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RES 2003-0225 - Orchard Hills neighborhood redevelopment plan -t% rrc. t r":' T a Fo.....' N�°�� , 1._ 1, it ;f L. :! Planning Department c r r�` � n � ', Omaha/Douglas Civic Center —04., �C'? Rk � l! 1819 Farnam Street,Suite 1100 %Vale i� J��1 : Omaha,Nebraska 68183 0110 o'= ��;F (402)444-5200 to. ��� Y �_ (402)444-5150 �TFD FEgR�r +<t CI A, ��4 tS 1 ;, Telefax(402)444-6140 City of Omaha February 25, 2003 Robert C.Peters Mike Fahey,Mayor Director Honorable President and Members of the City Council, The attached proposed Resolution approves the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan. The redevelopment area is bounded by Blondo Street on the north, 36th Street on the east, Hamilton Street on the south and an industrial tract and abandoned railroad line on the west. The neighborhood occupies 121 acres in north-central Omaha and it is within a portion of the city that was declared blighted and substandard by the Omaha City Council on June 2, 1992. The Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan proposes the construction of approximately 15 single-family on currently vacant lots within the Orchard Hill neighborhood. The City will acquire the vacant lots and prepare them for housing construction by Augustana Cornerstone Foundation and Holy Name Housing Corporation. The Plan authorizes the use of the eminent domain process as may be required to assist in the assemblage of land in the redevelopment area. Implementation of the redevelopment plan is estimated to cost $1.9 million, $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds, $675,000 in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds and the remaining $1.2 in private donations in the form of construction loans and mortgages. The houses will be affordable to low-income homebuyers. The City Planning Board recommended approval of the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan at its January 8, 2003,meeting. We urge your favorable consideration of this Resolution. Sincerely, Referred to City uncil for C nsideration .. L • q. .413 G � ,,i - - Robert C. Peters '' Date Mayor's ce Date Planning Directdr Approved as to Funding: /.&�-; fi ,......) —443 Stan Timm, D. ector I Date Finance Department /\, °3 C:\pin5\8067pjm.doc Date of Publication: February 27 and March 6, 2003 Date of Public Hearing: March 18, 2003 1 Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan City of Omaha December 2002 Mike Fahey Planning Department Mayor Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan • Introduction The Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan area is an 121-acre site in northeast Omaha within the area bounded by Hamilton Street on the south, Blondo Street on the north, 36th Street on the east, and the former Omaha Belt Railway line and current industrial tract on the west (See Map 1). Less than two miles from downtown, the Orchard Hill neighborhood has been targeted by the City for homeowner rehabilitation funds since the early 1980s, and continues to work closely with the Planning Department in this redevelopment effort. The Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan proposes the construction of approximately 15 single-family owner-occupied homes on vacant land in several locations throughout the neighborhood. The new homes will be affordable to low- and moderate-income households in the City. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1.9 million, with the City providing $675,000 in Home Investment Partnerships Program funds and$50,000 in Community Development Block Grant Program funds.. The Holy Name Housing Corporation and the Augustana Cornerstone Foundation are the co-developers that will construct, market and sell the new houses. The City of Omaha will assist the development effort by acquiring the necessary vacant lots. About this Planning Effort Earlier this year, the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha expressed interest to the Planning Department in working more closely with area neighborhood associations. They were interested in housing code enforcement and getting neighborhood residents more involved in that process. The School of Public Administration and the Planning Department decided that we could work together on a redevelopment plan for and with the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association. Consequently, some of the activities that must be accomplished to develop a neighborhood redevelopment plan changed. For instance, instead of facilitating the Visioning and Goal Development portions of the planning process, City Planning staff observed while the School of Public Administration facilitated that portion of the neighborhood plan development process. In addition, the School of Public Administration, with assistance from neighborhood residents, conducted the housing condition survey. The Planning Department took the information that was • collected and incorporate it into the following document. Inventory Neighborhood History Platting of the more than 400 residential lots in Orchard Hill began in the 1880's and was complete by 1886. By 1891, some 130 homes had been constructed in locations scattered throughout the neighborhood, but most heavily on or near Hamilton and Charles Streets. This rather fast start was slowed by the depression that began in 1893. Housing construction activity regained strength by the end of the century and continued at a healthy pace into the next. World War I slowed construction again, but almost immediately activity picked-up again until the Great Depression. Throughout the 1930s until the end of World War II relatively few houses were constructed in the Orchard Hill