Document Missoula_doc_94d44a747f

$3.50 2006 Limited Scope Update to the Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan Amendment to the 2000 Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan Adopted by City Council April 7, 2008 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 Limited Scope Update to the Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan The 2006 Limited Scope Update to the Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan was prepared for the Missoula City/County Office of Planning and Grants by independent consultant, Caitlin DeSilvey, in consultation with Laval Means (OPG). Significant review and support was also provided by Missoula City/County Office of Planning and Grants staff Mike Barton, David Gray, David Dewing, and Mike Kress. Special thanks are due to Northside and Westside residents and business owners who participated in the plan review, and to respondents of the neighborhood survey. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 1. Plan Review 1.1 Neighborhood 1.2 Public 1.3 Neighborhood Council 2. Neighborhood Profile and Update to Existing 2.1 Demographic Changes 2.2 Housing 2.3 Neighborhood 2.4 Zoning 3. Implementation Priorities 3. 1 Community Character and Historic Preservation (Ch. 3.2 Built Environment (Ch. 3.3 Neighborhood Economy (Ch. 3.4 Transportation (Ch. 4) 3.5 Parks and Open Space (Ch. 3.6 Community Services and Anchor Institutions (Ch. 3.7 Public Health and Safety (Ch. Appendix A: Summary of Action Priorities, Updates, and Proposed 23 Appendix B: 2000 Plan Text 30 Appendix C: 2006 Survey Appendix D: NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILES 33 ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN INTRODUCTION The Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan (adopted by Missoula City Council in 2000) guides development and growth in the Northside and Westside neighborhoods. The strategic vision provided in the 2000 Plan is intended to act as a guide for implementation actions—in the form of specific programs, ordinances and resolutions, funding decisions and other initiatives. General review of the Neighborhood Plan is recommended every five years and neighborhood review is recommended annually, to ensure that the Plan continues to reflect neighborhood goals and concerns and to address changes in existing conditions. The 2006 review of the Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan resulted in the production of this Limited Scope Update. The review process involved three public involvement elements: a comprehensive survey of the Northside and Westside residents and property owners; a series of open public meetings; and, review and approval of the 2006 Update by the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council. The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board and the staff of the Missoula Office of Planning and Grants offered support and guidance. During the review process, neighborhood residents and property owners reaffirmed the vision and goals expressed in the 2000 Plan. The Update, as a result, does not recommend major changes to the existing Plan. It is focused, instead, on a review and revision (where necessary) of the action items contained in the 2000 Plan. Survey respondents and public meeting participants were asked to reflect on how the neighborhoods have changed since adoption of the 2000 Plan. A summary of these changes is included in Chapter 2. Participants were then asked to review the action items in the 2000 Plan and identify priorities for implementation, based on their perception of significant, outstanding neighborhood needs. Chapter 3 presents these implementation priorities with supporting information from the review process. The identification of priorities in the 2006 Update is intended as a sorting tool, and does not invalidate other actions in the 2000 Plan; these actions remain relevant unless they are specifically suggested for removal in Appendix A. The 2006 Update focuses on action items that require the involvement of local government— such as the adoption of overlay zones and other specific strategies for preserving the diversity, integrity, and unique values of the Northside and Westside neighborhoods. Implementation steps that require primary initiative on the part of neighborhood residents, in conjunction with public or private agencies and organizations, were considered separately and are not included in this document. New concerns resulted in the proposal of several additional action items for incorporation into the 2000 Plan. The Update also identifies actions that have been successfully completed since plan adoption. While the planning process was under way, from 1996-2000, the following actions were accomplished: • Completed the Northside Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge between Owen Street and Grand Avenue. • Completed the California Street Pedestrian Bridge across the Clark Fork River. 1 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN • Established the North Missoula Housing Partnership (NMHP), which offered assistance to 30 first-time homebuyers. • Established the North Missoula Tool Library (NMTL) with City of Missoula Title I funds (managed by the Missoula Urban Demonstration Project as part of the NMHP). • Constructed Project Playground at Westside Park involving over three thousand (3,000) community volunteers and raising more than $100,000 in community donations. • Developed “Old Man Ballard” pocket park at Phillips and Holmes Streets on the Northside. • Gathered neighborhood support for the construction of nine owner-occupied homes by Habitat for Humanity and two owner-occupied homes by WORD. • Established the Land Stewardship Program. • Coordinated neighborhood support for painting of murals on Whittier School, Lowell School, and the BFI Recycling Facility. • Completed an economic survey of businesses along the railroad corridor. • Established the St. Patrick Hospital Healthy Neighborhood Project. Since 2000, building on the recommendations of the 2000 Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan, the following additional actions have been completed or are in the process of being implemented. • Constructed the Northside Greenway along the MRL tracks, extending from the Northside Overpass. • Successfully negotiated with the City to make the proposed Safeway development on West Broadway broadly compatible with the neighborhood plan, including provisions for pedestrian access, residential development, decreased store size, and trail development along the Bitterroot Spur. • Preserved the Moon-Randolph Homestead for public access, youth volunteer programs, and community education. • Constructed the Gold Dust housing development, offering eighteen units of rental housing to low-income households. • Expanded the North Missoula Tool Library to offer additional skills and tools. • Worked with the City and the State to address safety concerns about pedestrian crossing on West Broadway and Toole/California Streets (in process). • Continued to support the work of the North Missoula Housing Partnership (NMHP) and the Missoula Housing Corporation in assisting first-time homebuyers. 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN • Completed Shady Grove River Trail and expanded the sidewalk network. • Established the Missoula Outdoor Cinema at Whittier School. • Witnessed the adaptive re-use of historic neighborhood buildings, including the Ceretana Feeds building and the Stensrud Building. • Organized a neighborhood food buying club and developed plans for a community market and resource center on Burns Street. • Constructed 29 owner-occupied homes through the Land Stewardship Program. • Encouraged quality residential construction in vacant and under-used lots throughout the neighborhood. • Successfully organized and advocated for neighborhood concerns through the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council The 2006 Update – a neighborhood directive recommending strategies and policies for future development and preservation – builds on this progress. The Update is not intended to stand independently, and should be considered in conjunction with the 2000 Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan. The Update is an amendment to the Missoula Urban Comprehensive Plan (1998) and the Missoula County Growth Policy (2002). Adoption of the Update does not commit the City to carry out each policy to the letter, but it does put the City on record as recognizing the desirability of the goals and proposals and the decisions or actions they imply. Agencies responsible for many of these actions must take into consideration safety and budget constraints and other community-wide needs. Actions from this Update must also follow established City processes for implementation. The intent of the Update is to present information about how the needs of the neighborhood have changed over time, and it is not the purpose of these actions to limit options that may be recognized in the future. 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 1. PLAN REVIEW PROCESS The 2006 review of the Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan sought to involve neighborhood residents and property owners in planning and decision-making for the future of the Northside and Westside neighborhoods. A comprehensive public involvement process, carried out from May to November 2006, offered several opportunities for neighbors to share their concerns and opinions. A consultant hired by the Missoula Office of Planning and Grants conducted the public involvement components of the plan review process. 1.1 NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY In 1997, as part of the initial neighborhood planning process, the Missoula Office of Planning and Grants collaborated with local organizations to conduct a resident survey in the Northside and Westside neighborhoods. The results of this survey were used to inform the goals and action items in the 2000 Plan. As part of the 2006 review, a second neighborhood survey was conducted (with the scope extended to all property owners and business owners). Questions in the survey were designed to be broadly comparable with those in the 1997 survey. In May 2006, OPG distributed 4,079 surveys to property owners and residents within the planning boundary. Three thousand eighty-one surveys were delivered to postal customers on delivery routes within the boundary; 668 surveys were mailed to property owners outside the neighborhood or the postal routes; 330 surveys were delivered by hand to residents outside the postal routes. Three-hundred and twenty-five completed surveys were returned by business reply mail. (In 1997, canvassers knocked on 1,533 doors. 603 people answered preliminary questions and accepted a survey. 259 people returned completed surveys.) Fifty-six percent of the survey respondents live or own property on the Northside; 44% live or own property on the Westside (although there is some indication that a small portion of Westside residents may have identified themselves as living on the Northside). Fourteen percent of respondents identified themselves as owners of a business in the neighborhood. The majority of the business owners (63%) also live in the neighborhood. Homeowners were more likely to respond to the survey than renters (68% of respondents identified themselves as homeowners, in comparison with 2000 census data which indicates that homeowners make up only 39% of neighborhood residents). Full survey results are included in Appendix C. 1.2 PUBLIC MEETINGS As part of the plan review, Northside and Westside residents and property owners were invited to participate in a series of public meetings, held on May 23, June 20, and July 11. The meetings were advertised through the survey mailing, the local news media, and the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council. The introductory meeting involved a presentation on the history of the Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan and the objectives of the review process. In subsequent meetings, participants split into working groups to discuss specific areas of interest, organized around the chapter topics in the 2000 Plan. Working groups were asked to highlight priority actions from the 2000 Plan, using results from the neighborhood survey and their own discussion to inform their recommendations. A total of 30 residents and property owners attended the meetings. 