NEW BERN BOARD OF ALDERMEN WORKSHOP OF MARCH 19, 2013

CCTA WATCHDOG REPORT FOR NEW BERN BOARD OF ALDERMEN

WORKSHOP OF MARCH 19, 2013

The Agenda consisted of two items which were:

1. To meet with the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) and Board of Adjustment (BoAdj) to discuss each board's purpose, scope of duties, board membership, and the minimum housing process.

2. City Attorney discussion about status of demolition by neglect process and specific properties.

Meeting attendees included Mayor Bettis, the 6 aldermen, the city manager, the city attorney, the chairs and/or vice-chairs of each of the 3 boards, boards' members. Due to length of the meeting (appx 2 hrs, 20 min) only Item #1 was addressed. Over an hour was spent specifically on HPC issues. After each Board's introductory presentation, questions from the audience were taken and answered. Most of the audience comprised members or former members of the various boards.

Please refer to the city website @ http://www.newbern-nc.org for purpose, scope of duties of each Board, meeting dates, PEG channel 3 show times, term lengths. You can do this by selecting the city hall tab, then under the heading "Departments", click on "Development Services". You will see the tabs for all the Boards. Under each Board tab are subtabs for a members list, next meeting agenda, minutes for past meetings. The city staff points of contact for the boards are Kevin Robinson 9252)639-7583 or email @ robinsonk@newbern-nc.org, Bernard; Bernard George (252)639-7584 or email @ georgeb@newbern-nc.org; or dept head Jeff Ruggieri (252)639-7587 or email @ ruggierij@newbern-nc.org.

To read the municipal ordinances governing each Board, click here: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=11332.

In the "Search box", type in the name of the Board you wish to know about.

All city staff and Board chairs stressed that it is most advantageous and much less stressful for both the city and the citizens involved in either buying a home, planning a business site, developing a homesite, or adding-on or modifying the structures of their property to please contact the Development Services Department prior to embarking on any of those endeavors. They also pointed that they are always searching for qualified persons in relevant fields (e.g., developers, builders, realtors, architects, lawyers) to fill board vacancies.

The main topic of importance for all the boards was the training of members, mainly for new members, but also for continuing education as well. Several training resources were discussed and it was noted that there was as much as 50% of the costs paid for by the state for some training.

The second item of emphasis was the value in keeping within the boards' guidelines so as to ensure the integrity and value of New Bern's historic assets. Doing so provided high return for property owners and the city and its coffers. The important element of aesthetic value to tourists and citizens alike was also brought into discussion.

The topic that brought the most intense discussion was the third item of what to do about properties and their owners who not only were not in compliance with city ordinances or the board's guidelines but who fell out of that compliance by neglecting their responsibilities of property and dwelling upkeep thus bringing about other nuisances. On the subject of nuisances, please note that there is to be a public hearing "to amend Article II Definitions 'Family' of Appendix A 'Land Use' of the Code of Ordinances of the City New Bern" at the March 26, 2013 Board of Alderman regular meeting. "The purpose of the amendment is to further clarify the definition of 'family' when property owners rent a single-family dwelling or portions of a dwelling to individuals who are not related by blood, adoption or marriage. Staff has encountered several enforcement situations where property owners have partitioned off or leased multiple areas in a single-family dwelling in violation of the zoning ordinance. The property owners will claim the tenants are 'family', although evidence often indicates the residents actually function as multiple independent households..." This reporter's neighborhood was instrumental in helping craft the original definition and ordinance; as such I can attest to the values to both property and quality of life that passing this ordinance will bring. I can also tell you that despite the City offering workshops about these issues and their governing ordinances to rental agencies, realtors & developers that the violations of turning single-family dwellings into multi family ones continues.

It was the consensus of the Boards that the most important ways the Board of Aldermen can help the various city boards was:

1. To provide direction and assistance with criterion to assess violations and develop adverse consequences for those in violation with such, in accordance with HPC guidelines and/or city ordinances.

2. To design procedures which aid in prevention of demolition by neglect issues, including staff and funding to enforce these demolition of neglect issues.

Rhonda Taylor
New Bern, NC 28562

UPDATE

This is a very important report for all of us. Rhonda tells me that $1.5 Million of matching local taxpayer money and $28.5 Million of federal taxpayer money will likely be spent on a project to renovate the river front subsidized housing in New Bern (Trent Court Neighborhood) if nothing is done to stop it and the ball all has already been moved pretty far under the radar. We all need to study the situation.

