HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 8/4/2020 - Memorandum From Marcy Yoder Re: Library Park Neighborhood Meeting Plan UpdateDocuSign Envelope ID: 59FF5C77-816E-436A-899C-C67336B01C68
Planning, Development & Transportation
Community Development & Neighborhood Services
281 N. College Ave.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.416.2350
970.224.6134 FAX
www.fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
TO:
THRU:
July 28, 2020
Mayor Troxell and City Council Members
Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
Paul Sizemore, Interim CDNS Director
FROM: Marcy Yoder, Neighborhood Services Manager
RE: Library Park Neighborhood Meeting Plan Update
Purpose:
This memo is an update to the request from both Library Park Neighbors and City
Council members to facilitate discussions with Library Park neighbors, the
Mennonite Fellowship, the Community of Christ church, and Food Not Bombs
representatives.
Unfortunately, we were unable to gain agreement for participation from the invitees
to move forward with the proposed plan.
As an alternative course of action, this memo will outline our updated approach for
coordination and communication to address concerns from Library Park Neighbors.
Background:
On March 25, 2020, the plan for a facilitated conversation with the above
parties was shared with Council. COVID restrictions placed the plan on hold.
After the closure of Northside Aztlan Center temporary outdoor shelter, there
was an increase of activities in the Library Park neighborhood. Neighbors began
Caryn Champine, Director of PDT
DocuSign Envelope ID: 59FF5C77-816E-436A-899C-C67336B01C68
raising concerns about a variety of issues and requested that we start the
process again for having the planned facilitated discussions.
There was initial acceptance from all the neighbors, Community of Christ, and
Mennonite Fellowship. Food Not Bombs did not respond to the second
invitation.
o Follow-up conversations to ensure all understood the process and
purpose resulted in Mennonite Fellowship not wanting to participate in
the proposed plan for a facilitated discussion with neighbors.
o Mennonite Fellowship expressed appreciation for the recent work being
done by the City to address the growing number of people experiencing
homelessness. There is also willingness to participate in broader
conversations that address options/solutions for resolving homelessness
issues.
Action Items:
Since May, City staff have been working collaboratively to coordinate responses to the
complex issues surrounding activities in Library Park neighborhood and have seen
improvements. This continues to shape an alternative course of action beyond the plan
for facilitated discussion.
Regular meetings and updates have been happening cross departmentally over
the last several months to coordinate efforts, align strategies, and respond to
neighborhood questions.
This has resulted in a new taskforce being formed that will be meeting and
reporting weekly. Caryn Champine, PDT Director is the Chair, other members
include representatives from Police Services, Social Sustainability, Neighborhood
Services, Outreach Fort Collins and City Attorney’s office.
o Purpose statement: Internal City Departments and partners share
updates and advance strategies to compassionately balance the delivery
of important social services while monitoring and minimizing negative
impacts within the Library Park Neighborhood.
Another product of the ongoing collaboration is a set of speaking points that can
be utilized by Staff and Council members when responding to neighborhood
questions. They are attached.
Library Park Speaking Points – July 30, 2020
General:
Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their neighborhood
We really hear resident concerns
o doing everything we can to help reach an outcome that meets the needs of all involved
No quick solutions or easy answers in this complex situation
The City remains committed to continuing to work with partners, such as local service providers,
to help address both immediate and long-range needs around homelessness in our community
The situation in the Library Park Neighborhood shines a spotlight on how the system of support
for people experiencing homelessness sometimes fails and leaves people outside - literally and
figuratively
We have heard loud and clear from neighbors about the high number of people gathering
outdoors along sidewalks and engaging in activities that many find to be undesirable
o increase in trash/scattered belongings, loud music, profanity, smoking, camping, drug
use
There are many ways that the City of Fort Collins is involved in addressing the current challenges
and there are some limits on the role of local government
o Specifically, some of the property owners involved are religious institutions that have
certain protections under U.S. law affecting how the City must approach their activities,
including their provision of homeless services
Specific ways that the City and our partners have engaged:
Police Services contacts individuals and issues citations or warnings when violations occur. However,
there are limits to the effectiveness of law enforcement in this situation.
Many of the undesirable behaviors identified by neighbors are not illegal
Issuing citations to individuals experiencing homelessness is not a consistently effective way to
achieve compliance at a specific site
o (i.e., we see recurring violations by a revolving group of individuals without an overall
change to the target behavior)
Outreach Fort Collins (OFC) has daily proactive engagements with individuals in the Library Park
Neighborhood. These engagements center around behaviors and connecting people experiencing
homelessness with other services available in the community.
OFC can respond to real time concerns from neighbors if they receive a call. (970-658-0088,
Monday through Saturday, 9am-5pm)
OFC cannot force anyone to relocate from private property
OFC communicates illegal behaviors to Fort Collins Police Services
Library Park Speaking Points – July 30, 2020
Code Compliance inspects the area regularly and has not found a violation in the last month.
When unattended items have piled up notice is issued to a private landowner, which has
resulted in it getting cleaned up
There are no violations in allowing people to congregate on private property
Enforcing violations related to camping is quite challenging because of the fluid nature of the
way space is used by visitors and the “camping” definition in City Code excludes “picnicking” and
“incidental napping”
Building Services is working with PFA to ensure health and safety of buildings being utilized as
Community Based Shelters.
Guidelines were created, signed, and distributed to entities sheltering people on a temporary
basis.
o This includes churches that support Family Housing Network
o Chief Building Official is contacting entities to address any questions and schedule
inspections
Additional steps that the City is pursuing:
Continued monitoring and contact with people in the Library Park Neighborhood
o Citations issued for violations of City Code, as appropriate
Councilmembers have heard from many neighbors and are working closely with staff and
neighbors to seek solutions
Interdepartmental taskforce formed and meeting regularly
o shares updates and advances strategies to compassionately balance the delivery of
important social services while monitoring and minimizing negative impacts within the
Library Park Neighborhood
Accelerating investigation of new/expanded emergency shelter facilities in Fort Collins
o With the support of City Council, City Manager Darin Atteberry has convened
an advisory committee to deliver recommendations for expanded/new homeless shelter
facilities in Fort Collins. The work of that committee will wrap up in September and
details may be found here: https://www.fcgov.com/homelessnesscommittee/