All Entries in the "Community" Category
What is your vision for Downtown Ferguson?
After gathering public input tomorrow night, the city of Ferguson is planning to implement a new forms-based approach to zoning in the downtown district.
If you want to see somebody’s eyes glaze over with boredom, start a discussion about planning & zoning. Better yet, throw in terms like “mixed-use development” and “appropriate land use” and watch how quickly the room clears. Nobody likes to talk about these things, except maybe bureaucrats and academics, but the fact is effective planning & zoning is absolutely vital in a thriving community.
The good folks at Ferguson City Hall know this. They also know that downtown Ferguson has an antiquated zoning code that restricts a whole range of desirable businesses. That’s probably why they’re forging a new plan and inviting the public to participate.
Tomorrow evening, the city staff is asking residents, business owners and anyone with a vested interest in downtown Ferguson to attend an open house, where they can seek your input on a variety of issues.
What do you think downtown Ferguson should look like in the future? What can the city do to make Florissant Road more pedestrian-friendly? What kinds of new businesses would you like to see? Those are some of the questions that need answering, and everyone’s opinion is welcome!
If you’d like to read more technical details about the new zoning approach Ferguson is taking, jump on over to the Form-Based Codes Institute. Otherwise, just show up at city hall tomorrow, March 1, at 6:30pm and be ready to share your ideas…
Ferguson City Hall is located at 110 Church Street, 63135. Light refreshments will be served.
NOCO: on a brief hiatus…
NOCO fans, I’m taking a few days off. An old back injury has returned with a vengeance this week, making the whole mouse/typing/computer thing a bit unpleasant for me. So please enjoy your weekend! I’ll be back on Monday. Thanks!
UMSL students help make tax season less taxing
FROM THE NEWS WIRE:
Tax season is in full swing, and for some people the cost of preparing the annual returns can be taxing. Students from the College of Business Administration at the University of Missouri–St. Louis want to ease the burden by offering free tax preparation services to low-income taxpayers and senior citizens Feb. 10 through April 14.
The service is part of the award-winning Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. VITA has been offered by UMSL for 40 years. Business students and faculty prepare tax returns at four locations throughout the St. Louis area.
Combined household incomes that did not exceed $50,000 in 2011 can qualify for the free service. In North County, help is available Fridays 1-6pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm at the Ferguson Municipal Public Library, 35 N. Florissant Road in Ferguson, 314-521-4820.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at UMSL has received four Internal Revenue Service VITA awards over the last three years for number of returns prepared, outstanding community service and sustained superior performance.
Each year, students undergo several weeks of tax preparation training, testing and certification. They are informed of new and updated tax laws, as well as advancements to the software, Tax Wise, which is used for the VITA program.
More than 1,700 business students, alumni and faculty have offered free tax preparation services to low-income taxpayers and senior citizens at several locations throughout the St. Louis area since 1973. VITA is the largest university-based personal income tax service in the region.
VITA is sponsored by the Gamma Psi Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, UMSL’s Department of Accounting, GECC Tax Coalition and the IRS. For more information on the program, call 314-516-7188 or visit umsl.edu/~vita.
NOCO a finalist in the RFT’s 2012 Web Awards
A big crowd gathered at the Old Rock House this week, celebrating the finalists and winners in the Riverfront Times' 2012 Web Awards. Photo by Kholood Eid.
Last year, NOCO was honored by the Riverfront Times as the Best Neighborhood Blog in St. Louis. This year, I’m happy to report that the honors were doubled! Not only was I asked to serve as one of the judges for the 2012 Web Awards, which allowed me to meet some amazing people, but NOCO was once again nominated and named a finalist.
The RFT decided to spread the love around and give the Best Neighborhood Blog prize to another worthy site, ILoveSoulard.com. (Congrats, Ryan!!) But you know, that’s perfectly fine with me. As someone who launched a website for the sole purpose of supporting and promoting my community, I can’t think of anything better than talented neighborhood bloggers popping up in every corner of the metro area!
I was especially happy to see my friend Nicki Dwyer recognized for her lovely neighborhood blog, Nicki’s Central West End Guide. I also enjoyed re-visiting the Cherokee Street News, a fellow finalist from last year.
Of course, I didn’t judge my own category. All conflicts of interest were nipped in the bud. But I did get to view and write about dozens of other interesting websites, in categories like Best Personal Blog, Best Political Blog, and my favorite, Best Architecture Blog.
A huge thank you to the RFT’s Chad Garrison for choosing me for this project. It was lots of work but so much fun! Thanks also to everyone who nominated NOCO! To read more about the 2012 Web Awards and check out the list of winners and finalists, jump on over to the RFT…
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K