Council Communication Office of the City Manager	Date	June 9, 2008
	Agenda Item No. 21A Roll Call No. 08- Communication No. 08-355 Submitted by: Larry Hulse, Community Development Director

AGENDA HEADING:

Recognition of the Gray’s Lake Neighborhood Association.

SYNOPSIS:

Formal recognition of the Gray’s Lake Neighborhood Association according to the Neighborhood Recognition Policy.

FISCAL IMPACT: NONE

Amount: N/A

Funding Source: N/A

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Des Moines City Council approved the City of Des Moines Neighborhood Recognition Policy on May 24, 1993 by Roll Call No. 93-2026. The intent of this policy is to assist citizens of Des Moines sharing common identity, goals, and concerns to form an organization which will be formally recognized by city government boards, committees and councils and will act as an advisory body when dealing with decisions made by the City and its entities. The policy wishes to recognize the fact that the long term stability of a neighborhood depends on the existence of strong neighborhood based organizations able to demonstrate broad, grassroots participation and the ability to provide leadership and command respect in working with the City and other public and private interests.

In order to implement this policy, Planning Staff developed a strategy that consisted of providing information about the policy and requested information from the neighborhood organizations. Organizations who wish to become recognized must submit the following information: 1) official name of organization, 2) detailed neighborhood boundaries, 3) a list of the organization’s representatives with their address and telephone number, 4) the location and time of their membership meetings, and 5) a copy of the organization’s bylaws.

The Gray’s Lake Neighborhood Association has completed an application for recognition. This area was previously Recognized as the Greater Southside Neighborhood Association. On May 21, 2007, by Roll Call No. 07-959, the Des Moines City Council removed the Greater Southside from the list of Recognized Neighborhood Associations after the former neighborhood leaders indicated that the association was no longer having regular meetings and no longer interested in being a Recognized Neighborhood. The Gray’s Lake Neighborhood Association makes up the northern half of what used to be the Greater Southside Neighborhood Association. Their neighborhood boundaries are Fleur Drive on the west, SW 9^th Street on the east, Raccoon River on the north, and Watrous Avenue on the south.

At their meeting on June 4, 2008 the Neighborhood Revitalization Board recommended this application for approval. In accordance with the Policy, each recognized neighborhood organization would receive a proclamation from the Mayor and the City Council.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

Date: May 21, 2007

Roll Call: 07-959

Action: Dissolution of the Greater South Side Neighborhood Association and removal from the City of Des Moines’ list of Recognized Neighborhoods.  (Council Communication No.  07-291)  Moved by Hensley to adopt.  Motion Carried 5-2.  Nays:  Coleman and Kiernan.

Date: December 16, 1996

Roll Call: 96-4128

Action: Recognition of the Greater Southside Neighborhood Association. (Council Communication No. 96-537) Moved by Vlassis to adopt. Motion Carried 6-1. Davis absent.

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): Neighborhood Revitalization Board

Date: June 4, 2008

Roll Call: N/A

Action: Recommended approval to formally recognize the Gray’s Lake Neighborhood Association.

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS: NONE

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive. Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.