Neighborhood Development

Residential areas are the backbone of a city. In fact, some cities have chosen to limit development to residential uses only and thus have no resident industries. These communities have been referred to as bedroom communities because the residents sleep in their home city but are forced to commute to places of employment. While many residents of Michigan City commute to jobs in other communities, Michigan City is not a bedroom community. Instead Michigan City is home to various forms of commerce, industry and residences.

In the early 1900's Michigan City's development codes allowed residential buildings, including multi-family dwellings in all zoning areas. As a result many of our city's older neighborhoods have both single family and multi family dwellings located side by side with businesses and industries. The conflict of use causes traffic conflicts that are unacceptable to residents; and the lack of both off street parking and usable open space make the areas less attractive to families.

Prior to WW II, homes were built close to one another with large front porches from which the residents watched their neighbors walk along the streets. Today, many homebuyers prefer large lots and frequently resort to tall privacy fences. Where residents used to stroll, cars are now parked bumper to bumper, discouraging any pedestrian movements. Tree lawns and well maintained front yards have been replaced by rutted parking areas.

As a result, the market for the large older single family home has softened. Citizens with an interest in preserving the old forms of architecture (and history) have sprung up but frequently meet with resistance from residents of the neighborhoods who fear they will be pushed from their homes. For the elderly, the cost of maintaining their homesteads has become a heavy financial burden and some, therefore, resort to converting their single family home into a duplex or possibly a multi family dwelling further taxing the neighborhood infrastructure, while others watch their life investment deteriorate around them. Unfortunately, tenants are frequently blamed for the parking problems that the landlord has created. Properties are sometimes abandoned and taxes not paid. Theses properties deteriorate further and become targets of vandals, vagrants, and attract other nuisance activities.

Several of the older neighborhoods are served with combined sanitary- storm sewers. These systems cause basement flooding which can create serious problems and contribute to the overflow potential at the sanitary plant, which would mean raw sewage is discharged directly into Trail Creek. In addition some areas lack city water and sewers. Some septic systems flow into wetlands creating a health hazard while the lack of a municipal water system presents both a health problem and a safety problem. Residents consuming unsafe drinking water are at risk of illness and disease. The lack of city water also puts the property, the occupants and the city's firefighters at risk.

The decline of a neighborhood presents the perception of several problems: crime, deteriorated sometime unsafe buildings, filth, quality of city services, and disinvestments, to name a few.

The Oberlie Plan

Crime:

Expand the neighborhood policing program and establish a citywide policy, following the NYC program, of enforcing all codes as a means of discouraging major offenses. The planning of such a program would include the area's clergy and residents. To create the perception that our police are on every corner, the city would utilize state and federal incentive programs to encourage city police officers to live in the city. The city will also explore alternative lighting systems to provide more streetlights and work with the Tree Board to implement an aggressive tree-pruning program to remove dangerous limbs and those that block existing lights.

The city recreation program will be expanded through the Park Board or through others, to include extended learning opportunities after regular school hours and into the summer months. Many of our neighborhood vandalism problems are created after the regular school day is completed and children go home where they are unattended. These same young people lack structure in the summer and find themselves in trouble. The extended learning times will keep these young people busy until a parent is available to provide proper supervision.

And finally, we will explore the re-creation of summer neighborhood work programs. These programs were formerly used to hire young people to work within their neighborhoods cleaning, alleys, curbs, and vacant yards.

Housing:

The city will re-establish a Community Development Corporation to assist first-time homebuyers, thereby attracting young families back to the city. To compliment these efforts, the City will use federal community development block grant funds to: expand the city's code enforcement program to include refuse, litter, and abandoned vehicles; provide loans and grants for home owner-occupied residential rehabilitation and historic preservation; and establish grass roots planning with the neighborhood organizations.

Through the CDC, the city will explore a partnership to offer a "reverse tax" program. Patterned after a reverse mortgage, the reverse tax will allow a homeowner borrow against their existing home equity for the purpose of paying their property tax bill. The reverse tax would be filed as a lien and paid off when the property is sold.

The city will continue to extend sanitary sewers and water to all residents living on a city street as funds become available. The city will continue to separate storm sewers from sanitary sewers, replacing the entire street, curb and walk system during construction. Streets will be widened to provide parking when feasible and sidewalks with handicap accessible ramps will be added. Priorities will be established once the Sanitary District studies are completed for the Marsh School area. Construction will proceed as funding becomes available.

Through regularly scheduled neighborhood meetings, we will assure quality city services are provided throughout the city. The city's alley paving program will be expanded to encourage residents to use existing off-street parking frequently located behind the home.

When building demolition is required through the code enforcement program, the city will acquire the resulting vacant lot. The productive re-use of the property by the adjoining residents will reduce congestion on the streets, provide a place for the young children to play and return the property to the tax rolls. In addition, some lots may be used as relocation sites for historic buildings or small businesses. And finally, a council-plan commission study committee will be established to review city codes and develop programs to prohibit the conversion of single-family homes to 2 or more families when proper off street parking and usable open space is not available.