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OPEN SPACE & VACANT LAND
The highest priority of neighborhood residents was the demolition of vacant and dangerous buildings in the neighborhood. Once the land is cleared of these dangerous structures, the next highest priority was to ensure that neighborhood residents have first access to the cleared land if they should want to maintain it. Given the large quantity of vacant land, not all the land will be able to be returned to use homeowners, creative uses of the open spaces that support the community should be considered. A stormwater pond to redirect rainwater away from roads and basements had wide community support. Additionally, community gathering spaces like gardens and event spaces were popular uses for vacant land.
Action Plan
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1. Provide Land Bank with list of vacant and dangerous buildings for demolition based on community concerns.
2. Provide information to residents on the City of Detroit Side Lot Program to ensure residents who want to acquire side lots are able to. Act as resident advocate to Detroit Land Bank Authority to ensure sales on completed.
3. Work with neighborhood block clubs to determine appropriate open space and vacant land management strategies for each street. Provide examples including Stormwater Pond, Community Gardens, and Event Spaces.
4. Explore the possibility of forming a community land trust (CLT) to return vacant land to community uses. CLT will require a detailed maintenance and funding plan.
5. After neighborhood-appropriate sites are selected meet with City of Detroit Planning Department, Erb Foundation, Detroit Future City, and Detroit Water & Sewerage Department to discuss vacant land stormwater management pilot projects.
Work with local artists to create art pieces on vacant land to beautify the neighborhood and create greater sense of place and identity.
Plant fruit trees to beautify neighborhood and provide healthy food source to neighborhood residents.
Plant low-maintenance, perennial gardens on vacant land to improve appearance of vacant land, enhance ecosystem for pollinators, and prevent illegal dumping.
Work with the City of Detroit to identify vacant and dangerous buildings for demolition throughout the neighborhood.
Use vacant land to create community gathering spaces for events such as picnics, movies, or performances.
Create food gardens to harvest and provide healthy public food source for neighborhood residents.
Create large-scale stormwater retention pond to provide beautiful neighborhood amenity that helps alleviate flooding and enhances natural environment.
Provide information to residents and facilitate purchase of vacant lots owned by the City of Detroit to adjacent homeowners.