neighborhood, in Omaha or the rest of the country for that matter. By the 1950s, less than a quarter of the land remained undeveloped, but with FHA and VA fueling housing development, Orchard Hill built-out (or nearly so) by 1960. Omaha's west, on the other hand, had plenty of room to grow and has done so at a more or less steady pace, with recent years being some of the strongest for housing development in Omaha. Since the 1960s, Orchard Hills has lost more housing to demolition than has been constructed by several- fold. In describing life in the neighborhood, one of its early residents, May Stein, recalls the walk from her home on 38th and Blondo Streets to the grocery store at 40th Hamilton Streets as "scary" because she had to walk through the orchard, according to a World Herald article from 1977. Mrs. Stein goes on to describe the partial name-sake of the neighborhood, the orchard, as still present along Franklin and Decatur Streets around the turn of the century, though housing development on Charles and Seward was beginning to close in on 40th Street. Just blocks north and east of Orchard Hill, in what today is known as Erskine Park, milk cows of area residents were pastured according to Mrs. Stein. An Omaha World Herald story from 1904 describes the early residents of the Orchard Hill and other nearby neighborhoods. "So the wheel of time goes on and a new Walnut Hill, and an Orchard Hill, too, has been born, populated today by many of Omaha's best and most influential citizens." The Orchard Hill neighborhood has been served by some type of neighborhood organization nearly from its beginning. In an excerpt from a 1904 World Herald story a reporter writes, "The Orchard Hill Improvement Club has fourteen committees, all active and alert". The article further points out that "Men and women belong to these improvement clubs; each vie with the other to see who can do the most for his district". It is not clear when these early organizations and the neighborhoods they served began their demise. No doubt events of national and global importance, such as World Wars I and II and the Great Depression, forced every American to look beyond the boundaries of their neighborhood. 2 By the mid-1970s, residents of Orchard Hill and throughout the city began again to train their attention to concerns closer to home. In 1976, the Omaha Sun newspaper announces the formation of a new community organization, the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association. The issues this new Orchard Hill organization faced are more difficult than were its predecessors. While redlining may have ended in the 1950s, it left a legacy of less overt forms of housing discrimination. The flight fueled by busing and other types of discrimination along with the draw of middle-income households to new housing in western Omaha left many older neighborhoods contending with issues of deferred housing maintenance and vacant lots by 1970. Recognition by the federal government of the plight of older urban areas and the need for affordable housing would take the form of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Section 8 programs. Omaha began participating in the CDBG program in 1974. Since that time, the repair/rehabilitation of some 40 housing units in Orchard Hill has benefited the people living in the houses as well as the rest of the neighborhood. Within another half-mile of the Orchard Hill neighborhood, several hundred other households have had repairs/rehabilitations as well. While the current Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association can trace its roots to the organization started in the 1970s and earlier, at least some of what it has achieved is quite different from its predecessors. The current organization has worked with the City of Omaha to target the programs that resulted in housing rehabilitation and identify City enforcement actions that were needed. The Association played a strongly cooperative role with other neighborhood and community organizations in the area. Orchard Hill has been a persistent advocate of making wide ranging improvements to the neighborhood, including the redevelopment effort proposed in this redevelopment plan. The leadership of the neighborhood has played a pivotal role in shaping another organization, the Augustana, Cornerstone Foundation, conceived with the intent to develop housing in the older areas in and around Orchard Hill. Population and Housing From 1990 to 2000, the population of Omaha increased by more than 16 percent, largely due to annexation of suburban development on the western edge of the city. During the same period, the population of the Orchard Hill neighborhood increased by four percent. In an effort to more accurately reflect the racial make-up of America, the 2000 Census asked people to identify themselves as either of a single race or as multi-racial. Among those residents identifying themselves as of a single race, 55.9 percent are African-American and 41.5 percent are White. All other races had less than two percent. Those identifying themselves as multi-racial comprise 3.7 percent of the population and people of Hispanic origin are 3.7 percent of the population of Census Tract 53. 