The new land use plan, termed Hickory By Choice, and the codes that will be based upon it is one of the most important discussions the City will have in this generation and it’s very important we get it right. It seems that over the past few years that we have often had ideas and concepts that don’t fit what’s on the ground with the result being that Council and Planning have tried to put a square peg into a round hole. BROAD CITIZEN INPUT IS IMPORTANT, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
There are a couple of things I don’t think have been completely thought through and need to be examined further. First is the neighborhood core concept. The idea is that we have a “core” that will have employment such as offices (doctors, accountants, insurance, etc.). Surrounding the core would be high density housing, ie: condos, apartments, townhouses, which would be surrounded by lower density development like single family residences. This is a beautiful idea and if we were looking at a large field and thinking about what to do with it a core would be great. We already have facts on the ground and it seems that it will take a great deal of tear down and rebuilding which will be expensive so question one is: how viable is the idea?
Many questions come to mind? Do we want manufacturing in the core? If not where will manufacturing go? Is a big box store going to be in the mix? What happens when certain retailers want 100,000 square feet to be viable? Is this going to be in a core or a corridor? Are people going to go to the doctor in their core or the doctor with the best reputation in town? What about specialists? We can't put every specialty in the core, can we? Do you want to use the Dewey, Cheatham and Howe accountants in the core you happen to live in or maybe you still want to use your brother in law? Will a Baptist become a Jew because the synagogue is in his core? The point is that we may be making too many assumptions about the lifestyles and choices people make and when the government plans for us they often miss the mark.
One specific thing that seems to keep coming up is putting up a multistory building with retail and restaurants on the ground floor and residences on the upper floor. There are a couple of places in Hickory where this has absolutely bombed. Do you really want to hear the pizza delivery coming and going at 1:00 am? Do you want to park your car in the parking lot that the geriatric doctor is using to have the 80 year old, half blind crowd using? Some cities have apartment and condo buildings that have parking on the ground level with the residences on the upper floors. This seems to be much more appealing. People will still want to drive. Many want to drive less but will still want to drive to other areas of the City as well as out of town and out of State trips. The car is going to be around a long time and it doesn’t seem to be properly thought out in what people seem to be conceiving at this point.
My opinion is that public transportation has been ignored and should actually be a focal point. Mobility is increasing not decreasing. We need to create density in Hickory so that using public transportation becomes viable. We can still have “cores” but what we are discussing now seems more like “enclaves”. If we have a public transportation spine, connecting to the centers that people go to (shopping, work, doctors, services, etc.) we can have cores but we will be able to go where we choose to and have a walk more/ drive less lifestyle that many desire. My fear is that we are overplanning people’s lifestyles and when it's all said and done we will spend the next twenty years still trying to put that square peg into the round hole and arguing incessantly. Please, please, please, join the dialogue. We need to put our heads together and get this right.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Hickory By Choice 2030 Workshop: 2nd Meeting
The second workshop is tonight April 28, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hickory Regional Airport. The address is 3101 9th Ave Drive NW. The Airport entrance is up Clement Blvd off of Hwy 321.
Here is an article that was posted about the notification of the meeting from the Hickory Daily Record: Help Plan Hickory's Future Growth, Development.
Here is a link to what HBC 2030 is all about.
Hope to see you there and I will do a full article on this meeting tonight
Previous HBC meetings and discussion links:
Why the original Hickory By Choice doesn't work
Hickory By Choice 2030 Workshop: 1st Meeting
Studio Cascade awarded contract at November 4, 2008 City Council meeting
Brian Frazier opened the meeting and made some general comments about the plan. Basically he made the same introductory statements that he has made in the past. You can read the introductory statement from the last workshop. It is pretty much the same as what he said tonight. He then introduced Bill Grimes and Rick Hastings. There will be an advisory committee meeting that will take place tomorrow. You can check out the city website and HBC 2030 to see what the process is all about.
Mr. Grimes mentioned the purpose of the original HBC plan. The original plan created a land use plan that was based on a cupcake type of pattern (centers). The circles that dot the map are located at the intersections of major thoroughfares. The plan also suggests the patterns that these centers should adopt as they develop. The discussion at the last workshop gave details about the HBC structure and how it might relate to today's condition.
Mr. Grimes once again went over the "Neighborhood Core" philosophy. He mentioned the concept of "Pedestrian Shed" and "Commercial Catchment Areas." He said they wanted to make sure that the concept was valid 10 years later. In the first workshop, Studio Cascade wanted people to take some time and affirm the various directives and policies that are 10 years old. The participants answered a survey about various issues to try to find a comprehensive statement of city policy that supports Hickory by Choice.
Mr Grimes mentioned that some of the comments (from the survey) added some nuance and shading to the policies that were implemented 10 years ago. Most of these comments were rooted in the current economic condition and maybe we were being a little too ambitious in that original plan and maybe we need to scale back a little on what we are expecting to do. There was also a level of environmental awareness that was keyed into the economic development perspective of the plan and how we might be able to take advantage of the opportunities available with environmentally based or Green types of Industry that can help us.
