Public Input Meeting: November 28th!

The City of Youngstown will be holding a Public Input Meeting next Monday to discuss Module 2 of the redevelopment code with the public. This will be an opportunity to express comments and concerns over the general provisions, development standards and review procedures over Module 2 of the redevelopment code.

The draft is currently available online.

Monday, November 28, 20ll

6:00 pm

Trinity United Methodist Church

30 W. Front St.

Neighborhood Redevelopment Code Meetings.

From July 11^th through August 4^th, the City of Youngstown completed eleven public input meetings to discuss code issues and future land use in the city.  Clarion Associates of Denver, Colorado was hired to create a modern, efficient and innovative code for the city. The meetings were intended to get valuable public input for the consultants to incorporate in the new zoning code.  

 Zoning is a tool to safeguard public health, by requiring developments to adhere to certain standards, shape the form, location and intensity by which development takes place, restrict incompatible or undesirable uses, and a tool to implement a comprehensive land use plan.

One resident, after participating in a meeting, comment  “ Just want to tell you how impressed I was at the organization and process of the North side meeting tonight at Wick Park......having pre-selected and prepared facilitators at each table made all the difference in the world.  I haven't been so energized and optimistic at a meeting for a long time.  Kudos to all the planners”

The meetings were overall well received, resulting in an attendance of nearly 300 people total at the discussions.   

For more information on the redevelopment code, visit the website.

Zoning And Redevelopment Code Updates

Last week the City of Youngstown began the 11 neighborhood zoning meetings with the Salt Springs, Steelton, Lincoln Knolls, Brownlee Woods, Buckeye Plat, and Lansingville neighborhoods.  During these meetings citizens worked in small groups and suggested zoning improvements in their neighborhoods. The City of Youngstown has begun the process to undertake the task of restructuring the Redevelopment Code. The newly developed code will outline the land-use goals, as part of the Youngstown 2010 plan.  The citizens whom are involved in these meeting will have the opportunity to develop the future land use plan for their neighborhoods and the City of Youngstown.

There are seven Neighborhood Zoning Meetings left. If you live in any of the neighborhoods listed below, make sure that you attend to take advantage of the opportunity to make an impact on your community. If you don't know what neighborhood or cluster you live in click on map.

Meeting Date/Time              Cluster Number and Neighborhood                            

7/19  6:30-8:00 pm             #5 Erie, FLint Hill, Lower Gibson,Oak Hill,Warren.                                                                                                    At the Oak Hill Renaissance Center, 345 Oak Hill

 7/21  6-7:30 pm                 #8 East High, East Side, Hazelton                                                                                                                                    At the East High School, 474 Bennington Avenues

7/25 7-8:30 pm                 #3 Belle Vista, Schenley                                                                                                                                                 At  the Millcreek Davis Center, 123 McKinney Ave.

7/26   6-7:30 pm                #6 Cottage Grove, Idora, Newport, Pleasant Grove                                                                                               At  Newport Branch Library, 3730 Market St.

7/28  6-7:30 pm                 #10 Landsdowne, McGuffy Heights                                                                                                                        At the Assoc. Neighborhood Centers,  McGuffey  Centre, 1649 Jacobs Road

8/1  6-7:30 pm                   #11 Arlington, Downtown, Mahoning Commons                                                                                                                  Riverbend, Smoky Hollow, YSU                                                                                                                                    At the Trinity United Methodist Church 30W. Front Street

8/4 6-7:30 pm           #1 Brier Hill, North Heights, Wick Park                                                                                                                            At the Wick Park Recreation Center, 260 Park Ave. 

WE NEED YOUR INPUT TO MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE!

KICK-OFF MEETING FOR NEW ZONING REDEVELOPMENT CODE

The City of Youngstown will host a meeting to discuss the kick-off of the new zoning redevelopment code. The current zoning/redevelopment code is plagued with barriers, and in order to implement a code that serves the interests of all the residents of Youngstown, a new system needs to be developed while embracing the guidelines of the Youngstown 2010 plan. The city of Youngstown will collaborate with Clarion Associates of Denver, Colorado to deliver a new, innovative code for zoning and redevelopment code.  This is just the start of many public meeting in which the citizens are giving the opportunity to shape the zoning and redevelopment code in their neighborhood regarding issues such as creative and flexible land and building reuse, urban agriculture,green corridors, and limited service areas.

