearing signs -flyers /Large (big) signs • Notice of proposed development • Notification of work on easements(Door hangers/Reverse 911 -calls and internet /Door visits/Area signs) • Website redevelopment • Variances -More upfronUNotification needs to be for all neighborhoods not just 250 ft. • Put something in writing with your concerns and be sure a follow-up do not assume that it will be taken care of Development • Planning with accountability and ethical follow through • Variances /Public hearing/input on Regulation • Code Enforcement -encourage citizens and all city employees to report as they see city violations • Parking -restrict the number of unrelated people living together, parking only on Traffic/Safety • One side of the road/street Speed -police to enforce a bit more 8 • Police visibility -publicize what they are doing in what areas, • Road construction Neighborhood Integrity -Sharing Our Values Objectives: • Identify important neighborhood values (brainstormed list of adjectives). • Describe ideas that represent your idea of a good neighborhood (Draw a picture with words or phrases). • Identify key expectations from your Neighborhood Services Office. Identify important neighborhood values: • Accessible • Active • Active outdoors • Adaptable, not static • Adherence to city codes • Aesthetically pleasing(2) • Architectural compatibility • Attractive • Beautiful • Caring • Child-friendly • Clean(3) • Clear streets for emergency vehicle movement • Cohesive • Comfortable • Common values • Connected/united and neighborly • Convenient • Defined boundaries between neighborhoods to help define character(3) • Diverse • Ease of ped/bike mobility • Engaged citizens • Family friendly(4) • Friendly neighbors(2) • Friendly neighbors who keep to themselves • Good communication • Good fences make good neighbors • Green • Helping each other • Historic protection • Insulated from other activities • Integrity • Involved & fellowship • Involved neighbors 9 • Kid-safe • Knowing your neighbors • Law abiding • Leadership • Limit light pollution • Low volume, minimal pass-through traffic(2) • Maintenance of property values • Mutually respectful neighbors • Near other amenities and shopping • Neighborhood park • Neighbors listening to neighbors • Organized • Parking control • Parking issues • Parks accessible • Peaceful(3) • Pleasant views • Positive curb-appeal • Pride • Protection from noise pollution • Quiet(3) • Reactive • Reliable utilities • Respectfu1(2) • Responsible homeownership • Responsible pet ownership/animal control • Responsive • Safe(4) • Secluded • Sense of community • Shady with trees • Shared values • Single family residentia1(2) • Supportive and diverse • Tolerant neighbors • Uncluttered • Unified • Walkable(2) • Watching out for one another • Welcoming • Well-maintained homes, streets, sidewalks, properties • Working together Phrase or sentence that describes what a good neighborhood is to you: • A place to tell visitors about • Be a good neighbor • Can relax as they near home (can sleep, can get my car down the street, don't have to worry about safety) 10 • Caring people with a good and safe place to walk in quiet and pleasant surroundings • Clean and attractive neighborhoods with low traffic volumes that are safe for pedestrians and bicyclists • Clean and attractive with neighbors that show respect for the neighbors in their manners and consideration • Clean and well maintained group of homes with low traffic volumes with green space buffering homes and roads • Clean, friendly, respectful , law abiding, and quiet with good traffic control and excellent city services • Clean, quiet and safe place where people can live without intrusion by others • Comfortable and convenient places to live, work, and visit • Crime free with reliable city services and with good neighbors who keep to themselves • Distinct rural feel but with all urban amenities • Family can be raised and where one can retire without worries or fear • Feel at home • Feel good about what you see and hear as you walk around • Feel secure and connected with the community • Friendly neighbors and conveniently located near University and businesses • Home to all that live here and inviting to visitors • Maintained property values • Need to remember that each neighborhood is part of larger community • Neighborhood feels like home even before I get to my house • Neighborhood versus a collection of houses and people • Neighbors looking out for one another and respect one another and meeting/greeting with new students and student government • Neighbors to interact in a positive manner an desire to work together to make sure neighborhood is a pleasant place to live • Not only where you live but also where you belong • Peaceful, low traffic, green, community of respectful and law-abiding neighbors • People living together with respect and pride • People respect each other, is conveniently located, respects diversity and made up of people that are diverse • People working together to solve localized problems • People working together to support and maintain the good qualities of the neighborhood • Pleasant secure and attractive place where neighbors feel safe and look out for one another • Pleasant view of homes, neighbors walking with their pets, etc. • Quiet clean friendly neighborhood where diverse groups of families can live together while feeling safe • Reflects the values of the neighbors • Remember that Northgate is a ne ighborhood • Responsible people with kind regard