3 Table 1 Population, Race and Ethnicity Population Orchard Hill Omaha 1990 1,108 335,795 2000 1,152 390,007 %Gain (Loss) 4.0% 16.4% One Race 1,110 382,529 White 461 305,745 Percent 41.5% 79.9% African American 620 51,917 Percent 55.9% 13.6% Native American 17 2,616 Percent 1.6% 0.7% Asian/Pacific Islander 4 701 Percent <1.0% 0.2% Other Race 8 15,250 Percent <1.0% 4.0% Multi-Racial 42 7,478 Percent 3.7% 2.0% Hispanic 43 29,397 Percent 3.7% 7.7% Source: 1990 and 2000 U. S. Census The basic economic conditions in the Orchard Hill Neighborhood can be understood by examining several key economic indicators. Unfortunately, much of the economic data from the 2000 Census is not available for a small area such as Orchard Hill. In cases where data specific to Orchard Hill is unavailable, data from Census Tract 53, the tract in which the neighborhood is located, will,be used. At fourteen percent, the percent of vacant housing is more than twice that found in Omaha. The median housing value is $37,900 in Orchard Hill, compared to $71,300 for Omaha. The per- capita income and median household income are approximately half the amount for the entire city. The percent of people in poverty in Orchard Hill at 37 percent is more than three times the rate of people in poverty for the city. Another key indicator, unemployment rate, is nineteen percent for Orchard Hill and 4.3 percent for Omaha. Table 2 Housing Units and Economic Conditions Orchard Hill/ Census Tract 53 Omaha Housing Units 427 143,612 Percent Vacant 13.9% . 5.5% Median Value of Owner-Occupied Units $37,900* $71,300 Per Capita Income $10,215* $21,756 Median Household Income $21,290 * $40,006 Percent of People in Poverty 37.1%* 11.3% 4 Unemployment Rate 18.7%* 4.3% Source: 2000 U. S. Census * indicates data from Census Tract 53 Land Use Within the Orchard Hill neighborhood the most prevalent land use is single-family which occupies over 55 percent of the area in the neighborhood or 67 acres. Right-of-way, streets and alleys, is 27 percent, while vacant land comprises 12.5 acres or 10 percent of the land. Mult- family housing occupies 3 percent of the area in the neighborhood and the three other land uses; civic, commercial and industrial occupy less than two percent each. All of the commercial buildings in Orchard Hill are on Hamilton Street, centered on 40th Street, though some of the structures are vacant. Industrial zoning is present on the western boundary of the neighborhood, but industrial uses are only present in the northern portion of the western edge. The western side of the neighborhood is where much of the vacant land is located, but vacant sites can be found scattered throughout much of the neighborhood. The few civic uses take the form of the Golden Manor Assisted Living Center and a daycare, both located on Decatur Street and church facilities located at 41st Avenue and Charles Street and on Hamilton Street. The dominant land use, residential, is found in or near every part of the neighborhood Table 3 Land Use Acres Percent Single-Family 66.9 55.2% Multi-Family 3.9 3.3% Civic 1.7 1.4% Commercial 1.9 1.6% Industrial 1.6 1.3% Vacant 12.5 10.3% Right-of-Way 32.5 26.8% 121.1 100.0% • , • . . . • • • ......... ................ .......... ................ ......... ..........,..... .......... _............... ................... .................. .............._ „...„.„.„...,..„.„:„.. ,„...„:„..„„, ...........„,....,:„.......„ ,:..........:.:.....,.., John A Creighton • = =z, c co E a ; :"..,............„....... NEI •.• :.....„.....,......„..................:::......., r3....!:',. 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' ''''. Lr---' ...,,,,,,•,,.,.........,.,....0,.,.:. ,,..::„...,:„.,:,.:::„.:,:, ,.......„„•,-... .:...„.. „...\...\._. ..,„.„,....., ,..,.,..,„„.„„„,....... ........„,„„„:.,„„„,„„,...„,„,,, , . " .. .. ,,,„:,,,,..„,:,„,„....„„:,:.,„„„,,,,:„„.„,•:,...,,,„,„,„,,,„,...„ •.. ... ........,:f.::!:::.,,..5 .22 \\\\ ,„:„„.,,„„,„,...'„„.„„y„„ .„„:...:,,,„,„,„„,„,.,„.„. lipl ....,..,......,.... . - ,•:.:::::,......E.E.J:.:,... itg. Elm _ -----,_ . . ,.,,,,.......,::....]::::.,.3.,.....:g.,.. ,ma ,..:,.:.......,.......„ , . . • , .. ...„4:::,-..:.-.., • .''''''''...ij... W.= . . • . „ . . ' . . • . , . Housing Conditions In a study conducted by the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in cooperation with and with assistance from the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association, some 381 housing structures were evaluated to determine their condition. On a strictly visual basis from the sidewalk or street, the study evaluated three primary structural components: roof, wall, and foundation structure. The majority of the roofs within the neighborhood had no readily apparent problems. Twenty-four percent, or 92 housing structures, had minor roof problems and twelve percent, or 45 structures had major roof problems. The exterior walls of the housing structures in the neighborhood were in somewhat better physical condition with 75 percent, or 287, having no visible problems and nineteen percent having only minor problems. Twenty-two structures, or six percent of the housing structures, had major problems with exterior walls. The survey indicated that 69 percent of the foundations in the neighborhood had no apparent problems. Minor problems were found on 88 housing structures, or 23 percent of the foundations and 31, or eight percent of the structures had major problems. Table 4 Housing Conditions Roof • Number Percent No problems 244 64.1% Minor Problems 92 24.1% Major Problems 45 11.7% Exterior Wall No Problems 287 75.4% Minor Problems 71 18.7% Major Problems 22 5.9% Foundation No Problems 262 68.7% Minor Problems 88 23.1% Major Problems 31 8.2% Utilities and Infrastructure Much of the Orchard Hill neighborhood was developed by the beginning of the 20th Century for a fully developed primarily residential neighborhood. Since that time, utility and infrastructure improvements have been adequate to accommodate the area as a residential neighborhood. Like much of the older part of the city, combined sewers serve Orchard Hill. Critical sewer separation has been accelerated as indicated in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP identifies 7 Project #106 North Omaha Sewer Separation as the project that includes the Orchard Hill neighborhood. The program is designed to replace or rehabilitate old or inadequate sewers to encourage infill development. Sewers in the Orchard Hill neighborhood were originally designed to have a capacity greater than what will be needed following the development of fifteen additional houses in the neighborhood and are not scheduled to be rehabilitated or replaced. Transportation Hamilton Street, Orchard Hill's southern boundary, is a minor arterial that provides east-west access to and from the neighborhood and to the North Freeway less than one mile to the east. The minor arterials, 40th Street and John Creighton Boulevard provide the primary north-south access to and from Orchard Hill. The industrial tract on the western boundary of the neighborhood restricts access from the west for the entire width of the neighborhood from Hamilton Street to Blondo Street. Internal movement, both automobile and pedestrian, is permitted with the network of streets and adjoining sidewalks throughout the neighborhood. The industrial tract to the west also restricts pedestrian access to and from the west. Public transportation is available on two Metro Area Transit bus lines. Route 30, to six blocks to the easy on 30th Street, provides service north and south for weekday commuters. Route 3 runs along Hamilton Street west of 40th Street and provides service south and northwest during the week. Both routes serve downtown during rush hours and intersect with various transfer points providing greater access to and from the rest of the city via public transportation. Zoning Zoning designations in Orchard Hill Neighborhood are primarily residential leaving only a small area of commercial and industrial uses. Over three-quarters of the land area is zoned for single- family residential uses. Only a handful of parcels are zoned for multi-family purposes. Land designated for industrial purposes is the second largest district in the neighborhood and a small portion of the neighborhood is zoned for commercial uses. The Industrial zoning is located at the western border of the Orchard Hill neighborhood extending from Hamilton Street to Blondo Street. Commercial zoning is located on 8 } j zr....7.,k HL___JUULI uuub j T, ›. .c _ �_1 V E ._ rtNCD LODE E L::=3 A __-__E0 D ono Li ___1= -_-10 �\ EU 3 IL m N C 0 co C 3 p N HWJHLUHL M OD 0, r______, L1 I 2 i I ___. J_ _ . ________ AA 1 -I iILcI\ 111 • , F ...„ . • Hamilton Street from just east of 40th Street to 42nd Street. The small storefront businesses on Hamilton Street include a convenient gas station, carpet business, laundromat, and the City of Omaha Handyman Office. Residential, primarily single-family, is the zoning designation of the area from 36th Street to 41st Street and most of Hamilton Street to Blondo Street. Edges and Seams The boundary of a neighborhood can be a seam that connects to adjacent neighborhoods, or it can be an edge that separates the neighborhoods. The Orchard Hill neighborhood has both edges and seams. Seven local streets wide and three local streets long, its boundaries generally form a rectangle. The Orchard Hill neighborhood's eastern boundary, 36th Street, is a local street. It connects to Hamilton on the south and runs north past the neighborhood's northern boundary. Thirty-sixth Street is a seam with the Prospect Hill neighborhood, which is directly to the east. In addition to being Prospect Hill's western boundary, John Creighton Boulevard, just west of 36th Street, is a major north-south automobile and pedestrian pathway through the Orchard Hill neighborhood. The western boundary of the Orchard Hill neighborhood is a large tract of land that contains few structures and is zoned General Industrial and acts as an edge for the neighborhood. Hamilton Street is primarily a seam for the adjacent area with the exception of the portion east of 40th Street that is the Walnut Hill Reservoir. Blondo Street, Orchard Hill's northern boundary seams it to the adjacent residential area to the north. Pathways and Entries The Orchard Hill neighborhood has two primary pathways and entries. They are 40th Street and John A. Creighton Boulevard. The internal street pattern of the neighborhood is a traditional north—south and east—west grid pattern. Nearly all streets in the neighborhood are two-way residential streets, the shortest of which is Orchard Lane located between 41st Avenue and the industrial tract. John A. Creighton Boulevard, a collector street, serves as a north-south entry and pathway through Orchard Hill neighborhood's eastern sections. One enters the Orchard Hill neighborhood on John A. Creighton Boulevard at Hamilton Street on the south and Blondo Street on the north. Another collector is 40th Street serving as a north-south entry and pathway through Orchard Hill's western sections. Unlike-John A. Creighton Boulevard, which begins at Hamilton Street, 40th Street runs through the neighborhood and far into north and south Omaha. This street intersects at Hamilton, which is the location of the commercial hub of this neighborhood. Businesses stretch all along Hamilton from this intersection westward just past Military Avenue. 