Mr. Grimes said that everything seemed to be tempered by "how do we get the over-arching aspirational policies to fit into a more realistic context for the year 2010 (and up until 2030)." To what degree will the community commit to implementing the plan as its going to be updated and actually commit to supporting the adoption of development regulations that will be consistent with that plan. Right now there is a disconnect between the comprehensive plan and the development code regulations (zoning).
We were given a packet that contained a summary of the responses to the first workshop's survey. He talked about the issues that struck Studio Cascade. The vast majority of responses were 4's and 5's. The policy context supports what was adopted. There is a supportive level of ratification to move forward and find other policies and development standards to implement the overall goal.
Transportation and infrastructure are key ingredients. Transportation system design and Land-Use design must make sense; along with a pedestrian connection, mobility, and highway capacity that will complement and support this (HBC) type of scheme. Multi-modal travel options have not been supported (thus far). A car is a vital component and should not be sacrificed as a viable transportation mode.
Housing and Land-Use were mentioned. Mixed use is an important premise to the implementation of the HBC plan. We need to make sure that we can have(support) a ground floor retail store with residential over the top. The community isn't 100% behind how to deal with the transition between mixed-use and established neighborhoods. There is an importance placed on compatibility between land uses. Uses should respect existing land uses.
How do we reconcile the survey with the concept of HBC? We have to develop policies and standards that help us to get where we desire to go. Mr. Grimes displayed plans of Davidson, NC. Davidson has seen some success in designing neighborhood cores. The mixed-use centers must be designed where thoroughfares intersect. Davidson has chosen to develop mixed-use concepts near major transportation arteries.
Hickory has to find a way to create a pattern that is adaptable enough to fit the various centers that we have. Our commercial development has taken place along corridors. This has happened naturally. There is a lot of capital invested in these corridors and investors want them to remain exactly as they already are. We have to turn these corridors into something that they presently are not. This will be a structural change.
Nodal development will have to be developed through a groundswell of support by multiple owners (in an area) or it will have to be established in areas where land ownership is concentrated in the hands of few. The centers are important and we must set them up for success. The development of the corridors have denuded the viability of centered commercial areas. We can't do both, because we will bombard the market with an amount of commercial uses that it cannot support.
Corridors weren't mentioned in the original HBC. They are real. They must be supported and redeveloped over time into linear commercial districts that support the cores or they must be involved into some other sort of use. They must be recognized and addressed in policy.
There are 15 centers established by the original plan. It will be hard to provide the support needed to all 15 of these core areas to help them do all that they need to do. How can we prioritize the centers that have the best chance to succeed. We need to identify what is on the ground today and how we can best achieve the desired ideal. Mr. Grimes says that we might be able to support 4, 5, or 6 of these cores.
The prioritized areas that we looked at tonight were Downtown and Viewmont as centers and Hwy 127n as a corridor. They have to serve a wide variety of audiences. We looked at these areas as a 1) Pedestrian/Cyclist 2) Motorist 3) Resident 4) Shop/Retail store. We ranked them 1 to 5 (5 being the best) in aspects of their viability. (This survey is online)
In our small group (our group had 3 people) discussion, we talked about the viability of this overall plan. One of our participants said that Studio Cascade is ignoring the fact that a good many people would prefer that we start over from scratch. We need to open up the process and analyze more concepts of development. Lifestyle has kept people from accepting the pedestrian mode of the neighborhood core concept. Some say that we should build the city's subsystem around a spine of public transportation. The development should be built along the public transportation nodes (almost like depots). That would make it easier for people to get around. The neighborhood core creates a feudal concept of enclaves and is going create a separation of the citizens of Hickory along socio-economic and cultural barriers.
Mr. Grimes readdressed the group and discussed how each of the 4 groups will look at the development concept from a different angle. Our group looked at Hickory By Choice from the view of the Pedestrian/Cyclist. We organized into table discussions for this exercise.
A participant (1) in our group discussed how he would travel from behind Hobby-Lobby to his job Downtown. He told us how he would maneuver down 127n, take a right at near Viewmont Square and go down North Center Street to avoid dangerous traffic conditions on 127n. Another participant (2) talked about his driving and how he avoids 127n while driving a car. He stated that the 127n corridor between Downtown and North Viewmont was a deadzone for retail because of pass through traffic. People drive the back streets and don't like to turn into businesses located along that area, because of traffic.
Participant 1 made the point that businesses that have been successful have been located at areas where it was easy to turn off of 127n. He personally doesn't want to deal with The Cook Out or Dairy Queen, because of the traffic issue. Participant 2 talked about Dead Zones and how the City has created these areas by having strong concentrations of commercial property in certain areas that cause bad traffic congestion. I mentioned that one of the major problems with 127n is traffic flow and it should be re-engineered electronically to achieve better flow.
Harry and I mentioned the issue of safety for pedestrians downtown. We had a meeting at the Tap Room on Friday night and as we were leaving, we were accosted by an individual that "needed $9 to get his stuff back." We were both driving, but imagine if we were pedestrians Downtown. That seems like a dangerous (and at the least uncomfortable) position for someone who is walking. The perception of safety is one of the main reasons why people choose to drive a car. Participant 1 said that Downtown was good for pedestrian traffic, but terrible in Viewmont.