for each others needs and working toward the betterment of all • Safe area to walk and jog • Safe pedestrian friendly and clean and located convenient to stores etc. • Safe quiet shelter in a green leafy environment • Safe, responsible , and considerate and follow neighborhood integrity 11 • Safety, mobility and freedom from heavy traffic • Single-family owner occupied homes that are well-maintained and with families that are respectful of others • Take pride in their home whether owner occupied rental • Universally appealing and functional • Varying ethnic and religious backgrounds living and working together in peaceful harmony • Welcome, accepted, relaxed , safe, and surrounded by friends • Well-maintained homes, aesthetically landscaped and safe play areas for children and adults • Well-maintained properties to keep property values high • Where all citizens are involved in exemplifying shared values • Where each others values and needs are respected • Where neighbors can talk to one another and work together to bring about positive things • Where people know their neighbors and who help each other • Where residents care for their properties, have please aesthetics, and maintain property values • Youthful neighbors helping older neighbors Key expectations for what you want from your neighborhood services office: Associations • Attend homeowners meetings • Encourage participation in HOA activities • Encourage/facilitate renter participation in associations • Help form associations • Help hold HOA's accountable for their actions • Help start up new associations • Help understand what an association is for and can do • Meeting with HOA officer at least twice a year • Monthly gathering of HOA's • Liaison between HOA's and the city • Communications • Be proactive in reaching citizenry (versus requiring them to access city or web site) • Bring news and events about ideas etc. from elsewhere in state and country • Bring together neighborhoods as residents of College Station as well as their own neighborhoods • Communicate with citizens about what office is • Communicate with neighborhoods even if not in an association with appropriate vehicles • Communication and idea sharing between neighborhoods (inter-neighborhood communications) • Facilitate discussions with neighborhoods about how development occurs 12 • Facilitate resolutions between neighborhoods and city when conflicts arise • Help "translate" proposals that could impact neighborhoods into plain English • Help facilitate communication about what HOA's have done over the past month • Help facilitate communications between neighborhoods • Help get word out about things impacting neighborhood • Information out to neighborhoods about capital projects planned for neighborhoods • Liaison between neighborhoods to help neighborhoods unite • Link associations together to share ideas • Link between associations and the city • Link unorganized groups in with association groups for ideas and communications • List association web sites with city site • Mediate controversy within the neighborhood • Neighborhood calendar on Channel 19 at set time and in city newsletter • Not just for people to complain • Notification of things happening in neighborhood • Pro-active contact to neighborhoods • Provide information to groups • Visit and get to know neighborhoods Education • Coordinate workshops to help neighborhoods develop/enhance websites • Educate students about neighborhood issues • Forum for HOA organizational issues, learning from one another about organizations • Guest speakers and discussion groups and seminar suppers • Help develop a neighborhood summit that addresses issues that cross individual neighborhood boundaries • Source for educational programs and seminars • Sponsor training/education and capacity building for HOA members Special Programs • Assistance for elderly neighbors • Continue mosquito abatement program • Gateway program promotion • Seminar suppers Other • Help improve the quality of life • Help in making neighborhoods "greener" • Help monitor neighborhoods looking for neighborhoods at risk • Help neighborhoods solve problems • Help neighborhoods understand what is unique in each neighborhood and how that can be protected • Help with development to represent neighborhood interest • Help associations and neighborhoods form a cohesive identity • Help develop guidelines for residential neighborhoods, etc. 13 • Help developers foresee and prevent future problems • Have an open-door policy • Help work with property management companies to make sure renters have access to HOA's, etc. Neighborhood Solutions -Success Stories Objectives: Roundtable discussions of neighborhood best practices and solutions for the following: • Best websites for Home Owner Associations • Best approaches to non-owner occupant confl icts • Best ways for resolving neighborhood issues together • Best miscellaneous ideas that would benefit neighborhoods Best Websites for Homeowners' Associations • Best practice of HOA's • City of Caldwell • City sponsored workshop on website development. • Connecting Neighbors -www.Eastgatenews.com is one -anyone can post it; Realtors sponsor it and get notified anytime there is a new posting and can delete if not appropriate. • Copperfield HOA • Cstx.gov • There are a lot of senior citizens that don't use computers -this leaves out a lot of people; • Emerald Forest HOA • Foxfire Homeowner's Associations -Goog le it -very good website • Kettering -Google it • Let the city