|
Auburn Visioning Session Small Group Meeting Report • November 15 & 19, 2008
 The City’s comprehensive planning consultants, Saratoga Associates, assembled residents into small groups to discuss the City’s current state and future. Each group was given a starter series of questions to frame the discussion.
Ideas from all of the break-out groups are first summarized to identify the most common answers to two of the questions. Individual group responses then follow.
For questions, comments and suggestions about these discussions, please contact City Planner Stephen Selvek sselvek@ci.auburn.ny.us.
November 15, Group 1
November 15, Group 2
November 15, Group 3
November 19, Group 1
November 19, Group 2
November 19, Group 3
November 19, Group 4
Q: In 5, 10, 20 years Auburn will be…(finish the sentence)
- A regional destination, more tourism
- Center of arts and culture
- Connected to river
- Greener, more environmentally friendly
- Have more jobs/opportunities
- Have more people, more diverse people
- More people living downtown
- Pedestrian and bicycle friendly
- Protect its history
- Vibrant, exciting
Q: What things don’t you like and need to be changed?
- City needs a ‘hook’ or theme
- Code enforcement
- Combat negative attitudes in population
- Connect surrounding agriculture to processing plants in Auburn
- Create a theater district
- Encourage mixed use in downtown
- Encourage new businesses
- Encourage sustainable industries
- Fill vacant buildings
- Get word out about Auburn
- Higher quality restaurants
- Improve city gateways
- Increase homeownership
- Increase property maintenance
- Increase tax base
- More connections to river / take advantage of water opportunities
- Need better landlords
- Social opportunities for kids
- Stop taking quality of lake water for granted
- Support developing neighborhoods
- Take pride in historic buildings
- Think big and be willing to be proactive
- Too many signs
- Undo impacts of urban renewal downtown
- Use rail line as a tourism draw
Results from the individual group discussions are below. The numbers in parentheses indicate the number of votes received by particular items.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Group 1
Today Auburn is…
- From north approach is not attractive
- (Unattractive gateways) – has improved in some places
- Some neighborhoods appear cared for
- Great Architecture
- Affordable
- Room for growth
- Great preservation opportunities
- Prison is ugly
- Forgotten river
In twenty years Auburn could be…
- Plans are accomplished in shorter time
- Pretty walking places: bikes, other modes
- Downtown connection with Emerson Park
- Cultural center enhanced
- Thriving downtown, festivals
- Farmers Market expansion
- Well kept public spaces, gateways, corridors
- Downtown living opportunities
- A place for small businesses
- Mini Hollywood – film, etc.
- History / Tourism
- Easy access
Likes
- Compact Neighborhoods
- Cultural opportunities
- Great Library
- Wegmans
- Accessibility – Lakes, Land, Farms …
- People
- Lake
- Access to Skiing
- Hoopes Park, activities
- History
To change
- Janet, Steel, Logan Street in support of developing neighborhood (6)
- Absentee landlords (1)
- Light timing and emergency controls (3)
- Northern Gateway (3)
- Downtown parking needs (re: housing) (2)
- Parking kiosks
- Need better job opportunities (3)
- Need diverse housing options (2)
- Need better community infrastructure, more options for digital cable
- Needs a ‘hook’ and consensus (6)
- Riverfront opportunities (11)
- Truck traffic (2)
- Social opportunities for teenagers (5)
- Keep housing grant / assistance opportunities (Ties to population)
- Seize water opportunities (4)
- More industry (4)
- More boutique-y stores (2)
- Arterial (1)
Group 2
Today Auburn is…
- Disjointed (2)
- Haves and have nots
- Need jobs – new industry (2)
- People who value work / entrepreneurial (4)
- Making advances (1)
- Positive community, but not well advertised (art community, educational facilities)
- Family positive, good environment, people moving back (1)
- Good medical facilities
- Parks and Recreation (2)
In 10 or 20 Years Auburn can be…
- A regional destination (3)
- New mindset about community – marketing – informing people about assets (2)
- A coordinated community
- A retirement community (1)