One issue that I mentioned is the fact that if we are going to have a core built in North Viewmont, then we will eventually have to have overhead crosswalks so that people can safely get across the road. Another problem mentioned is the problem with the light at Starbuck's. It is very dangerous for pedestrians and just as bad for motorists. The final issue that was addressed by this group was to take the center of the cupcake (core) off of 127n, because of traffic and pedestrian issues.
The Pedestrian/Cyclist area - Downtown is pedestrian friendly, but you have to get there first. There has to be dense residential areas (taller buildings). Downtown needs to work on the safety issue. 127n, is ok for pedestrians, but 127n kills any opportunity to cross in Viewmont. The bold solution is to move the cupcake to one side or the other. The corridor is avoided and people prefer to walk in the neighborhoods. Pedestrian Crossovers in Viewmont might help. Bike lanes need to be designated better. Bike routes need to be designed better. Lights need to change for bikers.
Residents - Downtown needs to be more resident friendly. Neighborhoods bump up on it, but there aren't many residents downtown. There are things that are nice to buy downtown, but there is nothing that we need to buy down there. There is no grocery store or things you need to exist(live). It is a place for optional purchases. As far as Viewmont, it is resident friendly. There are all kinds of stores there. There are stores that we all shop at because of needs. People drive through the corridor to go to Viewmont. The corridor is not resident friendly directly on it, but it is on the streets behind it. This group stated that the sidewalks are not continuous and they need to be. They go from side-to-side-to-side.
Motorists - Parking is a major problem downtown. The street identification system needs to be looked at. There is good access to downtown. Perpendicular parking is a problem. The one way pairs are a problem. The traffic light system is a problem in Viewmont. There are alternate routes that can be developed. Landscaping needs to be developed on the center line. The corridor is what it is and it runs very well. We need to focus traffic back into the 127 corridor. Hickory is very motorist friendly. The east side of 127 needs better signage so that they can see what the businesses are.
Shopkeepers/Retailers - The one way pairs are hard on businesses. Reconnect Government Avenue and 1st Ave. Possibly reopen the street in front of Union Square. Need to have businesses near cars. 127n is what it is. We need to push more mixed use. The corridor needs to allow people to park in the front. Mr. Grimes stated that each parking space in front of a building, that has zero setback, translates to $100,000 in sales.
Mr. Grimes pointed out specifics about what Hickory by Choice was implemented to create. 1) Centers close to housing 2) Less Auto dependent 3) Neighborhoods be safe 4) Parking be concealed 4) Interconnected Streets 5) Informal Gathering Spaces 6) Thoroughfares and Intersections to support retail use 7) Streets are calm 8) Continuous Sidewalks 9) Scale and Retail match Identity and Place
** The next meeting in June will be about corridor development.
The Hounds Take: I think this is an excellent process, but we must realize that this is only a process. If people don't accept what is going on here, then this will all be a waste of time. We can't support certain sections of this city at the expense of other sections. As a matter of moral code and/or practicality, we cannot continue to ignore the blighted areas of Hickory. It is not viable and it is not sustainable.
Do we really want to create niche enclaves? Are we not one city. I do realize that the more affluent areas pay more property tax, but are not the citizens of these blighted areas just as much citizens as those from Northwest Hickory? It is my contention that they are.
This plan needs to be about bringing the city together and having balance. The bottom line of this plan should be based upon transportation or moving around this city. That will go a long way towards increasing the quality of life, especially when we are still so vulnerable to fuel prices. Including every quadrant and citizen in this plan will increase the likelihood that this plan will be accepted and succeed.
If we have a good portion of this city become blighted, then those accepted enclaves will have to pay more in security costs to protect their assets. You cannot expect to cordon off certain blighted areas of this city and ignore them. If you try to do that, then prepare to become a city of gated communities, walls, and private security. I hope that Hickory never comes to accept that. We need to lift the area up and not succumb to accepting Least Common Denominators.
Here is an article that was posted about the notification of the meeting from the Hickory Daily Record: Help Plan Hickory's Future Growth, Development.
Here is a link to what HBC 2030 is all about.
Hope to see you there and I will do a full article on this meeting tonight
Previous HBC meetings and discussion links:
Why the original Hickory By Choice doesn't work
Hickory By Choice 2030 Workshop: 1st Meeting
Studio Cascade awarded contract at November 4, 2008 City Council meeting
Brian Frazier opened the meeting and made some general comments about the plan. Basically he made the same introductory statements that he has made in the past. You can read the introductory statement from the last workshop. It is pretty much the same as what he said tonight. He then introduced Bill Grimes and Rick Hastings. There will be an advisory committee meeting that will take place tomorrow. You can check out the city website and HBC 2030 to see what the process is all about.
Mr. Grimes mentioned the purpose of the original HBC plan. The original plan created a land use plan that was based on a cupcake type of pattern (centers). The circles that dot the map are located at the intersections of major thoroughfares. The plan also suggests the patterns that these centers should adopt as they develop. The discussion at the last workshop gave details about the HBC structure and how it might relate to today's condition.
