RM 04-13-89 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Community Workshop The Sout Bend Project Initiation Workshop was conducted by the consultant team on May 5, 1988. Pa tic ipants included the project director, key personnel from the consultant team, staff working irectly on the assignment, and members of the Study Committee. The purp es of the workshop were to review the overall project objectives, refine the work program, esolve any questions regarding contract interpretations, and establish a firm basis for all partici ants to work together in completing the assignment. To identify first -hand impressions about the strengths and weaknesses of the Near Westside Neighbor food, a bus tour was given prior to the meeting. While touring, the consultants took field notes of participants' on -site observations and perceptions. In addition, a four -part ques- tionnaire was distributed to each individual at the meeting. In the qu stionnaire, each participant was asked to: 1) identify the five most important issues facing the Near Westside Neighborhood; the de- gree of consensus among group members was assessed; 2) identify the one issue he /she thought no one else would mention so that sensitive or otherwise overlooked issues could be elicited; 3) identify three major assets of the area for determining strengths to be built upon in the development program; and 4) rank the three most important issues facing the area from a master list compiled with participants' review and comment. The resul s of the questionnaires and the discussion from the workshop were tabulated. The general c tegories of issues identified are similar to those which emerged during the key person interview . These categories appear as prioritized by the workshop participants: 1. Crime 2. Residents' apathy and sense of pessimism/ hopelessness 3. No capital for projects 4. Lack of investment incentives 5. Poor perception of community by residents and non - residents 6. Ci y administrators' lack of commitment to the area 7. U iemployment in the area 8. Dr ug sales and use 9. DE terioration of the area's environment 10. Ned for clean -up and maintenance 11. R d- lining by loan agencies 12. H rmful effects of zoning ordinances on area 13. Small business failings and closings in the area 14. Falling property values 15. No resident support for education 16. Dismal marketability of area Field Reconnaissance Surveys and Analysis The cons sance sur ings with and zonii iltant team used base materials prepared by the City and conducted field reconnais- ievs to ascertain the land -use relationships and locations of vacant parcels and build - n the study area. Also, an urban design analysis and an analysis of land -use conflicts g conflicts were undertaken. The results of these analyses are recorded on a set of 6l