afn outdoor spaces and buildings domain listening session

AFN Outdoor Spaces and Buildings Domain

Listening Session Notes, June13 ,2018

10 Attendees:

What do you like best about living in Northfield? Northfield Shares provides funding for much of what the Garden Club does, Downtown is clean and there is a sidewalk along Hwy 3. City is hiring a consultant to work with the community to update the Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails strategic plan.

Domain Checklist

What do we have? There are many groups (Northfield in Bloom, Garden Club, Save the Depot,) who are actively involved in the improvements for outdoor spaces. They need to be celebrated.

What is missing? Public buildings need more consideration for a 7” rise and 11” tread steps. Make this a standard when building or modifying buildings. City Park bathrooms need toilet bars. The Lion’s and Riverside Parks are next to Three Links. Accessible design for all ages needs to be considered. Need more accessible public bathrooms downtown that are open longer hours. Project to build enclosure for dumpsters that could be expanded to include public bathrooms. Those who are volunteering to beautify Northfield are aging-who will take over for us? Need for knowledgeable and experienced City workers on what it takes to build and maintain outdoor spaces. A sidewalk along Hwy 19 from the St. Olaf entrance to downtown. City maps of the available green spaces and park locations. Signage for the location of public bathrooms. Need a better way-finding system. Depot as a Visitor Center fully embraced.

Issues identified and prioritized by vote: (5 votes) Hire city workers (worker bees) who have knowledge and experience with outdoor spaces, parks and trails. (4 votes) Increase the # of public bathrooms and keep them open beyond business hours. (3 votes) Increase the amount of seating i.e. benches along the Riverwalk and open spaces.

(1 vote) Create changes in design of spaces for wheelchair accessibility and test the design with someone who uses a wheelchair. (1 vote) Update buildings with Universal Design features. (0 votes) Encourage City to expand staffing for keeping streets and open spaces clean. (0 votes) Hwy 19 sidewalk from St. Olaf to downtown. (0 votes) Create projects (eg. Internships) to provide succession planning.

Ideas from the Post-It-Note Lists

Dream (Pie in the Sky)

Doable (Takes some work)

Easy Easily Accomplished

Modify (Tweaking to current resource)

-Start a pedal taxi service -Utility box beautification using historical photos to wrap them -Close off all roads around Bridge Square, wall to wall walking space, no cars! -Build up spaces, add public bathrooms. -Handicap and senior parking east of the Depot -Beautify Babbcock, rusty bleachers look awful -Campground and Nature Reserve eg. Lebanon Hills -Five parks along river, String of Pearls, work with Beautify Northfield to develop. -Access to sculpture gardens and seeking them for seniors to enjoy -Beautify dog park -Readable signage by streets throughout town -Parkettes, combined park and parking, trees for shady parking

-A city map of parks and points of interest -Security and street lighting for Depot -Add bathroom next to City dumpsters and enclose 5th/Washington parking lot -Install benches on priority pedestrian routes -Support art in public places -Incorporate seating into art projects -Public access to the pavilion of the Depot -Seating for transportation riders as the wait at the Depot -Dumpster -Public bathrooms and signage -Map of the Parks and Trails at Bridge Square behind glass like and I-System for toilet stops -Dumpster in City (Co-op) lot -Public bathrooms downtown

-New construction of buildings need consideration of stairs 7”rise and 11” tread -Mainstreet Northfield, NDDC, & MPC cooperative project for downtown street lighting and sidewalks -Trails that don’t just loop out and back -Signage for the blind at the Sculpture Garden by the Depot -Senior playgrounds for exercise, maybe NRC, Three Links Villages - Always consider color blindness -Odd Fellow Park-add handicapped bars and wheelchair turnaround having wheelchair user be part of the plan -Large signage for Police Station, Ice Arena, Allina Care, Dome and other public places

-Encourage “age friendly” ideas in all updates of the comprehensive plan -Develop the String of Pearls concept of parks and making them age and handicap accessible as update to the Parks and Rec Plan -Buildings need to be easily accessible not just accessible to handicapped but older people of all abilities, think about opening doors for example. -More public bathrooms downtown open earlier -Redo trail system at Oddfellows Park -Add pedestrian lighting to update of Parks and Trails plan and lighting on priority path -Volunteer base for handyman and property upkeep accessible to older adults for free or low cost