Mr. Grimes once again went over the "Neighborhood Core" philosophy. He mentioned the concept of "Pedestrian Shed" and "Commercial Catchment Areas." He said they wanted to make sure that the concept was valid 10 years later. In the first workshop, Studio Cascade wanted people to take some time and affirm the various directives and policies that are 10 years old. The participants answered a survey about various issues to try to find a comprehensive statement of city policy that supports Hickory by Choice.
Mr Grimes mentioned that some of the comments (from the survey) added some nuance and shading to the policies that were implemented 10 years ago. Most of these comments were rooted in the current economic condition and maybe we were being a little too ambitious in that original plan and maybe we need to scale back a little on what we are expecting to do. There was also a level of environmental awareness that was keyed into the economic development perspective of the plan and how we might be able to take advantage of the opportunities available with environmentally based or Green types of Industry that can help us.
Mr. Grimes said that everything seemed to be tempered by "how do we get the over-arching aspirational policies to fit into a more realistic context for the year 2010 (and up until 2030)." To what degree will the community commit to implementing the plan as its going to be updated and actually commit to supporting the adoption of development regulations that will be consistent with that plan. Right now there is a disconnect between the comprehensive plan and the development code regulations (zoning).
We were given a packet that contained a summary of the responses to the first workshop's survey. He talked about the issues that struck Studio Cascade. The vast majority of responses were 4's and 5's. The policy context supports what was adopted. There is a supportive level of ratification to move forward and find other policies and development standards to implement the overall goal.
Transportation and infrastructure are key ingredients. Transportation system design and Land-Use design must make sense; along with a pedestrian connection, mobility, and highway capacity that will complement and support this (HBC) type of scheme. Multi-modal travel options have not been supported (thus far). A car is a vital component and should not be sacrificed as a viable transportation mode.
Housing and Land-Use were mentioned. Mixed use is an important premise to the implementation of the HBC plan. We need to make sure that we can have(support) a ground floor retail store with residential over the top. The community isn't 100% behind how to deal with the transition between mixed-use and established neighborhoods. There is an importance placed on compatibility between land uses. Uses should respect existing land uses.
How do we reconcile the survey with the concept of HBC? We have to develop policies and standards that help us to get where we desire to go. Mr. Grimes displayed plans of Davidson, NC. Davidson has seen some success in designing neighborhood cores. The mixed-use centers must be designed where thoroughfares intersect. Davidson has chosen to develop mixed-use concepts near major transportation arteries.
Hickory has to find a way to create a pattern that is adaptable enough to fit the various centers that we have. Our commercial development has taken place along corridors. This has happened naturally. There is a lot of capital invested in these corridors and investors want them to remain exactly as they already are. We have to turn these corridors into something that they presently are not. This will be a structural change.
Nodal development will have to be developed through a groundswell of support by multiple owners (in an area) or it will have to be established in areas where land ownership is concentrated in the hands of few. The centers are important and we must set them up for success. The development of the corridors have denuded the viability of centered commercial areas. We can't do both, because we will bombard the market with an amount of commercial uses that it cannot support.
Corridors weren't mentioned in the original HBC. They are real. They must be supported and redeveloped over time into linear commercial districts that support the cores or they must be involved into some other sort of use. They must be recognized and addressed in policy.
There are 15 centers established by the original plan. It will be hard to provide the support needed to all 15 of these core areas to help them do all that they need to do. How can we prioritize the centers that have the best chance to succeed. We need to identify what is on the ground today and how we can best achieve the desired ideal. Mr. Grimes says that we might be able to support 4, 5, or 6 of these cores.
The prioritized areas that we looked at tonight were Downtown and Viewmont as centers and Hwy 127n as a corridor. They have to serve a wide variety of audiences. We looked at these areas as a 1) Pedestrian/Cyclist 2) Motorist 3) Resident 4) Shop/Retail store. We ranked them 1 to 5 (5 being the best) in aspects of their viability. (This survey is online)
In our small group (our group had 3 people) discussion, we talked about the viability of this overall plan. One of our participants said that Studio Cascade is ignoring the fact that a good many people would prefer that we start over from scratch. We need to open up the process and analyze more concepts of development. Lifestyle has kept people from accepting the pedestrian mode of the neighborhood core concept. Some say that we should build the city's subsystem around a spine of public transportation. The development should be built along the public transportation nodes (almost like depots). That would make it easier for people to get around. The neighborhood core creates a feudal concept of enclaves and is going create a separation of the citizens of Hickory along socio-economic and cultural barriers.
Mr. Grimes readdressed the group and discussed how each of the 4 groups will look at the development concept from a different angle. Our group looked at Hickory By Choice from the view of the Pedestrian/Cyclist. We organized into table discussions for this exercise.
A participant (1) in our group discussed how he would travel from behind Hobby-Lobby to his job Downtown. He told us how he would maneuver down 127n, take a right at near Viewmont Square and go down North Center Street to avoid dangerous traffic conditions on 127n. Another participant (2) talked about his driving and how he avoids 127n while driving a car. He stated that the 127n corridor between Downtown and North Viewmont was a deadzone for retail because of pass through traffic. People drive the back streets and don't like to turn into businesses located along that area, because of traffic.
