January 14 Forum on Parks Millage

There will be a meeting to discuss the millage (tax to be voted on in May)

MONDAY January 14th

6:30 PM - 8PM

St. Mary's Dominican High School

7701 Walmsley Ave

Secured parking and entry is from Burdeteel Street at the back of the school

Please see the article in Uptown Messenger for additional details


"Voters in May will decide on milestone changes to how the city funds and operates its public recreational spaces. To give New Orleanians a clearer understanding of how these cherished city services could be overhauled, the Carrollton Area Network is holding a public forum Jan. 14.
Presenters from the Audubon Institute, the New Orleans Recreation Development
Commission, Parks and Parkways and New Orleans City Park will discuss at a forum moderated by Keith Twitchell of the Committee for Better New Orleans.


The ballot proposal would give City Park its first dedicated millage while reducing the millage for Audubon Park by nearly half. Parks and Parkways and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission would see an increase in their funding. Property owners continue paying the same amount under the 20-year plan, city officials say.
The new parks overhaul also calls for unified oversight for the city’s recreational entities under a cooperative agreement approved by City Council on Dec. 20.


This agreement allows more resource-sharing among the four agencies. They could more easily leverage their buying power in negotiating contracts, share large equipment for maintenance and beautification projects, and exchange information and strategies on storm-water control, fundraising, social media communication and other activities.
Programming among City Park, Audubon and NORDC would be shared to increase access to recreational activities. The agreement also calls for increased safety and environmental initiatives.


The four agencies’ top executives are to meet quarterly under the plan and to hold public meetings twice a year.


The May ballot proposal would adjust the millage rates from 2021 to 2040. If the millage adjustment passes, the current 6.31 mills, expected to bring in about $22 million, would be distributed as follows:
• Audubon would receive 1.95 mills ($6.59 million) instead of the current 3.31 mills ($10.92 million);
• NORDC’s adjusted millage would be increased to 1.95 mills ($6.59 million) from 1.5 mills ($4.95 million);
• Parks and Parkways’ millage would be increased to 1.8 mills (or $6.08 million);
• City Park would receive .61 mill (nearly $2.06 million)."

Community Forum on Climate & Equity for District A

Hollygrove Neighbors Association invites you to

the Community Forum on Climate & Equity for District A

on October 11, 2018, 10 AM to 12 PM,

at the Carrollton Hollygrove Senior Center,

3300 Hamilton Street.

At this meeting we'll have an honest discussion on how climate change impacts our daily lives in New Orleans and the city's climate action plan. The truth is, we're going to have to make a few changes to ensure the brightest future for our children and grandchildren. It's going to be up to us to make sure those changes are fair and beneficial to our neighborhoods.

The forum will also highlight the work of local groups making great strides to strengthen our neighborhoods and our city. Leaders working to develop small businesses, create more transportation options, reduce waste, and balance our energy systems will join us as we develop our vision for a resilient New Orleans.


Questions contact

Dee Dee Green

Area Program Director
AFSC & Peace by Piece New Orleans
(504) 565-3596 (o)
(504) 418-5070 (cell)
vgreen@afsc.org

Tulane University - Yulman Stadium Operations Meeting

Tulane would like to invite the Carrollton Area Network and its member organizations to a meeting at 6 p.m. on June 10 at the Wilson Center on campus. Tulane will present its football game-day plan for the six home games this Fall and answer any questions related to game-day operations. Please give me a call at 504-343-8937 if you need any information or would like to discuss further. Thank you, -- Paul Harang Director, Community and Neighborhood Relations Office of Government and Community Relations Tulane University 200 Broadway Street, Suite 126 New Orleans, LA 70118 Direct: 504.988.3394 Mobile: 504.343.8937 Fax: 504.988.3388

Opposing the Perez development in Holy Cross

From: NorthWest Carrollton [mailto:nwcarrollton@mindspring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 11:15 PM
To: Stacy Head; jawilliams@nola.gov; Susan G. Guidry; LaToya Cantrell; nramsey@nola.gov; jbrossett@nola.gov; James A. Gray
Subject: Perez Development in the Lower 9th Ward

Council members;

NorthWest Carrollton stands in solidarity with the Lower 9 Vision Coalition in its strong opposition to the Perez development.

Too many of us sat through far too many PostKatrina Planning Meetings, Master Plan Meetings and CZO Meetings to have the work that has been outlined ignored.