4 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 1.3 NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL REVIEW Members of the Leadership Team of the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council were invited to review a draft Update document and offer their comments prior to the presentation of the Update at a full meeting of the Neighborhood Council on November 1. Notice of the meeting was sent to all postal customers within the Northside/Westside planning boundary. Copies of the Update were available for review two weeks prior to the Council meeting. At the meeting, participants in the review process presented a summary report on the contents of the Update. After approving minor amendments to two additional action items, the Neighborhood Council unanimously voted for approval of the 2006 Update. 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 2. NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILE AND UPDATE TO EXISTING CONDITIONS 2.1 DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES From 1990 to 2000 the population of the Northside and Westside neighborhoods grew by 27% (to a total population of 6,195 in 2000).1 (See Figure 2.1.1). Despite significant population growth, the demographic profile of the Northside and Westside neighborhoods has not changed dramatically since the early 1990s. The population of the area remains predominantly moderate to low-income. Census data shows that the median household income increased from $13,063 in 1990 to $19,198 in 2000, placing it well below the Missoula average (the 2000 median income City-wide was $30,366). (See Figure 2.1.2). In 2000, over 30% of neighborhood children under 18 lived below the poverty level (see Appendix D for 1990/2000 census comparison). Twenty-five percent of neighborhood survey respondents identified themselves as unemployed and looking for work in1997; in 2006, 18% were in a similar position.2 Figure 2.1.1: Northside/Westside Population 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 Northside Westside Population 1990 2000 Note: The population of Missoula City grew 33% between 1990 and 1 Source: Census profile prepared by OPG, Appendix D: Northside/Westside Neighborhood Profiles 2 Source: 1997/2006 Neighborhood Survey 6 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Figure 2.1.2 Median Household Income $0 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 Northside Westside Missoula City Median Household Income 1990 2000 However, information from the 2006 neighborhood survey indicates that people are generally less transient and happier with the neighborhood than they were in the late 1990s. In the 1997 survey, only 35% of sampled residents reported living in the neighborhood for more than six years. In 2006 the number of respondents with over six years of tenure in the neighborhood had increased to 60%. When asked where they would most like to live, 55% of respondents answered “in my neighborhood” (compared to 49% in 1997). Almost half of the 2006 survey respondents speak to their neighbors daily, sharing social activities, yard work and home repair. When asked to describe how they think the neighborhood has improved in the last five years, the majority of survey respondents mentioned their appreciation for the repair and renovation of the neighborhood’s older housing stock—often undertaken by new homeowners and young families. People also mentioned the improved sidewalk and playground facilities, and a general sense that the neighborhood is being “cleaned up.” Neighbors expressed concern about an increase in traffic problems in the neighborhood, poor quality residential development, development of multi-family housing units, and increased housing costs. 2.2 HOUSING The Northside and Westside, traditionally neighborhoods of working-class families, have experienced a significant increase in housing costs and home prices over the past several years. While the neighborhoods once provided affordable homes for first-time homebuyers, these buyers are finding it increasingly difficult to acquire property. The median price for a Missoula home increased from $140,000 in 2001 to $212,000 in 2006.3 Home prices on the Northside and Westside have risen comparably, though they still remain below the Missoula median. According to the 2006 neighborhood survey, 63% of respondents spend more than 30% of their household income on rent or mortgage. 3 Source: Missoula Association of Realtors 7 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 8 In the 1990s the demand for housing sparked an increase in development. Six-hundred and sixty housing units were added to the neighborhoods between 1990 and 2000, which brought ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN the total number of housing units to 3,088.4 The majority of these units were multi-family rentals, and the trend toward development of such properties continues. The Westside gained 152 multi-family housing units between 2000 and 2004, and the Northside gained 103.5 Most of these units were developed at the fringes of the neighborhood in areas zoned D (Industrial) or B (Residential) (see Figure 2.1). Between 2000 and 2004, 85% of the housing unit gain on the Westside was in multi-family, and 67% on the Northside. In the same period, these neighborhoods, with 12% of the City’s population, accounted for 34% of the total gain in multi- family housing.6 From 2000 to 2004 the neighborhoods experienced only limited single-family construction; the Westside gained 24 new single-family houses and the Northside 42. Of the 66 single-family homes added to the neighborhoods from 2000 to 2004, 47 (71%) were constructed as Planned Neighborhood Clusters (PNC) or with lot-line readjustments. (An additional 73 apartment units and 22 duplex units were also constructed using these land-use tools).7 The percentage of homeowners in the neighborhoods remained relatively constant from 1990 to 2000 (dropping from 40% to 39%), although certain areas in the core historic neighborhoods have seen more significant change. For example, in Census Block Groups 2.01-4 and 2.01-5 on the Westside, the percentage of homeownership dropped from 44% to 36% from 1990 to 2000, due primarily to the construction of rental units at the edges of the neighborhood. Some older houses in these core historic districts have shifted from rental to owner-occupied status, which accounts for the perception of increased homeownership and investment in these areas. The Westside continues to have a higher proportion of homeowners, with 41% in 2000 to the Northside’s 35%.8 For comparison, the Missoula City ratio is 50/50 homeowner/renter (see Figure 2.2.1). Figure 2.2.1. Renter/Homeowner Ratio Renter / Homeowner Ratio 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Northside 1990 Northside 2000 Westside 1990 Westside 2000 Missoula City 1990 Missoula City 2000 Renter Homeowner 4 Source: Census Profile Table, Attachment D: Northside/Westside Neighborhood Profiles 5 Source: Missoula On-line Statistical Survey (MOSS) Neighborhood Council Data, available at: http://www.co.missoula.mt.us/moss/Documents/RLOCALHOUSING_NEIGHBORHOOD_COUNCIL.pdf. Data correlated with Westside Neighborhood Council boundary extends beyond the planning boundary to Reserve Street. 6 Source: MOSS 7 Source: Data provided by the Missoula Office of Planning and Grants 9 8 Source: Census profile table, Attachment D: Northside/Westside Neighborhood Profile ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Neighbors remain concerned about housing affordability and access. Respondents to the 2006 survey identified the three greatest housing needs in the neighborhood as improvement of substandard housing; affordable homebuyer opportunities; and, affordable rentals. Thirty-nine percent thought there was a need for more housing for people with low and moderate incomes and 49% identified a need for more housing for the elderly. However, 40% percent of the respondents to the 2006 survey expressed the opinion that the neighborhood had too much multi-family housing. Local organizations, such as HomeWORD and the North Missoula Community Development Corporation have been active in the effort to provide affordable housing in the neighborhood. HomeWORD’s GoldDust apartments provide 18 units of rental housing to households earning 50% of the Area Median Income. The community land trust program added four new single-family homes in 2001 (with the Whittier Court PNC) and an additional 25 owner-occupied townhome units (at Clark Fork Commons) in 2005. 2.3 NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMY No recent studies on the neighborhood’s economic conditions have been conducted. Visible trends indicate that the neighborhood continues to support a mix of different kinds of economic activity—including retail, small manufacturing, transport, and service industries. Several commercial properties have seen a change in use or ownership in the six years since plan adoption. On North Orange Street, an auto service station was converted into a sandwich shop, which has since closed. The only remaining small grocery store, on Toole Avenue, closed in 2004 and is soon to be replaced with a wood-working shop. A bike retail and repair shop recently re-located to the intersection of Toole and Scott on the former site of an auto sales and service business. Some of the more significant changes have taken place along West Broadway, where a building that once housed a restaurant now houses a casino, a produce shop became a quick-lube station, and a gas station on the south side of street was demolished to make way for future development. The area between West Broadway and the Clark Fork River continues to change, with the recent addition of a boating retail/rental shop, a multi-dwelling building, and a town- house development. In other parts of the neighborhood, such as North Russell Street and the area adjacent to the mainline railroad tracks on the Westside, land once occupied by industry and shipping is rapidly being converted to residential use. A truck-shipping warehouse on the Westside is currently under conversion for use as a community market. 2.4 ZONING CHANGES Several zoning changes have been introduced since the adoption of the 2000 Plan. A few of these changes are specific to areas within the planning boundary, while others are general throughout the City. The Riverfront Triangle Special Zoning District (a triangle roughly contained by Broadway, Orange Street, and the Clark Fork River) was established to encourage mixed-use development in a “community gateway.” The ordinance is consistent with the goals for Activity Centers 5 and 11 in the 2000 Plan, and focuses on the creation of a “pedestrian friendly” streetscape, with primary entrances facing street/public areas. A request for rezoning on West Broadway, between Nora Street and Bitterroot Spur, to create the Broadway-Scott Gateway Special District, was also approved, although construction of a planned supermarket and gas station has not yet begun. 