10 All local east-west running streets commence at the western boundary of the Orchard Hill neighborhood and, with the exception of Decatur Street, cross John A. Creighton Boulevard. They then run through the Prospect Hill neighborhood directly to 30th Street. Nodes Nodes are gathering places for people, centers of activity such as retail trade, services trade, office, and commercial centers. They may also serve the neighborhood and the larger community as schools, social and community centers, recreation centers, and transportation hubs. There are few locations that presently function as nodes within the Orchard Hill neighborhood due to the dominance of single-family housing and topographic character limiting space for retail or commercial land uses. The Orchard Hill neighborhood has four primary areas that could be considered gathering places for people. They are the City Sprouts garden, Golden Manor Assisted Living facility, the commercial hub at the intersection of 40th and Hamilton, and the Church on the Rock (formerly known as) House of Prayer. The Church on the Rock has a congregation of about 100 members. The church building has been in this neighborhood for over 100 years. The pastor is Reverend Lester J. Jordan, Jr. and his family has served this church since the 1950s. In addition to Sunday church services, the Church of the rock has provided a place for area young people to gather in a safe environment. City Sprouts, Inc., is located at the corner of 40th and Franklin streets. A community garden uses three lots on south side of Franklin Street. Two private citizens gave the land to the non-profit organization that started in 1995. The site, near which the tragic death of a child occurred, has been transformed into a place where people come together to work and learn, or help others learn how to grow and preserve foods. In addition to bringing people together and enhancing the area's sense of community, the City Sprouts community garden creates and teaches appreciation for the neighborhoods common areas and outside environment. Golden Manor Assisted Living Center is a privately owned facility. The current owner has owned this facility for around 10 years. It is tucked away in the heart of the neighborhood on Decatur Street east of 40th Street. The intersection of 40th and Hamilton Streets is a key center of activity for the Orchard Hill neighborhood. It is the location where commercial activity interfaces with residential living. It is also the one place visitors to the neighborhood are likely to stop, with a convenient store, a carpet store across the street, Olympia Cycle to the south and other mostly commercial activities further west. Some of the activity at the 40th and Hamilton Streets commercial node is not desirable. The convenience store provides basic groceries, gas and alcohol generating much traffic, sometime late into the evening. Loitering has been a problem and small crowds have formed at times, often leaving behind trash and an unwelcoming atmosphere. 11 Parks/Natural Features The Orchard Hill neighborhood has several notable natural features, the most prominent of which is, not surprisingly, the fact that the neighborhood is on a hill. The highest point in the neighborhood is approximately 1,250 feet above sea level and is located approximately one-half block east of 40th Street on Hamilton. At this elevation, Orchard Hill is also one of the highest neighborhoods in the City. From this highest point, the "neighborhood descends in three directions, most rapidly to the east. From Hamilton to around Franklin Street it maintains a high elevation then slowly descends to the north. Along Hamilton, west of 40th Street the elevation descends slowly, as far north as Charles Street, then begins to more rapidly descend to the north. The area west of 40th Street is the location of another significant natural feature of the neighborhood. A small forested area populated with tall, mature Cottonwood and Silver Poplars trees as well as a mixed variety of Elm, Maple, Catalpa, Ironwood and Cedar trees occupies the land primarily north of Seward/Franklin Streets. The area is interspersed with open space and several houses are located in isolated locations within the area. An industrial parcel is located at the western end of the neighborhood between Decatur and Parker Streets along with several houses west of 40th Street. Located at the southwest corner of Franklin Street and 40th Streets City Sprouts community garden, as mentioned in the previous section on nodes. John Creighton Boulevard runs north and south through the eastern part of the neighborhood. The Boulevard is part of the City's Historic Park and Boulevard System and has a very large ' right-of way as it enters the neighborhood from the south. It connects Adams Park to the north of Orchard Hill to Bemis/Mercer Parks and the Walnut Hill Reservoir to its south. GOAL DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION The School of Public Administration facilitated the Goal Development and Visioning portion of the redevelopment plan process. On October 8, 2002, the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association developed the following Vision Statement, Issues, Goals and Actions: Vision The Orchard Hill Vision is to be a neighborhood that is safe and welcoming for all its residents. We envision a dynamic neighborhood comprised of affordable and well-maintained housing that highlights the historical character of the area, abundant green space, and a sustainable commercial district. Housing and Community Development Issues: 1) Residents in Orchard Hill Neighborhood should share a common sense of community. 2) Commercial development, an anchor for many neighborhoods, should be encouraged in Orchard Hill. 3) Housing, an important part of stable neighborhoods, should be developed to meet the needs of existing and future households in Orchard Hill. 12 Problems/Concerns: 1) Not enough representation at/communication about neighborhood activities among and within Orchard Hill neighborhood groups (residents, business property owners, and tenants). 2) Not enough partnerships among Orchard Hill neighborhood groups, especially with business owners. 