The May 2008 City of Asheville Neighborhood News ...
Marsha Stickford is Asheville's Neighborhood Coordinator, a source of information and a liaison between citizens and the city. To recieve her newsletters or for other concerns about your neighborhood, contact her at 259-5506 or by e-mail at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov.
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Want to do something to prevent crime in your neighborhood while building a sense of community with your neighbors at the same time? Participate in the community wide-event and organize a neighborhood event for the Twenty-fifth Annual National Night Out, Tuesday, August 5, 2008. National Night Out is a unique crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. Last year's campaign involved 10,000 communities from all 50 states, US territories, Canadian cities, and military bases world wide.
Begin your participation by attending the local Kick-Off event at 5:30 pm at the Target Store off Tunnel Road in East Asheville. Join local law enforcement, elected officials, and your neighbors to learn more about local crime prevention efforts and honor our law enforcement agencies. There will be food and fun and most importantly, the winners of this year's Law Enforcement Community Service Awards will be announced.
In addition to the community-wide event, Asheville neighborhoods are encouraged to celebrate National Night Out with neighborhood activities such as block parties, cookouts, flashlight parades, exhibits, contests and youth programs. National Night Out events are designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and build community-police collaboration by promoting drug and crime prevention. More than 35 million people across the nation are anticipated to participate in this year's events.
Your neighborhood organization will be receiving a sign up form to register local events. For more information on how your neighborhood can get more involved with National Night Out, contact Marsha Stickford at 259-5506 or mstickford@ashevillenc.gov, or Melissa Williams at 259-4507 or mwilliams@ashevillenc.gov.
Neighborhood Spotlight
Shiloh Community Association
This article is a summary of a presentation made by Norma Baynes, member of the Shiloh Community Association, at the May 12, 2008 meeting of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods.
The Shiloh Community Association in South Asheville was established in 2000 to address ongoing challenges for the Shiloh Community. The Association brought community members together to identify issues, develop solutions and implement positive changes to improve the quality of life for residents. Much of the success of this organization has come from their focus on developing more effective ways to interact and partner with other organizations. The process of becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization opened up a wide range of opportunities for grants, donations and partnerships and has helped keep the Association's focus on the important issues facing the whole community. An additional factor in the success of the Shiloh Community Association is the fact that it has built on the strength of its identity as an African American Community with a rich and complex history.
The Community Association meets on the first Monday of the month at the Shiloh Community Center. Meetings are always well attended by an active group of community members who have created an impressive track record of activities and achievements. Efforts have centered on the Shiloh Community Garden, which was established on land donated by a member of the community. Fruits and vegetables grown in the garden are available to all community members and produce from the garden feeds community residents when they attend gatherings and cookouts hosted by the Association. In addition, the garden served as the basis for a very successful city-wide forum on food security this spring. The forum, entitled "From the Ground to the Plate", raised awareness of the need for all community residents to have access to a safe, culturally appropriate, and nutritionally sound diet through an economically and environmentally sustainable food system that promotes community self-reliance and social justice. These are values the Shiloh Community strives to demonstrate through their projects with the garden.
Shiloh partnered with the city to develop a Neighborhood Plan to guide future development in their area. Working with an architect, the Association created a detailed map of Shiloh with important landmarks and locations of interest and community activities and have designed and built a unique bus stop working with the Design Corp. of Raleigh. Building on the history of the community, the Association has published a Shiloh Cookbook that shares delicious family recipes and serves as a part of their on-going fundraising efforts. In addition, the Association engages in many community building and crime prevention activities. They have hosted a Citizens' Police Academy and cosponsor an annual Spelling Bee with city Parks and Recreation Department. T-shirts designed and produced by the Association are available to all members and create community pride and recognition.
Even with all these accomplishments, the Shiloh Community Association is not likely to take a break from working to improve their community. They are currently constructing a pavilion to serve as a community gathering place. This project is being accomplished through funding from a city grant and additional technical support from AB Tech. The Board is also beginning work on developing a newsletter and Association Web site. They work continuously to develop both non-profit, government and corporate partners to help support the important work of making their community a better place to live.