The meeting will take place June 29th from 7:00-8:00 pm at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 30 W. Front Street, Downtown Youngstown.  More information about this meeting and the upcoming public meetings will be available on the city's website.

Ground Breaking On Global Green Urban Agriculture Project

Friday May 20 soil testing began in the Oak Hill neighborhood on various abandoned city lots.  Youngstown State University (YSU) students Mike Perry, Nate Wilson, and Danni Wilson collected soil samples on these city lots under the supervision of YSU Professor Dr. Felicia Armstrong and assistance from City of Youngstown Planning Fellow Jason Langer.  Pictured to the right, Mike Perry and Jason Langer collect composite soil samples from 6"-10" deep using a soil probe.  This group of researchers were collecting and analyzing soil samples for Global Green USA in partner with the City of Youngstown to see if there is any sort of contamination before any initial plans of planting produce on these lots progress.  Once the soil testing is complete the YSU researchers plan to put test garden plots on these areas to see how the plants grow and further analyze the bio-accessible contaminants on these lots.  The main potential contaminants of concern are likely heavy metals.  Graduate student Mike Perry is using this project as an opportunity for his thesis research.  Global Green plans to use these lots for a large scale urban agriculture project.  More updates and details about Global Greens project will be available upon its progression.

Population Distribution by Ward from 1990-2011

The recent available results of the 2010 Census show Youngstown's continually shrinking population to stand just short of 67,000 residents, which is down nearly 30% from the 1990 population of 95,706.  It is well known that Youngstown is a shrinking city, but what about the distribution of its population through the city's 7 wards, or which parts of the city is experiencing the majority of the population loss.

The following map shows the location of the 7 wards within the city

 The following chart show the population distribution by ward from 1990-2010

Ward 4 has lost the least amount of residents over all since 1990, making ward 4 the highest and most consistently populated ward since 1990.  The least populated ward from 1990-2000 was ward 1.  Since the 2010 Census data has become available the least populated ward is now ward 6, which has experienced a 45% population loss since 1990.  Wards 2, 3, and 5 have also experienced a population loss slightly above the city average loss of 30% since 1990.  Wards 1, 4, and 7 have experienced a loss below the city average of 30% loss since 1990. 

Brownlee Woods Neighborhood Update!

 Brownlee Woods is an elegant family oriented neighborhood located in Youngstown's south side.  Just recently the neighborhood received a way to express these key virtues to interested parties.  Under the Youngstown 2010 Plan every Youngstown neighborhood would receive a neighborhood profile on the City Of Youngstown Website.  The Brownlee Woods Profile, along with other neighborhood profiles, can be found by going to the city's website under the about tab, then click on the neighborhoods tab, and finally on Brownlee Woods.

Brownlee Woods also gets a new look with brand new custom street signs.  The City of Youngstown and the Brownlee Woods Neighborhood Association believes that these are unique street signs that the neighborhood residence can take pride in.  The Brownlee Woods signs are to be scheduled to be put up shortly.

Youngstown 2010, A Model Plan For Shrinking Cities All Over The World?

The Youngstown 2010 Plan is a nationally and now internationally recognized plan that emphasizes the new concept of a shrinking city.  City of Youngstown Community Development Agency director William D'Avignon met with the Kanagawa Municipality Promotion Association Staff, which is made up of various Japanese city employees from various cities on Monday October 25th to discuss the Youngstown 2010 Plan.

Japan was once an industrial power house like the United States.  Now with much of the industrial jobs leaving Japan, as they did in the United States, they are beginning to face the same problems as United States cities such as Youngstown. Youngstown's population peaked around 1930 at about 170,000, and started to decline drastically in the 1970's with the closure of the steel mills.  Youngstown now has a population somewhere around 72,000 people.  One of the major problems with Youngstown is that it still has the infrastructure and services to provide for a city with twice the population.  Providing services to unpopulated areas of the city is costly, and the vacant infrastructure causes negative side effects such as criminal activity.