Participant 1 made the point that businesses that have been successful have been located at areas where it was easy to turn off of 127n. He personally doesn't want to deal with The Cook Out or Dairy Queen, because of the traffic issue. Participant 2 talked about Dead Zones and how the City has created these areas by having strong concentrations of commercial property in certain areas that cause bad traffic congestion. I mentioned that one of the major problems with 127n is traffic flow and it should be re-engineered electronically to achieve better flow.
Harry and I mentioned the issue of safety for pedestrians downtown. We had a meeting at the Tap Room on Friday night and as we were leaving, we were accosted by an individual that "needed $9 to get his stuff back." We were both driving, but imagine if we were pedestrians Downtown. That seems like a dangerous (and at the least uncomfortable) position for someone who is walking. The perception of safety is one of the main reasons why people choose to drive a car. Participant 1 said that Downtown was good for pedestrian traffic, but terrible in Viewmont.
One issue that I mentioned is the fact that if we are going to have a core built in North Viewmont, then we will eventually have to have overhead crosswalks so that people can safely get across the road. Another problem mentioned is the problem with the light at Starbuck's. It is very dangerous for pedestrians and just as bad for motorists. The final issue that was addressed by this group was to take the center of the cupcake (core) off of 127n, because of traffic and pedestrian issues.
The Pedestrian/Cyclist area - Downtown is pedestrian friendly, but you have to get there first. There has to be dense residential areas (taller buildings). Downtown needs to work on the safety issue. 127n, is ok for pedestrians, but 127n kills any opportunity to cross in Viewmont. The bold solution is to move the cupcake to one side or the other. The corridor is avoided and people prefer to walk in the neighborhoods. Pedestrian Crossovers in Viewmont might help. Bike lanes need to be designated better. Bike routes need to be designed better. Lights need to change for bikers.
Residents - Downtown needs to be more resident friendly. Neighborhoods bump up on it, but there aren't many residents downtown. There are things that are nice to buy downtown, but there is nothing that we need to buy down there. There is no grocery store or things you need to exist(live). It is a place for optional purchases. As far as Viewmont, it is resident friendly. There are all kinds of stores there. There are stores that we all shop at because of needs. People drive through the corridor to go to Viewmont. The corridor is not resident friendly directly on it, but it is on the streets behind it. This group stated that the sidewalks are not continuous and they need to be. They go from side-to-side-to-side.
Motorists - Parking is a major problem downtown. The street identification system needs to be looked at. There is good access to downtown. Perpendicular parking is a problem. The one way pairs are a problem. The traffic light system is a problem in Viewmont. There are alternate routes that can be developed. Landscaping needs to be developed on the center line. The corridor is what it is and it runs very well. We need to focus traffic back into the 127 corridor. Hickory is very motorist friendly. The east side of 127 needs better signage so that they can see what the businesses are.
Shopkeepers/Retailers - The one way pairs are hard on businesses. Reconnect Government Avenue and 1st Ave. Possibly reopen the street in front of Union Square. Need to have businesses near cars. 127n is what it is. We need to push more mixed use. The corridor needs to allow people to park in the front. Mr. Grimes stated that each parking space in front of a building, that has zero setback, translates to $100,000 in sales.
Mr. Grimes pointed out specifics about what Hickory by Choice was implemented to create. 1) Centers close to housing 2) Less Auto dependent 3) Neighborhoods be safe 4) Parking be concealed 4) Interconnected Streets 5) Informal Gathering Spaces 6) Thoroughfares and Intersections to support retail use 7) Streets are calm 8) Continuous Sidewalks 9) Scale and Retail match Identity and Place
** The next meeting in June will be about corridor development.
The Hounds Take: I think this is an excellent process, but we must realize that this is only a process. If people don't accept what is going on here, then this will all be a waste of time. We can't support certain sections of this city at the expense of other sections. As a matter of moral code and/or practicality, we cannot continue to ignore the blighted areas of Hickory. It is not viable and it is not sustainable.
Do we really want to create niche enclaves? Are we not one city. I do realize that the more affluent areas pay more property tax, but are not the citizens of these blighted areas just as much citizens as those from Northwest Hickory? It is my contention that they are.
This plan needs to be about bringing the city together and having balance. The bottom line of this plan should be based upon transportation or moving around this city. That will go a long way towards increasing the quality of life, especially when we are still so vulnerable to fuel prices. Including every quadrant and citizen in this plan will increase the likelihood that this plan will be accepted and succeed.
If we have a good portion of this city become blighted, then those accepted enclaves will have to pay more in security costs to protect their assets. You cannot expect to cordon off certain blighted areas of this city and ignore them. If you try to do that, then prepare to become a city of gated communities, walls, and private security. I hope that Hickory never comes to accept that. We need to lift the area up and not succumb to accepting Least Common Denominators.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Misrepresented? No
Anyone who has read the Hickory Hound should know that it is a forum for discussion and airing out differences. While I value most of Thom’s reporting, especially on City meetings, this blog on the Hickory Daily Record misreporting the unemployment numbers seems off the mark. First, Thom and I have had discussions about the angry tone of some of the posts. He is a proponent of “focused anger” and I tend to follow the edict to speak the truth in love. One can express the facts and opinions factually and very candidly and still maintain a tone of civility that gets breached too often. Maybe I’m just getting nostalgic for the old time genteel Southern culture that is getting as rare as Necco candies.