Community likes
- Lake access (1)
- Comfortable Community / Familiar (1)
- Very neighborly – safe (1)
- Recreation facilities / green space, tie together (1)
- Historic / Community History (2)
Dislikes
- Loop Road Route 5 / 20 Arterial (1)
- Loss of downtown (3)
- Traffic Flow Downtown, rush hour
Group 3
Auburn is…
- Historic
- Conservative
- Nice size
- Convenient
- Close to Syracuse
- In a beautiful area
- Friendly
In 10 to 20 Years we hope Auburn will be…
- Center of Musical Theatre (1)
- Cultural Center beyond Music Theatre (2)
- Remain primary residential with small businesses
- Economically stronger (4)
- Less polluted
- Convenient and beautiful
- More pedestrian friendly (3)
- Going to be more decay
- Population growth
- More retail and restaurants
- More vitality
- Improved neighborhoods – appearance with trees, landscaping, parking issues
- More manufacturing or outlying areas
- More mid/upscale housing in downtown (2)
- More parks / recreation (2)
- More riverfront activities (retail, restaurants, bike paths) (4)
- Condos for Boomers (1)
- Adaptive reuse of historic buildings (1)
- Maintain historic scale (1)
- Improved gates into city, highlight assets (1)
- Bike lanes on streets
- Improve public transit
- Less cluttered signage
- Youth Center (1)
- Higher quality retail / restaurants (4)
- More unique, boutique shops, arts
- More vital arts community (1)
- Reduce number of vacant buildings (1)
- More owner occupied (1)
- Better quality landlords, more accountability (3)
- Preserve residential areas (1)
- Encourage mixed use in Downtown (4)
- Bury power lines throughout city
- Fix traffic patterns, too hard to navigate
- Get rid of Arterial, businesses are disconnected
- Move sidewalks
- Enforce snow shoveling (1)
- Improve overall academic environment and link to businesses (2)
- More environmental – friendly practices
- Old water and sewer infrastructure needs improvement
- Become technology savvy
- Make parking garage safer, easier to find, better feeling
Ideas
- Mark downtown entries so people find it
- Create cultural district, walkable, walking trail (3)
- Parking problematic, takes to long with ticket system (1)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Group 1
Today Auburn is…
- Struggling
- Ripe with potential
- Needs a break
- Tired Underutilized
- Inconsistent
- Unruly
- Dull
- Fading
- Historic
- Trying
- Good place to raise kids
- Moving forward
- Needs a make over
- Hopeful
- Under employed
In 5, 10, 20 years, Auburn will be/should be/could be…
- Vibrant
- More diverse
- Regional gem
- More urban centric
- More economic opportunity
- Will be Skaneateles
- Vacant
- Livable
- More people
- More jobs/opportunities
- Better balanced
- Desirous
- Exciting
- A community that works
- Younger population
Assets
- Hospital
- Lake
- Drinking water
- Historic building
- Affordable
- Street improvements
- Tourism
- Green projects
- Location in nation
- One day drive of Canada, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland
- Finger Lakes Gateway
- People
- Culture
- Colleges: Cornell, Syracuse, RIT, Colgate
- Agricultural Region
- Neighborhoods
- Community focus philanthropy
- Access to water activities
- Public education
- Access to Syracuse, Rochester
- YMCA
- Size: Small town physically, know people
- Wegmans
- Seniors in downtown
Challenges
- Too many rentals
- Slumlords (3)
- Deadbeat tenants
- Ridiculous water bills
- Low wages/income (4)
- Vacant buildings (5)
- High taxes/utilities (3)
- Prison reputation
- Negative attitudes in population (5)
- Lack of community involvement (1)
- Stop wasting grant money, focus efforts (1)
- Undoing effects urban renewal (4)
- Bypass to nowhere (Walsh)
- Integrate the outlet/river (8)
- More green spaces (1)
- Attraction for young people (2)
- Raising rents
- Too much housing stock (2)
- Creating River Walk (2)
- Using Movie as a driver (3)
- Communication Re: Change
- Rail line as tourist destination (4)
- Eliminate tickets for parking
- Better transit (1)
- Becoming known as Movie Town or Gateway to the Finger Lakes
- Getting word out about Auburn (6)
- Encourage other sustainability power industries (4)
- Building on growing regional industries
- Deteriorating Neighborhoods (1)
- Code Enforcement (4)
- Connecting Regional Agriculture to Urban Processing (4)
