City considering 2 outreach programs

At Duluth’s most recent city council work session, Planning Director Bill Aiken outlined two Duluth Neighborhood Outreach Work initiatives: a proposed citywide neighborhood traffic calming policy, and an update to the draft multi-family housing inspection ordinance.

The city has been reworking the existing traffic calming policy, an outdated speed hump manual created in 1995.

Council members raised questions about study areas and funding options, as there is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Staff will return to council with projected costs based on city funding, joint funding, special assessments and SPLOST funding.

The second NOW initiative is a multi-family inspection program. The goals of the program include preserving existing multi-family housing, promoting health, safety and welfare of residents, lowering crime rates, avoiding deterioration and blight, and improving economic conditions and quality of life.

Aiken noted Brookhaven has a good policy in place worth modeling. Any mandatory program would require a definition of multi-housing, frequency and costs of inspections.

He also reported that Gwinnett has a new certification program for “crime free multi housing” with a three phase approach.

Before making any decisions, city staff will bring back more information and a three-year timeline.