The proposed development does NOT align with the Master Plan, current zoning or the proposed CZO.

Seeing the work the recovering New Orleans community collectively accomplished during all these meetings ignored by the Mayor and newly elected Council is disrespectful of the citizenry.

C1A does NOT belong in a restricted corner of the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood

Just over the bridge, St. Claude Ave is a Main Street. 

Any development in the Lower 9 should respect the history of the main thoroughfare, St. Claude, and align with the rest of the St. Claude Main Street Program.

If you want to look at what happens when the kind of development Perez is proposing is tried in what is essentially a residential neighborhood, look to the history of the development at what was "Uptown Square".  It didn't work.  

Sure there is some success here but redevelopment has occurred and reoccured because it was never really the right thing in the right place.  IF New Orleans can't make this kind of development work in the more monied and developed areas of Uptown we really need to think long and hard about what will work for the people of the Lower 9.

The concept of "Density" should not be used to push a "Developers know best" mentality.  

"Density" only has a hope of working when the surrounding infrastructure and transportation options (Bus routes, street size, traffic flow options...) support it.

Before New Orleans starts pushing "Density" we need to be able to provide basic and consistent services.

Why should a Carrollton Area Neighborhood care?  Because we know that the  Lower 9th Ward is only the 1st in a long string "Developers know best" density battles to come.

The people who live in the Lower 9 KNOW what they want.  The City Council should listen.

Private Property Rights and your backyard

·         Clearing of trees: As the law stands now, one only needs approval of the City before trees are removed from public space (such as the right-of-way adjacent to the street). Removal of trees on private property is not regulated.

·         Paving: As the zoning ordinance is written now, the only limitation on paving is within the required front-yard. Beyond the 40% limitation in the required front-yard area one is free to pave their entire lot.

o   The draft zoning ordinance (CZO) speaks to more extensive paving, but that ordinance is probably about 6-months from adoption.

o   Additionally, the Sewerage and Water Board is proposing to create a mechanism to have people pay for the impact of their paving on the City’s stormwater system. The hope is that this will create an incentive to have more permeable surfaces in our urban environment.

o   Even though there is no limitation on paving, one is not allowed to shed water to a neighbor’s property. The property owner will have to accommodate their own water either through grading the lot to channel water to the street or installing drainage.

Front Belt - Back Belt - Middle Belt

There are 3 Railroad BELT systems in the New Orleans area:
Front Belt - Railroad System that skirts the Mississippi River and goes through Oak Street and parallels Press Street

Back Belt - Railroad System that goes through Old Metairie and parallels I-610 and goes through New Orleans East. The Back Belt has moved trains through Old Metairie since the very late 1800s when Old Metairie was a very sparsely-populated area. There is a consistent local story which indicates that this section of track was only "allowed" temporarily in reaction to WWII needs and was supposed to be removed.

Middle Belt - Railroad System that has been primarily, but not solely, used to get the Amtrak Trains into Union Station.  These tracks parallel Airline and go through Hollygrove. "But currently and for the last four decades have only been used by passenger trains - one daily (in both directions) and one about every other day - and a short, nocturnal local freight train (delivering news print to THE TIMES-PICAYUNE) one-to-three nights weekly". This route does not and will not have any grade crossings, meaning that there are no grade crossings & associated automobile traffic problems. NOUPT and ex-KCS-now-CN tracks are already exist in this area.

This article and the current preferred proposal for addressing the issues associated with increased train traffic on the critical East-West rail system that moves freight through New Orleans requires:
- eliminating the Old Metairie portion of the Back Belt
- building "the Carrollton Curve" (formerly considered an engineering implausibility)
- moving train traffic onto the section of the Middle Belt that has been used primarily to as a passenger train route
- the construction of new track a very narrow strip of land between Airline Highway and affecting the residences on the southern side of the track.



Published in Times Picayune


Trains would be stored/parked would be along Earhart just into Jefferson Parish.

Zoning Ordinance Meeting

We are up against a City Hall deadline to send in our comments on the Proposed Zoning Ordinance before November 30, 2013. 

The City had a public presentation and a Q&A of the proposed Zoning Ordinance last week.  Some of us were present.

Some of the proposed changes have an influence on the quality of life in the Carrollton Area.

Please go to this CPC website http://www.nola.gov/city-planning/comprehensive-zoning-ordinance/.  This 575 page document will give you a lot of details.