allow citizens to put info on the city's website , for announcements, etc.; • Link HOA websites to City website • National Issues Forum -Google it • Neighborhood Networks -will need to Google • Nice to have a city map that links to all the neighborhoods and their homeowners association websites; • Nice to look to the city for wireless and to move us in that direction; for the city to act as the organizer; like to see community wide Wi-Fi system with central provider • Pebble creek -www.pcoa.info • Quality of Life Forum • Raintree Homeowners' Association • Sandstone HOA • We have found a national website that allows everyone to get into and access • Woodcreek HOA • www.caionline.org community associations international • www.efha.org • www.raintreenax.org • www.residentinteractive.com -Ladera Ranch , CA 14 • Template to hand out on how to develop a website . • Does not like www.cstx.gov (not user friendly) • Raintree Network • Assist neighborhoods with development of homeowners website. • City to provide a link from CSTX.gov for subsites of HOA's (and groups) and the structure of the website. • Share website addresses with all neighborhood representatives. Best Approaches to Non-owner Occupant Conflicts Associations • Have block captains in our neighborhood • College Hills HOA takes a different approach . We have a booklet with deed restrictions and cover letter and the local park info for Thomas Park. It sets the tone and if a house is for sale or rent we get the booklet to the realtor to get to the new homeowner or renter and we've had a lot of success. We've had renters participate in a lot of neighborhood parties; builds an attitude before conflict arises; don't assume that students or renters don't want to be part of a community. We feel like being proactive works better than anything else we 've ever done. • In our deed restrictions (Pebble Creek) all leases have to be reviewed by the HOA and the landlord is contacted and lessee has to agree to abide by all deed restrictions. If they violate the restrictions fines are assessed and the association can file a lien against the property. • Include renters in HOA events. Communications • Before a problem even occurs, meet with the renter and exchange information. Introduce yourself and inform them of what you will do if a problem occurs. • Build relationships with your neighbors/residents so you can talk to them if necessary. • Can call the homeowner; knock on the door and speak with the students; and then you call the police; and you keep on doing that eventually they will leave or they come around to our way of thinking (in Emerald Forest). We hit them with code enforcement deed restrictions, and finally a lawsuit • Get a larger group, if the problem is something that needs to be adjusted to involve all of the homeowners'. • Get to know the students in your neighborhood make them feel welcome and they will feel like your friends -it will be harder to be disrespectful; but if they don't accept it then we call police • Identify the problem, communicate with that particular person . • Involve the people necessary once the problem is identified. • Like to expand about welcoming new residents to the community; also Public Works can come out if you're having parking issues and mark the street no parking on one side if you're having issues with post office not able to get to mailboxes and excessive on street parking; also PD will label a house a party house if they get calls. • Non -threatening communication • Pro-active start with the Renters/Residents. 15 • Property owner needs to know about things on the property. • Suggest basic one on one correspondence. Get acquainted with your neighbor and go discuss any problems with that individual. • Tried with 50% successful we have a greeting committee -that goes and meets the young people go visit them and let them know about the neighborhood values and invites them to join neighborhood events Education • What does A&M do to educate students who come in to the community -not mandatory, but several things held by the university and the city to educate students (Fish Camp, CS 101) but again not mandatory • What role does realtor have in this responsibility of educating? Fact is it is a big business to try to get students in houses. However there are also students whose parents buy homes and they come up for football games. Those parents are active in the community. Regulation • City to have requirements/guidelines of a landlord. (Landlord Accountability) • Give rental property another zoning category for single families living in rental property; this would be zoning of the individual properties; if zoned as R-1 then make it harder to destroy the neighborhoods, don't allow multi family • Go to the City, if necessary. • Have the landlords (property owner) register by name w/ code enforcement. • If you put a tax on the rental properties; they register; tie a permit to it; and if they violate the rules (that are pre-agreed upon) their permit is revoked; • Not enough code enforcement people; city's attitudes towards code enforcement people is bad-needs bolstering ; we need to institute a new zoning rule like Bryan did; got to separate single family dwellings from student housing; if that takes a city-wide referendum , I've talked to enough people that if council doesn't act on it it's coming soon; builders building houses in our neighborhoods that are designed for multi-family -building four bedroom houses in Horsehaven now that have no master bedroom • Registering rental property and have the owners pay $10 per property; have a website of all owners and the properties; the owners could go in and advertise; have the city maintain it; if there are problems tenants should be able to find out who the landlord is; should be a map that shows where rental properties are and their location to the university -th is was discussed and agreed upon by a city task force that met several years back and nothing ever happened; think that council voted it down; the city is so transient and so much turnover -especially difficult to maintain; a lot of ownership is not an individual so you may get a corp. or a partnership; that was one of the problems that there was no one person to contact -whether it be a property management company or an individual; there is an inability to reach and find out who owners are for some of these properties; tax rolls are available to use to research who owners are; tax rolls aren't always up to date or names and locations are vague (J. Smith, Dallas, TX); can't find or contact property owner or landlord and you're told that's how to resolve issues and there are a lot of issues in our area that we've been working on for years; • Rental property owners have to register (Phone#, Address) with the City. • Needs to be some point of contact for the homeowner 16 Safety • Streamline code enforcement process. • Yard maintenance should be included in some rental properties to avoid conflict for the renter and for the leaser. • Major problem with rental property is on street parking and that is a rea l problem for emergency vehicles to get down a street -especially if there are a lot of elderly on your street Best Ways for Resolving Neighborhood Issues Together Associations/Communications • College Station 101 • City staff( Neighborhood Coordinator) has a one-on-one relationship with developers • Communicating details on any issue that arises. (Keep an email list) • Discussion with the City • Encourage people to get out and vote • Follow ups for personal discussions with neighbors. (Phone or Email) • HOAs and NA have deed restrictions but also a way for neighborhood to get together socially and know your neighbor and city staff -when issues arise not just one person's concern but everyone's problem • HOAs and neighborhood associations lobbying to the city gives you more clout but there is exclusion in the older neighborhoods without HOAs • If everyone, can have a contact list of the renters -so that they can avoid being contacted by the police. Residents communicate with residents on problems that need to be fixed. • Its not fair for some neighborhoods that don't have HOAs -as a homeowner without representation it makes you angry -it would be nice if the city would communicate to the residents if something changes • Landlords need to be INVOLVED. • Make a check-list. (Distribution to the residents) Prepare a graduated process to help resolve issues. (Raintree HOA does this -it is on the ir website) • Maybe city services need to be expanded so that there is not a need for HOAs or another level of government between the homeowner and the city • Share phone numbers w/ Students • Southwood Valley has no HOA or NA but the response I've gotten from the city has been great, but I'm retired now and have time to do that -they hear from me • We form different committees and have liaisons that work with the city that can take on a particular responsibility instead of all homeowners involved • Work with other HOAs -have an association of HOAs that could meet with city staff and government to handle issues before they become a big problem-a Monster HOA! Regulation • Should be a strong priority for code enforcement, fire , and PD to be more proactive. PD is responding quicker in the last 3 years, however not enough. It is still needed to be proactive. Neighborhood associations and HOAs need to be more proactive with council. 17 Best Miscellaneous Ideas That Would Benefit Neighborhoods Associations • Develop Contact Group of HOA's. (Homeowners' Associations) • Neighborhood Associations and Homeowners Associations help but not everyone wants to get that involved, but city Planning staff shouldn't be reactive after the problem occurs, but be proactive. People we elect to council need to reflect views of the community. Need a staff that works in conjunction with goals set up by council; council needs to be proactive not reactive and they need to work in conjunction with each other. Need a City council and staff that are tied to being proactive and not reactive. Communications • CONTINUE FORUMS & CITIZENS CONGRESSES LIKE TODAY .... A FABULOUS JOB!!! • Facilitate citizens on finding out who owns a property. (So that they can pursue an issue.) • Frequently Asked Questions link on the website for problems with neighbors. • Share all attendees information with each other, so that they can communicate. ( DONE!!!!!!!!) • City to sponsor organized neighborhood socials/ Donation bucket for these types of Socials • A web-site link to find out contact information for a property owner. Education • Educate renters (students and families) on "How to Be A Good Neighbor". • Encourage recycling. • How to do a Neighborhood Social -Teaching people the skills to do this. • Teach a how to on Community Communications. • CS Fire and EMS provide service to A&M. It should be considered that the University help pay for that service. (taxes) • Have to be realistic -people in this community want all these things but don't want to pay taxes; • Killeen for example -Government pays federal impact funds to assist with Ft. Hood; Huntsville may get impact funding from the government to assist with Regulatory • City would benefit to let citizens have a second trash can for free, if the citizen needs one. • Proactive code enforcement, with preprinted cards to facilitate ALL city employees reporting of code violations • The fee for the 2nd trash can is currently WAY TOO HIGH. Safety/Traffic • Extend Greenways from Bryan to Texas and Hwy 6. (Bike and Hike Trails) • Provide public transportation. • Street design and adopting street design standards and going back in and retrofitting some of those streets will make a difference -street bumps, medians, residential street standards make all the difference. 