City Hosts Final Neighborhood Leadership Series Class

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2010

For more information, contact:
Vickie Provine, Program Manager, Housing and Neighborhood Development, City of Bloomington, 349.3505, provinev@bloomington.in.gov
Jared Schlemmer, Assistant Deputy Mayor, City of Bloomington, 349.3406, schlemmj@bloomington.in.gov



Bloomington, IN -- The City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) department will be offering its last of this round's Neighborhood Leadership Series classes on Thu., Nov. 4 from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Neighborhood Leadership Series is a set of free classes offered quarterly to enhance leadership skills, share best practices and provide interaction between City departments and neighborhoods.

The Nov. 4 class will focus on the City Council's role in making land-use decisions. While the City's Planning Department implements land use law, the City Council and the Mayor create those laws and the policies behind them. In developing policy, the perspective of neighborhoods is key. In this class entitled "The Law of the Land: Land Use Policy, the City Council and You," Council President Isabel Piedmont-Smith and Council member Chris Sturbaum will discuss their role in establishing planning policy and how residents and neighborhoods are an important part of that process.

"We want to know what the priorities of residents are as we make decisions on land use policy," said Piedmont-Smith. "Neighborhood associations play a vital role in that communication."

This session will help neighbors learn how to work productively with City departments and the City Council. Through interactive discussions participants will come away with effective techniques for approaching issues in their neighborhoods.

"Planning rules really shape a neighborhood's character. It is important for residents to know how they can participate in the process of creating the community's land-use rules. Citizen input is a critical part of creating policies that are responsive to the needs of neighborhoods. You can make a difference," said Sturbaum.

To register contact Vickie Provine at provinev@bloomington.in.gov or call 349-3505. Read more about the class on the HAND Web site, http://bloomington.in.gov/hand.

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