Some of the most important changes in favor of residents is the Citizen input and storm water management issues (paving of yards, etc). 

When adopted anyone needing a variance must meet with neighborhood before they submit to the City.

 

Please become familiar and attend a meeting to hear and discuss some of the issues with other Carrollton residents . 

This not a meeting organized by the City and may not have people from City Hall. 

This is a meeting to develop consensus and exchange opinions of what we all understand the new rules will / may be / what we may wish to have CPC change.

TUES, OCTOBER 29^th

 

                                                ST. ANDREW’S PARISH HALL

                                                            8017 ZIMPLE ST.

                                                   enter under the red awning

                                                               6:30 – 8:30pm     

Your active participation is welcome.

Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP)

Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP)

 

Mayor Landrieu has signed Ordinance 25450 MCS, which establishes changes to the public notice provisions of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. This Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP) is the result of extensive collaboration between citizens, community organizations, and City government.

Applications for zoning changes, conditional uses, planned development districts, and variances (except for single and two-family dwellings) are now subject to improved and enhanced public notice. An important component of this NPP requires applicants to engage the community prior to submitting an application for the aforementioned types of land use actions.

 

An NPP Guide with a detailed checklist of procedures is posted on the City Planning Commission website. As noted in the NPP Guide, potential applicants should prepare to engage the community by first meeting with City Planning Commission staff and developing a contact list.

 

Neighborhood and business associations that wish to communicate with applicants in these matters should make sure that the City Planning Commission has up-to-date information including the organization’s name, boundaries, contact person, address, phone number, and email. You may check by emailing cpcinfo@nola.gov or calling 504.658.7033 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 504.658.7033 FREE  end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

 

 

Paul Cramer

Planning Administrator

City Planning Commission

1300 Perdido Street, #7W03

New Orleans, LA 70112

Costco Grand Opening September 21st @ 7AM

You can sign up for your Costco Membership
Monday – Friday
at the Xavier Police Station parking lot on Carrollton
where Costco Reps are available to assist.

Or you can sign up online at www.costco.com .

Louisiana Irises in the Costco landscaping

When you see Louisiana Irises in the Costco landscaping... this is the back story.
I guess this is what they mean when they say the power of social networking.

These Costco folks are pretty amazing.
Can't wait for the store to open!

From: NorthWest Carrollton
Sent: Jun 2, 2013 11:58 AM
To: Susan Guidry - Council District A, Stacy Head, Ann McDonald - Parkway & Parks
Subject: Irises at Costco and Washington & Carrollton streetscape

Dear Council Members and Parks & Parkways;

This weekend there was an interesting post and conversation on Facebook regarding the streetscape at Washington & Carrollton regarding Louisiana Irises.

Here is the link that started the conversation:http://southeasternarchitecture.blogspot.com/2012/10/lost-louisiana.html

and here is the quote that created the idea to have Costco (and Parks & Parkways) include native Louisiana Irises in the landscaping. 

" 'During the past twenty-five years, I have witnessed the most frightful destruction amongst the irises within the city limits of New Orleans and adjoining parishes, even worse than that of the Frenchmen Street location. At the junction of Washington and Carrollton Avenues, there was a patch of several acres, which when in bloom appeared to be a solid mass of iris; today not one remains. At the site of Newcomb College there was a fine stand of Iris fulva. This has disappeared entirely.' "
As a result of this conversation, we are asking if it would it be possible to request that Costco ( and Parks & Parkways) use Louisiana Irises in their landscaping. These are local, native plants and when it rains their blooms explode. It could be a nice nod to the location and honor the site's history. Additionally large clumps of irises don't require as much maintenance and could be more cost effective long term.

Respectfully & hopefully,
Jenel Hazlett
Elaine Leyda
(with thanks for the e-conversation that included Cathe Mizell-Nelson, Kiki Reinecke, Timmie Reinecke Cass Cairns, Barb Masinton)

The email above got us a contact at Costco and we wrote a second email

Mr. Fuller;

We are looking forward to having Costco so centrally located and close to our neighborhoods. This Saturday our City Council Representative Susan Guidry participated in the ribbon cutting for the streetscape at Washington and Carrollton. Today there was an e-conversation regarding the lost of Louisiana Irises in the New Orleans streetscape.  Given the synchronicity, we are writing you with the hope that Costco might be interested in an idea that bubbled up among neighborhood leaders this morning on Facebook to have Costco use Louisiana Irises in the landscaping at the new New Orleans location.   As the article in the link below indicates  "At the junction of Washington and Carrollton Avenues, there was a patch of several acres, which when in bloom appeared to be a solid mass of iris; today not one remains."  We are hoping that you will bring this idea forward to the team responsible for the New Orleans site.  We feel it would be a nice nod to our history and could even long term be cost effective landscaping as once established irises require very little maintenance. We also contacted our city council representatives to see if we can't encourage the city to use irises in their portion of the streetscape.

