INC NEWS - proposal for Neighborhood Advocate highlighted in localblog...

[Will Robinson]

Our neighborhood's fight with the warehouse on
Morreene offers a great case study illustrating the
need for an advocate. A neighborhood advocate would
have been exactly what was needed in our initial
plight. Under-resourced and under a serious time
crunch, we had to get a crash course in city
government/planning which no one in city government
had the time/resources to provide.  We realized we
were in over our heads when lawyers for the developer
and lawyers for the city came to the fore. It was
"cannons to the right of us; cannons to the left of
us; cannons in front of us" and we were pretty much
outgunned.  Having someone to turn to who represented
our interests and is a voice for our concerns would
have been a dream-come-true! Even better, had a
neighborhood advocate been a part of the initial site
plan review and ask one or two simple questions
regarding the warehouse, our neighborhood would almost
certainly not be in the position it's in now. 
City Planning made it sound as though the UDO's
preservation/protection clauses for neighborhoods
aren't enough...a neighborhood advocate hopefully
would offer the "check" that is needed...and who could
work normal workday hours on our behalf...even better!

Will Robinson
property owner Turnage Heights


--- John Schelp <bwatu at yahoo.com> wrote:

> folks,
> 
> Thanks for all the emails. This is exciting. I'm
> forwarding all these posts to folks working on our
> proposal for a Neighborhood Advocate.
> 
> FYI, here are my notes from Coffee with Council...
> 
> We ask the City Council to hire a Neighborhood
> Advocate at the assistant city manager level. The
> neighborhood advocate should be an attorney or an
> experienced city planner who would help tackle many
> of
> the issues raised at the Coffee with Councils. 
> 
> The new position would assist neighborhoods and
> would
> evaluate rezonings, planning initiatives, and board
> of
> adjustment matters -- independently of other
> departments. 
> 
> The neighborhood advocate would serve as a liaison
> between City and County governments and neighborhood
> groups – and provide support and staffing for a new
> neighborhood advisory committee. (As Charlotte has
> already done.)
> 
> The City and County should also dedicate staff to
> help
> neighborhoods organize, do door-to-door surveys, and
> create revitalization plans.
> 
> PA asks again that Council reduce or eliminate
> filing
> fees for neighborhood planning protests.
> 
> John Schelp
> speaking for the Durham People's Alliance
> 
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