AGENDA #4e
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on the Sykes Street Project
DATE: February 10, 2003
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 fall semester (please see Attachment 1). The students have been working with neighborhood residents and representatives of the Town, EmPOWERment, and Orange Community Housing and Land Trust to continue efforts in the Sykes Street area that began in January 2001.
The attached resolution would express the Council’s appreciation to Dr. William Rohe 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. Neighborhood residents along with the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, EmPOWERment, Inc., and the University of North Carolina Department of City and Regional Planning class of Dr. William Rohe also participated in this process. Representatives of these groups meet regularly as the Sykes Street Steering Committee. The Council agreed to provide $500 of Community Development funds for class expenses related to the project.
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. We 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:
Ø Providing increased Police coverage;
Ø Improving property maintenance and housing conditions; and
Ø Determining how best to address identified public improvements in the area.
On October 7, 2002, the Council received a report on the status of the Sykes Street Project. We reported that a fourth group of students was working with the Sykes Street Steering Committee and that the Steering Committee recommended expanding the boundary to include all properties bounded by the Tanyard Branch Trail to the north, West Rosemary Street to the south, Mitchell Lane to the east, and the Carrboro border to the west. Please see Attachment 2 for a map of the study area.
DISCUSSION
The attached report provides a description of the activities that took place during the fall 2002 semester and identifies the student’s recommendations and proposed next steps for future activities in the Sykes Street area. One highlight of this semester’s activities was a Community Action Planning Day held on November 9, 2002. The theme of this event was improving crime prevention and safety through environmental design, and residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns and develop solutions to neighborhood problems. A second highlight was the first Northside Memorial Walk in Honor of Frances Hargraves held on November 16.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council receive and refer this report to the Manager. We also propose consulting with the Sykes Street Steering Committee on its recommendations for making improvements in this area. We would return to the Council in the spring with a response to the recommendations proposed by the students and the Steering Committee and with recommendations for proceeding with this project.
We also recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution expressing appreciation to Dr. William Rohe and the students of the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning that worked on this project.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report from UNC Department of City and Regional Planning Students (p. 4).
2. Map of Sykes Street Area (p. 23).
A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO DR. WILLIAM ROHE, KATIE ANTHONY, AURELIE BRUNIE, DANIEL BRISSON, JOEL MANN, JOHN HOLMES, KATYE PARKER, KI-YOUNG YOO, AND WENDY SMITH OF THE UNC-CHAPEL HILL DEPARTMENT OF CITY AND REGIONAL (2003-02-10/R-6)
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. William Rohe 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 Fall 2002 semester;
WHEREAS, under Dr. Rohe’s direction, the students strengthened community involvement and organized a Community Action Planning Day and the First Annual Northside Walk Honoring Frances Hargraves, and developed recommendations to improve the quality of life in the Northside neighborhood;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council expresses its appreciation to Dr. William Rohe, Katie Anthony, Aurelie Brunie, Daniel Brisson, Joel Mann, John Holmes, Katye Parker, Ki-Young Yoo, and Wendy Smith for their leadership with the Sykes Street Project.
This the 10th day of February, 2003.