10 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN In other zoning changes, a parcel of City-owned land on North Scott Street was rezoned to P-1 (Open Space District) to accommodate soccer fields, which were proposed in the 2000 Plan. Other City-owned lands on the former White Pine Sash property (where the City Road Department is located) are now included in a special zoning district that restricts residential use. Several Planned Unit Development (PUD) districts have also been established. Much of the neighborhood remains zoned D (Industrial), B (Residential), and C (Commercial), with pockets of R-II (Two-Family Residential). Several recent changes to the City’s Zoning Ordinance affect land use and development in the neighborhoods. New Multi-dwelling Residential Site Plan Standards (Ch. 19.74), which apply to all developments with three dwelling units or over, specify requirements for setbacks, parking, landscaping, buffering and screening, and building design—including a preference for alley parking. In another recent revisions, zoning regulations for Nonconforming Uses, Structures and Lots now specify that “adjacent or contiguous lots which are in common ownership may be considered a single parcel for compliance with lot area, lot width and setbacks” (Ch. 19.62.010). Zoning variances may be required if the owner of two or more adjacent non-conforming lots wishes to develop additional residences on their property. New Landscaping and Buffering standards (Ch. 19.77) and Off-street Parking standards (Ch. 19.78) have also been introduced. Cluster Development Standards (with the Planned Neighborhood Cluster as a tool to utilize undersized lots given certain design criteria) were adopted in March 1999 (about the time that the 2000 Plan was being finalized) and reviewed by governing bodies. The Cluster Development Standards have been used as a tool in approximately 16 new residential projects in the plan area. 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 3. IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIES The 2000 Joint Northside/Westside Neighborhood Plan presented 43 goals and 168 actions designed to achieve implementation of these goals. Many of the problems identified in the initial planning process remain unresolved. The 2006 plan review sought to identify high priority actions from the original Plan and reassert the need for implementation of these actions. The review also proposed the addition of new actions to address concerns that have arisen since the production of the 2000 Plan. This chapter focuses on actions that require the involvement of City and local government, through specific programs, ordinances, resolutions, funding decisions and other initiatives. The identification of priorities in this Update is not intended to invalidate the other actions in the 2000 Plan; these actions remain viable unless they are specifically suggested for removal. Several Missoula-area planning documents have direct relevance to the goals and actions contained in this Update. Reference to the following plans attempts to provide a broad context for the current planning effort. • Missoula Consolidated Plan Update (2004) • Missoula County Growth Policy (2002) • Urban Renewal District II Plan (1991) and amendments • Transportation Plan Update (2004) • Non-motorized Transportation Plan (2001) • Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) • Parks Master Plan (2004) • Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan 2006 Update 3. 1 COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION (CH. 1) The 2000 Plan identified as a goal the need to “Maintain the neighborhoods as places where building design and land use patterns contribute to community character and a sense of history.” The Plan proposed the adoption of neighborhood Design Guidelines as a strategy to ensure a fit between new development and historic building patterns. Both the survey and the public meetings revealed continued support for guidance and regulation on appropriate design for new construction and renovations, particularly in the core historic neighborhoods. Sixty-five percent of neighbors sampled in the survey identified the adoption of design standards as a “very high” or “somewhat high” priority. The Built Environment section discusses the need for general design guidelines; guidelines specific to historic preservation goals are considered below. The 2000 Plan suggested the implementation of an historic district overlay zone in the Northside Missoula Railroad Historic District (Ch. 1/Goal A/Action and offered a detailed set of Neighborhood Historic District Design Guidelines to be applied within this zone. The Historic District Design Guidelines are intended to protect buildings, grounds, and historic land use patterns from modifications that would obscure or eradicate significant features of the historic character inside the nationally registered historic district, and they allow for (and encourage) affordable methods for home rehabilitation. Neighbors continue to support implementation of this action through overlay zoning. Pursuit of National Historic District status for the core Westside historic neighborhood (Ch. 1/Goal A/Action 1) and adoption of Neighborhood Historic 12 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN District Design Guidelines within the designated area remain high priorities. The 2000 Plan contains detailed information on the potential Westside Historic District. Public meeting participants recommended Lowell School, a key cultural resource located within the proposed Westside Historic District, for independent listing on the National Register of Historic Places (New action proposed at Ch. 1/Goal A/Action The review process also identified Ch. 1/Goal A/Action 6, “encourage adaptive re-use and remodeling to maintain the historic integrity of the commercial building stock,” as a priority, suggesting increased advertising of State and Federal tax credits and incentives for rehabilitation of historic structures. 3.2 BUILT ENVIRONMENT (CH. 2) Surveys conducted during the initial planning process found that Northside and Westside residents value the mix of different building types and uses in their neighborhood. Residents are, for the most part, pleased that the decline of the housing stock in the neighborhood is being reversed through new building and rehabilitation of older structures. There remains concern, however, that new development is often incompatible with neighborhood character and introduces development patterns that break up the fabric of neighborhood streets and alleys. People are worried about the effect that poor quality design and construction is having on their neighborhoods—particularly the development of large multi-family housing complexes, which have been linked to increased traffic and the creation of large residential areas isolated from the rest of the neighborhood. There is also some concern, although less acute, about the need to make commercial and industrial uses compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and supportive of a healthy neighborhood environment. During public meetings, the Built Environment Working Group discussed several different strategies for addressing land use issues. Participants felt that design concerns could be addressed with the implementation of the Neighborhood Historic District Design Guidelines and the more general Neighborhood Essentials Design Guidelines drafted for the 2000 Plan. As noted above, 65% of survey respondents placed adoption of design guidelines as “very high” or “somewhat high” priority. The Neighborhood Essentials Design Guidelines in the 2000 Plan propose a series of specific design standards, in addition to the existing underlying zoning standards, to encourage new development compatible with the unique qualities of the area. Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 2 and Ch 2/Goal F/Action 1 suggest the implementation of these Design Guidelines through overlay zoning for the entire area within the planning boundary. Guidelines would apply to new residential and commercial development (single-family residential would be excluded). Ch. 2/Goal A/Action 2 directs city government to include design standards in an overlay zone or other zoning changes, and to support setback variances for new construction or remodeling (to maintain the existing setback pattern). Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 1 suggests limitations on the proximity of multi-family housing developments from each other. Some of the guideline proposals may be suitable for application in city-wide zoning ordinances. Recent changes to the zoning ordinance for multi-dwelling development, for example, bring development closer to the neighborhood’s desired development patterns. Some of the concerns that the neighborhood seeks to address through the adoption of overlay zoning and the application of design guidelines stem from the underlying zoning in the area. Much of the neighborhood is zoned D (Industrial), B (Residential), and C (Commercial), with pockets of R-II (Two-Family Residential). Large areas zoned D have traditionally contained a mix of residential and industrial use. Over the past ten years, several multi-dwelling developments have been sited in these areas. Some areas of D and B zoning may be appropriate for more restrictive residential zoning—such as R-III (Multiple-Dwelling Residential), which would limit multi-dwelling development to fourplexes. The neighborhoods include several 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN large areas, particularly on the Northside, where adoption of R-III zoning would generate little or no non-conforming use. Review participants recommended that a feasibility study be initiated to examine potential zoning changes in these areas (New action proposed at Ch. 2/Goal C/Action The Plan also called for analysis of the types of uses in the D zone and revision of the zoning district to better reflect the majority of the uses in the district, perhaps altering the D zone to serve as an “Industrial Transition” district (Ch. 2/Goal H/Action and neighbors continue to support this action. Neighbors sampled in the 2006 survey expressed some concern about the density of recent development and the loss of previously open lots. On this topic, respondents often made a distinction between more and less desirable types of development. Many survey respondents appreciated the construction of new single-family homes on vacant lots. Others were concerned about “houses jammed in every open space” and “congested lots not allowing room for children to play.” Respondents also identified other undesirable changes to the neighborhood’s residential composition—including “duplexes,” “poorly designed apartment houses,” and “barrack style construction.” Nevertheless, 50% of sampled residents continue to believe that residential development of underused or vacant lots should be a high priority (26% low priority, 24% neutral), primarily to meet the need for affordable single-family homes (although opinion is split as to the desirability of continuing the tradition of alley housing in the neighborhood). Ch. 2/Goal A/Action 3 encourages residential infill and redevelopment of under-utilized or vacant sites, and incentives for high-quality infill. An improved process for soliciting neighborhood comment on planned developments was suggested as a means to address neighborhood land use concerns. Informal at the time of Plan adoption, this process is now coordinated by the Leadership Team of the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council (Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 4 and Ch. 2/Goal F/Action The neighborhood remains interested in strategies that will assure a fit between residential and commercial/industrial use. Neighbors are generally tolerant of the integration of different uses in the area, and they particularly support land use that will provide neighborhood residents with easy access to basic services (Ch. 2/Goal E/Action Neighbors remain interested in encouraging live/work mixed use facilities by reducing the required parking for businesses with on-site residential facilities (Ch. 2/Goal E/Action There is also general support for reduced parking requirements, and guidelines that place parking in rear of buildings or off existing alleys. The transition between industrial/commercial and residential uses continues to create problems in some areas, which could be addressed either through the adoption of the Neighborhood Essential Design Guidelines (to provide for screening, setbacks, lighting controls – Ch. 2/Goal H/Action 3) or through other zoning tools. The 2000 Plan contains a series of proposed guidelines for 12 Activity Centers, or sub- neighborhoods, where change is likely to occur. Neighbors continue to endorse the vision expressed in the Activity Center Guidelines, and they encourage the use of the guidelines in other planning processes and zoning changes for the specified areas—which include the West Broadway Corridor, North Russell Street, and North Scott Street. The neighborhood is interested in being involved with Missoula Redevelopment Association planning for the redevelopment of the URD II district, which overlaps with the West Broadway Activity Center and the Toole/Scoot/Spruce Street Gateway Activity Center. 