District 3 Advisory Board

District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 DISTRICT III ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES November 6, 2019 https://www.facebook.com/WichitaDistrict3/videos/421167295218085/ The District III Advisory Board meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211. Council Member James Clendenin, 8 DAB members, 3 City staff, and 6 members of the public were present. Members Present Staff Present Cindy Miles Mark Stanberry, Manager, David Robbins HOME/Neighborhood Improvement Services, Gerald Henry Housing & Community Services Jared Cerullo Matt Williams, Associate Planner, Marco Alcocer Metropolitan Area Planning Department Michael Loop Maddy Campbell, Community Services Paul Davis Representative, City Manager’s Office Ron Tracy CM Clendenin Members Absent Bruce Gass Catherine Johnson Daisy Olivar ORDER OF BUSINESS At 6:30 p.m. CM Clendenin called the DAB meeting to order. The current agenda and the minutes from October 2, 2019 were approved. There were no staff reports this month. PUBLIC AGENDA 1. Scheduled Items There were no scheduled public agenda items this month. 2. Off-Agenda Items There were no off-agenda items this month. Action Taken: Received and filed. NEW BUSINESS 3. Housing & Community Services 2020-2021 Funding: CDBG, HOME, ESG Mark Stanberry, Manager, HOME/Neighborhood Improvement Services, Housing & Community Services presented, answered questions, and collected feedback regarding federal funding priorities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers the City of Wichita to be an entitlement city and as such, Wichita receives annual allocations of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds. In order to receive these funds the City is required to prepare a Consolidated Plan every 5 years. In addition, the City is required to submit an Annual Action Plan which addresses the priorities identified in the Consolidated Plan. 1  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 DAB and members of the public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments: DAB: When do we receive these federal funds? A: July 1. DAB: How do you determine what is considered “moderate” income? A: We follow federal poverty guidelines. Many of these programs serve people whose only income is social security. DAB: Does the homeowner select the contractor for your home repair program? A: Yes, then we inspect them to make sure they are reasonable. DAB: Is the home repair program considered a grant or loan? A: It is a 5-year forgivable loan. As long as the homeowners are still there after 5 years, we forgive it. DAB: Is the City doing any land banking? A: Not currently. There have been ongoing discussions about it though. Public: Are these programs available to felons or undocumented immigrants? A: Applicants must be citizens or have permanent residency status because these programs are federally funded. The City does not look at whether or not someone is a felon. As long as they qualify for a program, we do not ask about felonies. There might be background checks on some other similar programs. DAB: Are we getting more or less funding than last year? A: We are anticipating it will be about the same. DAB: What are the qualifications for Opportunity Zones? A: The Opportunity Zone program aims to incentivize investments, whether commercial or housing, in low-income communities (determined by Census tracks). The City applies for an area to be recognized as an Opportunity Zone through the State. We recently created 5 Opportunity Zones in Wichita. Public: I have a problem with Habitat for Humanity helping to get people into homes they cannot afford to maintain. I have about 40 Habitat for Humanity homes in my neighborhood and feel they have brought the neighborhood down. Habitat for Humanity used to be a good program, but by doing whole subdivisions they are bringing areas down. Anybody that is going to buy a house should have skin in the game and be required to put money down upfront. A: Our programs require applicants to be able to qualify for a loan and make payments upfront. We try to ensure it is reasonable and that we are not setting anyone up to fail. We do not allow homebuyers accessing the program to have balloon payment loans or any type of predatory loans to their name. We have seen a low default rate in our home buyer program. DAB: I served on the Grants Review Committee this past year and can attest that applicants utilizing these programs have skin in the game. They must secure their own mortgage and funding just like anyone else. It is just the building of the home that is facilitated through the charitable organization. DAB: Do you do anything to support potential homebuyers with being prepared for the maintenance responsibilities that come with homeownership? 