AGENDA #4f
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on the Sykes Street Project
DATE: May 13, 2002
The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit to the Council a report prepared by students from the University of North Carolina Department of City and Regional Planning on activities that have taken place in the Sykes Street area during the Spring semester (Please see Attachment 2). The students have been working with representatives of the Town, EmPOWERment, Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, and neighborhood representatives to continue efforts in the Sykes Street area that began in January 2001.
The attached resolution would express the Council’s appreciation to Dr. Roberto Quercia and the students of the UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning who worked on this project.
On January 8, 2001, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Town to participate in and provide technical assistance and staff support in an advisory capacity to develop an Action Strategy for the Sykes Street Area. The Orange Community Housing Corporation, EmPOWERment, Inc., the Community Land Trust in Orange County, neighborhood residents and the University of North Carolina Department of City and Regional Planning class of Dr. William Rohe also participated in this process. The Council agreed to provide $500 of Community Development funds for class expenses related to the project.
On September 24, 2001, the Council endorsed the Sykes Street Action Plan presented to the Council on May 21, 2001, and authorized the Town’s continued participation in implementing a plan for making improvements in the Sykes Street neighborhood.
On January 14, 2002, a second group of Planning students presented “Organizing Community Action in the Greater Sykes Street Area” to the Council. The report focused on activities completed during the fall 2001 semester. At that time the Council received and referred the report to the Manager, thanked the Planning students for their work on this project, and directed us to return with a response to issues raised in the report.
On February 11, 2002, the Council authorized the Town’s continued participation in implementing a plan for making improvements in the Sykes Street neighborhood and budgeted $500 of Community Development funds for class expenses. This included working with a third group of students this spring.
On March 4, 2002, we provided a report to the Council to respond to a report on recommended improvements in the Sykes Street area presented to the Council on January 14, 2002 by the Planning students. At that time, we reported that we would continue to work with the Sykes Street Steering Committee and residents to identify problems and concerns in the community and to develop ideas for improvements. We also reported that based on recommendations presented to the Council by the Planning students on behalf of the residents, we would focus our immediate efforts in three key areas:
Ř Providing increased Police coverage;
Ř Improving property maintenance and housing conditions; and
Ř Determining how best to address identified public improvements in the area.
DISCUSSION
The attached report provides a description of the Committee’s activities that took place during the fall semester and identifies recommendations and next steps for future activities in the Sykes Street area. The two highlights of this semester’s activities were: (1) a community charrette held on March 2, 2002 where residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns and develop solutions to neighborhood problems; and (2) a community event for the residents of the Sykes Street area held on Saturday, April 27. Approximately 125 people attended the event that included music, dancing and lunch, that was provided with the assistance of local merchants.
A fourth group of students will continue to work on this project during the Fall 2002 semester. We recommend that the Council receive and refer this report to the Manager. We would return to the Council with a recommendation for how to implement suggestions identified in the report and with a proposed work plan for students in the fall 2002 semester.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council receive and refer this report to the Manager. We also recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution expressing appreciation to Dr. Roberto Quercia and the students of the UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning that worked on this project.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Map of Sykes Street Study Area (p. 4).
2. Report from UNC Department of City and Regional Planning Students (p. 5).
A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO DR. ROBERTO QUERCIA, KATIE ANTHONY, BADI’ BRADLEY, DANIEL BRISSON, JOHN BULLOCK, JOHN HOLMES, DAVID KIDDOO, SAM MORDKA, AMANDA POWELL AND JESSICA TREAT OF THE UNC CHAPEL HILL DEPARTMENT OF CITY AND REGIONAL (2002-05-13/R-R-7)
WHEREAS, on January 8, 2001, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the Town to participate in a process to develop an action strategy for the Sykes Street area of the Northside neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Roberto Quercia organized a class of UNC Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning Master’s students to work on the Sykes Street Action Strategy during the Spring 2002 semester;
WHEREAS, under Dr. Quercia’s direction, the students strengthened community involvement and organized a community clean up and a neighborhood visioning project, and developed recommendations to improve the quality of life in the Northside neighborhood;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill expresses its appreciation to Dr. Roberto Quercia, Katie Anthony, Badi’ Bradley, Daniel Brisson, John Bullock, John Holmes, David Kiddoo, Sam Mordka, Amanda Powell and Jessica Treat for their leadership with the Sykes Street Project.
This the 13th day of May, 2002.