Having researched Youngstown the Kanagawa Municipality Promotion Association Staff wished to come visit Youngstown and ask Mr. D'Avignon questions regarding Youngstown's infamous shrinking city plan.  Questions inquiring about Youngstown's response to its drastic population decline, and what role non-profit organization play in the revitalization of the city.  The Youngstown 2010 Plan has become such an inspiration to the staff that it has actually been translated into Japanese.

Two Professors from RWTH Aachen University in Germany also came to visit Youngstown on Friday October 22nd during their month long voyage through old industrialized cities.  They also traveled to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo.  Their purpose is to see how United States industrial cities are recovering from the collapse of industry.  Doctoral students and professors Cyryl Garus and Martin Pudlik plan on bringing a group of planners back sometime in the near future to further research Youngstown and some of its old industrial neighbors.  This would be to gain insight to bring back to Germany for possible applications on their older industrialized cities.

Youngstown Receives National Recognition for its Deconstruction Program

Youngstown was recently recognized at ICLEI’s annual Local Action Summit for its Youngstown Deconstruction Initiative (YDI) program. YDI received runner up honors in the Sustainability Leadership Award’s Planning Process Innovation category for midsized cities. Other award categories included Energy Efficiency Innovation, Community Outreach Innovation, and awards for individual members of city staff and elected officials who have made notable strides while working to achieve local sustainability.

The Local Action Summit was held in Washington D.C. from September 24 through September 26, 2010. The annual gathering allows local governments from across the country to participate in seminars, panel discussions, and networking events centered on innovative solutions to creating sustainable cities and communities.

Founded in 1990, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is an international association of local governments as well as national and regional local government organizations who have made a commitment to sustainable development. ICLEI provides technical consulting, training, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge, and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level. Their basic premise is that locally designed initiatives can provide an effective and cost-efficient way to achieve local, national, and global sustainability objectives. ICLEI currently has nearly 1,200 members, with over 600 located in the United States.

To date, YDI has completed 7 deconstruction and 8 waste diversion projects, and expects that total to reach 50 by the end of the year. Over 220 tons of building material has been diverted from the landfill for reuse and recycling, creating new jobs in the process.

The recognition received for its deconstruction efforts is just one more example of how Youngstown is regarded as a national Model of Sustainability.

Youngstown Gains International Interest

Early this month director of Youngstown's Community Development Agency (CDA), William D'Avignon, was contacted by two separate international parties who have developed interests in Youngstown.  Planning to visit Youngstown are two doctorate students from Germany's  RWTH University Aachen, Martin Pudlik and Cyryl Garus, who are working on their dissertations on the development of regional analysis on industrialized regions in Poland and Germany.  Mr. Pudlik and Mr. Garus wish to expand their research to the industrialized areas in Midwestern United States.  The students have asked Mr. D'Avignon to meet with them on Tuesday, October 19th, to discuss issues in Youngstown.

Mr. D'Avignon also spoke with Dr. Sadatsugu Nishiura a professor who is teaching urban planning at Meisei University in Tokyo.  Dr. Nishiura's main area of research is city and regional planning.  For the past 15 years he has been doing research on American planning, and has published many papers on topics such as growth management and smart growth.  Recently Dr. Nishiura has gained an interest in the Youngstown 2010 plan and has many questions and inquiries.  Dr. Nishiura along with a dozen other planners will be visiting Youngstown in October.  Mr.D'Avignon has agreed to meet with them on Monday, October 25th, to discuss the Youngstown 2010 plan.  This will be the second time that they have visited Youngstown.

Public Meeting to Discuss Hubbard Arterial Ammendment at the Covelli Centre

A public meeting will be held on Tuesday June 29th at 5pm at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown to discuss a potential amendment to the Eastgate 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan. The City of Youngstown asked Eastgate to amend the plan to include the Hubbard Arterial Project.

The meeting will be used to discuss the amendment process and to gather public input. For more information, please check the City of Youngstown Website and the Vindicator report.