More to the point, Thom is actually mixing two separate criticisms, one about the economic numbers which were the focus of the article, the second is about the reporting of the Hickory Daily Record generally. First, I’ll address the specific article. The data were released on Friday, the article was published on Saturday. This was, in fact, the first date it could be published so I’m not sure why it should have been delayed. The Charlotte Observer published a similar story on Saturday as well. I’m not sure I can see a conspiracy here. If the story had been delayed before publishing, that could have been a cause for criticism as well. The economy has been THE story as Thom pointed out but the decision to put it on page three may be a decision based on the HDR’s perception of what stories on the front page would sell the most newspapers. I don’t know if the average reader would find this article more newsworthy than the other articles, but even if they did I don’t see the connection about the article and the political fortunes of local leaders.
Many people, in fact, think that the national scene now is much more important that local issues. In either event, it seems trivial to me. Unless, it can be proven that the statistics are incorrect or that information was withheld to benefit local leaders, I don’t agree that this article was a misrepresentation and I don’t see the linkage to Thom’s more general criticism of the HDR’s reporting.
I find more common ground in the criticisms of the HDR’s reporting in general. Newspapers are struggling to survive today and the readership trends don’t bode well for any of them. Sadly, I don’t think our local paper stands above the crowd. My opinion is that they will only survive if they can provide more content and context. The HDR does need to do more to get to the real meat of stories and provide the reader with more background and a clearer picture of the story and not just the data. Most people in Hickory are blind as to how things really get done and there is a substantial subtext that is fodder for conversations by connected people in the loop of things that our average citizen is not aware of. We do need real reporting and digging below the surface. Just printing minutes of meetings and some puff pieces doesn’t live up to the vital role a free press in a democracy like ours needs and deserves. Our newspaper, like it or not, is an important link in the dialogue our society needs to be a healthy, self governing country.
The bottom line for me: the Record needs to step up in the quality of their reporting and Thom needs some relaxation therapy.
More to the point, Thom is actually mixing two separate criticisms, one about the economic numbers which were the focus of the article, the second is about the reporting of the Hickory Daily Record generally. First, I’ll address the specific article. The data were released on Friday, the article was published on Saturday. This was, in fact, the first date it could be published so I’m not sure why it should have been delayed. The Charlotte Observer published a similar story on Saturday as well. I’m not sure I can see a conspiracy here. If the story had been delayed before publishing, that could have been a cause for criticism as well. The economy has been THE story as Thom pointed out but the decision to put it on page three may be a decision based on the HDR’s perception of what stories on the front page would sell the most newspapers. I don’t know if the average reader would find this article more newsworthy than the other articles, but even if they did I don’t see the connection about the article and the political fortunes of local leaders.
Many people, in fact, think that the national scene now is much more important that local issues. In either event, it seems trivial to me. Unless, it can be proven that the statistics are incorrect or that information was withheld to benefit local leaders, I don’t agree that this article was a misrepresentation and I don’t see the linkage to Thom’s more general criticism of the HDR’s reporting.
I find more common ground in the criticisms of the HDR’s reporting in general. Newspapers are struggling to survive today and the readership trends don’t bode well for any of them. Sadly, I don’t think our local paper stands above the crowd. My opinion is that they will only survive if they can provide more content and context. The HDR does need to do more to get to the real meat of stories and provide the reader with more background and a clearer picture of the story and not just the data. Most people in Hickory are blind as to how things really get done and there is a substantial subtext that is fodder for conversations by connected people in the loop of things that our average citizen is not aware of. We do need real reporting and digging below the surface. Just printing minutes of meetings and some puff pieces doesn’t live up to the vital role a free press in a democracy like ours needs and deserves. Our newspaper, like it or not, is an important link in the dialogue our society needs to be a healthy, self governing country.
The bottom line for me: the Record needs to step up in the quality of their reporting and Thom needs some relaxation therapy.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Catawba County Unemployment Rate hits 15.6% - HDR misreports another story
It sure seems to be a coincidence that this story is misreported on a day when fewer people read the newspaper. The Region's Jobless Rate Drops Why does it always seem that the Hickory Daily Record is always trying to float these unemployment numbers under the radar? Are you trying to carry the water for those who might suffer some consequences from our economic malaise?
At what point Hickory Daily Record does this become THE STORY, because this truly is THE STORY to all of the people in this area that are unemployed, underemployed, or worried about job security. That accounts for nearly half of the people living in this area. Let's hear about what is being done by local leaders to lay a foundation for recovery. Is the strategy to sit around and hope that something will fall into our laps?
If our leaders' strategy is to stand around and say, "Well there's nothing we can do about it," then frankly it is time for new leadership. The HDR has access to these people, but instead of asking pertinent questions, they allow the paper to be manipulated by the very people that they should be questioning. It is more than obvious that city staff basically write the articles for the Hickory Daily Record that pertain to the city. That is just sheer laziness.