Sincerely;
Jenel Hazlett
Elaine Leyda
residents of the Carrollton neighborhood in New Orleans
http://southeasternarchitecture.blogspot.com/2012/10/lost-louisiana.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Irises

And within 6 days we had this answer from Costco

Jenel and Elaine,

Thank you very much for your recent e-mail concerning the Louisiana Iris and our new Costco.

 

We have identified a few areas on our site where we can substitute scheduled plant material for Louisiana Iris.

These areas would be at our site corners and entrances at Dixon and Carrollton, Dixon and Dublin and at the entries along Palmetto.

Please see the attached PDF with the areas highlighted in pink. 

I hope that this effort meets the spirit of your request, and regret that we can not provide additional coverage due to the fact that the majority of the plant material has already been ordered or purchased.

 

We are looking forward to our first Louisiana location joining the neighborhood.

 

Sincerely,

Todd Thull

Vice President

Costco Construction

MindMixer

TIM G. says:

 

I've been preaching this for over a year. You probably sense it, too...

"What the New Orleans community lacks

is a safe place for us to deliberate about our future."

Just off the top of my head, I can think of several current projects in desperate need of community input:

• Livable Claiborne Corridor Study
• Gert Town Neighborhood Revival
• Mid-City Medical Complex
• NOPD & Prison Consent Decrees
• University Expansions & Rezoning

What can fill this void? Not Neighborland (too focused). Not NOLA Comments (too rude). Not social networks like Facebook (too personal), Twitter (too fleeting), Reddit (too byzantine) or ... none of these is appropriate.

However, I hope to convince City Hall - and more importantly, you - that an inexpensive, accessible, civil, understandable and affordable solution does exist. Something that is being used by ordinary citizens in other cities to discuss and shape all kinds of policy decisions.

It's called MindMixer. New Orleans needs it. We deserve it!

Please watch this brief introductory demo video and share with friends, then let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3L2xzs2Ygg

As always, thanks for your time!

Duh! But of course bike lanes increase cycling

WHICH IS WHY

WE WANT BIKE LANES DOWN CARROLLTON

ALL THE WAY TO CITY PARK

It's a cycle: Bike lanes promote pedaling, Tulane researchers find

See article below By John Pope, NOLA.com | The Times-PicayuneThe Times-Picayune
on February 06, 2013 at 3:46 PM

"The number of daily bicycle riders on South Carrollton Avenue increased threefold after the addition of mile-long bike lanes, a Tulane University study has found. The results are in the online edition of Annals of Behavioral Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal.

Cyclists take advantage of a South Carrollton Avenue bike lane.Rusty Costanza NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

The study was conducted over 10 days in September 2009 and September 2010, before and after the lanes were installed.
In addition to counting bikers on South Carrollton Avenue, researchers from Tulane's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine kept track of the number of cyclists on Dublin and Short streets, which run parallel to it on each side of the avenue, to give a larger picture of cycling activity.

The Tulane team found an overall daily increase of 110 percent on all three streets, but a 225 percent rise -- from 79 per day in 2009 to 257 in 2010 -- after the bike lanes had been installed, said Kathryn Parker, assistant director of Tulane's Prevention Research Center and the study's leader.
The study showed that bike lanes promote physical activity and that, with the bike lanes, more cyclists were riding in the proper direction -- with traffic.
Since 2008, New Orleans has added more than 37 miles of bike lanes on 16 streets. An earlier study of St. Claude Avenue's bike lanes showed a 57 percent increase in daily ridership."

New Orleans based study on Bike Lanes

Background

Incorporating cycling into daily life is one way to increase physical activity.

Purpose

Click below for full study
http://prc.tulane.edu/uploads/10.1007_s12160-012-9440-z-1367957544.pdf

This study examined the impact of building new bike lanes in New Orleans to determine whether more people were cycling on the street and with the flow of traffic after bike lanes were built.

