Title
Report on Results of Neighborhood Center Interviews & Questionnaire
Report
Issue:
Staff will provide an oral summary of the results from the community-wide questionnaire and interviews with property and business owners regarding neighborhood centers.
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Development, 360.570.5847
Presenter(s):
Amy Buckler
Background and Analysis:
Olympia's Comprehensive Plan identifies 17 areas for future neighborhood center development over the next 20 years. Neighborhood Centers are small walk and transit-friendly activity clusters within neighborhoods that serve the day-to-day retail and service needs of local residents and foster community interaction. These destinations are essential to achieving community goals to reduce our environmental impact and carbon footprint, improve human health, and foster healthy and resilient neighborhoods.
Over the past 20 years, Neighborhood Centers have not developed as envisioned in the Plan. The Planning Commission has review of the neighborhood center code (and other tools) on their work plan for 2014-2015; a first step is to gather input about potential barriers.
Over the past 4 weeks, staff has interviewed 13 people who operate businesses and 8 people who own or have developed property in existing neighborhood center areas. Also, an online questionnaire was posted to Olyspeaks October 13-28; so far 689 responses have been received. This input will help to inform staff and Planning Commission recommendations regarding codes and other measures to make the process of developing neighborhood centers over the next 20 years clear and feasible.
Attachment 1 is the current draft of the "A3" - information that will be distributed to the public prior to the Commission's November 17 public hearing on initial recommendations. The next draft will be submitted to the Commission at the meeting.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Results of ...
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