HomeMy WebLinkAbout1516 REMINGTON, REMINGTON HOUSE GROUP HOME - PDP - 11-00 - MINUTES/NOTES - CORRESPONDENCE-NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGM ff m6a i -' MS)
City of Fort Collins
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NFT 3HBORHOOD INFOF- IATION MEETING
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3 Attendees: Please sign this sheet. The information `vill be used to
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update the project mailing list and confirm attendance at neighborhood
meetings. Contact the Planning Department (221-6750) if you wish to
receive minutes of this meeting.
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A: We will buy the building. We feel that we need to have a vested interest in the
neighborhood and the property.
Q: Do you have a curfew for the kids?
A: It depends on the age, but typically on weekends the curfew is 1 Opm. When a kid gets
a night out, we require that we know exactly where he/she will be at all times, who they
will be riding with, talk to the parents of the friend they will be with, and call them at the
phone numbers given while they are out to check if they are where they said they will be.
Q: Are you comfortable locating this facility next to a fraternity?
A: We are confident of the control we have on our kids.
Q: Have you talked to the greek life office at CSU?
A: No.
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Q: Are you aware that there will be wild parties next door at the fraternities, and it might
be very easy for the kids to get into the parties?
A: We have a structure of supervision set up that should work to prevent this, or at least
make it not possible without the kid getting caught.
Q: Will your staff be willing to make complaints about the noise generated by the
fraternities?
A: Yes, we want the neighborhood to be as peaceful as possible.
Q: Do you have any idea how this facility might affect property values?
A: We currently run two foster homes (smaller scale than a group home) at 703 Peterson,
and at 722-724 Smith. In both cases we upgraded the houses and have improved the
general maintenance of the property. We have an equitable interest in improving the
value of the property as well, so we put a lot of effort into proper upkeep.
Comment: The age difference of 12 to 18 years of age is an incredible gap. 12 year olds
should not be grouped together with 18 year olds.
Response: The largest age group we get is 14 to 15 year olds. We only get 18 year olds
that act more like 15 year olds.
Comment: This neighborhood already has a lot of challenges such as the fraternities and
boarding houses, this seems like another challenge for the neighborhood.
Q: What's your timeline?
A: First we have to go through the city's process, then work out the financial
requirements, fix up the building, and hire and train staff. Best case, it will probably take
6 to 8 months.
Q: How's. the turnover of staff?
A: We've found that it is critical to have stability in staff and try to reduce the amount of
turnover. Therefore we pay more to get better staff. Our Greeley facility has a very low
rate of turnover. The overnight staff is the hardest to keep.
Comment (by neighbor): The nighttime staff seems to be the most critical time to provide
stability in staffing.
Q: How long do the kids typically stay?
A: 6 to 8 months on average. The longest has been 6 years, the shortest has been a couple
of weeks. It's hard to measure success in this type of a service.
Q: Will the kids in this facility be from Fort Collins?
A: Fort Collins has a shortage of this type of facility. Many local kids are placed out of
town. This facility will help the city's ability to serve the kids from our local population.
Q: Will you own or lease the building?
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A: We are planning on just cleaning it up and leaving it pretty much as is. The kids can
use the deck, front yard, the gazebo across the street, or the Old FCHS grounds for active
recreation.
Q: Will there be any signage?
A: None.
Q: Where are your administrative offices?
A: 633 Remington. We share the parking lot with GOJO Sports.
Q: Do you operate any other group homes in town?
A: No, but we do operate one in Greeley.
Q: Tell us about your company.
A: It is a non-profit organization with a board. We are funded by a per child contract
with the state.
Q: It seems that it would take about $100,000 to upgrade the building, can your
organization afford this?
A: We have a budget, and the state will usually pitch in if an opportunity like this arises.
Q: Will the state put any pressure on you to increase the number of kids in the facility?
A: Perhaps, but we are not willing to have more than 10 kids at any one facility
regardless of any pressure.
Q: How many kids in this building would the state permit?
A: The state requires 70 square feet of space per kid, but the exact number that would be
allowed for this facility is not an issue because we will not go over 10. Also, the city's
approval will specify the number of allowed residents based on what the application
requests.
Q: What are issues and problems you've had over the years in running these types of
facilities?
A: Not enough staff, hiring young staff, not giving staff enough training, not respecting
neighborhoods, not keeping the structure clean, noise (loud music), not requiring the kids
to do enough community service.
Q: Have you noticed any higher theft in neighborhoods because of your facilities?
A: No substantive research has been done. We haven't received any police calls in a
foster home we run at 703 Peterson.
Q: How's the relationship with the neighbors in your Greeley facility?
A: No complaints have been made to us. It is a different type of neighborhood. It is
located in a downtown environment adjacent to a post office and other downtown type
uses. If something did happen, the kids are required to take responsibility for their
actions.
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Commi ty Planning and Environmental .rvices
Current Planning
r_
City of Fort Collins
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
for 1516 Remington
conducted December 6, 1999 by Troy Jones
Q: What kind of supervision will be provided?
A: The state (which licenses group homes) doesn't have a specific guideline for the rules
of supervision. We use our own guidelines of a 1 to 4 ratio of staff to kids. We have a
whole menu of different types of staff roles.
Q: What kind of supervision is provided at night?
A: There will be two staff persons awake all night long. The windows and doors will all
have tamper detecting devises that will inform the night staff of any activity.
Q: What changes do you intend to make to the building itself.
A: The interior must be remodeled to fix it up to meet state license standards. It probably
will get new windows.
Q: How many kids do you intend to have reside at this facility.
Answer (by the applicant): We would like 6 to 10 to be located in this facility. We've
found from experience that any more than that is difficult to manage successfully.
Answer (by the city): A group home approval specifies the number of residents for the
group home. If the applicant applies only for 10 residents, the group home approval will
allow only 10 residents. To go over 10 residents, the applicant would need to go through
the development review process once again to change the group home number of
residents.
Q: What kind of staffing will take place during the day?
A: There will be counselors, teachers, and other staff at a ration of 2 to 1. If there's 10
kids, there will be 5 staff.
Q: Why do you need to put sensors on the windows? Are the kids criminals?
A: We will get kids with a full range of reasons for being in foster care. We are
accountable for these kids, so we need to keep close tabs on them. Anywhere from 10%
to 90% might have a criminal background, but keep in mind that run-aways, drug abuse,
and fighting are all reasons a kid might have a criminal background.
Q: Are you planning something in the back yard where it is currently paved?
281 North College Avenue • P.O. Box 580 • Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 • (970) 221-6750 • FAX (970) 416-2020