3) Desire for consistency in design of infill housing; need for a `Standard Look' within Orchard Hill. 4) Lack of enough non-profit developers to build affordable housing. 5) Not enough homeownership opportunities; would like fewer rental units in proportion to owner-occupied single family dwellings. • Goals,Actions: 1) Goal: Increase participation at neighborhood meetings; perhaps, center meetings on events or monthly accomplishments of the association. a. Action: Increase communication methods to neighborhood groups within Orchard Hill. 2) Goal: Form a partnership with Military Ave. Business Association for the purpose of better coverage of the area along Military Ave. and the former railroad line. a. Action: Invite business owners to the association meetings; perhaps, have the meetings at the places of business. 3) Goal: Encourage the City of Omaha to revitalize existing commercial structures along Hamilton as part of the work toward an Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan a. Action: Establish a Business Improvement District for the commercial district. Goal: Encourage builders to construct new housing that utilizes existing lots and compliments the area's existing historical architecture. Goal: Facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of existing housing units, thus upgrading and improving the neighborhood's housing stock. 4) Goal: Work with interested landlords to use creative financing options to sell housing units to renters b. Action: Canvas the neighborhood for interested participants—renters who want to be homeowners, landlords who want to sell; Perhaps, educate landlords about programs to rehab properties, if they do not want to sell. c. Action: Refer potential homeowners to Family Housing Advisory Services. Public Goods and Services Issue: 1) The natural environment of Orchard Hill should be enhanced and maintained. • Problems: 1) Lead soil contamination. 2) Not enough green spaces throughout the neighborhood. 13 3) Too many healthy trees are sacrificed in redevelopment efforts. Goals, Actions: 1) Goal: Work with the City of Omaha and other public entities to address soil contamination by lead-based products in areas. a. Action: Orchard Hill is a part of the Superfund Site. 2) Goal: Foster the development and maintenance of green spaces throughout the neighborhood. a. Acton: Work with the City of Omaha to add amenities to the right-of way areas between Charles and Hamilton streets on the east and west sides of John A. Creighton Boulevard. 3) Goal: Discourage the removal of healthy trees in redevelopment efforts. Public Safety Issue: 1) The Orchard Hill Neighborhood should be safe to all residents. Problems: 1) There is not an organized effort to monitor the various activities within the neighborhood and there is general feeling that the neighborhood is not safe; not enough Police presence 2) The neighborhood is not kept clean of trash and debris; properties are not maintained, vacant lots are not kept clean. Goals,Actions: 1) Goal: Improve the safety of the neighborhood. a. Action: Form a citizen patrol within the Association to actively monitor the neighborhood. b. Action: Strengthen ties with the Omaha Police Department. 2) Goal: Develop cooperative initiatives with city agencies to improve code enforcement, especially where there will be payoffs in reduced crime. DEVELOPMENT PLAN Orchard Hill is a residential neighborhood in which the condition of the housing stock is mostly good. It suffers from the adverse effects of a number of vacant residential lots and undeveloped land. Many of the vacant lots were once the sites of houses that were demolished while other sites were never developed. In either case, they provide an opportunity to provide additional units of affordable, owner-occupied, single-family housing to the residents of Omaha and new housing will help to maintain the stability of one of the city's great older neighborhoods. Map 4 has identified the areas proposed for redevelopment activity in the form of housing construction. Upon completion, the Orchard Hill Neighborhood will have approximately fifteen 14 • new homes to fill in the destabilizing gaps in existing housing, and provide affordable housing for fifteen low and moderate-income families. Property Acquisition The City of Omaha proposes to acquire vacant residential land in the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Area. The City of Omaha will have the property appraised and will offer just compensation to the property owners. Every reasonable attempt will be made to acquire the property through negotiated agreement between the property owner and the City. In the event that the City is unable to negotiate the purchase, the Redevelopment Plan authorizes the use of the eminent domain process to assist in the acquisition of the property necessary to implement the plan (See Map 4). Development Budget As a result of a request for proposals process, the City of Omaha selected the development team of Holy Name Housing Corporation (HNHC) and the Augustana Cornerstone Foundation (ACF). The HNHC/ACF partnership will market, construct and sell a projected fifteen single-family detached houses over a three to four year period. The estimated cost to implement the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan is $1.9 million. The largest portion of this amount is for construction financing and permanent financing for new residential units. The cost of the new housing is estimated at $675,000 from City Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) program funds, and $1.1 million from private funds. The cost for property acquisition and site preparation is projected at$50,000 and will be paid from the Community Development Block Grant funds. The City of Omaha will acquire lots and convey the property at no cost to the developer. The City of Omaha will provide Home Investment Partnerships to the developer for part of the construction financing and deferred payment second mortgages to,homebuyers. Table 4 Development Budget Use of Funds* Source of Funds* Amount Acquisition, Site Preparation CDBG $50,000 Single Family Housing Construction and Homebuyer Mortgage Financing HOME $675,000 Private Funds $1,150,000 Total $1,875,000 . Sources and uses of funds are estimates and may be revised pending the final design and the cost of improvements. 