Bennet Hill Progress Neighborhood 2006 Staff Presentation

8/4/2019 Bennet Hill Progress Neighborhood 2006 Staff Presentation

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Bennett Hill/ Progress

Neighborhood

Town Council Work Session

March 7, 2006


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Bennett Hill / Progress

Neighborhood

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Neighborhood Characteristics

81% of the dwelling units are Rental (2002) Average Age of Housing is 45 to 55 years Zoning History- Housing Conversions

Adjacent to Downtown Between Downtown and High Density

Residential Uses Transitional Area beginning in the 1970s

Identified since 1996 as a TransitionalArea in Comprehensive Plan, 1997 Zoning History of Noise Complaints for over 20

years


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Neighborhood Issues- 2005

Drunken, Unruly Behavior

Noise

Rentals, non-responsive landlords

Over-occupancy, non-effective enforcement

Pizza Business Approved for Progress/Main

Overgrown Bushes

Litter, Trash Cans


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Task Force Established

To develop new strategies to address old problems

Meeting 1- April 7, 2005 Improve the livability of the neighborhood; build on the positive

attributes, abate the negative.

7 residents, 5 staff, 1 Town Council member attended

Meeting 2 April 21, 2005 Goals: Enforcement, Market Neighborhood Differently

7 residents, 5 staff, 1 Town Council member attended

Marketing Meeting May 18, 2005 Ad on Graduate Student Planner

Neighborhood Web Page for Rentals, and more

Neighborhood Enhancement Matching Grant


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Task Force

Meeting 3- May 19 Graduate Planner Ad idea

Three residents, 2 staff, 1 Town Council memberattended

Meeting 4 June 23 Positive reaction to planner ad

Next initiatives discussed, desire for broaderneighborhood meeting to bring more residents to thetable to work on these items, and prioritize.

Next meeting to be after the quarterly BHPNAmeeting

Two residents, 3 staff, 1 Town Council member

attended


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Neighborhood Progress July 2005 Web site established by BHPNA Graduate Student Life Center Opens at Donaldson

Brown August 2005 Student Planner Distributed September 2005 complaints:

Over occupancy and underage drinking at 711 Montgomery Zoning Inspector findings: 2 brothers + 2 unrelated Police findings: Complaints not validated

Party complaints at 615 Progress Police findings: Noise complaint, no violation on Officers

arrival in October. Two additional noise complaints inFebruary, same disposition.

Illegal gravel parking lot Zoning Enforcement actions: Violation resolved.

Parking on Grass, Wilson Avenue Zoning Inspector findings: Periodic Inspections

Staff attends Code Enforcement Workshop in Roanoke


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Task Force Activities BHPNA Quarterly meeting October 25, 2005

Plan Neighborhood Meeting Attendees state their priority on enforcement within the neighborhood,

including direct funding such as a special tax district. Three residents and 4 staff attended

Bennett Hill/Progress Neighborhood Mtg November 9, 2005

408 Postcards mailed, (Owners and residents) Work of Task Force Reviewed Ideas for Further Work Noted, Ranked by votes Landlords request, staff agrees to provide updated publication of key Town

Ordinances for new residents. Twelve residents and landlords, 6 staff and 2 Town Council members attended

Minutes of Neighborhood Distributed - December 21, 2005 BHPNA Quarterly meeting February 1, 2006

Focus of meeting was to bring more residents to the table. Ten residents and 1 staff member attended

Emails Residents indicate dissatisfaction with direction. Priority is requested on

enforcement.


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Wong Park No Parking 10 pm to 6 am sign posted to address overnight parking

Large rocks have been placed to prevent vehicles on trails in the park

VT Horticulture Class (Dr Greg Eaton) is looking at ways to landscape andimprove the appearance of detention areas.

Parking lot plantings, rain gardens and house landscaping will becompleted this spring by Public Works and Rotary

Playground and picnic shelter ordered in December, will be installed laterthis Spring.

Walking and biking trails will be completed to parking lot after playgroundis installed.

Crosswalk will be installed across Progress Street at Faculty to directpeople to connect the park to the Downtown.

Bennett House Renovated, HNS Offices moved in to the house on January3, 2006


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Occupancy Enforcement

Occupancy Standards Enforcement (Reprinted from minutes of March 30, 2004 Town Council Work Session )

Mr. Chris Lawrence, Development Administrator, called attentionto public perception that the Towns enforcement of occupancystandards was not timely or effective and proceeded to discuss

housing demographics and occupancy violation issues in thecommunity. Mr. Lawrence referred to the definition of occupancyand reviewed current enforcement efforts and challenges ofgathering proof of violation complaints. He provided Council witha comparative of enforcement practices in other communities andnoted the success of the Towns Rental Inspection Program inresolving some occupancy cases.

Following considerable discussion, Council suggested that theTowns enforcement program be maintained as is for the next yearand for staff to determine if recent changes in the NoiseOrdinance help to control behavior incompatibility issues inresidential neighborhoods. Council also emphasized the benefitof staffs follow-up with complainants when occupancy standards

are questioned.


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Findings Staff resources focused on Bennett Hill Progress

Police

Zoning

Neighborhood Enhancement

Wong Park

The small number of active residents are stretched insupporting new directions and desire more automatic, nonreactive enforcement.

Enforcement is not eliminating the problems, and can not.

No Easy Answers


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Positive Outcomes

Targeted ABC Enforcement Grants

Involvement of VT College Alcohol AbusePrevention Center and Judicial Affairs

Turnover of Some Problem properties

8 of the 13 original problem properties havechanged ownership since 2003.

Improvement in some tenant behaviors

Housing Grants via CDBG

Encourages owner occupancy and stable tenants

Residents buying rental properties

Mediation services are available


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Future Directions

Continued CDBG Funding for Rehabilitations, with associatedeligible owner/tenant restrictions

Continued Targeted Enforcement ABC grants

Reconsider whether there is sufficient neighborhood support topursue neighborhood marketing or improvement initiatives at thistime.

More aggressive enforcement of criminal, nuisance codes?

Increased Street Lighting along Progress Street?

Public Postings? Sign posted on property listing violation,property owner and property manager.

More dedicated staff resources? Funded through special tax

district? Or other new revenues?


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Special Tax District Potential

Bennett Hill has 202 legally describedproperties

Total assessed value includes buildings

and land $25,564,300 Each $0.01 / $100 = $2,556/year

The mean assessed value is $126,550,$13/yr

No property as of this date is receivingany form of tax relief.


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Council Direction ?

What are the core problems?

What are the realistic expectations?

What are the long term solutions?

What role should the Town play? This neighborhood? Town wide?

What is the role of the neighborhood residents ?

Bennett Hill Progress Neighborhood Task Force

Meeting March 16, 2006, Bennett House, 7 p.m.

Documents

Bennet Hill Progress Neighborhood 2006 Staff Presentation