18 Communications and Connectedness -Sharing Information Objectives: • Identify the best ways for you to stay connected and informed. • Identify preferred communications formats with the city. • Identify what communications the city is doing that you like most. • Identify the communications that needs improvement. Best Ways to Stay Connected and Informed Citizens forums • Attend city council meetings or watch them on TV • Attend various citizen academy and congress • Citizens congress is very good tool • Citizens University, a lot of people do not realize they are free and think there is a fee. Good to let people know they are free and open to the community • HOA leadership meetings • Home owners meetings • One of the first things to come up was there needs to be some personal responsibility to stay connected • Involve home owners and students together with programs • Student college station 101 program sponsored by college station and the student senate. I am real excited about this , this will address issues discussed this morning • The citizen university and academies are a good networking program to keep in touch Email • Email from City of College Station • Email updates • Inform folks that email updates are available • Peggy's email • The city employees have an email that is universal and people have been able to use email to communicate with employees Publications • Add HOA's to pocket pages • Pocket pages • Pocket pages are ideal, put them in the grocery store, populated areas • The timing of the utility bill with the month is off • The utility bill is good for those not tech advanced • Utility Bill insert is the best thing that happens • Utility bill inserts • Utility bills reaches everyone Mass Media • Cs TV channel for non computer users • Does the city provide to the eagle or does the eagle just publish it? • Elected city leaders take out page in newspaper • Radio, not sure how much it is used 19 • Read the newspaper • What viewers get channel 19, how to make it more accessible • The eagle, to often when something has come up, it is not there before the fact • Signage • Anyone that is new to community can have a hard time navigating to different parts of the city; have larger signs throughout the city at major intersections. • Road signs are especially helpful because of construction Website • City website • The city website has high marks as ways to stay in touch with the City of College Station • Website is very helpful and neighborhood websites are useful Other • Emergency communication , suggested for more extensive such as code maroon • Exchanging liaison problems with code enforcement officers • Have a dedicated phone line (hotline) for comments to send to different people • Keep calendar up to date • Put two month calendar • Magnets are liked and can have phone numbers for the City of College Station • Promote website good for people that do have computers, have a place where they can communicate back to the city with a little box for comments • Sign up for volunteer committees • We found that there are lots of way to stay connected and agreed that there is no one way to get info out to everyone Identify the Preferred Communications formats used by the city Citizen Forums • Mayor suggested holding a congress a couple of times each year. Also "ask the Mayor" as an hour long program on Ch. 19 ... Toying with the idea to come up with something similar. • Point out that mayor is making an effort to have groups listened to • Regular meetings between HOA and mayor • The format that is used today is a great way of communication • Love the citizens meetings Email • Email utility bills Mass Media • Newspaper does a good job, but with more communication usage • Newspapers and channel 19, can it be more deliverable • Press releases are available through email, go to website and sign up. • Radio, turn it into a pod cast for the kids , rotate the mayor, fire, code enforcement, have a call in time. 20 • Channel 19 is not available on satellite • There is an appreciation for channel 19 Other • Historically gone from no communication to massive, and the city has made great in roads Publications • Utility bills are excellent Signage • The neighborhoods signs used to announce meetings are excellent especially about zoning committees and east side transportation meetings. People driving past them see then and ask "what is that"? Website • A strong consensus about going wireless with the ability to communicate with City of College Station • Agendas need to be easier to find and readily identifiable • Flyers are interactive, if you want to have a two way communications between citizens and city, have surveys hosted by city (webmonkey) • Get interactive as soon as possible • Two groups of people: those who are connected and those who are not • Web • Website is the preferred communication tool Identify the most liked Communications that the city is doing Citizen Forums • A couple of us have participated in citizens university and are now on the email list, there was a congress at the Hilton about the east bypass where people could input about trans concerns. There is a zoning change with signs about meetings, and are appreciated and easy to see. Advertisements and the city website, they were not included, • Citizens Academies are very good • City representative at meetings • Keep up the history lunches • Sometimes we work at night and cant make meetings • Special event/meetings • We like the block party concept. In our neighborhood we have had one. Emails • Email(2) • Email is a shotgun approach, all the headers are the same • We like the email. I am a member of a group and the city reg. communicate by email with that group. There is no corresponding email to the emailed group • The emails sent to home owner association 21 Mass Media • Add crawling message on channel 19 to show schedule • Channel 19(2) • Everyone agrees that channel 19 is handy; no one seems to know what the schedule is. • Newspaper coverage • The most preferred were the TV and website for computer literate and non computer literate Publications • Hard copies of publications • Utility bill flyer • Utility bill inserts • Utility bill newsletter is good, I don't always look at it, because I do not open the bill • Newsletter with utility bill is a good thing but could be improved Signage • Neighborhood signs • Notices of meetings with signs and actions • One of the things that happened in my neighborhood a sign was put up in Horse Haven indicating the activity taking place at Council Meeting. Website • Community profile on website is very good • Link to city link • We have to go to the website to filter what email we get, but we do not know where to go to edit the preferences • Website • Website has a frown next to it Improvements to Communications Citizen Forums • Citizens breakfast once a month for different groups • Citizens congress three to bring together people to have a talk about a single issue to have people from both cities for discussion Emails • City council meetings every so often on a Saturday, so that meetings are not held at the same time. • Expand on the citizen's university and on a university for the teenager. • I am a big proponent of person to person communication. The mayor should take everyone to dinner once a month • Mini citizens university, government day • More info on email list Mass Media • Channel 19-Five minute segment of what is happening with the city government this week 22 • Have a Ask the Mayor time on TV • Need a schedule of channel 19 • Partnership with public television to show Cable 19 • Redundant info, college station utilities advertising on TV, and very expensive • The idea about purchasing newspaper space to write an update an addition to what get reported. • The TV is great, I am on basic cable, is there any way to see the TV if u do not have basic. • Better communication between rental properties and the city. One of the things turned down was the registration which I would like to see happen . Also have an agency in place where you can send letter. • Have department info discrepancies, Fire department, public works, find the most efficient way for procedures • Have done a lot of work with the city in the last two years and the communication has been good. It has broken down , but no negative. • I know that Texas A&M implemented a code maroon would be interesting to have that for the City of College Station • Implement a 311 system to report city problems. • I would like to see the city encourage more cohesion between neighborhoods. With the city's support and sponsorship, it would go a lot further. National night out was a good program • It is a huge problem, why are parents buying homes that are for residents . The realtors need to be aware of the areas are provided for the students. We have a huge parking problem because of student parking. We will have major issues if we don't fix this soon. There are four students to a house; they have boyfriends and girlfriends, garages turned into ping pong room. • Like to see improve reverse 911 by registration, right now, it only works for land lines. There is no landline to call. A&M has code maroon. Could it be text messaging? • It's been a wonderful place first came in 39 and finished degree. I am glad I stayed here and it's wonderful what we are doing here. • More communication about public transportation, part of the problem is that there is no county wide public communication???. I tried to communicate with the BV Transit District, and it was difficult • One thing I ran into going to city hall and having questions answered. I would like to have a phone number on whom to contact specifically. I wanted to know ordinances about hot tubs. I went to three places and no one could tell me. It seemed like a little problem. But not one could tell me. I got three business cards. If I could have one person to talk to. No one could help me with my problem. You get frustrated and give up. Someone came to me as co chairman as the neighborhood. More than one expressed problems to try and find out what the rules are . There is a question of ordinances. • Need to know, the city does an excellent job of communicating already. I think they do a great job. • Needs