15 • Map 4 identifies the parcels that will be acquired and developed into single-family homes for owner-occupants. Future Land Use The redevelopment activity proposed by the Orchard Hill Redevelopment Plan strengthens the existing land use pattern. All of the sites proposed for the new housing are residential lots. The existing residential zoning is appropriate for the proposed housing. Consistency with the Master Plan The Concept Element of the City Master Plan identifies broad goals that serve as the foundation for future growth, development and revitalization of the City. One such goal identifies the need to, "Create healthy and diverse neighborhoods throughout the city". This, and other goals, combined with strategies and objectives provide clear guidance for how the city should address issues and problems faced by older neighborhoods like Orchard Hill. According to the Master Plan "The City will encourage the development of infill housing which makes use of vacant and existing under-utilized central city infrastructure" and "Incentives for inner-city development will be provided". The Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan proposes activities that utilize the specific guidance provided in the Master Plan to partially achieve one of the seven broad goals of the City Master Plan. A major thrust of the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan is to create additional affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households in the city. The City Master Plan provides direct support and guidance for this activity when it states "It is important . that choices and opportunities are available for Omahans to find affordable housing throughout the city." • 16 . ,c_ _____ ._ HE ID 1 '''''ill g n-TH--- 1----E____ GI C. John A Creighton 94 E. ' PH 0, WU ----__-_-_, 1 ga. su ,...„,.= _ . 1:01:1 • 38th MIin _• ". 111 -M1 =0.....0. MN MO um Mr SoMB rMO eam,i ..I CA • IMO r r�■I•NM MOM MI a11.11 MI r~-NMI MOM alla 15 _It, �M. .19 in Mon -00,1,) ti� A igEg NM�r IiiiiiM IMMOa MI MO FM, KW MIMI MN - r MM 111= 1 la mums am No1111 us 1111. ,_, — win 1011 40th MI ON NM Ma 0 M. al 111 ----____-- --- 01.11- MIi J L__,-- 111111.1114 NI .2- a ••• E •• •*. .• C-25A CITY OF OMAHA LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER Omaha,Nebraska RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OMAHA: WHEREAS, the primary objectives of the City of Omaha's Master Plan and Community Development Program are to encourage additional investment and development within inner-city neighborhoods; and to eliminate conditions which are detrimental to public health, safety and welfare, by developing underutilized property within these neighborhoods; and, WHEREAS, the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan is a 121-acre area bounded by Blondo Street on the north, 36th Street on the east, Hamilton Street on the south and an industrial tract and abandoned railroad line on the west. The Orchard Hill redevelopment site is located within an area declared "blighted and substandard and in need of redevelopment" by the City Council on June 2, 1992; and, WHEREAS, the Planning Department has prepared the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan which calls for the acquisition of vacant land upon which to construct approximately fifteen single-family homes affordable to low-income households; and WHEREAS, Nebraska State Statute 18-2108 requires that the City of Omaha adopt a redevelopment plan before taking an active part in a redevelopment project; and, WHEREAS, the Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan was approved by the Omaha Planning Board on January 8, 2002. • By Councilmember Adopted City Clerk Approved Mayor C-25A CITY OF OMAHA LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER Omaha,Nebraska PAGE TWO NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OMAHA: THAT, the attached Orchard Hill Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan, prepared by the Omaha City Planning Department, be and hereby is approved as the Redevelopment Plan for the redevelopment area bounded by Blondo Street on the north, the 36th Street on the east, Hamilton Street on the south and an industrial tract and abandoned railroad line on the west. Funds shall be payable from Community Development Block Grant 12186, Organization 129134; and HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds 12179, Organization 128035. C:\pin5\8068pjm.doc D AS TO FORM:(W *OA 3 CITY ATTORNEY DATE By Adopted........... r� City Clerk Approved: ''_, 31.20-O3 Mayor sI • n O 'bOn5-. 5' td d g 7C1 \ � o r .\ co 1-t c . W N -n b o N tic AD o R,'� 7 ' O 0 AD \�p IVCAN C o w C ,-t FO ta.GIp CD (-D UQ CD C) mi. Q' �j �C ._t O, �. T� A; n n �`W1111 .