Methods

Through direct observation of one intervention and two adjacent streets, observers counted cyclists riding on the street and sidewalk, with and against traffic, before and after installation of the lanes. Data were tallied separately for adults, children, males, females, and by race for each location.

Results

There was an increase in cyclists on all three streets after the installation of the bike lanes, with the largest increase on the street with the new lane. Additionally, the proportion of riders cycling with traffic increased after the lanes were striped.

Conclusions

Bike lanes can have a positive impact in creating a healthy neighborhood.


Specifically:
"The large increase on S. Carrollton suggests that even in a city not widely known for a cycling culture, new bicycle lanes appeared effective in attracting new cyclists who were diverse in race, sex, and age. It is possible that large numbers of cyclists could act as role models, making cycling more normal and accepted."

Stadium Site Demolition Work

From: Harang, Paul M [mailto:pharang@tulane.edu]
Subject: Stadium Site Demolition Work

Dear Tulane Neighbors,

As many of you know, the City and Tulane University committed to executing a Tulane Stadium Agreement before any permits would be utilized for the construction of Yulman Stadium. On Friday, January 25 after eight months of work and four community meetings attended by more than 500 neighbors, that agreement was executed (Click here for a copy of the agreement). Shortly thereafter, the university was awarded a demolition permit to prepare the Yulman Stadium site for construction.

On Monday, January 28, Woodward Design Build will begin demolition work. This will include:

• Demolition of the practice field bleachers
• Demolition of the score board
• Demolition of the tennis court stands, including bathrooms
• Removal of the turf and track around the existing practice field

Woodward may also begin the removal and relocation of underground utilities and sidewalks in the stadium footprint this week.

All work will take place between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. If work on the stadium requires after hours or weekend work at any point, we will provide advance notice.

Later this week, we will announce a date for a community meeting to discuss construction of the stadium.

For the latest project updates, please visit tulane.edu/neighbors. If you need any additional information or have any questions, please contact me at pharang@tulane.edu or by calling my office line (504) 988-3394. I am available outside of office hours on my mobile at 504-343-8937.

Neighborhood Billboards

Permitted Use or NOT?

8601 Pritchard Place @ Leonidas


8301 Apple

CITY TO HOST COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON NORDC NEIGHBORHOOD PARTICIPATION PLAN

Dear Residents and Friends of District “A”, I would like you to know about two ways you can be involved in how our city is working to provide recreational opportunities for all our residents through participating in upcoming public meetings about NORDC and the Lafitte Greenway Corridor.  CITY TO HOST COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON NORDC NEIGHBORHOOD PARTICIPATION PLAN

The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Engagement will host 7 community meetings to present the Neighborhood Participation Plan (NPP) for the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC). These meetings are a chance for residents to give input on the NPP framework. In an effort to produce a more citizen-driven NORDC, the Neighborhood Engagement Office and NORDC have recommended a community advisory structure known as the NORDC NPP. A structural framework was approved by the NORDC Commissioners in July. Additional input from citizens will be considered as the Mayor’s Neighborhood Engagement Office finalizes the full plan. These community meetings are an opportunity for residents who use NORDC facilities and programs to be involved in the decision making. NORDC and the Mayor’s Neighborhood Engagement Office will solicit input, suggestions, and concerns from community members. The NORDC NPP community meetings will take place on the following dates and locations. All meetings will begin at 5:30p.m.and end at 7:00p.m. For further questions please contact NORDC at: (504) 658-7806. The District A meeting is scheduled for October 1. Meeting dates and locations are listed below:   Date District Location Address Tuesday, September 25, 2012 District C Cut-Off Recreation Center 6600 Belgrade Wednesday, September 26, 2012 District D St Bernard Recreation Center 1500 Lafreniere Street Monday, October 1, 2012 District A New Orleans Museum of Art 1 Palm Drive (City Park) Thursday, October 4, 2012 District E All Souls Episcopal Church 5500 St. Claude Avenue Tuesday, October 9, 2012 District C Holy Angels Church 3500 St. Claude Ave. Wednesday, October 16, 2012 District E St. Maria Goretti Church 7300 Crowder Blvd Wednesday, October 22, 2012 District B Rosa Keller Library 4300 S. Broad Street

Mapping the Claiborne Cultural District ???

http://c4nola.com/

Click the link above to see what this is all about.
We haven't heard much. Just an email with a link indicating that this has been "blessed by City Hall".

There is a survey...  not sure what kind of useful statistics they will actually collect.