-Parking for transport to the cities

-Pollinator Education and awareness in Riverside Park areas -Kiosks in all park areas to show bathrooms, trails, parks etc -Big readable signs on Hwy 3 to find Police and Ice Arena etc -Bridge Square needs some seating in shade -Have paid student internships or grants for HS Jrs and Srs to clean up City by hand, sustainable oversight is key -2 tables in lower Riverwalk -Visitor Center at Depot, public sculpture garden and transit hub -Accessibility issue need paved trail from St. Olaf West side and Three Links to downtown off of busy street -Accessible public restrooms as everybody plays soccer -People live here but don’t know where the Parks and Trails are -Improve walking accessibility eg. Carleton Arbs -Take trees out of sidewalks they are too narrow and hurt trees, hostile environment

-Trails near Butterflies, Bees, and Dragonflies -Park/public emergency system -Shaded benches throughout town -Benches along mainstreet -Community ambulance to increase watchfulness and follow up care

AFN Domain Listening Session Notes

Community Information June 27 1:00 – 2:30

11 Attendees:

Attendees were asked why they had chosen this group? Comments: May have young kids but interested in older generation; Good Influence on Northfield community; Work related interests.

Possible Improvements: Ideas

Need to define communication ** Northfield.org may be a good resource

Signage is needed around town- such as location of public restrooms

Conduct a survey to determine where people go for information

Comprehensive (coordinated) information system *** *o Information system needs paid staff: develop community relations * * o Online system could be a start – with a goal to add other media sources *o System needs to be broad enough to reach all – including ruralo Have a citizen board oversee the project with a paid staff *o Components: a person(s); different types of materials – communication venues; develop personal relationships * * * * o Grassroots effort – Neighborhood organizers as a feeder system to a centralized system * * *o To be determined – supervising organizationo Systems needs to be multi-culturalo Surrounding communities need to be included *o May need to decentralize system (organizations assigned a part)o Phone trees in neighborhoodso Need a consultant to grasp the “big idea”.o Consider the Senior Linkage Line as a source that could be used for the system – a “one stop shop”.






1 paid staff person oncity and a CitizensBoard

Neighborhoodorganizers

Means to link citizenstogether on acommunication platform

Central clearinghousefor all community info.

Need a person on staffand a citizen oversightboard.

Organize a collaborationof groups to support theCity Staff –communicationspecialist.

Community Calendar

1. Define what needsto be communicated;2. who needs thisinfo; 3. How theygain access.

Have participants inthe CommunityInformation domainalso commit toserving as a liaison toanother domainbecause info relatesto everything.

One stop shop for allcommunity info atCity with full timestaff.

City staff personexpert inCommunicationsSocial mediaspecialist working inconjunction withlibrary.

Need broad, basic,effective system thatreaches all ages.

Northfield.org holdlinks to local groupslike Nfld Garden Club– calendar_ main page

For homebound infoon issues and FirstLink to help via Mealson Wheels –handouts with mealdelivery.*

Bigger more readableway finding signs.

Inventory communityto evaluate – is printlegible? Are“buttons” or othertools ? Are placesthey are postedaccessible, etc.

Signage forbathrooms dwnt.

For youndger peoplethan seniors andseniors – buttons, t-shirts, magnets “Whoyou Gonna Call”phone # and URL.

Phone trees

No comments





/neighborhoods Advertise where free

computer access is.


Health and Wellness June 20 10:00 – 11:30

7 Attendees:

What are we doing currently that is working well?

Have a wide scope of services; location and accessibility There is a focus on health and wellness in many organizations; St. Olaf and Carleton There is a sense of commitment to assist in the community Fifty North Health care facilities Quality health care services Senior Linkage line as a resource Health and wellness collaboration Home health care Public health programs

Are we doing things well?

Absolutely There is a large variety of services Have an advantage over smaller communities in what we have to offer Have more ways to access resources – staffing

Needs

Communication/ knowledge of services available Increasing lack of volunteers and staffing: Human Resources

Education of services – what’s available; how do you access them Accessibility/transportation to utilize current services






o Barter system ofservices/matched with needsand wants of elderly

o Collaborative Health podcastseries to promote health andwellness, disease prevention,and safety

o People to become more activeand engaged in their own lives

o *Need to develop moreaffordable housing – rentaland/or accessible housing

o Multigenerationalcooperative living wheretime is identified forvolunteer services/credits on rent forproviding services.

o *Health andWellnessDirectory

o *Transportationplan to promoteaccessibility toHealth andWellness Services

o Identifyinghomeboundpeople. How dowe connect withthem?

o Local professionalto work togetherwhen they areserving the sameclient

*CreateNeighborhoodorganizerpositionso Grassroots

effort ofgoing door-to-door witha short listof questionsto identifywho areneighborsare; withhandout ofinformation.

o *Recognizethat there areneeds,capabilities,andexpectationdifferencesfrom age 65to 85.