3.3 NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMY (CH. 3) Neighbors appreciate the businesses that are located in the neighborhood and support measures to improve the stability and viability of the business environment. Neighborhood 14 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN business owners sampled in the survey are in general agreement with residents on neighborhood and needs. In the review process, neighbors recognized as a priority the need to conduct asset mapping and market analysis to identify business opportunities, and recruit desired new businesses to the area (Ch. 3/Goal D/Action The neighborhood survey identified several neighborhood retail needs. Bakery, coffee shop, and small neighborhood grocery store topped the list, followed by a video store, restaurant, and a garden/hardware store. Over the past five years the neighborhood experienced the closure of both a coffee shop and a small neighborhood grocery store. An effort to identify barriers to the success of such businesses would be welcome, and could perhaps be accomplished in collaboration with current business owners and organizations such as the Missoula Downtown Association, the Montana Community Development Corporation, and the North Missoula Community Development Corporation. Improved access to and awareness of financing assistance, such as loans for business start-up (Ch. 3/Goal D/Action 3) expansion or improvement (Ch. 3/Goal A/Action 1 and Ch. 3/Goal B/Action and property acquisition (Ch. 3/Goal A/Action 2) emerged as a priority for both residents and business owners. 3.4 TRANSPORTATION (CH. 4) In the 2000 Plan, the neighborhood outlined a comprehensive strategy for improving the transportation system to make streets safe for all users. Although several actions proposed in the Plan have been implemented, the neighborhood is still concerned about transportation safety. Forty percent of those sampled in the survey identified street safety as a priority area for improvement, and many expressed specific concerns about traffic on certain arterial and collector street corridors. The survey asked people to describe what percentage of their travel within the neighborhood was by various modes of transportation. The automobile was the most popular by a small margin, with 51% of trips. Walking was the preferred mode of transportation for 25% of trips, bike 20% and car-pool/bus These findings show very little change from the responses given to the 1997 survey. When asked about barriers to the use of non-motorized or public transportation, people mentioned the need to transport children or materials, inconvenient bus schedules, distance, traffic, and lack of time. The 2006 survey asked respondents to list streets or intersections that would benefit from traffic calming or other improvements, streets needing sidewalks, and streets needing bike lanes (see Appendix C for a complete listing). The following sections outline these neighborhood priorities and provide relevant background information from the City’s Public Works department on pending projects and studies. Where projects are already underway or included in the Transportation Improvement Program (a necessary step for implementation) this is noted. Other projects should be considered for inclusion in the 2007 revision of the Missoula Urban Transportation Plan (Ch. 4/Goal C/Action Street Use and Design General street use and design priorities for the neighborhood include the adoption of regulations to allow new residential and commercial uses to install a reduced amount of parking in exchange for desired design elements and amenities (Ch. 4/Goal C/Action (See Built Environment Ch. 2/Goal E/Action Neighbors also would like to see street grid system with alleys maintained in large areas of redevelopment or new development (Ch. 4/Goal C/Action Interest in a streetscape improvement scheme, with artistic and landscaping improvements 15 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN for medians and boulevards, remains strong in the neighborhood (Ch. 4/Goal F/Action 3—see public art action in Parks and Open Space). The neighborhood’s first priority for traffic calming, as determined by the 2006 survey, is Phillips Street (bundled with other streets in Ch. 4/Goal B/Action When the neighborhood proposed Phillips for a Traffic Calming project in late 1990s it was rejected on petition of the immediate neighbors. Neighbors will work to resubmit the project for consideration. Neighbors want a pedestrian crossing at North Orange Street, at the intersection with North Second Street or North Third Street (Ch. 4/Goal A/Action The area ranked fifth in the 2006 survey for streets/intersections needing traffic calming or other improvement. Marked crosswalks, signage, rumble strips, speed bumps, and a signal are all possible options. Neighbors also recommended improved turning lane marking for North Second Street at the intersection with Orange Street. Public Works is not currently considering pedestrian crossing options for this area. North First Street is the designated pedestrian route in the sidewalk network. North Orange Street is under study for addition of a third lane, which would create a center turning lane. In the 2000 Plan neighbors did not support the widening of Orange Street, citing the value of the boulevard trees and the character of the historic gateway (Ch. 4/Goal C/Action 2—see also 2000 Plan Appendix D-15). In the 2006 survey, West Broadway ranked second for streets/intersections needing traffic calming or other improvement (Ch. 4/Goal A/Action Improvements currently under way on the corridor include narrowing to three lanes (survey results indicate that this change is not uniformly popular among residents), installation of a signal at Toole Avenue and Broadway, and improvement of the Russell Street/Broadway intersection.9 A separate community planning process, scheduled for 2006-2007, will determine the need for further changes, and neighbors are committed to participation in this process. The Toole Avenue/Scott Street/Spruce Street intersection continues to present traffic congestion and crossing difficulties for neighborhood residents. The 2000 Plan suggested a striped crosswalk, a three-way stop with a flashing light, or a signal (Ch. 4/Goal A/Action The Public Works department is currently monitoring the intersection to determine any necessary improvements. Scott Street ranked fourth in the neighborhood’s 2006 survey of streets needing traffic calming or other improvements. Neighbors would like to see improved enforcement of speed limits and pedestrian right-of-way laws on Scott Street (Ch. 4/Goal B/Action Neighbors also expressed a desire for improved street lighting on North Scott Street (Ch. 4/Goal A/Action The intersection of North Fifth Street, Worden Avenue, and Stoddard Street emerged as a problem area in the 2006 neighborhood survey. The intersection is currently part of a Public Works crosswalk installation study, as is the Russell/Phillips intersection. The Transportation Needs chart in Appendix A identifies other neighborhood priorities not included in the 2000 Plan, such as traffic calming on Cooley (Northside), and a crosswalk at Spruce and McCormick. Finally, neighbors felt that truck routes (Ch. 4/Goal B/Action 4) in the neighborhood should be updated to take into account the decrease in industry on the Westside, and several neighbors expressed concern about heavy truck traffic on non-designated routes. Neighbors also reasserted that any discussion of major future transportation projects with impacts on the 9 Source: Russell/Third Environmental Impact Statement 16 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN neighborhood—such as a link from Russell Street to a new I-90 interchange—should include opportunities for neighborhood comment and take into account neighborhood traffic and safety concerns (Ch. 4/Goal C/Action Sidewalks, Trails, and Boulevards The neighborhood’s network of sidewalks and trails has improved considerably in the past ten years, with the addition of the Northside Greenway and Pedestrian Bridge, the California Street Bridge, and the expansion of the sidewalk network. Thirty-five percent of neighbors use the California Street Bridge at least once a month (25% Northside/51% Westside). A similar pattern is evident in the use of the Northside Pedestrian Bridge, which 45% of neighbors use at least once a month (55% Northside/38% Westside). There is some evidence, however, that public safety concerns are reducing the number of people using the pedestrian bridge (see Parks and Public Health and Safety for further discussion). Neighbors appreciate the recent developments in the bike/trail network and encourage continued attention to improving and expanding existing facilities. Necessary improvements include the installation of lighting on the Northside Greenway (New action proposed at Ch. 4/Goal D/Action Regarding expansion plans, particular interest was expressed in Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 2, development of a Westside Greenway System, following the Bitterroot Spur line and the mainline tracks. People are also interested in the installation of an improved bike/walkway closer to river level at or near the existing Bitterroot Railroad Spur line bridge, to complete the Bitterroot Railroad Spur Line Trail and allow pedestrian and bike travel to the ball stadium and McCormick Park (Ch. 4/Goal D/Action On the Northside, there is continued interest in development of a bike/ped trail following the mainline tracks from North First Street to the Madison Avenue/Greenough Drive intersection (Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 3) and an off-street greenway trail parallel to I-90 from Orange Street to Coal Mine Road, to improve access to the North Hills (Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 4 – see also 2000 Plan Appendix D-12). Neighbors would also like to see a feasibility study for the installation of a trail access tunnel underneath I-90 from Northside Park to the North Hills (New action proposed at Ch. 4/Goal D/Action The on-street bike lane network continues to develop. Most of the main travel corridors in the neighborhood wide enough to accommodate bike lanes have been marked, including Scott Street and Toole Avenue (between West Broadway and Scott Street). On several streets, the need for on-street parking or width of street does not allow for striped lanes. Those areas not wide enough —such as Spruce Street from the Bitterroot Spur to Orange Street—are marked as bike routes. Other streets where bike lanes are desirable (Phillips Street, North Orange Street, North Russell Street) would require major reworking of the street to accommodate the lanes, or a loss of on-street parking. Neighbors are encouraged to work with the Office of Public Works to identify options on these street corridors. On the Northside, the North Fifth Street/Worden Avenue/Cooley Street route connecting Orange Street and Scott Street receives a substantial amount of through traffic, and should be considered for bike lanes (Ch. 4/Goal D/Action Neighbors support the continued development of the sidewalk network, with particular attention to linking key areas, such as parks and schools, to allow children transportation independence (Ch. 4/Goal E/Action Neighbors support the goals of the “Safe Routes to School” program. The City’s Master Sidewalk Plan identifies a Primary Sidewalk Network and a Secondary Sidewalk Network that will, on completion (within the next ten years), place every residence within a two-block distance of the sidewalk network. Most of the sidewalk suggestions gathered in the neighborhood survey are either in the Network or within one block of a Network street (Table 3.1). 