Save the Date
3rd Annual Neighborhood Congress:
The 3rd Annual Neighborhood Congress is in the works for Saturday, October 4, 2008. So mark your calendars and plan on joining us for an informative and entertaining time. If you are interested in helping organize the Congress or want to share ideas for neighborhood related topics to be addressed at the Congress, please contact Mike Lewis at mlewis6956@charter.net or Marsha Stickford at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov or at 259-5506.
National Night Out Kick-Off: Tuesday, August 5 at 5:30 pm on the upper parking deck of the Target Store off Tunnel Road.
Downtown Master Plan meetings:
Friday, May 30, 6-8 p.m. Asheville community Theater: Community Education Session: Current Issues in Downtown Development
Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location TBD: Downtown Master Plan Workshop
Sunday, June 1, 12:00p.m. - 3 p.m. Office of Economic Development: Drop-In Session - Master Plan Workshop Review
Thursday, June 12, 6-8 p.m., Asheville Civic Center Banquet Hall: Community Feedback Session: Draft Vision and Goals
E-News Briefs
Neighborhood Project Suggestion: Adopt-a-Storm Drain
Stormwater runoff is the #1 source of pollution for fresh-water streams and shorelines in North Carolina. Stormwater and stormwater pollution can contaminate drinking water sources, sicken swimmers, disrupt aquatic habitats, cause fish kills, contribute to flash flooding and cause land and stream bank erosion. Want to help? Consider a neighborhood project to mark local storm drains as a reminder that stormwater - and everything in it - flows directly into our streams, rivers and lakes. This is a great way for neighborhoods, clubs, and Boy and Girl Scout troops to support water quality and participate in raising awareness. The city will supply all materials needed. Please contact Marsha Stickford at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov for more information on how to organize this project for your neighborhood.
Upcoming Water Rate Increase
Look for a 4% increase in your water bill effective July 1, 2008. This increase is the first since 2001 and will mean an increase from $3.32 per 100 cubic feet of water use (CCF or 748 gallons) to $3.45 per CCF for single family homes. The rate for multi-family homes will increase from $2.71 to 2.82 per CCF. This increase will support the continuing efforts by the city's Water Resources Department to provide the highest quality of water for our community. As stated in the 2007 Annual Water Quality Report*, our water quality surpasses all Safe Drinking Water Standards as set out by the EPA. We are required to test for 128 substances in our drinking water and the results show that the city's sources of drinking water are some of the best and purest in the country.
(*This report can be found on the Water Resources Department web page at www.ashevillenc.gov)
Volunteers Needed For Handicapped Parking Enforcement
The City of Asheville is looking for people to assist with the Volunteer Handicapped Parking Enforcement Program. Interested and qualified persons will be responsible for assisting in enforcement against illegal parking in handicapped spaces in Asheville.
This program is administered by the city's Parking Services Division with training provided by the Asheville Police Department. To be eligible, volunteers for this program must live within Buncombe County or any county it borders, successfully pass a background check and complete training. Training will include instruction on pertinent laws and ordinances, identification of appropriate handicapped placards and plates, how to write citations, and other administrative responsibilities. Volunteers will then be able to assist city officials in enforcing the proper use of parking spaces designated for handicapped users.
For more information or an application, contact Parking Services at (828) 259-5759.
Have you seen this Neighborhood?
I inherited a list of "registered" neighborhood organizations. Some have been easy to make contact with, while others remain elusive - just names on the official Neighborhood Map or the directory of neighborhood organizations within the Asheville City Limits. In order to facilitate the sharing of accurate and current information with neighborhood organizations, this information needs to be updated. In addition to making it possible for city departments and services to contact neighborhood groups, this data can be used by neighborhood organizations to support neighborhood groups networking and working together. In the hopes that folks reading this newsletter can help me with this task, every month I am going to feature a couple of the neighborhoods that have gone missing so you all can help us reconnect with these groups.
This month's "lost" neighborhood groups:
Westwood /Westwood Place Neighborhood Association
Boundaries: 240/ Patton (North)
Waynesville Ave (East-SE)
I-240 (West)
Bear Creek Neighborhood Association
Boundaries: Haywood Rd
Sandhill Road
Patton Ave
Rumbough Place
If you know the whereabouts of members of these groups, please send it to me at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov or have them contact me.