- Y CD . \kN \\( , � • .y- - J ikC3 -20,:; lii "NOTICE TO PUBLIC PROOF OF PUBLICATION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING • ON THE ORCHARD HILL • . -. NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT PLAN • {{{ • ticT Is hereby ch that AFFIDAVIT the Omaha City Council has 11 set Tuesday, Marchgg 18, the date o0pu3 at chardrinH on ill RedeNe gop eet r h.o o d State of Nebraska, County of Douglas, ss: tThe Orchard Hill N eighborhood Redevelopment Plan is approximately121 acres Michelle Revis bounded byBlondo Street being duly sworn,deposes and says the the rtHamilton rStreet on the south and an that he is an employee of The Omaha World-Herald, a legal daily newspaper Iindustrial tract and abandoned railroad line on the west. n printed and published in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, and of 4 Redevelopment Plan Is located within an area declared blighted and I general circulation in the Counties of Douglas and Sarpy and State of Nebraska, substandard and in need of redevelopment by the City d that )e attached printed notice was published in the said newspaper on the Council on June 2,1992. I c:.5/ The Orchard Hill '2/74. .. . .(40.dayof Neighborhood � March. .ck.. .��- :ll.Ck►: A.D.,20.03., Redevelopment Plan - - -- ----�, proposes the construction - and that said newspaper is a legal newspaper under the statues of the State of of approximately 15 single-familyunt lots within homes on Nebraska. The above facts are within my personal knowledge. The Omaha sgfa vacant the Orchard Hill i neighborhood.The city will acquire the vacant lots and World-Herald has an average circulation of . . .1.g6.l 1.1. . . . daily, . . 238 701 • prepare them for e construction by Augustana Cornerstone Foundation Sunday,in 20.03. and Holy Name Housing Corporation. The plan authorizes the use of the eminent domain process as -------) may be required to assist in the assemblage of land _ ; % Advertising In the redevelopment area. (Signed) he.i..j...�.t... . .Title- The plan proposes $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant fundsand i HOME E Investment Partnerships Program funds. The remaining $1.2 Subscribed in my presence and sworn to before me this . . million will come from , private donations In the day of March. .20. .. . 03 form of construction loans and mortgages. The total project cost is estimated to • be $1,900,000. A copy of said plan Is available for , public Inspection in the City Clerk's Office. • Public Hearing l held. � )7)7‘. before the City Council of `/ the City iofv Omaha,in the Legislative Chambers, a}-1,61 ., Omaha/Douglas Civic Center,1819 Farnam Street, Omaha,Nebraska. Notary Public Buster Brown City Clerk ALL REQUESTS FOR SIGN • ' GENERAL NOTARY-State of Nebraska 1 LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS --- $ (SIGNERS) OF 48 REQUIREO APrinter's Fee = DEBRA L. MARCO ALTERNpATIVE FORMATNOTICE. S Affidavit �"lff' ' My Comm.Exp. Sept.13,2003 UESTS WILL ARE N EEDED 72 HOL MINIMUM MUM Paid by . ADVANCE NOTICE. ' ' PLEASE NOTIFY TAMMY I BIODROWSKI-444-5553,IF • 313-G8-007 ARRANGEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE • "NOTICE TO PUBLIC" THE DAILY RECORD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGARINGON THE ORCHARD HILL NEIGHBORHOOD OF OMAHA REDEVELOPMENT PLAN Notice is hereby given that the Omaha City Council has set Tuesday, March 18, RONALD A. HENNINGSEN, Publisher 2003 ar 2:00 p.m. as thedate of public PROOF OF PUBLICATION hearing on the Orchard Hill Neighborhood� Redevelopment Plan. - The Orchard Hill Neighborhood UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Redevelopment Plan is approximately 121 + acres bounded by Blondo Street on the The State ofNebraska, north, 36th Street on the east, Hamilton District of Nebraska, ss. Street on the south and an industrial tract County of Douglas and abandoned railroad line on the west. City ofOmaha, The Redevelopment Plan is located within an area declared blighted and substandard and in need of redevelopment by the City JOHN P. EGLSAER Council on June 2,1992. The Orchard Hill Neighborhood. being duly sworn,deposes and says that he is Redevelopment Plan proposes the construction of approximately 15 single-- family homes on currently vacant lots within _ ADVERTISING MANAGER the Orchard Hill neighborhood. The city will acquire tion cant lots and prepare them for of THE DAILY RECORD,of Omaha,a legal newspaper, construction by Augustana Cornerstone gaprinted and Foundation and Holy Name Housings published daily in the English language, having a bona fide paid Corporation. The plan authorizes the use of, circulation in Douglas County In excess of 300 copies, printed in the eminent domain process as may be Omaha,in said Countyof required to assist in the assemblage of land' Douglas,for more than fifty-two weeks last in the redevelopment area. - past; that the printed notice hereto attached was published in THE The plan proposes $50,000 in Community' Development Block Grant funds and DAILY RECORD,of Omaha,on $675,000 in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds. The remaining $1.2 million • February 27 and will come from private donations in the form of construction loans and mortgages. The Mar ch 6 , 2 0 0 3 total project cost is estimated to be $1,900,000. A copy of said plan is available for public inspection in the City Clerk's Office. Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Omaha, in the Legislative Chambers, Omaha/Douglas Civic That said Newspaper during that time was regularly published and Center, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, i i ' ' eral circulation in the County of Douglas, and State of 1 Nebraska. v. BUSTER BROWN, City Clerk P ,,..• v �tll 5 6 . 3 9dr h2-27&3-6-03 ..• �1:.'�jCs ws eM4 1$ '/- 1,�a.� �� OdiditlpTrtai c plea /. S bed in my P b t 11 d ewo to 1 £_ N ire i• Cof49.�.� loft/ % 5.6...3.9... before`netldarch .day of E� IRE'totai d 1"1 S► i 20 to, tj 'IY620°• *I'. S Q` -OF E � Notary .... . .... . taounty. 'a:0" of make