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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-11-19 Community Investment ".14A" 44313T$8 � igt) �fC ;', 'WE. 1865 OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK KAREEMAH FOWLER, CITY CLERK COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FEBRUARY 11, 2019 4:26 P.M. Committee Members Present: Regina Williams-Preston, Sharon L. McBride, Oliver Davis (late) Committee Members Absent: Gavin Ferlic Other Council Present: Tim Scott,Jo M. Broden, John Voorde, Jake Teshka, Karen White Other Council Absent: None Others Present: Graham Sparks, Bob Palmer Presenters: Elizabeth Maradik, Conrad Damian, Gary Gilot Agenda: Bill No. 19-03- Approving and Adopting the Southeast Neighborhood Master Plan Committee Vice-Chair Regina Williams-Preston called to order the Community Investment Committee at 4:26 p.m. She introduced members of the Committee and proceeded to give the floor to the presenters. Bill No. 19-03-Approving and Adopting the Southeast Neighborhood Master Plan Elizabeth Maradik, Principal Planner for the Department of Community Investment with offices located on the 14th floor of the County-City Building, stated, Good afternoon. The Department of Community Investment engaged with area residents, property owners, businesses and other community partners in the development of the Southeast Neighborhood Plan. It was completed in 2015. It provides a framework for long and short-term improvements and a land-use plan for the southeast neighborhood. Though it was not formally adopted, the City and community partners including SOAR, 466Works and Bowman Creek Educational Ecosystem have been actively implementing the plan. Some of the achievements to date include infrastructure improvements including work on Fellows Street, improvements to Bowman Creek as well as Ravina Park, and improved lighting through Light Up South Bend. 466Works Community Development Corporation constructed two(2)new homes using federal funds.All of these projects are consistent with the community vision developed through the planning process. I'm happy to answer any questions but with me is Conrad Damian from SOAR and Gary Gilot with Bowman Creek Educational Ecosystem. INTEGRITY' SERVICE(ACCESSIBILITY JENNIFER M.CCOIENIAr BIANCA L.TIRADo JOSEPH R.MOLNAR CHIEF DEPUTY/DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS DEPUTY/DIRECTOR OF POLICY ORDINANCE VIOLATION CLERK EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W.Jefferson Blvd.I South Bend,Indiana 46601 I p 574.235.9221 I f 574.235.9173 I www.southbendin.gov CITY OFSOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK Conrad Damian, 718 E. Broadway Street, stated, I'm President of SOAR which is the neighborhood organization. We have been working, as Liz said,with this Master Plan, since it was developed, and it continues to guide, particularly those players such as 466Works, the City, Bowman Creek and SOAR in developing the neighborhood.The Master Plan needs to be approved so that we can continue doing things that the City expects us to do. While it has some twists and turns in it, we find it is a really good guide for us. We hope that you pass it. Gary Gilot, 1904 Lilac Trails Court, stated, I'm a member of the Bowman Creek Educational Ecosystem. We get students from all the area schools, from high schools as well as colleges and universities to work with the neighborhood, 466Works, City staff and Council Representatives such as Councilmember Sharon McBride who is very active in this neighborhood implementing the plan. We're in support of it. Committee Vice-Chair Williams-Preston opened the floor to questions and comments from Committee and Council Members. Committeemember Sharon L. McBride stated, Well, I definitely have some comments. I am definitely in favor and appreciate 466Works,Bowman Creek, SOAR and the neighborhood. There was a lot of communication and engagement with the neighborhoods. There was discussion about how we can revitalize and beautify the southeast side. I think with the infrastructure we've seen so far on Fellows and even keeping Riley High School at its current location but renovating it, the Creek and Ravina Park, I mean there are a lot of good things going on, especially with the homes going up from 466Works. It's exciting to see and we need the development. There are going to be more changes that take place. I know United Way is proposing a day care to go up and there was, initially some minor businesses or something going in there. We have Zen Café and a lot of other things that are going on. We started the corridor revitalization on Miami, too. So, I think for the southeast side to have a guide, follow the guide and engage the neighborhoods, it is a great tool. It is finally time to have it passed. Councilmember Karen White stated, I have read through the whole plan and I'm very encouraged to see the thoughtfulness and also,the vision for the southeast side. I noticed we are talking about a twenty (20) year plan. That is the target but I'm glad to also see short-term objectives. Things tend to change and hopefully we won't be locked in to where we can't respond to the changes. I think that is important. This side of our City needs attention and to have the partners that have really plugged in their time, expertise and economic wealth to really start these changes within the southeast side is very exciting. I went through all of it and saw the pictures and really think the time is now. We have a number of not only citizens but others who are really willing to come and make this area much better. It has great potential.You look at all the different parts of the southeast side, I think it's a story that needs to be told and it has not been told at the level that it should have. Councilmember Jake Teshka stated,I echo those sentiments as well as Councilmember McBride's. Thank you for bringing this. I think I mentioned this to Liz and Mr. Corcoran as well, I take a little bit of exception to the title Southeast Master Plan. I think it should be Near Southeast. I claim the southeast as in my district. Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated, So, everybody's comments all registered, in support of, and I do think there is a little misnomer on the name and I would like to actually challenge that. I EXCELLENCE j ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 2 CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK concur with that and I think there is a little difficulty in understanding,right?But we know because we are in the know. We get these documents and have been a part of the process. Our staff has been as well as the developers and potential partners that have helped prime this. Committeemember Oliver Davis arrived at the meeting at 3:33 p.m. Committee Vice-Chair Williams-Preston recognized a quorum. Councilmember Broden continued, I do think updating that name, I think would be something that is more inclusive. My other point is the benefit of having plans. I'm on the record in terms of the need for those (yeah, we know). My hesitation, though, in approving this right now is that we are three (3) years into a plan that has never been approved. I would like to see a real one (1) formalized, what timing it would take, but in terms of a more formalized review, of this plan and the implementation. If this was approved in 2015, I think the neighbors, the community partners, our Planning Department and us, as Council, would benefit from a more formalized review within the next one (1) or two (2) months after we were to approve this. Basically, that would look at what has and hasn't been done as well as if those are still priorities. I like the flexibility we all have with regard to plans, but I do think after something has been on the books and we've been funding elements of it for three (3) years already, the planner in me says at some point we should really bring the same partners in all together. It is one (1) thing for an individual neighborhood group to look at it, or Bowman Creek, but who is knitting all that together for the benefit of the entire community? Funding will follow those decisions. So, I guess I'm more than supportive of the overall direction. I've read this so many times and I can't even say a number of how many times, but it's that we are several years into this and I want to know what the scorecard is on it. Where are we and what are the updates in terms of implementation and possible dollar amounts? I do know, relative to other neighborhood plans, we have projected dollars amounts associated with given projects. That is beneficial, I think, to us as we review the Mayor's budget and as we approve the Administration's budget. So, I think from a project standpoint, kind of an update,but then also the piece that I think could be added to this is as giving a little bit of a better sense of what it will take financially, are those still priorities, do some things sift up as higher priorities that we want to make sure we hit in our 2020 budget? Do you know what I'm saying? That kind of implementation and the dollars associated with it. Committeemember McBride interjected, If I may, I think we have been doing that because we meet regularly. As far as it goes for me, I'm on the Board of 466Works, I'm on the Board of SOAR, I'm a resident and then the Miami Neighborhood Association, everything you just asked, we have had ongoing meetings. Bowman Creek is at all of our meetings, the City of South Bend is represented at all of the neighborhood meetings, so, I think everything you are asking we have done and have been doing. So, that is where I would have a difference in opinion. Councilmember Broden stated, So, then a report out overall to the Council, I think. If you're informed and other members are informed that go to those, but I think a collective knowledge of where we are at, I think, would be helpful. Committeemember McBride stated, In reading the plan, Light Up South Bend is inside there, the housing is inside there, the infill of vacant lots, I think everything has been lined out. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Bvid South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221f 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 3 CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK Committeemember Oliver Davis stated, I agree with Councilmember McBride that we need to move forward. You know, the Zoning and Annexation and Area Plan, we've been really utilizing this kind of a situation as a guide when we have been playing or been having debates. Anyway, and so, it just has not been formalized which always, you know, the whole nature of why we are back here again stemmed from a discussion we had when we were talking about the car lot. That was really the last thing, a couple months ago,that really put it to the level of that because we have been discussing it before and every time they came before us, they said it wasn't voted upon. But, the car lot is the one (1) that really ticked everything up. So, it came out of that discussion. Let's get this thing passed since we are utilizing it already and it looks like everybody else is, and so, if we have to make all the other tweaks and everything else that we do with everybody else, that's ok, but I think really since we are using it and having discussions about it and holding people to the fire on it,we need to have that one(1) done. That stemmed from that discussion. To me, there is nothing in the plan that those of us who have been working with it, from zoning and everything else,is shocking. I mean,we had thorough discussion.You all came before us at Area Plan. It was a big and really good turnout and it was well-received. So, from the neighborhood there, the neighborhood leaders,the Area Plan Commissioners were there, you all were there, I mean,we all were like, finally,we are ready to roll. So, there was no need for us to back off. That is just what I would like to share. Councilmember White stated, I would suggest looking at Chapter Five (5), the implementation, you have the template. I think that is very beneficial, not only for the Council but also for the communities to see the progress. I would take those strategies we have, the one (1),two (2) three (3), all the way to five (5), and you know you have exits, but I would just put, for example, you mentioned Fellows Street work, that has been done. How much money was it? Where are those monies from? I think that is good information. I would not want to hold up taking action, I would just take what you have in the plan and put that information out there, so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. It's there. Councilmember Broden interjected,Just for clarity, I'm not suggesting we hold this up. I just want to make sure we actually get a report. I think Councilmember White's recommendation actually gets to the heart of my intention. That is, we have a formalized area within this report that is the implementation. Let's just get everybody in our community on the same page as to where we are. Committee Vice-Chair Williams-Preston then opened the floor to members of the public wishing to speak in favor of or in opposition to the legislation. Conrad Damian,718 E. Broadway Street,stated, I just wanted to make mention about the southeast side. I've lived in my house for fifty (50) years and our little neighborhood has always been referred to as the southeast side. Other neighborhoods were referred to in other ways and unfortunately it was derogatory for the most part. Oh, you live on the southeast side and, to a lot of people, it was a not a good thing. Now we've claimed it and we are doing good things and maybe you want to claim it,too,but I think it is important to note the historical nature of us calling ourselves the southeast side. We consider ourselves the southeast side in the traditional and long- standing way. Councilmember Teshka interjected, I'll settle for far southeast. EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION I INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 111)574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 4 10 CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK Kareemah Fowler, City Clerk with offices on the 4th floor of the County-City Building, stated, I would like to mirror those sentiments. I'm a Riley Grad and I want it to say the Southeast Neighborhood Plan. Committee Vice-Chair Williams-Preston then turned the floor back to the Committee for further comment or main motion. Councilmember White stated, I just have a suggestion. As we look at this plan, we need to see this plan as a living document, so it continues. Part of that is getting updates and celebrating all of the good works. I don't think we do enough of that. So, not only is the Council more aware but the community as well. So, that is my recommendation. Committee Vice-Chair Williams-Preston stated,Absolutely. I will also share,quickly, I appreciate there are some things in there about stabilizing the neighborhood with housing preservation. I think staying in conversation to make sure as we go through development that we are providing affordable housing, I know 466Works is committed to that, as is, of course, everyone working on it. I want to commend the efforts thus far and encourage that to continue. Also,with the comment, it makes me think about one (1) of the things I've been beginning in my district. I also hear a lot about history and legacy. The Community Relations Committee is looking at gathering these stories and starting a little children's book series on the history of the families in these different neighborhoods. So, when I hear that gentleman speak with so much pride and that you've been there so long, and that you were my teacher back in the day, I want to know your story. Those are ways we can continue sharing out and engaging more and more with each other to appreciate each other's neighborhoods. Ok, that's it. Committeemember Davis made a motion to send Bill No. 19-03 to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember McBride seconded this motion which carried by a voice vote of three (3) ayes. With no further business, Committee Vice-Chair Williams-Preston adjourned the Community Investment Committee meeting at 4:45 p.m. Res.-ctfully ub itted, R.gi . i lam - r ton, Committee Vice-Chair EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574 235 9221 f 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 vwwd.southbendin.gov 5