o Culture shift–emphasizefocus onbuildingrelationshipswhendeliveringservices; getto know the





o Learn to live in higher densitymulti-unit mixed incomehousing

o Single payer health careto address inequality inhealthcare access

o *Uber type services

o *Centralizedresource list.Person to helppeople figure outresources that areneeded.

o After care follow-up.

o Create a paid AgeFriendlyNorthfieldchampion leader

o Gap: Adult daycare for dementia

o Expand In-homeservices realizingthat most folkswill not becomeresidents in ourcare facilities.

o *Organizationsneed to committo work togetherto find solutionsand new ways to

person well enough to ask about their cat (you know them well enough to know that they have a cat).





address needs; recognize same goals to develop shared outcomes.

o *Shared housing– provide servicesfor rent reduction

AFN Housing Domain Listening Session Notes,

Housing

June 13th, 2018 10:00 – 11:30

15 Attendees:

What do you like best about living in Northfield? Historical Preservation, loyalty to downtown, colleges add to quality of life,

parks, collaboration and support among City and organizations, arts and artists, walkable and bikeable, proximity to metro area, good

place to raise a family, destination city, AFN initiative, access to healthcare, size, family friendly, smells like cookies baking, huge

volunteer pool (220+ nonprofits)

Domain Checklist

What do we have? Mostly well-constructed housing,

What is missing? No universal definition of affordable, decrease in HUD funding resulted in an increase in homelessness,

wages have not kept pace with market rate housing, older housing stock in need of repair and maintenance, a sustainable model

affordable housing, land to build on is not close to amenities which makes access to services a challenge

Issues identified and prioritized by vote. (6 votes) Tie new business development to developing affordable housing;

(5 votes) Connect housing developments to transportation and services; (4 votes) Resize housing units-smaller square footage;

(4 votes) Promote home sharing as an acceptable model; (3 votes) Require developers to incorporate Universal Home Design features;

(2 votes) Central information point to obtaining handyman services; (2 votes) Toolkit libraries;(0 votes) Homeowner classes on DIY

home repairs




Easy (Easily Accomplished)


-Tool library with peopleavailable to advise and refer-Dedicated funding sources

-More one level,

accessible, modestlypriced townhomes

-Begin education on aging

in place-Contractor Central run by

-Zoning-loosen-Loosen accessory dwellingunit regulations



Easy (Easily Accomplished)


for affordable housing ie. sales tax, lodging tax, levy, etc. -Mixed use housing eg.Aptmts, services, andbusinesses located in samebuilding-light rail from Northfieldthat connects to light rail atMOA-Intergenerational coophousing where services arewritten into the by-laws-Look at hotel constructionmodels for apartments-Multigenerational housing-Cooperative housing withshared resources (tools,gardens etc.) Cully Grove,Portland OR-Create more housing withindowntown area-Housing built around allservices from child care toolder adult services includinggroceries to restaurants-Free Wi-Fi for all

-City investment inaffordable housing-landassembly and demolition,project subsidy orassistance, grants-Services offered inlocation with highnumbers of seniors egtownhomes and condos-Enforce visitabilitystandard for newdevelopment-Core services app like“Uber” for services-More low-income assistedliving options-Allowances for mother-in-law units long term or tinyhouses permanently-Tool lending shed-Encourage sharedhousing-Shared Intergenerational,affordable coopneighborhood-Bring developers etc. tothe table-More housing downtown-walkableInfrastructure assistanceor waivers for affordablehousig-Senior Care Coordinator –handyman, tools,assistance

NDDC/Chamber -Smaller footprint houses-Local property tax relieffor seniors

-Specs of homes toaccommodate aging in place-Financial assistance or grantsfor home modifications-Reduce development costsfor affordability-Loosen rental housingordinance


Job Opportunities June 27, 2018 10:00 – 11:30

8 Attendees:

Employment Issues

Workers are aging out. There are not enough workers to follow retirees

What can be done to combat the employment Needs?

Looking at making changes to current employment structure Need to know more about what seniors are interested in to determine how they might be recruited

How do we attract older adults to job opportunities? Need to think out of the box. Change the structure of the jobs to better fit the interest/ attraction of the worker. Need more affordable housing for the workers May need to go beyond Northfield to recruit workers Need more public transportation – wider range for pick up – between Faribault and Northfield

Find the incentive for older adults to work Education and job training for working – Senior Worker program How do we communicate that there are job opportunities Create a centralized resource list. Utilize job sharing Universal worker concept

Tap retirees – how do we have the conversations? Include disabled folks – recognize abilities

Ultimate items (burning) that we can do

Mentorships – retirees with students coming into the workforce. *

Re-looking at job structure – thinking outside of the box * Perks –offer incentives * Change to Project based work versus 9 to 5 type job * Think tanks – tap ideas from retirees * Raise awareness of the needs and possibilities. A call for action. *

Job sharing * Multi-generational service housing * Mentors within the organization – human resource councilors * Uber type services – data base *


Group ran out of energy and time. (Did not do post-it notes.)






