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|  MCB7 Working Groups For updates and meeting times, please call (212) 362-4008 Urban Planning Working Group (tri-weekly) The Upper West Side has seen tremendous growth in recent decades, much without community review. Development projects and other applications that do receive public input are considered on a case by case basis, without benefit of a contextual plan. The Urban Planning working group aims to: • Identify key aspects of quality of life on the Upper West Side • Develop core principles that provide context for the policy and practices of the board • Engage community in a visioning process that informs principles, policies, and practices Recent activities: • Developed key values associated with quality of life on the Upper West Side • Began to develop core principals to be reviewed by board committees and constituents Small Business Working Group (bi-weekly) Recent redesign of Columbus Avenue from West 77th to 96th Streets includes a protected bicycle lane, new parking rules, turning lanes, and new signage. The Small Business working group aims to: • Develop networking strategies to bolster community support for small businesses • Investigate opportunities to develop regulatory incentives that support small businesses • Consider zoning opportunities to preserve neighborhood character and support small businesses Recent activities: • Conducted informal survey of small business owners to identify challenges • Began to articulate small business impact on streetscape Open Space Working Group (monthly) Although the Upper West Side has a good deal of open space, children have limited access to public recreational facilities. Schools, afterschool programs, and youth leagues are always looking for places for team practice and competition. Several schoolyards and playing fields in the district are closed during and/or after school hours. The Open Space working group aims to: • Identify and inventory underutilized recreational spaces • Develop strategies to increase access to recreation spaces, perhaps through joint DOE/DPR operations • Coordinate community programming of recreational spaces in the district Recent activities: • Identified schools with underutilized playgrounds • Began to reach out to schools and parents associations to discuss opportunities Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Working Group (monthly) For decades, SRO building owners have been reallocating affordable rental units to a variety of other uses: budget hotels, youth hostels, student dormitories, supportive housing, and special service programs. The SRO working group aims to: • Develop accurate database of SRO uses and occupancy rates on the UWS • Investigate financially viable models for SROs that maximize affordable housing • Develop a policy for SRO buildings that is viable and sustainable Recent activities: • Coordinated efforts to stem conversion of SROs into homeless shelters • Coordinated media attention on loss of permanent affordable housing • Working with stakeholders to develop new models the maximize affordable housing Related Link: Single Room Occupancy Dwellings in CD7 Report Columbus Avenue Working Group (monthly, currently on hiatus until June) Recent redesign of Columbus Avenue from West 77th to 96th Streets includes a protected bicycle lane, new parking rules, turning lanes, and new signage. The Columbus Avenue working group aims to: • Trouble-shoot unintended impacts of the street redesign on local businesses • Coordinate education necessary to acclimate residents to the new design • Develop and track criteria for success of the street redesign • Develop recommendations to the Department of Transportation to improve design Recent activities: • Surveyed all merchants along the corridor and recommended solutions to identified problems • Coordinated efforts of DOT, Traffic Enforcement, and Police to address issues • Presented report and outcomes to the community Special Projects For updates and meeting times, please call (212) 362-4008 Community Board Outreach (monthly) Many constituents are not aware of the services and opportunities provided by Community Board 7. The Community Board Outreach project aims to: • Develop a clear communication strategy to broad awareness about MCB7 • Implement a collaborative newsletter that engages youth in the district • Make use of social media and technology to broaden the reach of MCB7 Recent activities: • Developed a draft presentation and “palm card” about MCB7 • Developed a mock-up for a MCB7 page on Facebook • Engaged Manhattan Neighborhood Network to begin tracking board activities on cable TV Proactive Development Project (monthly) MCB7 is working with students of Columbia University to develop tools that help anticipate real estate development and provide for proactive community input. The Project aims to: • Identify “soft sites” throughout the district and track activity at these sites • Provide incentives that direct development to appropriate areas • Enhance the quality, character, and affordability of the neighborhood Recent activities: • Collaborated with students to identify key issues related to new development • Received student report and recommendations |  |
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