2  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 A: We have a booklet for our homeowners that talks about maintenance items and how to financially prepare for them. We also require our homebuyers to attend a homebuyer training class, as do many of the similar nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity and Mennonite Housing. DAB: How does the City protect its investment in public housing properties? A: The Housing Authority requires tenants to pay a security deposit and some rent dependent on their income in addition to also having insurance policies on properties. Lease agreements also give us authority to reasonably evict tenants. CM Clendenin: Many properties owned by the City through HUD will be fixed up in the near future. There is a federal program providing us with funding to rehab houses in our inventory. DAB: When funding is exhausted from one source (CDBG, HOME, ESG), can funding from another be interchangeable? Could CDBG funds be applied to HOME projects? A: Depending on eligibility issues, various funding sources can be used for a project and are interchangeable. DAB: When did Wichita start receiving these federal funds? A: We have received CDBG funding for over 50 years. Public: Awareness of these programs needs to be improved. Outreach efforts to churches and other community groups should be increased, so people know where to turn when they experience a hardship in life and need assistance. Public: The highest priority for these funds should be geared toward helping elderly homeowners remain in their homes. We should take care of the people who have taken care of us. Yes, I worry about the homeless and people who need help with rent, but I rather our programs help those who do not receive assistance/resources elsewhere. Action Taken: DAB provided comment regarding community needs and funding priorities for each type of grant. PowerPoint Presentation: https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019-11- 06%20DAB%20III%20Housing%20and%20Community%20Services%20Presentation.pdf 4. Nomination of District III Grants Review Committee Representative HUD requires that cities involve citizens in the allocation process for CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds. The City accomplishes this through a series of public hearings before the City Council and through the appointment of a Grants Review Committee which reviews proposals and applications. Action Taken: DAB unanimously nominated Marco Alcocer to serve on the Grants Review Committee.  DAB made a motion to move the originally listed New Business item #5 (South Central Neighborhood Plan) to be the seventh item on the agenda. Motion passed 8-0-0. 5. CON2019-00039 Williams presented an application on behalf of Harry RE LLC Tien Huynh (owner) and Onyebuchi Okoli (applicant) for a request for Conditional Use to permit Outdoor Vehicle and Equipment Sales on property zoned LC Limited Commercial generally located on the south side of West Harry Street and 550 feet east of South McLean Boulevard (611 W. Harry St.). 3  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 The DAB heard the request so that Wichita residents had an opportunity to express their concerns. The agent was in attendance and answered questions. The DAB and members of the public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments: DAB: Can you tell us about the project and what you plan to do? How many cars do you expect to have on that property to sell? A: The plan is to sell used cars on site. We are not interested in doing repair. DAB: Is there any business activity there now? A: No. DAB: With the closing of Harry Street Bridge there next year, there will not be any traffic or business there. DAB: My experience with that building was when it was a tire shop, but that business shut down. The property is set up to function as an auto-related business. I do not know how you would change that profile for this property. DAB: Is the business plan to repair and then sell? A: No, it is to sell. We are not interested in repair and are just doing car sales, but it is zoned to allow for repair. DAB: That is a pretty small lot. I am concerned about the size of the lot. Public: The South Central Neighborhood has specifically stated they do not want car lots in their neighborhood. I am highly against another car lot going in. If you keep allowing car lots that is all the neighborhood will be known for. I agree with staff’s recommendation to deny. DAB: No one polices whether or not listed conditions are followed unless there is a complaint. That system is broken and we should not count on it working. DAB: I understand the neighborhood does not want any more car lots, but in my opinion we should not stop someone from trying to create a legitimate business. I think we should approve this to allow the property owner the chance to make a living. Action Taken: Motion made by Paul Davis and seconded by Ron Tracy to DENY the application per staff’s recommendation. Motion to DENY PASSED 5-2-1. Full Staff Report: https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019-11-06%20DAB%20III%20CON2019- 00039%20Staff%20Report.pdf 6. ZON2019-00039 & CON2019-00038 Williams presented an application on behalf of Eugene Alteneau (applicant). The applicant is requesting a zone change from TF-3 Two Family Residential to LC Limited Commercial in addition to a Conditional Use to permit Outdoor Vehicle and Equipment Sales on property generally located on the south side of East Pawnee Avenue and 550 feet east of South Washington Avenue (1017 E. Pawnee). 