Social Participation June 20 1:00 – 2:30

6 Attendees:

Venues for events are conveniently located, accessible, well-lit and easily reached by public transport. How is Northfield doing? Need more parking around venues – especially at the Grand and Library.

*Public transport could be improved.

Buildings could be more accessibleLibrary could be the venue that keeps and updates a list of different venues and event calendars. List should include name of groupand contact.

Good information about activities and events is provided, including details about accessibility of facilities and transportation options for older people. How is Northfield doing?

***A central communication system is needed. List of events, venues. Social media could be utilized. The City website could also

be utilized. Information needs to include what, who, where, when, how.

How do we get people involved? Northfield needs to be viewed as a: welcoming city – esthetically pleasing, with social opportunities Need to raise awareness of the importance of being social; as a connection to health; it is good for the mind, body, and spirit.

**Grassroots effort: neighborhood organizers. Neighborhoods could be organized by City Council districts. (These districts could

be divided into smaller neighborhoods). Advantage – neighbors know each other, aware of neighbor’s needs, identify isolated

individuals.

Issues identified and prioritized by vote

Good: Have wide scope of services

Needs: Communication/ knowledge of services Education of services – what and how to access Human resources Transportation to utilize current services






*Barter system of services/matched with needs and wants of elderly *Collaborative Health podcast series to promote health and wellness, disease prevention, and safety *People to become more active and engaged in their own lives

*Tap the Blandin Fdnt leadership program to develop leadership skills *Neighborhood email connections *Create a coalition of groups involved in social participation. *Increase awareness and education to help seniors understand the

*Create a rating checklist of Age Friendly characteristics that can be used for decision making at all levels from staff to elected and appointed officials. * Provide checklists for use by staffs to report out an Age Friendly rating 0% -100%. For

*Form Coalitions with NAG, Rotary, VFW, Lions, (etc.)





*Need to develop more affordable housing – rental and/or accessible housing * Need a new series of hits “like the Welcome Wagon” but every few yuears – Remind citizens of what NFLD has to -enjoy -help -join * A paid staff person of City to find people who are alone, isolated, and need intermittent help, then find contact to help them be connected to this community and to stay in their home. * One central contact location and person * Clearinghouse/ centrally located, city managed and funded;

importance of social participation to their health and well-being. * More city parking by big mtg places like the Grand. * Need one paid staff(City/Library0 to keep an updated city/community list - online and at the library. A community resource guide – events, resources, calendar.

use in P.U.D, C.U.P, I.U.P by Planning Commissions * Use existing social networks to track and ensure no one is too isolated. Use data minina-like trackers based on visits to AFN network. * Intergenerational planned events *Increase Nfld activities as a “Blue Zone” – trails, food healthy choices, Healthy activities, Social networking.





central location with Staff member expertise in social media and communications.

AFN Transportation Domain Listening Session Notes

June 13, 2018 4:00 – 5:30

7 Attendees:

What do you like best about living in Northfield? No comments. Skipped to items below.

Domain Checklist

What do we have? Three Links-Vital Link Day Care has a van that provides rides to attendees, Van available for

residents of Mill Stream Commons, Hiawatha Lines, Taxi Services, Eco Trans, Northfield Retirement Community van for

primarily medical visits and occasionally activities and events, Dial-a-ride which requires 24 hour advance notice,

What is missing? Twenty-four/seven availability, a barter system for driving and rides, door through door

transportation, transportation that is reliable, affordable, and accessible on-demand, streetlights that allow enough timing

for walking corner to corner, complete streets i.e. those that accommodate cars, bicycles, strollers, wheelchairs etc.,

handicap parking on level ground, faster snow removal-it currently is taking up to 18 hours to clear the streets, Citizens

Police Force that is charged with enforcing parking laws.

Issues identified and prioritized by vote (4 votes) Uber drivers with accessible vehicles; (3 votes) Uber, Lyft

availability; (2 votes) On-demand car rentals for those who still drive; (1 vote) Self-driving cars; (1 vote) Golf carts that

can be rented to get around town; (1 vote) Explore coordination with Epic and the transportation they provide; (0 votes)

more handicapped parking stalls; (0 votes) Enforcement of handicap parking stalls; (0 votes)Enforcement of snow

removal at curb cuts

Ideas from the Post-It-Note Lists Refer to notes above. Need to locate the notes.





afn outdoor spaces and buildings domain listening session

Documents