"Businesses that advertise, such as art galleries and restaurants, will be specifically mapped for the project from publically available resources."

Dear Cultural, Neighborhood, and Business Organizations:

You have been identified as a crucial asset to the City’s cultural communities. We ask that you send the message below to your email distribution list so that we may truly have an accurate representation of culture bearers and creators throughout New Orleans. We also are eager for your organization to participate in the C4 mapping project. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. See below for a prepared message for to send out, details on the project, and how to participate:

Here is the email:

Dear Friends, Businesses, and Organizations Working, Living and Practicing Culture in New Orleans:

The Claiborne Corridor Cultural Collaborative (C4) is a mapping project of the City of New Orleans Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The map is an essential first step towards establishing a knowledge and asset-based creative place-making tool. Local Architecture and Planning firm, Perez, APC, has been hired to conduct the work.

As a member of New Orleans' formal or informal cultural community, you have a unique opportunity, through the C4 Mapping Project, to stake your ground.

Please visit the C4 website to get more information, see sample maps in-progress and – most importantly – to take a brief survey on the cultural work you do. Completing the survey will ensure your presence on the map. For those answering the survey as individuals, all responses are anonymous.

Alison Gavrell
AEGavrell@nola.gov

Cultural Economy Project Coordinator

Office of the Mayor, Mitchell J. Landrieu
1340 Poydras St., Ste. 1000
New Orleans, LA 70112
P: 504-658-0907

New Orleans as a UNESCO Site

Great Idea bears repeating.....

"The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has designated 962 World Heritage sites. According to the group, these cultural and natural landmarks around the world were chosen for their "outstanding universal value." They include places like Old Havana, Cuba; Siena, Italy; the Grand Canyon; and the Great Wall of China.

 

New Orleans and its French Quarter haven't yet made the list, but they should and will.

UNESCO has also compiled a list of World Heritage in Danger. It includes places like Coro, Venezuela; the Old City of Jerusalem; and the Florida Everglades. Others like Machu Picchu, Bordeaux, Venice, Angkor Wat and Timbuktu are on the cusp of falling into this category.

Under assault from too many cruise ships, tour buses, T-shirt shops and karaoke bars, they have become victims of their own success. If and when New Orleans finally makes the cut, we should aspire (and plan) to stay on the right list.

My wife and I recently visited Antigua, Guatemala, and Oaxaca, Mexico, two UNESCO World Heritage sites that are definitely getting it right. If New Orleans needs models, we don't have far to look (my personal Mexican favorite on the list: Zacatecas).

Folwell Dunbar, New Orleans"
Click link above for source

Community Benefits Agreement CostCo

If you are interested please contact Tonia directly at Tonia Pence <tonia@micahpico.org>

See  introductory email from Tonia below:

Hello,

My name is Tonia Pence, community organizer for the Micah Project.  Micah is beginning to work with a coalition, made up of neighborhood associations, churches, schools, community members, and organizations to create a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA)  with Costco.  A CBA is a legally binding agreement between the developer and a coalition to ensure livable wage jobs, training programs, hire first, education and community enhancement projects are provide to impacted communities.

We want to ensure all members of the communities impacted by Costco have access to the jobs and benefits Costco has verbally promised.  Now is the time to organize and make sure all voices are heard. 

Please join us  Monday, August 13 from 12:00 - 1:30pm at Brooks Shaw Temple Church, 8818 Pear Street,

If you have any questions or want to speak with me on this, please give me a call 504-496-2119.

See you Monday,

--

Tonia Pence

Community Organizer

The Micah Project

A Federation of the PICO Network

504-528-9996

cell 504-496-2119

www.micahpico.org

"

Meeting on Land Use Planning

Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP) for Land Use Actions

The City Planning Commission invites you to attend the presentation of a draft report recommending creation of a Neighborhood Participation Program for Land Use Actions.

6pm – 8pm, Wednesday, June 13

First Grace United Methodist Church

3401 Canal Street

(at the intersection with Jeff Davis Pkwy.)

The NPP for Land Use Actions’ goal is the establishment of a system for organized and effective neighborhood participation in land-use decisions. “Land use actions” include the City Planning Commission’s range of responsibilities under the City Charter. The Commission prepares the City’s Master Plan, Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, and Subdivision Regulations, approves proposals for the disposition of public property, and recommends a five-year Capital Improvement Program.

For more information, call City Planning at 504-658-7033.