4  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 The DAB heard the request so that Wichita residents had an opportunity to express their concerns. The agent/applicant was not in attendance. The DAB and members of the public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments: DAB: I believe it is just an empty lot right now. That whole block is basically being used as commercial anyway. Public: The part they are wanting to change is a buffer zone meant to separate residential uses from business. I encourage them to keep that buffer zone. DAB: It should be noted there is a screening requirement that would screen the property from nearby residences. DAB: Why is the staff recommendation different in this case (referring to car sales near the South Central Neighborhood)? A: There is no neighborhood overlay for this piece of property. Action Taken: Motion made by David Robbins and seconded by Ron Tracy to APPROVE the application subject to the listed conditions. Motion to APPROVE PASSED 7-0-1. Full Staff Report: https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019-11-06%20DAB%20III%20ZON2019- 00039%20and%20CON2019-00038%20Staff%20Report.pdf 7. South Central Neighborhood Plan Matt Williams, Associate Planner, Metropolitan Area Planning Department presented the newly updated South Central Neighborhood Plan. Over the course of the past year, the South Central Neighborhood Association has worked with MAPD and planning consultants from RDG to update their Neighborhood Plan. The project was funded by a District III Neighborhood Preservation grant and entailed several opportunities for public input including meetings, community events, a public survey, and a steering committee comprised of South Central residents and stakeholders. South Central first developed a neighborhood planning document in 1995 and later made updates in 2006 and 2009. This new plan considers the changes in who lives in the neighborhood, its emerging leadership, and the reality of the city’s challenging economic position to fund significant projects and retain low taxes. The new South Central Neighborhood Plan focuses on creating a series of short- and long-term campaigns. Like all very successful plans, ensuring implementation is largely based on the mobilizing grassroots campaigns to attract support and funding from city leaders. The plan focuses on South Central’s great potential. The neighborhood has unique historical characteristics and is a diverse, multi-cultural neighborhood with a strong base of infrastructure. Yet over the decades, the perception of the neighborhood has been poor in the community. Some properties are not as well-maintained, having overgrown yards, junk cars, and litter. The poor condition of one property influences the perception of the entire block. Major routes through the neighborhood have limited to no landscaping and need repair. Alleys are neglected, and street lighting is low. All of these attributes contribute to the stigma but also present opportunities for correcting and attracting new investment along the way. 5  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 The updated/new plan identifies (and is subsequently organized into) five distinct themes for improving the neighborhood: Building Social Capital, Maintaining & Improving Our Homes, Positioning Our Neighborhoods for Reinvestment, Enhancing the Experiencing of Moving in the Neighborhood, and Creating Places for All. Each theme (or section of the plan) begins with identifying why the theme is important and includes a vision which represents a desired outcome or what the neighborhood wants people to perceive about it. The plan further breaks down each section by listing goals stating the neighborhood’s agreed interest for doing a plan and strategies outlining ideas for action to achieve the vision. DAB and members of the public asked and made the following summarized questions and comments: CM Clendenin: Does this document replace the former plan? Does the neighborhood recommendation regarding car lots and bars as a least desired use still remain? A: This will replace the last plan. The plan does carry over the guide of least desired land uses from the previous plan. DAB: Has the City considered vacating the alleys? CM Clendenin: There has been discussion about that, but we need to consider access issues for Police, Fire, and emergency services in addition to people with their garages located in the alley. There are also a lot of utility easements in the alleys as well. Alley vacation would need to be looked at on a case by case basis. This plan will help the City focus on educating property owners that they are responsible for maintaining their part of the alley, and education is the first step to alleviating alley nuisance issues. DAB: What is a “resource processing industry”? That is listed as a least desired use. A: That refers to predatory lending. DAB: How do you support development projects before they are developed? A: Paying attention to and attending public hearings for zoning cases. Residents can provide support for projects or speak out against them in the initial stages. DAB: This plan looks like an HOA has gone completely off the rails. I understand you want nice things and nice neighbors. You have to have somebody willing to