to be a change in the law to require expanded notification about changes in the comprehensive plan. State law only requires city to notify people within 200 ft. Change the notification to one mile instead of 200ft. Have council change the law. 23 • Once had a new resident close on a home. Have a welcome packet for new people. Old town had a welcome wagon • One thing not to forget is the history of the city and that we continue to support the neighborhood parks. If we don't have all of these other things we do not preserve the history of the City of College Station • See the city communicate respect for the single family home owners. Improve enforcement. That these home owners are heard and property valued. Too many people get no response. They ignore us. • Planning and zoning to do something about changes that are made and notifying people. • Positive attitude marketing strategy. See us promote a positive attitude. Have students buy into CS as a neat place. • Press releases about zoning issues • Prioritize the way the city communicates. So many times I call and the person I want to talk to is a meeting. There are way too many meetings. • Retired people want to have the ability to know the relationship between city and other entities. • Some type of organization by topic, not department • Sometimes our citizens ask staff to do things that are not within the codes • Speak on behalf of the contingency, comm. From NG users to residents, park boards and amenities, the problem is the vision comes from people who do not work or live there. Those voices pay more attention to those who do not live or work there. Ng people want things that are being ignored. (I have no idea what this means) • Stop calling us "outsiders". W e fell in love and are doing everything we can to become a legal citizen . • There are decisions made my council/staff that impact neighborhoods and that info is communicated is send to that specific neighborhood and not other 'hoods. Broaden the circle of notification. • Twice in the past year, the city has gotten representatives to different schools. • Uniform code enforcement. A city employee should be able to recognize and report code problems. • Way to get information out of the city is a big job. There is no real clear way to find an answer to a question. There is no simple way to say "how many renters can I have in a house" • We can never seem to manage to straighten out the garbage collection. Holidays mess up the scheduling. Is communication the problem? A way to remind citizens about change in schedule. • Widen the notification of zonings to beyond 200'. • With the new communications person coming on board, how are all the suggestions going to come together for a plan Publications • Improving the insert with the utility bill so that the monthly calendar is accurate. Have a link to the calendar on the website. (DONE) • Summary of the annual report to have a clearer picture of the State of the City and on web • Talk about the parks and restaurants in a guide, its not just about the four years they are here, we want to promote the city as a place to come back to . These people will have retirement money will want to spend it here 24 • Send inserts about code enforcement rules in utility mail, information brochures Signage • Two signs put up in underbrush at end of Emerald Pkwy. Another sign put up at end of Sebesta Rd. If you want to get word out, you put up sign at front of subdivision. • Good they put up a sign for the east side transportation and like to see that for zoning issues, signs. Website • As a newcomer to the city, the city website was hard to navigate • Clean up the website, it is so busy with so much going on, I work with website everyday and I am overwhelmed and I get lost. What are the citizens using it for, where are the hotlinks. Not everything has to be on the front page • Do like the neighborhood pages, and put in neighborhood discussion forum on website • Few days delay on meetings on web. There is dead time on channel 19 to show meetings. Show other meetings not regularly seen on channel 19 such as budget meetings • Interactive website, where issues can be discussed. Examples of other companies using discussion boards for issues • Is there a place to find a code of ordnances? If there is a web explorer to find the ordinances. If someone came in my office and asked me question about fire codes, if could at least point them in a knowledgeable direction, it makes the city look a lot better. Have a way to search 'codes', make it easier for staff to find codes • I would like to see the university and CS become a wireless community, the schools could use it, and the university is almost entirely wireless. Everyone should have this communication ability • More promotion of the project hold website there is a lot of good info there and it is not a library system. What is project hold? Ann gave info to citizen. • More visual communications through maps , development specific. The layers are very clunky ( GIS?) • Pod casting to get info out to younger students. Must meet the needs of the audience. • Publicize the GIS system the city has, how to get there and how to use it • Questions for the city staff to be submitted on line or by phone for city staff to monitor. Provide a form online. • Review the website to make it more use friendly, a lot of the info is hard to find. Include a calendar of events, have it more unified so that links go to proper locations • Set time for city's website to be updated, so that