Thanks, Marsha
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Want to do something to prevent crime in your neighborhood while building a sense of community with your neighbors at the same time? Participate in the community wide-event and organize a neighborhood event for the Twenty-fifth Annual National Night Out, Tuesday, August 5, 2008. National Night Out is a unique crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. Last year's campaign involved 10,000 communities from all 50 states, US territories, Canadian cities, and military bases world wide.
Begin your participation by attending the local Kick-Off event at 5:30 pm at the Target Store off Tunnel Road in East Asheville. Join local law enforcement, elected officials, and your neighbors to learn more about local crime prevention efforts and honor our law enforcement agencies. There will be food and fun and most importantly, the winners of this year's Law Enforcement Community Service Awards will be announced.
In addition to the community-wide event, Asheville neighborhoods are encouraged to celebrate National Night Out with neighborhood activities such as block parties, cookouts, flashlight parades, exhibits, contests and youth programs. National Night Out events are designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and build community-police collaboration by promoting drug and crime prevention. More than 35 million people across the nation are anticipated to participate in this year's events.
Your neighborhood organization will be receiving a sign up form to register local events. For more information on how your neighborhood can get more involved with National Night Out, contact Marsha Stickford at 259-5506 or mstickford@ashevillenc.gov, or Melissa Williams at 259-4507 or mwilliams@ashevillenc.gov.
Neighborhood Spotlight
Shiloh Community Association
This article is a summary of a presentation made by Norma Baynes, member of the Shiloh Community Association, at the May 12, 2008 meeting of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods.
The Shiloh Community Association in South Asheville was established in 2000 to address ongoing challenges for the Shiloh Community. The Association brought community members together to identify issues, develop solutions and implement positive changes to improve the quality of life for residents. Much of the success of this organization has come from their focus on developing more effective ways to interact and partner with other organizations. The process of becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization opened up a wide range of opportunities for grants, donations and partnerships and has helped keep the Association's focus on the important issues facing the whole community. An additional factor in the success of the Shiloh Community Association is the fact that it has built on the strength of its identity as an African American Community with a rich and complex history.
The Community Association meets on the first Monday of the month at the Shiloh Community Center. Meetings are always well attended by an active group of community members who have created an impressive track record of activities and achievements. Efforts have centered on the Shiloh Community Garden, which was established on land donated by a member of the community. Fruits and vegetables grown in the garden are available to all community members and produce from the garden feeds community residents when they attend gatherings and cookouts hosted by the Association. In addition, the garden served as the basis for a very successful city-wide forum on food security this spring. The forum, entitled "From the Ground to the Plate", raised awareness of the need for all community residents to have access to a safe, culturally appropriate, and nutritionally sound diet through an economically and environmentally sustainable food system that promotes community self-reliance and social justice. These are values the Shiloh Community strives to demonstrate through their projects with the garden.
Shiloh partnered with the city to develop a Neighborhood Plan to guide future development in their area. Working with an architect, the Association created a detailed map of Shiloh with important landmarks and locations of interest and community activities and have designed and built a unique bus stop working with the Design Corp. of Raleigh. Building on the history of the community, the Association has published a Shiloh Cookbook that shares delicious family recipes and serves as a part of their on-going fundraising efforts. In addition, the Association engages in many community building and crime prevention activities. They have hosted a Citizens' Police Academy and cosponsor an annual Spelling Bee with city Parks and Recreation Department. T-shirts designed and produced by the Association are available to all members and create community pride and recognition.
Even with all these accomplishments, the Shiloh Community Association is not likely to take a break from working to improve their community. They are currently constructing a pavilion to serve as a community gathering place. This project is being accomplished through funding from a city grant and additional technical support from AB Tech. The Board is also beginning work on developing a newsletter and Association Web site. They work continuously to develop both non-profit, government and corporate partners to help support the important work of making their community a better place to live.
