Lancaster City Alliance Community Meeting Gathers Input from the Neighborhood

Neighbors United was pleased with the turnout for a Community Meeting on February 10, with the Lancaster City Alliance, businesses and residents.

Building on Strength is the Economic Development Strategic Plan for the City of Lancaster, PA. It is important to know that there are 8 focus areas that the City and LCA wish to address over the next 15 years. Our neighborhood area of focus is in the NE along New Holland Ave. including: Plum and Walnut Street Anchor, Ross Street Gateway, and New Holland Ave infill.

After hearing about the plan, we were invited to share our concerns and dreams for the neighborhood. Input from neighbors included (to name a few): a desire for a gathering place for residents, a coffee shop, more pet friendly/outdoor dining establishments, a grocery store, better use of alleys, adding small residential units above alley garages, better street wayfaring, places to safely walk and improvements to our gateways -- especially near the Amtrak bridges, and better attempts at inclusiveness to get more residents involved.

Our city is growing and we wish to continue in the right direction. A plan that focuses on areas beyond the Downtown core is essential. For more information on the plan, visit: http://www.lancastercityalliance.org/building-on-strength/
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‪#‎BuildingonStrength‬

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Here is a recap of the meeting produced by the Lancaster City Alliance:

Public Meeting Minutes
New Holland Avenue
Community Meeting

Date: February 10, 2016        
Time: 6:00 p.m.          
Location: Nxtbook Media
Purpose: Inform neighborhood stakeholders about the City’s Strategic Economic Development Plan, Hear from neighborhood about neighborhood strengths and opportunities and collaborate with neighbors to support and facilitate ideas for enhanced quality of life.
Presenters: Marshall Snively, Executive VP/COO, DID Executive Director and Shelby Nauman, Vice President
Prepared by:  Lancaster City Alliance

This is the first public meeting since launching the 15-Year Strategic Economic Development Plan on June 11th 2015 to talk with New Holland Avenue Stakeholders and Neighbors about the Plan Strategies and to engage in dialogue about strengths, opportunities and vision for the Plan Commercial Hubs and neighborhoods with residents and stakeholders.
Marshall Snively welcomed attendees and asked for brief introductions (about 40 people attended).
Marshall thanked and introduced Michael Biggerstaff who gave a brief introduction about Nxtbook Media.
Marshall Snively and Shelby Nauman gave a brief overview of the Plan focus area, community engagement, community insights and Plan vision, aspirations and outcomes related to Strategic Economic Development.
Shelby Nauman facilitated group dialogue to identify neighborhood strengths and opportunities:

Specific Needs:

• Gateway area around Ross Street overpass is always littered and dirty – irregular volunteer cleanups are not keeping it maintained
• Paint the Amtrak bridge at the Ross Street overpass and request regular maintenance for graffiti abatement
• Roburritos is currently an eyesore and seems to be stalled – what is the status?
• Deteriorated sidewalks on N. Marshall
• Sidewalk needs to continue between Ross Street and Wickersham Construction, currently ends at Lancaster Electric
• There is a trip hazard in front of LMB light foundation – is City aware?
• 300 block of Plum needs a sign – confusing for deliveries, drivers and visitors
• Parking is becoming an issue on East Walnut; need to be mindful as more businesses open there
• How can tractor trailer traffic on E. Lemon connecting to New Holland be diverted?
• Work with corner stores to provide needed items for families
• Create neighborhood identity with a branding exercise- self proclaiming what this neighborhood represents in the context of Lancaster City and need resources to promote.

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Broad Goals:

• Advance development of the Stehli Silk Mill property – it’s in Manheim Township and is a blight on the neighborhood
• Encourage businesses that are complimentary to quality of life in the neighborhood
• More places to eat
• A community gathering place like a coffee shop with street frontage (Baker’s Table is great but not central enough)
• Pet Friendly areas and Ped – only plaza area with shops
• Old Garvey’s Pharmacy at 716 N. Franklin is an opportunity for a café – exceptionally wide sidewalks
• Would like to see new development be more urban – designed for people; not cars
• Develop Branding and Identity for new Holland Ave corridor to attract people and connect with Downtown
• Lancaster Science Factory draws 43,000 visitors annually – would be mutually beneficial to connect them with other businesses and attractions
• Pedestrian path with signage, public art, and planters that have unified look
• Improve Perception of Lancaster as “Family Friendly”  - current positive is that Lancaster is a great place for 20 – somethings and empty- nesters
• Would like to see more Lancaster Community Safety Coalition cameras
• Would like a supermarket or upgrades to the Giant on Reservoir Street
• Lack of inclusion, diversity in visioning for Lancaster City
• More diagonal parking could increase parking spaces – this was done on 200 East Lemon and it has helped slow traffic.
• Leverage the Cemetery’s green space- currently the perimeter feels creepy – during the day not much natural surveillance and at night there is no lighting on the Eastern half.  The path at Plum, Lemon, New Holland is heavily utilized by pedestrians
• Concerns about alleys – how can they be better utilized, cleaner?
• Long- term could there be a through road parallel to New Holland that could intersect New Holland at Ross/ Grand View Plaza to re-energize those commercial spaces and ease traffic at Franklin/New Holland?

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Action Items

• Ross/ New Holland is not pedestrian –friendly (research options)
• What is the status of the NE Greenway?
• Safety, timing at Ross/ Franklin/ New Holland favors New Holland traffic
• Find out what if any projects the City Art Board is considering for Amtrak bridges
• Find out the ownership of unnamed alley by JL Clark and Plum Street kitchen- has drainage issues and is not cleaned or maintained
• Park Ave and Plum are both segmented- can there be better/ more signage?

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Next Steps:

• Follow-up with neighborhood stakeholders on specific issues and action steps.
• Follow-up with the City of Lancaster as appropriate on several issues and report back to the group.

 
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