17 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN The Primary Sidewalk Network on the Westside includes North Russell Street /Phillips Street/Toole Avenue /Scott Street and Scott Street/Cooley Street/Worden Avenue/North First/North Orange Street/North Second Street (Ryman to Greenough Drive) on the Northside. This Network is scheduled for completion within the next two to four years. The Secondary Sidewalk Network includes Cooley Street and Bulwer Street (with a link to the California Street Bridge) on the Westside and Pullman Street/Dickens Street from Pullman Street to Cooley Street, Waverly Street (from Cooley Street to Greenway) /Greenway. The goal for the Secondary Network is completion in 5 years. The Master Sidewalk Plan also identifies priority areas, to be scheduled for sidewalk installation after the completion of the Primary and Secondary Network. The area south of Toole is located in Priority Area 1, and the area north of Toole is in Priority Area 2. Table 3.1 2006 Survey - Sidewalk Priorities by Street Corridor Rank Corridor Total in Survey 1 Scott Street (partially completed post-survey) 27 2 Cooper Street 25 3a Howell Street 21 3b Defoe Street 21 4a Dickens Street 19 4b Stoddard Street 19 5 Sherwood Street (Westside) 14 6 Turner Street 13 7 Waverly Street 12 18 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 3.5 PARKS AND OPEN SPACE (CH. 5) In the 1997 neighborhood survey, walking paths came out at the top of the list of desired parks and recreation facilities, followed by a swimming pool and an ice-skating rink. The latter two (more appropriately considered as community resources) were removed from the 2006 survey selection. The resulting 2006 top three desired park facilities were: trail access to open space, walking paths, and public art on streets/in parks. The survey also collected information about the use of parks, finding that people tend to use the parks closest to their homes, even when improved facilities are available within a relatively short distance. For example, 44% of Westside residents use Westside Park once a month or more, while only 27% of Northside residents claim to do so. On the other side of the tracks, 40% of Northside residents use Northside Park once a month or more, while only 10% of Westside residents use Northside Park as often. Forty-six percent of those sampled in the survey placed “trail access to open space” among the top three parks and recreation improvements needed for the neighborhood, while 43% identified a need for “walking paths.” Northside and Westside residents can access the North Hills at Greenough Drive and, during limited times, at the Moon-Randolph Homestead on Spurlock Road. An unofficial access point at the Orange Street interstate interchange serves some residents. Despite the absence of an accessible trailhead, 34% of neighborhood residents use the North Hills trails at least once a month. Ch. 5/Goal A/Action 1 suggests improvements to the existing North Hills trailhead and trail system and protection of additional North Hills open space (see also guidelines for Activity Center 6 in the 2000 Plan and recommendations of the 2006 Update to the Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan). Trail access options favored by the neighbors include development of a trailhead and “gateway” park at Orange Street, a tunnel under the interstate from Northside Park, and a designated trailhead and parking area on Spurlock Road. Improved trail maintenance, signage, and maps would complement improvement of trail access. Trails improvements should be tied in to the off-street trails system proposed in the Transportation section. Neighbors would like to work with the Parks and Recreation Department to suggest improvements to neighborhood/pocket parks (including Little McCormick Park and Northside Park) that will encourage more use by neighborhood residents (Ch. 5/Goal A/Action Some of the possible steps include improved maintenance for the Northside Park picnic shelter, addition of BBQ facilities, installation of sound barriers along the interstate, and resurfacing of the basketball court. The Northside Park water feature is popular, and few of the children who live in the area near Northside Park have the opportunity to visit the new water feature in Westside Park. Neighbors are willing to work with the City to find ways to keep the turtle water feature in operation. The neighborhood would also like to work with the Parks and Recreation department to establish and maintain pocket parks (defined in the Master Parks and Recreation Plan as a park with an area less than two acres) in other parts of the neighborhood. A need has been identified for pocket park development on the North and South sides of the Northside Pedestrian Bridge (Ch. 5/Goal C/Action to increase the presence of neighborhood residents and discourage loitering in the area. Pocket park improvements in this area might include basketball courts, plantings, public art, and children’s play equipment (with a possible ‘railroad’ theme). Other potential pocket park sites identified in the Plan include the intersection of West Spruce and Toole (Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 2) and the area north of the Orange Street interchange (Ch. 5/Goal C/Action Additional parks facilities are needed in areas undergoing intensive residential development, such as North Russell and North Scott Streets (Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 19 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN The Master Parks and Recreation Plan identifies both of these areas as under-served by park facilities, with a level of service of zero acres per 1,000 population (based on their distance from existing neighborhood and pocket parks). Soccer fields planned for development on the former White Pine Sash site on North Scott will improve service in this area, and neighbors would like to work with the Parks and Recreation department to include other parks amenities, such as trails and pocket parks, in this development (Ch. 5/Goal B/Action Neighbors are supportive of the development of public art projects throughout the neighborhood parks and boulevards. Twenty-four percent of those sampled in the survey placed “public art on streets and in parks” in their top three priorities for parks and recreation improvements. This is consistent with the findings of the Missoula Area Community Survey conducted during preparation of the Master Parks and Recreation Plan, which recognizes the value of efforts to “incorporate historical and cultural resources and art into park designs”. Public meeting participants suggested a joint effort between Parks and Recreation and the Neighborhood Councils to develop a process for soliciting and siting public art in neighborhood parks, pocket parks and available street spaces (New action proposed at Ch. 5/Goal A/Action Neighbors would also like to work with the Urban Forester to educate residents about caring for boulevard trees, and initiate a tree planting effort in areas that currently lack street trees (Ch. 5/Goal D/Action 3.6 COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS (CH. 6) Several agencies, organizations, and institutions work in the neighborhood to offer basic services and skills to enhance neighborhood well being. While neighbors are aware of the significant institutions in the neighborhood, such as schools and hospitals, awareness of other resources is less comprehensive, and would benefit from an outreach and education effort. Strong opinion emerged in public meetings about the need to support reinvestment in Lowell School, as a valuable community resource (Ch. 6/Goal A/Action As noted in the Community Character and Historic Preservation section, neighbors propose seeking listing of Lowell School on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of the contribution the structure makes to neighborhood history and integrity. Neighbors also support bringing needed public health and human services resources to the children and families served by Lowell (Ch. 6/Goal A/Action In 1997, 41% of neighbors felt that their health insurance was not adequate. In 2006, 38% of neighbors stated that they had a health or dental problem untreated due to cost. Twenty percent of neighbors in 2006 were uninsured, and 21% on Medicare or Medicaid. Only 33% of neighbors sampled in the survey were aware of Partnership Health Center. Public and governmental support could provide resources to improve access to and awareness of health care resources for underserved families. When asked their opinion about the need for social activities and community facilities, neighbors responded with a desire for (ranked high to low) a food-coop, teen programs, dance/drama/art programs, after-school programs, senior programs, and community meeting space. Development of a neighborhood food co-op is currently underway, and government support would further the goal to improve neighborhood health through access to high-quality, affordable food (Ch. 6/Goal C/Action There is continued neighborhood interest in the establishment of a community center (Ch. 6/Goal D/Action an effort that could benefit from government 20 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN support in form of grants and loans. One of the goals of the community center would be to promote adult education opportunities and improve access to computer resources (Ch. 6/Goal D/Action Participants in public meetings also suggested the establishment of an open- access neighborhood-wide wireless internet network (New action proposed at Ch. 6/Goal D/Action The number of childcare facilities in the neighborhood has decreased since late 1990s. According to participants in public meetings, the neighborhood now has only one registered childcare facility. Missoula County and City of Missoula Title 1 are possible funding sources for childcare scholarships and childcare provider training and support (Ch. 6/Goal F/Action 3.7 PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY (CH. 7) Neighborhood perceptions of public safety have deteriorated since the 1997 survey. While 52% of Northside residents agree (either strongly or somewhat) that their neighborhood is very safe, only 