everyone knew when the update happened. • The city website being the portal for community things, quarterly or semi annually have a website workshop to help HOA get content online. The city would be the portal for media coverage. It is beneficial by raising the profile of the area . The HOA would be given a place or forum to discuss topics. • The website needs to be easy to navigate and everything is hidden way to deep. • Website cleaned up. 25 • Website is a great idea and needs to be upgraded and faster, easy to navigate, and hire a full time web master. Needs to be kept clean and make sure when someone is trying to check on something like dates, and get the most current document not one from two years ago. • Website navigation is frustrating. Was hard to find info about CS congress. • What are you looking for? When I went this time, I was looking for this meeting to attend. It was difficult to find. Finding the agenda for the city council meetings are difficult to find. No one on a dial up connection can get agendas. Documents are difficult to access. The mapping is hard to download on a dialup and cable modem • Web has to be faster and easier to navigate • Website is difficult to navigate and slow The information collected from this session will be presented to the City Council, City Administration, City Staff and citizen participants of the class. Hopefully, it can be a valuable source of information for future planning and development of programs, projects, activities and functions with regard to neighborhoods and communications with our citizens. 26 Participant List 1 First Name Last Name Address Association Name Marguerite Anthony 12110rr The Knoll James Arrant 3511 Nottingham Williams Court Lindsey :Bacon 1500 Olympia Way #8 At Large Justin Bailey 401 Southwest Pkwy #1001 Off Campus Aggie Mary Ellen Bell 1406 Lawyer Lawyer Street NA Blanche Brick 1309 Foxfire Foxfire Bob Brick 1309 Foxfire Foxfire Joseph Byrne 2608 Windgate Windwood Jerry Cooper 602 Bell CU Graduate Ellen Cowell 1008 San Benito At Large Melissa Cunningham * 4417 Rocky Meadows Dr. Woodland Hills HOA Kimberly Currens 9302 Weslyan Ct. Chadwick Estates Derek Dictson * 723 Plum Hollow Cove of Nantucket HOA John R. Ellison 2705 Brookway Drive Windwood Sherry Ellison 2705 Brookway Drive Windwood William Farris 230 Southwest Pkwy Castlegate HOA Darrek Ferrell Suite 126, JJ Koldus Bldg Student Senate Jennifer Fredricks 1006 Puryear College Hills Estates Sandra Goldapp 2908 Adrienne Drive At Large Paul Greer 9100 Waterford Shadowcrest HOA Margaret Griffith 1102 San Saba CU Graduate Gary Halter * 1204 Ashburn College Woodlands HOA Larry Haskins 917 Pine Dr. Northgate District Assn. Anne Hazen 1309 Wilshire Wilshire HOA Ted Hazen 1309 Wilshire Wilshire HOA Kay Hesby 1104 Guadalup At Large David Higginson 8105 Bunker Hill Court Raintree Onie Holmes 616 Pasler College Hill Jane Hughey 2727 Adrienne Circle At Large Susan lrza 605 Summerglen Dr. CU Graduate George Jessup * 115 Lee Avenue Oakwood Hillary Jessup 115 Lee Avenue Oakwood Joyce Johnson 2508 Ra intree Raintree Edsel Jones 828 Pine Valley CU Graduate Tyler Koch Suite 126, JJ Koldus Bldg. Student Senate Richard Leitch 4008 Windfree Southern Plantation Hugh Lindsay 400 Walton Dr. At Large Sandie Miller 230 Southwest Pkwy Castlegate HOA Sharon Moore 200 Lee Avenue Oakwood Elmer Mooring 3709 Essen Loop Eidelweiss HOA Jack Mullen 2811 Adrienne Drive CU Graduate Mike Newman 211 Lee Ave. Oakwood Tami Overby 4834 Stagecoach Rd. At Large/observer Jan Pfannstiel 2037 Post Oak Circle Carter Lake HOA --27 -Participant List - First Name Last Name Address_ Association Name -- David Pfannstiel 2037 Post Oak Circle Carter Lake HOA Doug Phillips 1306 Sussex CU Graduate David Pullen 2102 Spring Creek Emerald Forest HOA Shawn Rhodes 911 Whitewing CU graduate Mary Jo Richardson 6403 Windwood Dr. Windwood Don Roper 4 738 Stonebriar Pebble Creek HOA Gene Savage 4104 Piccadilly Circle Sun Meadows Wendy Shaffer 4500 Pebble Creek Pkwy. Pebble Creek HOA's Charlotte Slack 2301 Ferguson Circle Foxfire HOA Jeffrey Stefancic 2233 Carlisle Court Castlegate HOA Larry Stewart 8710 Greenleaf Dr. Emerald Forest HOA Martha Taylor 3511 Regal Row Williams Court HOA Anne Triche-Steen 1218 Lancelot Dr. CU Graduate Adrian Vogel 2218 Raintree Dr. Raintree NA Michael Wheeler 1003 Timm Dr. CU Graduate Christine Williams 1521 Fontaine Dr. Foxfire HOA Wayne Williams 1521 Fontaine Dr. Foxfire HOA David Wiltschko 4202 Snug Harbor Nantucket Preservatiom Assn. Henry Wittner 2508 Raintree Ra intree NA Will Worley 1001 Village Drive At Large Lucile Young 720 Churchill St. College Hill -- * Were unable to attend the session 28 Special thanks to all city employees who have assisted in conducting this workshop Special Session Staff Facilitators: Jeff Capps, College Station Police Department Carolyn Sanders, Human Resources Department Cynthia Giedraitis, Fire Department David Gerling , Parks & Recreation Department Other City Staff : Barbara Moore, Neighborhood & Community Relations Coordinator Anne Boykin, Heritage Programs & Public Communications Celia Hernandez, City Managers Office Bob Cowell, Development and Planning Dept. Jason Arredondo, Public Works Chrystal Hamilton, Public Works Pam Springfield, Parks and Recreation Dept. Amanda Putz, Parks and Recreation Dept. Helen Banks, Parks and Recreation Dept. Mollie Binion, Parks and Recreation Dept. April Howard, Information Technology And to Gib Sawtelle, Evergreen Consulting, who helped to train our facilitators. 29