What do the reporters for the HDR do with their time? They definitely don't spend it writing stories. Look at the stories that I write in my spare time. I do this while maintaining a job, running errands, doing tasks for two grandmothers, attending city council meetings, planning and building a garden, doing household chores, working on a few hobbies, attending city meetings for this blog, having meetings with city leaders for this blog, attending church, and other things.
This is their fulltime job! They are earning a salary to do it. Where is the accountability in reporting the news and important events taking place in this area? Why even purchase this paper if they aren't going to do any true in-depth reporting. Our local paper has become truly irrelevant. HDR, you can either dig into some stories or dig your grave. It is your choice.
This Charlotte Observer story does the same thing: Region's jobless rate falls to 11.4% - (In small print) March drop typical for this time of year; economists say it could fall again this month and is likely to climb again. But, the Charlotte Observer article gets more into the nuts and bolts of the situation.
I truly believe that it will take people with a positive, can-do vision to get us turned back in a positive direction. Some people that do not consider themselves leaders or visionaries need to step forward and speak up. The value of your life should not be centered on treasure. It should be centered on the Legacy you leave behind.
At what point Hickory Daily Record does this become THE STORY, because this truly is THE STORY to all of the people in this area that are unemployed, underemployed, or worried about job security. That accounts for nearly half of the people living in this area. Let's hear about what is being done by local leaders to lay a foundation for recovery. Is the strategy to sit around and hope that something will fall into our laps?
If our leaders' strategy is to stand around and say, "Well there's nothing we can do about it," then frankly it is time for new leadership. The HDR has access to these people, but instead of asking pertinent questions, they allow the paper to be manipulated by the very people that they should be questioning. It is more than obvious that city staff basically write the articles for the Hickory Daily Record that pertain to the city. That is just sheer laziness.
What do the reporters for the HDR do with their time? They definitely don't spend it writing stories. Look at the stories that I write in my spare time. I do this while maintaining a job, running errands, doing tasks for two grandmothers, attending city council meetings, planning and building a garden, doing household chores, working on a few hobbies, attending city meetings for this blog, having meetings with city leaders for this blog, attending church, and other things.
This is their fulltime job! They are earning a salary to do it. Where is the accountability in reporting the news and important events taking place in this area? Why even purchase this paper if they aren't going to do any true in-depth reporting. Our local paper has become truly irrelevant. HDR, you can either dig into some stories or dig your grave. It is your choice.
This Charlotte Observer story does the same thing: Region's jobless rate falls to 11.4% - (In small print) March drop typical for this time of year; economists say it could fall again this month and is likely to climb again. But, the Charlotte Observer article gets more into the nuts and bolts of the situation.
I truly believe that it will take people with a positive, can-do vision to get us turned back in a positive direction. Some people that do not consider themselves leaders or visionaries need to step forward and speak up. The value of your life should not be centered on treasure. It should be centered on the Legacy you leave behind.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Governor Perdue snubs Western NC yet again -- Remember the State of Franklin
An interesting article from the Asheville Citizen Times entitled Perdue’s snub of Smokies ceremony is a snub of WNC.
On Friday the Great Smoky Mountains National Park kicks off its 75th anniversary events with a gathering of more than 200 dignitaries, elected officials and community representatives at an event called "the Governors’ Proclamation Ceremony at Clingmans Dome."
"Chrissy Pearson, Perdue’s spokeswoman, told a Citizen-Times reporter, “The governor was invited and did give serous consideration but given the length of the trip and the potential travel cost involved she declined. It is so far out of the way and we are trying to cut back on travel."
The 75th Anniversary of one of the most treasured National Parks in this nation and this woman doesn't even show up to commemorate one of our state's most valuable natural assets. Where are her priorities? If she can hop-scotch up to Washington several times over the last few months to kiss up and play party politics with the Washington elite, then she can make the drive to western North Carolina. She is the highest ranking official in this State and she should represent all of the regions of North Carolina with pride, not as an afterthought. Why should we respect Raleigh, when they have shown no respect to us?
One of the sites that I frequent mentioned the subject of Raleigh's frequent snubs of Western North Carolina. This person mentioned that this has historically happened since the days of the American
Revolution and then brought up the subject of the State of Franklin.
(From Wikipedia) The State of Franklin was an autonomous, secessionist United States territory created, not long after the end of the American Revolution, from territory that later was ceded by North Carolina to the federal government. Franklin's territory later became part of the state of Tennessee. Franklin was never officially admitted into the Union of the United States and existed for only four years.
The spirit of the American Revolution was still very much a part of the frontier world view, and increasing dissatisfaction with the government of North Carolina by citizens in the territory west of the Alleghenies led to calls for the establishment of a separate state. On August 23, 1784, delegates from the North Carolina counties of Washington (that at the time included present day Carter County), Sullivan, Spencer (now Hawkins) and Greene — all counties in present-day Tennessee — convened in the town of Jonesborough and declared the lands independent of North Carolina.
On May 16, 1785, a delegation from these counties submitted a petition for statehood to the United States Congress. Seven states voted to admit the tiny state under the proposed name Frankland. Though a majority, the number of states voting in favor fell short of the two-thirds majority required to admit a territory to statehood under the Articles of Confederation. In an attempt to curry favor for their cause, leaders changed the name to "Franklin" after Benjamin Franklin, and even initiated a correspondence with the patriot to sway him to support them. Franklin politely refused.