34% of Westside residents felt similarly, and, more significantly, 39% of Westside residents strongly disagreed with the statement “My neighborhood is very safe.” Neighbors are concerned about burglary and the safety of women walking alone at night—although most feel their close neighbors are very trustworthy. Neighbors are mixed in their opinion about the level of protection provided by the Police Department. Forty-eight percent agreed that protection was adequate, Twenty-two percent disagreed, and Thirty percent were neutral. The 2006 survey asked neighbors which parts of the neighborhood they avoid because they feel unsafe (Table 3.2). Many survey respondents expressed concern about the presence of transients in the area around the 3:16 Mission, located on Railroad Street just west of the Northside Pedestrian Overpass. Concern for safety extended out from the Mission to include Railroad Street and Toole Avenue, and was highest in the vicinity of the Pedestrian Overpass. This concern was not present when the Plan was adopted in 2000. Increased community Table 3.2 2006 Survey - Northside/Westside Areas Avoided Due to Safety Concerns Rank Area Total in Survey 1 Northside Pedestrian Overpass 40 2 Railroad Street 13 3 Orange Street Underpass 10 4 Toole Avenue 9 5 Mobile Home Parks 8 6 Near/Under the Scott Street Bridge 7 7 Near the 3:16 Mission 7 21 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN policing of the bridge and the surrounding areas may address the problem, in part (Ch. 7/Goal F/Action but other solutions are needed. Pocket park development near the pedestrian bridge (see Parks and Open Space) and lighting on the Northside Greenway (see Transportation) would provide more security for neighborhood residents. Neighbors would also appreciate support for a mediation process between the management of the Mission and concerned residents (New action proposed for Ch. 7/Goal E/Action Environmental health issues continue to trouble residents. Neighbors would like to work with current owners of the former White Pine Sash property to ensure safe and compatible development at the superfund site, possibly through a master planning initiative (Ch. 7/Goal A/Action Neighbors would also like to be kept informed about remediation plans for contamination at the Burlington Northern Superfund site, at the east end of the neighborhood. Resolution of environmental health hazards caused by air and noise pollution surrounding the Montana Rail Link facilities is a neighborhood priority. The 2000 Plan recommended City/County Health Department participation in a meeting between industry representatives and neighborhood residents to address resident safety concerns (Ch. 7/Goal B/Action Neighbors remain committed to this proposal, and would like to discuss adoption of pollution abatement standards and strategies for mitigating environmental health risks such as diesel fumes from idling engines, herbicide spraying, and particulate pollution (Ch. 7/Goal B/Action Finally, two recent rail accidents in close proximity to neighborhood residences have intensified neighborhood concern about disaster planning. Although the 2000 Plan recommended measures for improving neighborhood involvement in and awareness of disaster/evacuation, neighbors remain, for the most part, uninformed about what would be expected of them in the event of an incident. Neighbors remain interested in collaborating with the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management to gather information about disaster response and evacuation plans (Ch. 7/Goal D/Action determine potential health risks from hazardous cargo (Ch. 7/Goal D/Action and educate residents (Ch. 7/Goal D/Action 22 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN APPENDIX A: SUMMARY OF ACTION PRIORITIES, UPDATES, AND PROPOSED ADDITIONS CHAPTER 1 (Community Character and Historic Preservation) Ch. 1/Goal A/Action 1 (priority): Work with the Historic Preservation Officer at OPG to establish an historic district on the Westside within the proposed boundaries. Organize a volunteer survey and historic research effort. Implement an Historic District Overlay Zone when status is granted. Ch .1/Goal A/Action 3 (priority): Implement a proposed overlay zone in the Northside Missoula Railroad Historic District to apply Neighborhood Historic District Design Guidelines which will ensure an adequate fit between new or improved development and historic neighborhood design. Ch. 1/Goal A/Action 4 (update): Protect key historic landmarks in the neighborhood but outside the Historic District through designation as a “Cultural Resource” according to the guidelines in Missoula City Zoning Ordinance Chapter 19.60. Remove Montana DOT Building/City Streets Department and St. Joseph Grade School from list of Cultural Resources. (Both pending demolition.) See also page AD-6, West Broadway Activity Center Ch. 1/Goal A/Action 6 (priority): Encourage adaptive re-use and remodeling to maintain the historic integrity of the commercial building stock . Advertise the twenty percent (20%) Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit and the additional five percent State Historic Tax Credit for commercial buildings in designated historic districts. Explore other options for tax incentives for sympathetic new development and remodeling, seeking state legislation to provide special tax breaks or incentives. Ch. 1/Goal A/Action 9 (proposed addition): Work with the City Historic Preservation Officer and the Missoula County School District to pursue listing of Lowell School on the National Register of Historic Places. CHAPTER 2 (Built Environment) Ch. 2/Goal A/Action 2 (priority): Encourage the construction of similar, compatible units by: including design standards in an overlay zone or other zoning changes; supporting setback variances for new construction or remodeling; and supporting changes in zoning for historic patterns. Ch. 2/Goal A/Action 3 (priority): Encourage residential in-fill and redevelopment of under-utilized or vacant sites and create economic incentives for using desired design features to produce high quality in- fill housing. Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 1 (priority): Limit the proximity of multi-family developments from each other. Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 2 (priority): Implement Neighborhood Essentials Design Guidelines for new or substantially improved residential development through a proposed overlay zone or other zoning tools to ensure compatibility with neighborhood character and goals. Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 4 (update): Continue the informal neighborhood design review process (through Northside and Westside Neighborhood Associations and Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council for new residential development (not single-family). Amend to: Continue and strengthen the neighborhood design review process for all proposed residential (not single-family) development through coordination with the Leadership Team of the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council. Ch. 2/Goal C/Action 6 (proposed addition): Study the feasibility of rezoning existing B and D zoning in residential areas to R-III or R-II, with the intent of retaining existing patterns of single-family and limited multi-family development. 23 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Ch. 2/Goal E/Action 1 (priority): Encourage live/work mixed-use sites by reducing the required parking for businesses with on-site residential facilities housing above retail). Document existing enterprises and establish a list of desired live/work commercial activities, defined by levels of acceptable noise, parking generation, and health and safety concerns. Ch. 2/Goal E/Action 2 (priority): Support land use that will provide neighborhood residents with easy access to basic services small grocery, auto repair, coffee shops). Focus development in identified activity centers. Ensure that existing zoning will allow for these uses and include any needed changes in a zoning overlay or other zoning tools. Ch. 2/Goal F/ Action 1 (priority): Implement Neighborhood Essentials Design Guidelines for new or substantially improved commercial development through a proposed overlay zone or other zoning tools. Ensure compatibility with neighborhood character and goals and recommend that new development be “neighborhood-friendly” in design (e.g. entrances on street; pedestrian accessible; landscaping; parking in rear or reduced parking). Ch. 2/Goal F/Action 2 (update): Continue the current informal design review process for new commercial and industrial development projects, through which the Planning Office refers projects to the neighborhood associations and Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council for review, to encourage new business development to consider neighborhood needs when determining potential uses, site development and design. Amend to: Continue and strengthen the neighborhood design review process for all proposed commercial development projects requiring discretionary review, through coordination with the Leadership Team of the Federated Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council. Ch. 2/Goal F/Action 3 (priority): Investigate brownfields (White Pine Sash) potential for small business and light industrial uses and include preferred uses in future overlay zoning. Continue to work with owners to create a joint vision. Encourage master planning of the site with an open house workshop for neighborhood input into the property owner’s utilization of property. Ch. 2/Goal H/Action 3 (priority): Implement Neighborhood Essentials Design Guidelines and overlay zoning to establish provisions for: adequate screening between commercial uses and adjacent residential uses, appropriate setbacks, neighborhood-friendly building design (no blank walls on street, limited parking on streetscape, limited location of garage doors on streetscape, etc.), and shielded industrial and commercial lighting. Ch. 2/Goal H/Action 4 (priority): Revise current zoning by implementing an Overlay Zone to meet neighborhood needs/goals. Analyze the types of uses in the (Industrial/Residential) zone and revise the zoning district to better reflect the majority of uses in the district. Use the zone as an “Industrial Transition” District. CHAPTER 3 (Neighborhood Economy) Ch. 3/Goal A/Action 1 (priority): Create a special loan fund to provide financing for businesses in the neighborhood to expand or improve their operations. Work with Montana Community Development Corporation loan program and the Ch. 3/Goal A/Action 2 (priority): Provide affordable financing options for business renters who wish to acquire their property. Ch. 3/Goal B/Action 1 (priority): Provide affordable financing reinvestment options for businesses that wish to rehabilitate their buildings, renovate facades, continue sidewalks, redesign parking lots, or install landscaping. On West Broadway, work with MRA to take advantage of Urban Redevelopment District II tax-increment financing for reinvestment projects. 