July 12, 2021
Dear Mayor and Commissioners:
On behalf of the Alliance of Tallahassee Neighborhoods (ATN), thank you for your recent actions supporting our neighborhoods. The Compatibility Ordinance made significant changes to site design standards to better protect single family residential areas from incompatible development. The Neighborhood Bill of Rights policy reaffirms the City’s intent to keep neighborhoods informed of City actions that may affect them. Lastly, the Growth Management Department is implementing changes to the sign standards for development. These changes will ensure that signs that are posted on a property to notify residents of proposed development are sturdy enough to withstand rain and wind.
Your votes brought to conclusion a process that ATN initiated in 2019. In an effort to work constructively with the City, we analyzed existing codes, methodologies used in other communities, and brought specific recommendations to staff for enhanced notification for development and a Neighborhood Bill of Rights. We particularly appreciate the work of Karen Jumonville and Bill Pable on the compatibility ordinance. They responded to our request for more notice on development projects with the potential for incompatible development with a proposal to change design standards. Their work was well researched and analyzed, they kept us well informed each step of the way, and were open minded and forthcoming in our substantive discussions.
We also thank Ashley Edwards and John Baker for their work on the Neighborhood Bill of Rights policy changes.
These recent significant actions reinforce ATN’s commitment to work collaboratively with the City and other interest groups to promote the mutually dependent goals of quality development, neighborhood preservation, and meaningful public involvement.
Best regards,
Carrie Litherland, ATN Chairperson