~ Hal

Special Supplement to CCTA Watchdog Report for New Bern Board of Aldermen:  NB Gateway Renaissance Plan & Federal HUD Choice Neighborhoods Grant

The New Bern of Aldermen passed a resolution on Jan 8, 2013 to adopt the New Bern Gateway Renaissance Plan. Note that this reporter had not yet been solicited to contribute to this CCTA newsletter. Truthfully, this is such a massive project with so many parts, I'm still not totally confident that the average layperson (such as myself) can fully comprehend the details of each project within the plan nor their funding sources. Since I feel it is important that the citizens are aware of some of the moving parts of this project while the majority of it is in the planning stages and being discussed among the other city boards, I will do my best to report on it. Of course for any questions, please contact any or each of the following:

1. the City of New Bern website http://www.newbern-nc.org/CityHall, click the Gateway Renaissance Plan website tab.

2. NB Development Services Dept, (252)639-7587 or Mr. Clarence Hulse at (252)639-7580 or email hulsec@newbern-nc.org .

Sometimes, by the time it gets to the Board of Aldermen, so much has been formalized. This project is massive in scope and has many moving parts. Along with the grants and matching city tax dollars, it affects the entire city and it's citizens, whether in the area of funding and potential averting of tax dollars from other projects that citizens may feel to be more important, changes to neighborhoods throughout the city, crime prevention procedures and resources, public safety improvements, workforce development & employment opportunities, and education improvement provisions. Although the following discussion occurred last year, and the discussion focused on the HUD grant application being sent for last year, all other details are pertinent and timely as concerns the actual project and it's funding.

From the Feb 28, 2012 Board of Aldermen meeting, Agenda Item 6:

"The City is working in partnership with the New Bern Housing Authority in pursuit of a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant focusing on the redevelopment of the Trent Court Neighborhood.

Choice Neighborhoods will employ a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. The program will transform neighborhoods by revitalizing public and/or assisted housing and investing and leveraging investments in well-functioning services, high quality public schools and education programs, high quality early learning programs and services, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.

Choice Neighborhoods will ensure that current residents will be able to benefit from this transformation, by preserving affordable housing or providing residents with the choice to move to affordable and accessible housing in another existing neighborhood of opportunity.

In the development of Choice Neighborhoods, HUD has focused on directing resources into three core goals:

1. Housing: transform distressed public and assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long term;

2. People: support positive outcomes for families who live in the target development(s) and the surrounding neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to residents' health, safety, employment, mobility, and education; and

3. Neighborhood: transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable, mixed income neighborhoods with access to well-functioning services, high quality public schools and education programs, high quality early learning programs and services, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.

The size of the grant will be based on the size of the project being proposed and will include funds for supportive services. The maximum possible grant is $30 million. A 5% match is required. The City and Housing Authority will be partnering on the required match.

The New Bern Housing Authority has authorized funding for consulting services with Goody Clancy of Boston, MA to lead the application process. This grant application is due April 10, 2012.

If the grant is approved, the city would look at three main goals: provide housing for residents of Trent Court; provide residents access to education, childcare and other benefits; and provide a mixed-income neighborhood. The grant requires replacement housing for each of the 218 units that are eliminated.

The only reasons that this did not happen was: (1) a permanent Housing Authority Directors was not in place, (2) the cut off date for applying was too close to the timeframe the city began considerations, and (3) the Trent Court residents expressed so many concerns that could not be addressed to their satisfaction that would prompt them to risk displacement.

From Planning & Zoning Board meeting of 2-5-13: http://www.newbern-nc.org/PI/documents/FinalFebruary52013.pdf

This is the discussion of this Board's concerns over some of the pertinent issues of residents' displacement & transportation.

I would encourage all citizens to go the City website http://www.newbern-nc.org and click on this link to the New Bern Gateway Renaissance project:  http://www.newbernrenaissance.com/.  Notice that there are tabs to click on in order to provide any public comments or questions. The current aldermen that serve the wards involved are Ward 1 Sabrina Bengel and Ward 2 Victor Taylor. Note that city elections are October 2013 and the persons in these seats could change. While several public hearings have been held over the years for portions of this project, it is definitely not too late for us to ask questions, provide our personal input and become aware. After all...IT'S OUR MONEY!!! (do the math - 5% of $30 Million = $1.5 Million of our city and federal tax dollars).

Rhonda Taylor New Bern, NC