Save the Date
3rd Annual Neighborhood Congress:
The 3rd Annual Neighborhood Congress is in the works for Saturday, October 4, 2008. So mark your calendars and plan on joining us for an informative and entertaining time. If you are interested in helping organize the Congress or want to share ideas for neighborhood related topics to be addressed at the Congress, please contact Mike Lewis at mlewis6956@charter.net or Marsha Stickford at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov or at 259-5506.
National Night Out Kick-Off: Tuesday, August 5 at 5:30 pm on the upper parking deck of the Target Store off Tunnel Road.
Downtown Master Plan meetings:
Friday, May 30, 6-8 p.m. Asheville community Theater: Community Education Session: Current Issues in Downtown Development
Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location TBD: Downtown Master Plan Workshop
Sunday, June 1, 12:00p.m. - 3 p.m. Office of Economic Development: Drop-In Session - Master Plan Workshop Review
Thursday, June 12, 6-8 p.m., Asheville Civic Center Banquet Hall: Community Feedback Session: Draft Vision and Goals
E-News Briefs
Neighborhood Project Suggestion: Adopt-a-Storm Drain
Stormwater runoff is the #1 source of pollution for fresh-water streams and shorelines in North Carolina. Stormwater and stormwater pollution can contaminate drinking water sources, sicken swimmers, disrupt aquatic habitats, cause fish kills, contribute to flash flooding and cause land and stream bank erosion. Want to help? Consider a neighborhood project to mark local storm drains as a reminder that stormwater - and everything in it - flows directly into our streams, rivers and lakes. This is a great way for neighborhoods, clubs, and Boy and Girl Scout troops to support water quality and participate in raising awareness. The city will supply all materials needed. Please contact Marsha Stickford at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov for more information on how to organize this project for your neighborhood.
Upcoming Water Rate Increase
Look for a 4% increase in your water bill effective July 1, 2008. This increase is the first since 2001 and will mean an increase from $3.32 per 100 cubic feet of water use (CCF or 748 gallons) to $3.45 per CCF for single family homes. The rate for multi-family homes will increase from $2.71 to 2.82 per CCF. This increase will support the continuing efforts by the city's Water Resources Department to provide the highest quality of water for our community. As stated in the 2007 Annual Water Quality Report*, our water quality surpasses all Safe Drinking Water Standards as set out by the EPA. We are required to test for 128 substances in our drinking water and the results show that the city's sources of drinking water are some of the best and purest in the country.
(*This report can be found on the Water Resources Department web page at www.ashevillenc.gov)
Volunteers Needed For Handicapped Parking Enforcement
The City of Asheville is looking for people to assist with the Volunteer Handicapped Parking Enforcement Program. Interested and qualified persons will be responsible for assisting in enforcement against illegal parking in handicapped spaces in Asheville.
This program is administered by the city's Parking Services Division with training provided by the Asheville Police Department. To be eligible, volunteers for this program must live within Buncombe County or any county it borders, successfully pass a background check and complete training. Training will include instruction on pertinent laws and ordinances, identification of appropriate handicapped placards and plates, how to write citations, and other administrative responsibilities. Volunteers will then be able to assist city officials in enforcing the proper use of parking spaces designated for handicapped users.
For more information or an application, contact Parking Services at (828) 259-5759.
Have you seen this Neighborhood?
I inherited a list of "registered" neighborhood organizations. Some have been easy to make contact with, while others remain elusive - just names on the official Neighborhood Map or the directory of neighborhood organizations within the Asheville City Limits. In order to facilitate the sharing of accurate and current information with neighborhood organizations, this information needs to be updated. In addition to making it possible for city departments and services to contact neighborhood groups, this data can be used by neighborhood organizations to support neighborhood groups networking and working together. In the hopes that folks reading this newsletter can help me with this task, every month I am going to feature a couple of the neighborhoods that have gone missing so you all can help us reconnect with these groups.
This month's "lost" neighborhood groups:
Westwood /Westwood Place Neighborhood Association
Boundaries: 240/ Patton (North)
Waynesville Ave (East-SE)
I-240 (West)
Bear Creek Neighborhood Association
Boundaries: Haywood Rd
Sandhill Road
Patton Ave
Rumbough Place
If you know the whereabouts of members of these groups, please send it to me at mstickford@ashevillenc.gov or have them contact me.
Thanks, Marsha
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