24 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Ch. 3/Goal D/Action 2 (priority): Conduct asset mapping and market analysis to narrow down neighborhood business opportunities for desired services, identify opportunities, and recruit desired new businesses to the area. Within designated Activity Center areas, prioritize the establishment of businesses that neighbors have already identified a need for. Ch. 3/Goal D/Action 3 (priority): Publicize existing opportunities for small business start-up and expansion loan funds available through MCDC. Provide small-business consultation and development services for maintaining and establishing small home-based “cottage industry” and “alley businesses.” CHAPTER 4 (Transportation) Ch. 4/Goal A/Action 1 (priority/update): Work with appropriate agencies to address a pedestrian crossing at North Orange Street, near the Providence Center, to alert motorists to pedestrian uses. Options include thermo-plastic crosswalks, signage, rumble strips, and/or speed bumps. Amend to include: Improve marking for turning lanes on North Second Street at the intersection with Orange Street. Ch. 4/Goal A/Action 2 (priority/update): Work with appropriate agencies to find and implement a solution for current traffic congestion and public safety hazards on West Broadway, specifically addressing: Broadway/California Street/Toole Avenue intersection redesign (options may include: change the California Street/Broadway/Toole Avenue intersection to produce a 90-degree intersection; make Toole Avenue one way (moving west) near West Broadway and route east-turning traffic onto Burton Street). Remove, action complete. Coordinate the solution for #1 with bike/pedestrian crossing on West Broadway in the vicinity of California Street Bridge to provide safe crossing for Eagle Watch Estates residents and others. Amend to: Ensure that traffic configurations for West Broadway provide safe crossing for Eagle Watch Estates residents and others. Improved pedestrian crossing at West Broadway and North Russell Street. Set traffic lights to provide time for safe pedestrian and wheelchair crossing. Amend to: Ensure that planned improvements to the West Broadway/North Russell Street intersection provide adequate provision for pedestrian and wheelchair crossing. Improved pedestrian crosswalk, flag system, or controlled signal near St. Patrick Hospital, in the vicinity of Main Street, Owen Street, and West Broadway. Remove. Action complete. Design features such as bulb-outs and landscape medians at key West Broadway intersections, including North Russell Street, California Street, Scott Street, and Owen Street. Amend to: Promote the adoption of design features such as bulb-outs and landscape medians during the West Broadway Corridor Charrette process. In-process corridor analysis of West Broadway from Mullan Road to North Orange Street. Amend to: Actively encourage neighborhood participation in the West Broadway Corridor Charrette process (which will address future land use, transportation, access, and safety for the corridor). Ch. 4/Goal A/Action 7 (priority): Work with City Public Works Department to provide street lights from Palmer Street to Pullman Street on North Scott Street. Ch. 4/Goal B/Action 2 (priority): Work with Traffic Calming Steering Committee (TCSC) to research the viability of traffic calming (e.g. landscaped medians, woonerfs, bulb-outs) for neighborhood streets, including Scott Street, West Broadway, Phillips Street, North Fifth Street, North Second Street truck route, and West Alder Street near Little McCormick Park. 25 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Ch. 4/Goal B/Action 3 (priority): Encourage motor vehicle users to observe existing traffic speed limits and pedestrian right-of-way laws by installing signs and enforcing posted limits, with Scott Street Bridge as a priority for enforcement. Ch. 4/Goal B/Action 4 (priority): Study and recommend any necessary changes to truck routes in the Transportation Plan. Involve representatives of companies that use trucks in the neighborhood and residents from the neighborhoods. Enforce truck routes through the neighborhoods. Ch. 4/Goal C/Action 1 (priority/update): Significant transportation projects should take into account neighborhood goals. Amend to: Actively encourage neighborhood participation in Missoula Urban Transportation Plan updates and in other transportation planning processes. Ch. 4/Goal C/Action 2 (priority): Work with appropriate agencies to ensure that future transportation plans do not include a plan to reconfigure the Orange Street underpass in a way that would require the closure of North First Street or Railroad Street or the loss of any historic buildings or boulevard trees. Preserve North First Street and Railroad Street as critical alternative travel routes for neighborhood non- motorized and motorized traffic crossing North Orange Street. Ch. 4/Goal C/Action 3 (priority): Support reduced parking requirements in the planning area, and work with the Planning Office to implement strategies for allowing new residential and commercial uses to install a reduced amount of parking in exchange for desired design elements and other amenities. Ch. 4/Goal C/Action 4 (priority/update): Ensure that the neighborhoods have opportunities for comment on future transportation planning regarding North Russell Street. Amend to: Provide the neighborhoods with opportunities for comment on future transportation planning regarding North Russell Street and ensure that such planning takes into account neighborhood preference that Russell Street remain a neighborhood street. Ch. 4/Goal C/Action 5 (priority): Maintain street grid system with alleys in all large areas of redevelopment or new development for residential use whenever possible, to reduce the need for on- street parking, to provide alternative transportation routes through alleys, and to maintain the traditional streetscape. Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 1 (update): Work with appropriate agencies to implement proposed bike/pedestrian routes along streets, sidewalks, and other trails to link key areas, including parks and neighborhood services. Install bike lanes on streets where recommended. Update to Figure 4-3, include proposed bike lanes on North Fifth Street/Worden Avenue/Cooley Street. Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 2 (priority): Work with appropriate agencies to create a Westside Greenway System along the following corridors subject to property owners’ approval:(1) between the Northside Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge terminus on Owen Street and the Bitterroot Railroad Spur Line, between the mainline tracks and West Broadway next to the spur line, from the Bitterroot Railroad Spur Line to North Russell Street, next to the main line tracks (low priority), and extending the existing Shady Grove Riverfront Trail to North Orange Street. Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 3 (priority/update): Work with appropriate agencies to create a Northside Greenway System along the following corridors subject to property owners’ approval:(1) from Northside Pedestrian Bridge to Scott Street Bridge (in process), from Northside Pedestrian Bridge to Madison Avenue/Rattlesnake Creek, along Scott Street or through future White Pine Sash development area joining the Grand Street/Scott Street Rail Greenway to the (proposed) Interstate Greenway. Amend to note completion of item # 1. Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 4 (priority): Work with appropriate agencies to create an interstate greenway system between Northside Park and Scott Street on the south side of I-90 with connecting access to the 26 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN North Hills via Coal Mine Road. A loop trail system could be created depending on cooperation of property owners. Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 6 (priority/update): As long-term actions, consider enhancing links by: building a second bike/pedestrian bridge or grade level crossing, installing an improved bike/walkway closer to river level on the existing Bitterroot Railroad Spur line bridge (to complete Bitterroot Railroad Spur Line Trail). Amend to: As long-term actions, consider enhancing links by: building a second bike/pedestrian bridge or grade level crossing, installing an improved bike/walkway closer to river level at or near the existing Bitterroot Railroad Spur Line Bridge (to complete Bitterroot Railroad Spur Line Trail). Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 7 (proposed addition): Install lighting on the Northside Greenway to improve pedestrian safety. Ch. 4/Goal D/Action 8 (proposed addition): Prepare a feasibility study for the installation of a trail access tunnel underneath I-90 connecting Northside Park to the North Hills trail system. Ch. 4/Goal E/Action 3 (priority/update): Work with City Public Works Department to develop a neighborhood sidewalk plan to connect all park areas and school areas with a network of sidewalks and bike lanes to allow children transportation independence and access (including access to McCormick Park). Relate to the “Safe Routes to School Program.” Amend to: Work with City Public Works Department to educate the neighborhood about the planned Primary and Secondary Sidewalk Network and offer resident comment on strategies to better develop the system to allow children transportation independence and access (including access to McCormick Park). Relate to the “Safe Routes to School Program.” Ch. 4/Goal F/Action 3 (priority/update): Establish a streetscape improvement theme that is consistent along West Broadway, by utilizing artistic or landscaping techniques. Amend to: Establish a streetscape improvement theme along West Broadway and other main travel corridors, incorporating public art and landscaping features in a consistent theme. CHAPTER 5 (Parks and Open Space) Ch. 5/Goal A/Action 1 (priority/update): Work with the City and the North Hills Sub-Committee of the Open Space Advisory Council to manage public access to North Hills Open Space and seek additional purchase of, or conservation easements on, adjacent lands. Encourage City efforts to establish a North Hills hiking event and improve the existing trailhead and trail system. Seek alternative funding sources. Amend to: Work with the City and the City Park Board to manage public access to North Hills Open Space and seek additional purchase of, or conservation easements on, adjacent lands. Encourage City efforts to establish a North Hills hiking event and improve the existing trailhead and trail system. Seek alternative funding sources. Consider the feasibility of developing trailhead access from Northside Park (under 1-90), from the Orange Street/I-90 interchange, and from Spurlock Road. Ch. 5/Goal A/Action 3 (priority/update): Identify improvements such as the addition of more playground equipment to Little McCormick Park and Northside Park that will encourage more use by neighborhood residents. Work with Missoula County Public Schools and City Parks Department. Amend to: Implement improvements to neighborhood parks (Little McCormick Park, Northside Park, Westside Park) to encourage more use by neighborhood residents. Suggested improvements include re-surfacing of basketballs courts, improved maintenance of picnic tables and shelters, and continued operation of the Northside Park “turtle” water feature (with assistance from neighborhood volunteers). Ch. 5/Goal A/Action 6 (proposed addition): Develop a process for soliciting and installing public art in neighborhood parks, pocket parks and available street spaces. 27 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Ch 5/Goal B/Action 1 (update): The neighborhood and other interested parties would like to see the Randolph Homestead preserved. Uses such as a community history education site, community orchard and potential demonstration site for homesteading skills should be considered. Preservation achieved. Amend to: Support the Moon-Randolph homestead use as a community history education site, community orchard and demonstration site for homesteading skills. Ch. 5/Goal B/Action 3 (priority): Coordinate future use of White Pine Sash land with potential greenway system, “pocket parks”, playing fields, community gardens, and/or other recreational opportunities. Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 2 (priority/update): Work with land owners and City Parks Department to develop a neighborhood initiated and maintained “pocket park” at the intersection of West Spruce Street and Toole Avenue, on land owned by the adjacent dairy distributor. Amend to: Work with land owners and City Parks Department to develop a neighborhood initiated and maintained “pocket park” at the intersection of West Spruce Street and Toole Avenue. Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 3 (update): Create a Gateway Park at the north end of North Orange Street on the old Healy homesite and across the street on the boulevard. Remove, site used for other purpose. Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 4 (priority): Conduct a neighborhood workshop to discuss future options for the land north of the Orange Street Interchange. Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 5 (priority/update): Create “pocket parks” at both sides of the Northside Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge. Identify funding sources and implement as soon as possible. Get on City plans ASAP. Consider installation of basketball courts and other facilities. Amend to: Create “pocket parks” at both sides of the Northside Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge. Convene a planning meeting between the Neighborhood Council and Parks and Recreation to consider installation of facilities, such as basketball courts, children’s play equipment, and public art. Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 6 (priority): Work with the Lion’s Club to enhance the facilities at Lion’s Park, next to the California Street Bridge. Ch. 5/Goal C/Action 8 (priority): Explore potential for a “pocket park” at the northwest corner of the Westside where the neighborhood is experiencing intensive multi-family residential development. Ch. 5/Goal D/Action 3 (priority): Work with the City Urban Forester to educate residents about caring for boulevard trees and provide residents with resources to plant trees in unfilled spaces, especially in the northern half of the Northside. Work with MUD on a landscaping advisory program. CHAPTER 6 (Community Services and Anchor Institutions) Ch. 6/Goal A/Action 1 (priority): Support reinvestment in Lowell School. Conclude the planning process with a letter written by the neighborhood to the MCPS Board of Trustees and Administration detailing Lowell School’s indispensable role in the Northside and Westside public health and community welfare. Establish priorities for teacher support, small class sizes, adequate facilities, and quality teaching. Ch. 6/Goal A/Action 2 (priority): Support bringing needed public health and human service resources to the children and families served by Lowell School. Seek out public and governmental support of program development and administration by groups who address the welfare of Lowell School’s at-risk children and families. Ch. 6/Goal C/Action 3 (priority/update): Support the establishment of a neighborhood food co-op to decrease food costs and increase access to nutritional resources for neighborhood residents. Amend to: Decrease food costs and increase access to nutritional resources for neighborhood residents by supporting the development of the neighborhood food co-op with resources and technical assistance. 28 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN Ch. 6/Goal D/Action 1 (priority): Create a neighborhood work plan for developing a community center; either as a single structure or a network of linked, decentralized facilities offering specific resources and programs. Capitalize on existing programs and facilities; and develop one site as the organizational center and clearinghouse for community programs and services. Ch. 6/Goal D/Action 3 (priority): Promote adult education opportunities through community center activities, particularly computer literacy. Provide childcare on-site. Ch. 6/Goal D/Action 5 (proposed addition): Support the establishment of an open-access neighborhood wireless internet network. Ch. 6/Goal F/Action 2 (priority): Support efforts to secure public and private funding for childcare payment assistance and scholarship funds for low-to-moderate-income families. CHAPTER 7 (Public Health and Safety) Ch. 7/Goal A/Action 3 (priority): Work with current property owners to address neighborhood concerns and ensure safe and compatible development [of the former White Pine Sash site]. Encourage master planning of the site with an open house workshop for neighborhood input into property owner’s utilization. Ch. 7/Goal B/Action 1 (priority): Meet with MRL and with other industrial landowners to assess and address potential negative health effects from pesticide and herbicide spraying along the railroad corridor and in other areas adjacent to residential uses. Other pollution concerns include the presence of diesel fumes and air and noise pollution. Investigate the ability to apply pollution abatement standards. Work with City/County Health Department. Ch. 7/Goal B/Action 2 (priority): Draft and implement neighborhood strategies for mitigating existing environmental health risks, such as diesel fumes from trains and noise pollution from trains running all day. Coordinate with MRL, and other industrial landowners. Ch. 7/Goal D/Action 2 (priority/update): Form a citizen committee to work with the City/County Emergency Management Team to compile recommendations for disaster planning in the neighborhoods. Create new provisions to address specific dangers from train derailments and potential toxic spills. Support adoption of these recommendations retroactively, with City Council approval. Amend to: Meet with the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management, Montana Rail Link, and the Hazardous Materials Response Team to assess disaster preparedness and educate residents about potential response scenarios addressed in the Missoula County Disaster Plan. Ch. 7/Goal D/Action 3 (priority): Work with Montana Rail Link to determine potential health risks from the cargo passing through on the MRL corridor. Create a system for sharing information on hazardous cargo with residents. Ch. 7/Goal D/Action 4 (priority): Educate neighborhood residents about the disaster/evacuation plan through newsletters and door-to-door outreach. Ch. 7/Goal E/Action 2 (proposed addition): Engage health and social service agencies in discussions about public safety concerns that result from their activities in the neighborhood. Ch. 7/Goal F/Action 3 (proposed addition): Support the Missoula Fire Department’s work with other agencies to address issues of traffic calming and emergency response. Ch. 7/Goal G/Action 3 (update): Convene a neighborhood group to discuss the effects of deregulation on residential customers. Remove, no longer relevant. 29 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN APPENDIX B: 2000 PLAN TEXT EDITS Text edits and corrections 1. p. I-1, remove the following sentence as the last sentence of the last paragraph because the Peace Sign no longer exists: The Peace Sign, a key neighborhood landmark, anchors the northern boundary of the plan area, along the ridgeline. 2. p. 1-7, Northside Missoula Railroad Historic District, key should read, “District” Boundary. 3. p. 2B-8, Action should read, “Continue to work with owners to create a joint vision.” 4. p. 4B-3, Goal E, Action should read, “a network of sidewalks and bike lanes to facilitate/enable allow children transportation independence and access” 5. p. 5-2, at the end of the fifth paragraph, note that “the Peace Sign was removed in 2001.” 6. p. 7B-2, revise the third sentence in the first paragraph as follows: Delete: “The nearest City fire station is at Madison Avenue, approximately a half (1/2) mile away.” And replace with: “City fire stations located at 625 East Pine Street (Station 1) and 3011 Latimor Street (Station 4) provide initial fire and emergency services.” 7. p. AA-1, item 1, missing word, “Neighborhood Essentials” (Appendix B) should be considered for development in any part of the planning area.” 30 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN APPENDIX C: 2006 SURVEY RESULTS The Missoula City/County Office of Planning and Grants distributed 4,079 surveys to property owners and residents within the planning boundary in May 2006. Three thousand eighty-one surveys were delivered to postal customers on delivery routes within the boundary; 668 surveys were mailed to property owners outside the neighborhood or the postal routes; 330 surveys were delivered by hand to residents outside the postal routes. Three-hundred and twenty-five completed surveys were returned by business reply mail. Fifty- six percent of the survey respondents live or own property on the Northside; 44% live or own property on the Westside (although there is some indication that a small portion of Westside residents may have identified themselves as living on the Northside). Fourteen percent of respondents identified themselves as owners of a business in the neighborhood. The majority of the business owners (63%) also live in the neighborhood. (Household data from non-resident business owners was excluded from the survey results.) An Excel file of the complete survey data is available on request. Survey results are intended for comparison with the results of the 1997 neighborhood survey (available in Appendix E of the 2000 Plan). In 1997, canvassers knocked on 1,533 doors. 603 people answered preliminary questions and accepted a survey. 259 residents returned completed surveys. 31 ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- 2006 LIMITED SCOPE UPDATE TO THE NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN APPENDIX D: NORTHSIDE/WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILES Northside/Westside Neighborhood Profiles Prepared by: David Gray, Associate Planner, OPG Transportation 9/06 Date: 06/1 Northside 1990 Northside 2000 Westside 1990 Westside 2000 Joint NS/WS 1990 Joint NS/WS 2000 Missoula City 1990 Missoula City 2000 Population* 1,971 2,332 2,887 3,863 4,858 6,195 42,918 57,053 Number of Households* 867 1,056 1,402 1,873 2,269 2,929 17,677 24,141 Housing Units* 941 1,122 1,487 1,966 2,428 3,088 18,488 25,225 Owner Occupied* 291 373 612 768 903 1,141 8,750 12,130 Renter Occupied* 576 683 790 1,105 1,366 1,788 8,927 12,011 Median Household Income** $12,297 $20,786 $15,059 $18,563 $13,063 $19,198 $21,033 $30,366 Per Capita Income** $7,175 $11,289 $7,825 $11,969 $7,513 $11,774 $11,759 $17,166 Children Under 18 Years* 522 489 637 839 1,159 1,328 9,562 11,295 Children Under 18 Years Living Below Poverty Level* 164 175 504 252 668 427 1,913 2,358 Homeowner Percentage 34% 35% 44% 41% 40% 39% 49% 50% Key:* information from 1990/2000 census data; **Income is averaged across the affected census block groups Population, households, housing units and owner/renter occupied housing units were derived from block level census data within the Plan boundary. The Northside consists of all blocks within the Plan boundary north of the railroad. The Westside consists of all blocks within the Plan boundary south of the railroad. All other census-based demographic data is based on 2000 Block groups that intersect the plan boundary including: 2.01-1, 2.01-2, 2.01-3, 2.01-4, 2.01-5, 3-1, 3-2. Block group 1-3 was not included in the census calculations since the population within the block group falls outside the Plan boundary. Although block group 2.01-1 extends well beyond the Plan boundary, the majority of the population within the block group is within the Plan boundary and therefore included in the census calculations. The Westside calculations are based on block groups 2.01-1, 2.01-4, 2.01-5, 3-1, 3-2. The Northside calculations are based on block groups 2.01-2, 2.01-3. 33