3DCity-Works

July=20 2008

City-Works=20 Newsletter

City-Works

Visit=20 Us!

Neighborhood=20 Profile=20 = Map

3D"Join

Master=20 Plan with the Force of Law
City-Works=20 supports charter change = ammendment

City-Works=20 is in support of the effort to amend the Home Rule Charter = of the=20 City of New Orleans to require the creation of a Master Plan = to=20 direct its growth. We are fully behind the initiative, but = caution=20 that this is the beginning of the work to be done to change = land-use=20 planning in New Orleans. Tough decisions will be necessary = by this=20 and future city councils to determine appropriate ordinances = on=20 conditional use permits and other challenging components = that will=20 work with these new charter change amendments and the city's = master=20 plan.

This=20 is a good start, and certainly better than what exists. = There is=20 more work ahead for all of us. =

Map=20
Released

Neighborhood=20 Profile map available=20 online.

3D"neighborhood

In=20 May, 2008 we released the latest version of the City-Works=20 neighborhood map and a corresponding paper that outlines our = research findings.

The map is interactive and now on = our=20 website. Please see the map HERE. The = full report=20 is available HERE.=20

2008 UPDATE

If you are a=20 representative of a neighborhood group and have not yet = filled out=20 the 2008 update, please fill out the online survey HERE.

Website=20 of the Month 3D"Go

New = Orleans has a great source for all things sustainable: Go Green=20 NOLA. The organization's website is full of = helpful tips=20 on going green, buying sustainable, local products, and ways = to=20 rebuild in an environmentally-sensitive manner, and much = more. The Carbon=20 Footprint Calculator is not to be missed---this=20 fascinating tool lets users accurately estimate their effect = on the=20 Earth. The website also has a monthly=20 calendar so that locals can stay up-to-date on=20 green-related events.=20

Greetings=20 Everyone!

From=20 our Office of Neighborhoods research to our support = the Master=20 Plan with the Force of Law, please read through this=20 newsletter for exciting projects that are transforming = New=20 Orleans. We have two links to surveys in this issue = that will=20 help everyone better understand New Orleans. First, = the DDD=20 has contracted with a great firm to look at mobility = issues in=20 the Central Business District, French Quarter and = Faubourg=20 Marigny. Please take 5 minutes to take the survey to = have your=20 input heard. Second, we are working hard this summer = to ensure=20 we have the most accurate information on neighborhood=20 orgnaizations in New Orleans. Partnering with NPN, we = ask all=20 neighborhood organizations who have not done so = already to=20 fill out the online form in the Neighborhood Map = section of=20 this newsletter.

Read more below:=20 =

Downtown=20 Mobility and Parking Study
Please=20 help the DDD gather valuable = information

3D"Canal The=20 Downtown Development District is conducting a survey, asking=20 questions about mobility and parking in downtown New = Orleans,=20 the French Quarter and the Faubourg Marigny. = City-Works was=20 instrumental in getting the DDD to expand the scope of = the=20 survey beyond just parking to include a holistic = evaluation of=20 mobility in the ways that people get = downtown.

From the=20 DDD's website: "The team's work consists of an = inventory of=20 currently available parking, utilization of parking, = an=20 analysis of pedestrian and bicycle accessibility and=20 conditions, and a series of focus groups with = stakeholders.=20 The study is scheduled to be completed in November=20 2008."

Take=20 the survey here = >>>

Office=20 of Neighborhoods
Research=20 on best practices across the country

In = many places=20 across America, city governments have an "Office=20 of Neighborhoods" that functions to = increase=20 citizen participation in government and to better = respond to=20 neighborhoods' concerns. City-Works researched 9 = different=20 cities' Offices to develop best practices that could = be=20 applied in starting an Office here in New=20 Orleans.

Although the objectives of each = of these=20 offices were similar, they each have novel ideas of = projects=20 that would meet their ends. In Charleston, the=20 Office assists in the planning and = implementation=20 of community projects, like neighborhood cleanups and=20 beautification. Charlotte's=20 Office has a program of leadership training = for=20 neighborhood association presidents. Baltimore = hosts=20 Open Dialogues with the Mayor through their Office.=20 Additionally, the websites that accompany these = offices are=20 great resources of information for citizens; many have = online=20 comment forms, newsletters, and guides for setting up = block=20 parties, understanding ordinances, etc. Many of them = also=20 provide links to individual neighborhood=20 associations.

Read=20 the full report here=20 >>>

Spotlight=20 on Sustainability
New=20 Orleans Food and Farm Network

3D"New Although=20 New Orleans is often viewed as a distinctly = metropolitan city,=20 it has a strong history of urban farming that New=20 Orleans Food and Farm Network is striving = promote,=20 and educate residents about this unique heritage. New = Orleans=20 Food and Farm Network offers classes that encourage = local=20 residents to pick up a shovel and learn to grow = healthy=20 produce for their families and other residents. The=20 organization offers low-cost urban gardening classes = through=20 their program, "Farm Yard Trainings", and twice-yearly = workshops, Dig=20 This!, to teach the novice the basics = of=20 gardening, in addition to other gardening promotion = programs=20 which can be found on their = website.

Additionally, New=20 Orleans Food and Farm Network advocates for = sustainable food=20 sources, and better access to healthy foods in New = Orleans. As=20 coordinators of the The=20 Food Policy Advisory Committee, the = organization=20 helps to set the standard for making sure that all in = New=20 Orleans have access to locally and regionally grown = healthy=20 foods.

The organization has also created an interactive = map=20 that pinpoints food source locations by zip code. = Emergency=20 food information and contacts are available through = this map,=20 as well, and by contacting New Orleans Food and Farm = Network=20 directly.

City-Works=20 is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the long-term=20 sustainable rebuilding of New Orleans' community, = economy, and=20 built environment. For more information about our = organization=20 please visit us on the web:

City-Works

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