What
is your marketing/implementation plan? How do you intend to make this
work?
Our plan is to educate. Community First will continue to host presentations
to residents and the building community. We also plan to foster neighborhood
participation through small group meetings. Another exciting aspect
of our marketing plan is "Community Choice Awards" for projects
which exemplify homes that residents think fit into their neighborhood.
These tools will create community awareness and involvement in shaping
the redevelopment of Naperville.
Is Community First for or against neighborhood redevelopment?
We are neither.
Community First is a group of Naperville homeowners who have individual,
diverse opinions regarding redevelopment in our established neighborhoods.
We acknowledge that redevelopment will continue; therefore, our mission
includes the facilitation of a positive public discussion about sensitive
issues, including, but not limited to, how the design of a new project
will impact the character of the existing neighborhood, its block
and the adjacent properties. Through our workbook and community presentations,
we provide all stakeholders involved in redevelopment (homeowners,
building professionals and city government officials) sensitivity
training to educate them about the importance of scale and context
in an established neighborhood.
What study
have you done in the area of numeric formulas?
The City's Tear Down Committee illustrated that such a strategy
is divisive and unacceptable. Many homes that were considered desirable
would not have "fit" into the prescribed formulas; conversely,
many unacceptable examples of home structures would have "fit"
into these calculations. As opposed to formulas that are restrictive,
Community First believes that advisory guidelines will allow for
creativity and sensibility in home design.
How will
you enforce these "Advisory Guidelines"?
Our mission is to educate, not to enforce. Along with education,
we want to use peer pressure, strong community involvement and positive
reinforcement to guide the redevelopment of our established neighborhoods
and drive the expectations of the residents, building professionals
and the market at large. The City of Naperville has purchased 300
Workbooks that will be given free of charge during the City's concept
meeting held prior to issuing a building permit.
What if
someone chooses to ignore your guidelines?
There is no "100%" solution to this issue. Neither numeric
formulas or guidelines will produce homes that are acceptable to
absolutely everyone. However, we believe that our method will create
much more complimentary homes than would evolve out of simply fitting
into a numeric formula. Therefore,
we simply ask people to consider the neighborhood, the block, and
the adjacent homes surrounding their project and to recognize that
the existing residents will be their neighbors and potentially (for
builders and architects) their clients.
How do these
"Advisory Guidelines" deal with the stormwater issue?
The City of Naperville has strict regulations regarding stormwater.
City engineers will determine how and where stormwater will flow.
If you have particular concerns for your home and property, those
concerns should be discussed with the City's engineers.
What do you
expect me as a homeowner to do with this workbook?
You are part of the successful implementation of the guidelines.
Residents living in neighborhoods are encouraged to hold meetings
to go over the Workbook and develop a strategy to get the Workbook
into the hands of home sellers, buyers and builders. You can strengthen
your understanding of Community First principles by attending a
presentation or reading books that we have recommended on our Additional
Resources page in the Workbook. We have begun our "Community
Choice Design Awards"; you can nominate and vote for homes
that you think are excellent examples of compatible development.
Ultimately, you hold the power as the sellers of your properties.
We hope you will take this responsibility seriously when you to
choose how and to whom to market your home. As with the building
community, financially and aesthetically you are responsible for
your choices. Remember names of builders and architects who build
and design homes based on the Workbook and recommend these professionals
to others.
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How am I, as
a builder, supposed to use this workbook when I know that the entire
block is going to come down?
None of us can predict the future. Maybe
there are a few homes that will be there for 10 years or longer
before coming down. We are asking that you take into consideration
ANY homes that are standing at the time you begin to build. If the
evolution or transition is a little more gradual, it will have less
negative impact on the neighborhood.
Is Community First going to do design review or look over people's
plans to see if they are doing the right thing?
No, we are not an architectural review board, and Naperville's City
Council decided not to engage in that type of plan review. We are
asking that you take a good long look at the neighborhood, paying
particular attention to the adjacent homes; then use as many suggestions
from Step 2 as you possibly can. For building professionals looking
to better understand our Workbook and how to achieve a complimentary
project, we will be periodically offering presentations and workshops.
Please check our Website for upcoming events or contact us at 630-357-7231
to get on to our mailing list. For those who are looking toward a
future project, our website also lists those builders and architects
who have attended our "Community First 101" presentation.
These professionals will have a better understanding of the Workbook.
Keep in mind, it is still important for you to do your own research
before choosing a building professional.
How did you finance your workbook and presentations?
Initially we operated solely with personal funds and donations.
We were fortunate to have on our Board a graphic design artist who
donated her time and talent to create our logo and did all the layout
and artwork for the Workbook. Subsequently, the City of Naperville
gave us a small grant and purchased 300 Workbooks. This helped to
offset some of the printing costs. Minute Man Press, a local printer,
gave us a greatly reduced price for printing 2,000 copies. We now
rely on the sale of the Workbook to cover our expenses.
If there
are "teardowns" of existing homes in a neighborhood and
more expensive replacement homes are constructed, will this result
in increased real estate taxes for the remaining homes?
No. A replacement home will usually result in a significant increased
assessed valuation for the replacement home compared to the home
that was torn down. Therefore, the result will be that the older
homes in the area will bear a decreased portion of total assessed
tax valuations in the area and hence a decreased portion of applicable
real estate taxes which otherwise would be applicable to the older
homes.
What is
making my property taxes go up?
We had several meetings with our local tax assessors to find an
answer to this question. As your property values continue to increase,
so will the assessed value of your home. Increased city services
and amenities such as: our park system, continued development of
our downtown, new streets, new and better schools, public safety
and many more are all reasons for your property value and taxes
to increase. There are programs in place for senior citizens who
may not be able to afford the increased taxes. If you remodel your
home or construct a new home on your existing property, your taxes
will probably be increased. If you have concerns about your taxes,
it would be best for you to contact the local tax assessor to discuss
your concerns.
How are
you addressing the issue of affordable housing?
Community First's task was to compile a Workbook of visual guidelines
to address the issue of redevelopment. The issue of affordable housing
is a regional based issue that would require in depth study by a
separate community group devoted to this task. Should Naperville
decide to address this issue, Community First could be part of the
discussion.
How can
I become more involved with Community First?
Offer your signature in support of the Community First initiative,
organize a neighborhood meeting, or make a donation to help us continue
our mission. We would be interested in discussing other possibilities.
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