River Oaks Examiner: Making big cities more local

July 21, 2009

By Michael Reed

Councilman Peter Brown, who during his campaign for mayor has called for a more decentralized city government, presented a guest Monday night who offered a little insight into how another major city moved in that direction.

“If we can’t fix our neighborhoods, we can’t fix our city,” Brown said in introducing Stella Chao, Seattle director of the Department of Neighborhoods to about 100 people at a workshop at the West End Multi-Service Center.

He went on to endorse a system of branch offices to City Hall that would provide many of the central office’s duties on a community level that would be less confusing, while providing a better means for residents to voice their concerns.

He said requiring residents to go Downtown “to raise all holy hell” during City Council’s Tuesday sessions is “no way to run a city.”

However, Chao, who discussed how community-based projects have brought city government closer to residents, cautioned that “Seattle’s culture and situation is different” and Houstonians should be selective in following her city’s lead.

Chao said one of the major differences between the cities is that Seattle not only has zoning, but also has neighborhood committees that review development plans and the impact such changes will have to the community. Committees have the power to alter developments.

“Zoning does not have to equate to neighborhood planning,” she said.

An example of that was, while the city has no authority over where its schools will be located, schools can not be closed and leased out to businesses without approval from a local school advisory committee.

Many community projects get started through a grant program the city uses to encourage projects to start on a neighborhood level. The amounts range from $750, sought through a one-page application, to those for $15,000 and considerably more paperwork.

“Philanthropists look to the grants as their lead (in making donations),” Chao said.

She also addressed misconceptions about protecting older buildings in established neighborhoods.

“A lot of times people think historic preservation has to be in conflict with progress,” she said, adding Seattle has been successful in incorporating existing structures into new projects.

On community outreach, Chao said Seattle had developed its neighborhood community gardens to a level that last year the program was able to donate 28 tons of organic produce to local food banks.

The city also provides free energy-efficient light bulbs and reusable shopping bags to residents.