- Traffic with loop missing Downtown
- Better regional cooperation (8)
- Truck traffic (1)
- Declining population
- Better region connectivity
- Prison hub (3)
- Industrial decline (3)
Group 2
Today Auburn is…
- Old – Buildings – Dirty (6)
- In transition – industrial (1)
- Historic buildings (1) – Historic Pride (9)
- Divided (1)Physical / economic
- Class! (3)
- New things happen – on the edge
- Positive and negative
- Dirty – More vegetation
- Zoning 2nd Place Downtown
Things I like…
- Positive Attitude
- Genesee Street (1)
- Great Community College
- Great creativity – Theatre/Arts
- Natural Resources (4)
- Football Stadium (1)
- Great Amenities
In 5, 10,20 Years Auburn can be…
- Trolley
- Urban Destination
- Waterfront (6)
- Positive Attitude
- Façade Downtown (3)
- Lake Destination (4)
- More Cultural / Historical (2)
- More events (1)
- Theatre District (14)
- Pedestrian Streetscape (2)
- Mixed Use – Pedestrian Connection (1)
- More retail (1)
- Diversity – Income – Housing – Age (2)
- Diversity Activity (1)
- Brownfield Opportunities & Building infill
- Great Gateway (4)
- Accentuate Urban Areas
- More home owners responsive landlords (6)
- Riverfront Trails (3)
Group 3
Auburn is…
- Fledgling
- In transition
- Affordable
- Historical
- Beautiful region
- Needing a plan
- Safe – crime, etc.
- Convenient – services
- Small scale
- Has great potential
- Has Downtown core, sense of place
- Not maximizing river
- Nostalgic
- Full of interesting tension
- Energy – water and gas
- Rental city
Auburn can be…
- A green city – environment, trees, etc.
- Technologically advanced – WIFI, etc.
- Arts, cinema center
- Learning center – local and regional
- Pedestrian and bike friendly
- Have diverse housing opportunities
- Beautiful – almost there
- Emphasize and protect historic
- Tourist destination
- Place with young people staying
- River is capitalized upon
- With good rail access – people and cargo
Likes
- Lakes – all of them
- Slow pace – no traffic
- Family oriented
- Wegmans
- 40 miles from everything: airports, nature, etc.
- Have all services
- Natural history – Paleontology, Geologically
- Lots of parks and recreation
- Many entertainment options – free/cheap
- Great music
- Family owned restaurants
- Dance school
- Not limited by boundaries
- History
Changes needed/ dislikes
- Absentee Landlords (18)
- Too much multifamily housing (2)
- Lake water quality taken for granted (16)
- Storm water management (2)
- Regional approach (3)
- Property maintenance (9)
- Empty manufacturing buildings need solution (2)
- Need to encourage new business sectors (13)
- Open up areas for single family (2)
- Better signage regulations – too many (4)
- Need accessible river, untapped resource (9)
- Think big and be proactive (7)
- Too negative (2)
- Need to increase tax base (14)
Group 4
Today Auburn is…
- On the brink
- Waiting
- On the move
- Historic
- Untapped / Undervalued
- In need of maintenance
- Awesome
- Trying to be quaint
- Work in progress
- Trying to redefine itself
- In need of pride / identity
- Well located
- A good place to walk
- Unknown
In 5 – 10 – 20 years, Auburn can be…
- Biker friendly (1)
- More diverse
- More diverse restaurants
- Schine Theatre
- More Industries
- More self awareness (regain identity)
- More populous
- More tourism. birth place of talking movies
- A destination
- More vibrant (Downtown)
- More apartments Downtown
- Agriculture friendly
- More green (plants and money)
- Less sprawl
- Fully occupied buildings (no vacancies)
- Alternate energy, high tech industry, green energy
- Arts, culture and education
- Leader of Cayuga County
- More living options for Baby Boomers
- County wide government
- More diversity of housing
What we like about Auburn
- Weather (4)
- Talented and creative people (4)
- A river runs through it (4)
- Its got initiative (2)
- Great housing and affordable (3)
- On Finger Lakes (7)
- Friendly people (3)
- Good schools and access to good colleges (CCC) (4)
- Scenic (1)
- Theater (3)
- Willard Chapel
- Safe (5)
- Outdoors (2)
- Library (1)
- Case Museum
- Arts Center (2)
- Convenience (3)
- It’s activity (great race, etc.) (1)
- YMCA (3)
For questions, comments and suggestions about these discussions, please contact City Planner Stephen Selvek sselvek@ci.auburn.ny.us.
|