As of 1790, the government of the State of Franklin had collapsed entirely and the territory was firmly back under the control of North Carolina. Sevier was elected to the North Carolina legislature to represent the region. Soon thereafter, the state once again ceded the area that would soon become Tennessee to the national government to form the Southwest Territory. John Sevier became Tennessee's first governor, and John Tipton signed the Tennessee Constitution as the representative from Washington County.
The Hound does not tell you this story to promote or condone the secession of Western North Carolina from Raleigh and its interests. I only relate this to you, because many are ignorant of the subject and the origins of what was to become the State of Tennessee. Much of what happened 220 years ago is happening now.
I love my home state and its history. I don't want us to have to begin anew. Many have witnessed that State representatives in Raleigh, whether from the executive or legislative branch, don't give the Western 1/3 of the state its just due. We have always contributed mightily to the State's assets, but we have not received in return the consideration for what we have given. It is time for Western North Carolina leaders to band together in a show of force and make Raleigh take notice. It is my hope that Raleigh end this neglect. If Raleigh chooses to repeat history by continuing to ignore us, then I think no option should be taken off of the table.
On Friday the Great Smoky Mountains National Park kicks off its 75th anniversary events with a gathering of more than 200 dignitaries, elected officials and community representatives at an event called "the Governors’ Proclamation Ceremony at Clingmans Dome."
And what will be missing from this Governors’ Proclamation Ceremony? Why, North Carolina’s Governor. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen will attend. County managers, commissioners, mayors and aldermen from 10 counties and 13 cities on both sides of the border will attend. But no Bev Perdue.
Here are a couple quotes from the article. "Gov. Beverly Perdue probably didn’t set out to give Western North Carolina a slap in the face Wednesday. But we know a slap in the face when we see one, and this sure qualifies.""Chrissy Pearson, Perdue’s spokeswoman, told a Citizen-Times reporter, “The governor was invited and did give serous consideration but given the length of the trip and the potential travel cost involved she declined. It is so far out of the way and we are trying to cut back on travel."
The 75th Anniversary of one of the most treasured National Parks in this nation and this woman doesn't even show up to commemorate one of our state's most valuable natural assets. Where are her priorities? If she can hop-scotch up to Washington several times over the last few months to kiss up and play party politics with the Washington elite, then she can make the drive to western North Carolina. She is the highest ranking official in this State and she should represent all of the regions of North Carolina with pride, not as an afterthought. Why should we respect Raleigh, when they have shown no respect to us?
One of the sites that I frequent mentioned the subject of Raleigh's frequent snubs of Western North Carolina. This person mentioned that this has historically happened since the days of the American
Revolution and then brought up the subject of the State of Franklin.(From Wikipedia) The State of Franklin was an autonomous, secessionist United States territory created, not long after the end of the American Revolution, from territory that later was ceded by North Carolina to the federal government. Franklin's territory later became part of the state of Tennessee. Franklin was never officially admitted into the Union of the United States and existed for only four years.
The spirit of the American Revolution was still very much a part of the frontier world view, and increasing dissatisfaction with the government of North Carolina by citizens in the territory west of the Alleghenies led to calls for the establishment of a separate state. On August 23, 1784, delegates from the North Carolina counties of Washington (that at the time included present day Carter County), Sullivan, Spencer (now Hawkins) and Greene — all counties in present-day Tennessee — convened in the town of Jonesborough and declared the lands independent of North Carolina.
On May 16, 1785, a delegation from these counties submitted a petition for statehood to the United States Congress. Seven states voted to admit the tiny state under the proposed name Frankland. Though a majority, the number of states voting in favor fell short of the two-thirds majority required to admit a territory to statehood under the Articles of Confederation. In an attempt to curry favor for their cause, leaders changed the name to "Franklin" after Benjamin Franklin, and even initiated a correspondence with the patriot to sway him to support them. Franklin politely refused.
As of 1790, the government of the State of Franklin had collapsed entirely and the territory was firmly back under the control of North Carolina. Sevier was elected to the North Carolina legislature to represent the region. Soon thereafter, the state once again ceded the area that would soon become Tennessee to the national government to form the Southwest Territory. John Sevier became Tennessee's first governor, and John Tipton signed the Tennessee Constitution as the representative from Washington County.
The Hound does not tell you this story to promote or condone the secession of Western North Carolina from Raleigh and its interests. I only relate this to you, because many are ignorant of the subject and the origins of what was to become the State of Tennessee. Much of what happened 220 years ago is happening now.
I love my home state and its history. I don't want us to have to begin anew. Many have witnessed that State representatives in Raleigh, whether from the executive or legislative branch, don't give the Western 1/3 of the state its just due. We have always contributed mightily to the State's assets, but we have not received in return the consideration for what we have given. It is time for Western North Carolina leaders to band together in a show of force and make Raleigh take notice. It is my hope that Raleigh end this neglect. If Raleigh chooses to repeat history by continuing to ignore us, then I think no option should be taken off of the table.
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