In a message dated 3/6/2006, NHNA Wrote:

Alderman Moore,

The collection process and the data gathered in our NOH neighborhood, which prompted your proposed upzoning of the 7600 block of N. Paulina, is a serious concern to many NOH residents. NHNA has heard from many NOH residents who, until very recently, had no idea about any such process, or the resulting proposed changes.

Six of the nine property owners on the 7600 block of Paulina had no knowledge of this and none of the 6 were ever surveyed or contacted by any volunteers. As a resident of the 7700 block of N. Paulina, neither myself or any of the 25 or so residents on this block that I have spoken to, were ever contacted or surveyed about any NOH zoning issue, on Paulina or elsewhere.

It is because of these concerns that the NHNA Zoning Committee has requested access to the data that was gathered (NOH). You earlier stated that Michael Land would contact us, once he assembled the NOH information for our review. We look forward to that call, so that we might proceed.

Thanks,
Mike

The Alderman Responds:

Mike,

The survey you refer to was a visual survey of the neighborhood conducted by community volunteers. The survey process and forms were designed by my office with the advice of the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC). No personal interviews were contemplated in the survey.

The zoning remap process was announced in the Summer of 2003, and we had a community-wide meeting in August 2003 attended by over 100 people at which MPC representatives explained the City's new zoning code and the plans for a citywide remap. We solicited community volunteers both at that meeting and subsequent meetings in the neighborhood that were held on specific development proposals. MPC conducted two training sessions for volunteers in the Fall of 2003.

The ward was divided into 12 sections, and over the course of a year and a half, volunteers fanned out across the neighborhood and conducted visual surveys in each of the 12 sections delineating what they viewed as the "assets" and "challenges" of each block. MPC compiled all the surveys and came up with a series of recommendations for zoning changes.

Those changes were reviewed by the 49th Ward Zoning and Land Use Advisory Committee and the City's Planning and Zoning Departments and ultimately presented to the neighborhood in a series of meetings last Fall, including a meeting at Gale School. I remember that you called me, Mike, and told me that you could not attend that meeting because you were ill.

The process resulted in a series of recommendations, including the downzoning recommendations for the North of Howard area, which apparently you support, and the zoning change recommendation for the 7600 block of Paulina, which is being held for more community discussion.

Mike Land has been ill, but returned to my office today. I spoke with him earlier today about your request and told him to give you everything you asked for. He's been busy today preparing for two community meetings on development issues unrelated North of Howard, but I'm sure he will provide you with the information within the next few days.

Joe Moore