invest their time and money in something that will give them a return on investment. So far nobody has targeted this area for many of the things you are asking for because they are not seeing an investment that will create a return. A: This plan is mostly about what the neighborhood can do for themselves and is not about the City giving them things. CM Clendenin: If there is no plan on paper, then the neighborhood does not know where they are going. This is a great guide tool for the neighborhood to get involved and make changes. The Delano neighborhood has changed and blossomed because they put a plan together for what they want their neighborhood to look like, and they have started to prosper from it. The South Central neighborhood has a lot of potential and opportunity for development to make quality of life better. It is one of the most populated areas in the city. DAB: Also, applying for grants is easier with a plan like this in place. DAB: Delano has the new ballpark and commercial development/redevelopment. This neighborhood needs something to draw people there so people will infuse money into the community’s economy. What is the hub, draw, or anchor for this neighborhood? CM Clendenin: There are ideas in the plan with a lot of focus around branding. People have talked about capitalizing off of the historic nature of Old Highway 81. 6  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 DAB: Isn’t the Firefighter’s Museum down there? It might be a good idea to try to attract another museum and make it a museum area. DAB: Delano has some uniqueness. It is about preservation and repurposing. This plan does not appear to have much of a preservation element. It looks like it suggests tearing down everything unfavorable and putting something new in. I am not sure what it is going to take to convince people to go somewhere that does not have a vibrant business community at this time. CM Clendenin: No one has expressed wanting to tear anything down. Rehabbing and repurposing has been part of the discussion. CM Clendenin: A lot of things were accomplished in the last plan, but a lot was not because it relied so much on the City coming in and doing costly things. With the residents being so involved in this plan, it makes it way easier for the City to come alongside them and provide support. DAB: With the development downtown, there are so many business possibilities that could go in along Broadway such as restaurants, book stores, coffee shops, art shops, or doctor offices. Broadway is the perfect place to draw from all the traffic downtown. The neighborhood needs to continue to think and view things differently and stick to their guns on least desired land uses for the Broadway Corridor. Public: When a community comes together and defines their vision, that is true revitalization. When that does not happen and the City throws money at redevelopment, that is gentrification. CM Clendenin read a letter written by Catherine Johnson supporting the adoption of the plan. Action Taken: Motion made by Dave Robbins and seconded by Jared Cerullo to approve/endorse the South Central Neighborhood Plan. Motion passed 8-0-0. South Central Neighborhood Plan: https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019- 11-06%20DAB%20III%20South%20Central%20Neighborhood%20Plan.pdf PowerPoint Presentation: https://www.wichita.gov/Council/DABAgendasMinutes/2019-11- 06%20DAB%20III%20South%20Central%20Neighborhood%20Plan%20Presentation.pdf BOARD AGENDA 8. Updates, Issues, Reports David Robbins thanked people for attending the Fabrique Park ribbon-cutting and informed the group that the Fabrique Neighborhood Association is on their winter break and will resume meeting again in March. Mike Loop shared that the Grandview Heights/Meadowlark NA will hold an Open House/Holiday Bash on November 19. He encouraged DAB members to attend and use the event to network and share neighborhood association tips. Cindy Miles reminded the group that Veteran’s Day is coming up and the parade is this weekend. She encouraged people to get out and support veterans and thanked veterans for their service. CM Clendenin addressed questions and comments regarding upcoming changes to Douglas Avenue. He informed the group that Douglas will be narrowed to two lanes to make room for bicycles and scooters. He reported that City Engineering based this recommendation off of numerous country-wide traffic studies. Studies show that taking a 4-lane road and putting a turn lane in the center and keeping the two outside lanes moving creates a safer and more fluid traffic 7  District III Advisory Board Minutes for November 6, 2019 flow. A lot of rear end accidents are caused by traffic being stopped by left-turning vehicles and creating a turn lane significantly reduces this. Action Taken: Received and filed. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. The next District III Advisory Board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on December 4, 2019 at the WATER Center, 101 E. Pawnee, Wichita, KS 67211. Guests Janet Price (South Central Neighborhood Association) Richard Ruth Richard Hill George Dean Lisa Strohm Respectfully submitted, Maddy Campbell, Community Services Representative, District III 8