The Hill Subdivision is one of the oldest subdivisions in the city and in recent years has begun to see increased redevelopment. The Land Use Plan update recommends a project to engage The Hill community to evaluate whether additional restrictions are desired in order to maintain the character of the neighborhood. Additionally, residents in recent years have voiced concerns regarding the changing character of the neighborhood. With that said, it is unknown how widespread these sentiments are and to what extent they reach within the community. Therefore, before the City revisits code regulations for the neighborhood, a better understanding of the neighborhood's opinions and thoughts are needed.
As such, this item is before the City Council to provide an overview and solicit direction on The Hill Community Engagement Strategic Project. The purpose of the project is to establish a vision for The Hill neighborhood and determine an appropriate level of development regulations. This will be accomplished by engaging The Hill residents and property owners to evaluate whether additional development restrictions are desired in order to maintain the character of the neighborhood – recognizing that the Hill Area Residential (HR-1) zoning district created through the adoption of the Development Code in 1997 does not provide any specific conservation regulations or require new or remodeled homes to be built in a style that preserves the existing character of the neighborhood.
Through this project, the City will establish a public engagement plan – a draft of which was reviewed with the City Council Economic Development Committee – to engage residents and property owners of The Hill to outline a vision for The Hill neighborhood and evaluate whether additional restrictions are desired to achieve the vision. At the conclusion of the public engagement process, staff will deliver the results to City Council to gain their consensus on any potential projects moving forward.
At this time, staff recommends holding a workshop to review the purpose of the project and request direction on the recommended public engagement plan.