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

[John Schelp]

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