Bennett Hill/ Progress Neighborhood

Town Council Work Session March 7, 2006

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Bennett Hill / Progress Neighborhood

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 Transitional Area in Comprehensive Plan, 1997 Zoning History of Noise Complaints for over 20 years

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

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

Task Force
Meeting 3- May 19
Graduate Planner Ad idea Three residents, 2 staff, 1 Town Council member attended

Meeting 4 June 23
Positive reaction to planner ad Next initiatives discussed, desire for broader neighborhood meeting to bring more residents to the table to work on these items, and prioritize. Next meeting to be after the quarterly BHPNA meeting Two residents, 3 staff, 1 Town Council member attended

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 in February, 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

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.

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 and improve the appearance of detention areas. Parking lot plantings, rain gardens and house landscaping will be completed this spring by Public Works and Rotary Playground and picnic shelter ordered in December, will be installed later this Spring. Walking and biking trails will be completed to parking lot after playground is installed. Crosswalk will be installed across Progress Street at Faculty to direct people to connect the park to the Downtown. Bennett House Renovated, HNS Offices moved in to the house on January 3, 2006

Occupancy Enforcement
Mr. Chris Lawrence, Development Administrator, called attention to public perception that the Towns enforcement of occupancy standards was not timely or effective and proceeded to discuss housing demographics and occupancy violation issues in the community. Mr. Lawrence referred to the definition of occupancy and reviewed current enforcement efforts and challenges of gathering proof of violation complaints. He provided Council with a comparative of enforcement practices in other communities and noted the success of the Towns Rental Inspection Program in resolving some occupancy cases. Occupancy Standards Enforcement
(Reprinted from minutes of March 30, 2004 Town Council Work Session )

Following considerable discussion, Council suggested that the Towns enforcement program be maintained as is for the next year and for staff to determine if recent changes in the Noise Ordinance help to control behavior incompatibility issues in residential neighborhoods. Council also emphasized the benefit of staffs follow-up with complainants when occupancy standards are questioned.

Findings
Staff resources focused on Bennett Hill Progress
Police Zoning Neighborhood Enhancement Wong Park

The small number of active residents are stretched in supporting new directions and desire more automatic, non reactive enforcement.

Enforcement is not eliminating the problems, and can not.

No Easy Answers

Positive Outcomes
Targeted ABC Enforcement Grants Involvement of VT College Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center and Judicial Affairs Turnover of Some Problem properties
8 of the 13 original problem properties have changed 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

Future Directions
Continued CDBG Funding for Rehabilitations, with associated eligible owner/tenant restrictions Continued Targeted Enforcement ABC grants Reconsider whether there is sufficient neighborhood support to pursue neighborhood marketing or improvement initiatives at this time. 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?

Special Tax District Potential

Bennett Hill has 202 legally described properties 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 receiving any form of tax relief.

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.