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Griffin Heights Neighborhood First Plan | Land Use

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Goal: Integrate residential, commercial, and industrial development through land use and zoning mechanisms that address historic preservation, protect the natural environment, and enhance the livability of the Greater Bond Neighborhood.

Land use shapes the character of a neighborhood and can present significant challenges or great opportunities for neighborhood revitalization efforts. The Greater Bond Neighborhood has a mixture of existing land uses. The neighborhood is home to corner stores, community churches, two community centers, child care/preschool centers, an elementary school, a cement plant, automotive repair shops, and several personal care businesses. Approximately 30 percent of the neighborhood’s 468 acres is developed as residential.

The land use challenges identified by the residents include incompatible land uses, limited availability of areas for neighborhood scale commercial development, overgrown vacant lots, dilapidated structures, lack of bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to the broader community, and lack of visually appealing streetscapes. The residents of Greater Bond want to preserve and enhance the residential core of their neighborhood; however, they are also amenable to creating opportunities for neighborhood scale commercial development within their community.

The recent survey of Greater Bond residents and stakeholders revealed that 95 percent of respondents felt that it was very important to have well-maintained, single-family homes in the neighborhood. Residents were also supportive of pedestrian pathways and bike lanes. The survey also shows that there is support for student housing in the neighborhood and opportunities for neighborhood scale development on three major neighborhood thoroughfares.

The following strategies were developed by the Land Use Priority Area Team to support the creation of a land use mix that supports the new vision for the community.

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN 1:
Incompatible existing land uses.

Neighborhood Concern 1: Incompatible existing land uses
Desired Outcome: Zoning adjustments allow for residential, commercial, and light industrial uses while preserving the character of the neighborhood.

Strategy 1.1: Preserve single-family residential character in areas zoned Residential Preservation while creating opportunities to develop new and enhance existing commercial areas in the neighborhood.

Action Item 1.1.1: Coordinate with Planning through a Greater Bond Land Use Committee (comprised of residents, realtors and developers) to address policy changes.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs, Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, (Growth Management, Planning realtors and developers

 

Action Item 1.1.2: Develop and present recommendations to Planning that address non-conforming businesses, compatible home businesses, and new businesses that serve neighbors and students. This may include new commercial opportunities along the Osceola Street, Floral Street, Gamble Street, Mill Street, Lake Bradford Road, Orange Avenue, the Villa Mitchell area, and connections for Greater Bond to the FAMU Gateway corridor.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, Growth Management, Planning

 

Action Item 1.1.3: Involve Greater Bond residents in the Comprehensive Plan update process that addresses the development of the area between Mill Street and Lake Bradford Road for commercial, entrepreneur/innovation facilities, entertainment and light industrial uses, which will contribute to significant economic opportunities for current and future neighborhood residents.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, (Growth Management, Planning

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN 2:
Vacant lots and dilapidated structures.

Neighborhood Concern 2: Vacant lots and dilapidated structures
Desired Outcome: Dilapidated and abandoned structures in the neighborhood are redeveloped, and local historically significant neighborhood structures are preserved.

Strategy 2.1: Develop City-owned properties in the neighborhood.

Action Item 2.1.1:  Sell City-owned properties with contractual conditions that assure new development is affordable and consistent with the character of the community.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Community Housing and Human Services, Real Estate)

Action Item 2.1.2:  Explore the feasibility of implementing a community land trust model on City-owned properties in the Greater Bond Neighborhood

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Community Housing and Human Services, Real Estate)

Strategy 2.2: Rehabilitation of renter-occupied homes throughout the neighborhood.

Action Item 2.2.1: Implement an education program that informs residents about tenant rights regarding requesting repairs and how to properly report code enforcement issues, if necessary.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Growth Management)

 

Action Item 2.2.2: Educate landlords about obtaining rehabilitation loans, rental assistance programs, renter rehabilitation agreements (for example, renters agree to paint and make repairs if landlord pays for materials, a lease that reduces rent for a set period, or a lease-to-own agreement), etc.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Community Housing and Human Services)

 

Strategy 2.3: Encourage the development of privately owned, dilapidated buildings and vacant lots.

Action Item 2.3.1: Through the GBNA Land Use Committee (comprised of residents, realtors and developers) survey, prioritize and promote properties available for development.

  • Lead: Greater Bond Neighborhood Association
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Community Housing and Human Services)

Strategy 2.4:  Preserve historic structures throughout the neighborhood.

Action Item 2.4.1: Create an inventory of the neighborhood’s significant historic structures.

  • Lead: Greater Bond Neighborhood Association
  • Potential Partners: Riley House Museum, Black Archives

Action Item 2.4.2: Identify incentives that promote the preservation of the neighborhood’s historically significant structures.

  • Lead: Greater Bond Neighborhood Association
  • Potential Partners: Riley House Museum, Black Archives

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN 3:
Lack of bicycle/pedestrian connectivity to neighborhood resources and the broader community.

Neighborhood Concern 3: Lack of bicycle/pedestrian connectivity to neighborhood resources and the broader community.
Desired Outcome: Bicycle/pedestrian connectivity throughout the neighborhood is improved.

Strategy 3.1: Identify potential connections to surrounding development, placemaking design, linear park, gateways to the neighborhood, and FAMU.

Action Item 3.1.1: Online-Develop a bicycle/pedestrian plan for Greater Bond that identifies needed facilities and routes to nearby destinations.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: Online-City of Tallahassee (Planning, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood affairs), Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, CRTPA, Blueprint, FDOT, FAMU

Action Item 3.1.2:  Identify potential enhancements to existing neighborhood amenities (i.e. Speed-Spencer-Stephens Park, the linear park, St. Marks Trail and Tallahassee Junction).

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: Online- City of Tallahassee (Planning, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, CRTPA, Blueprint, FDOT, FAMU

 

Action Item 3.1.3:  Provide traffic calming and bike lanes throughout the neighborhood.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Planning, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs, Underground Utilities and Public Infrastructure, Electric Utility), Greater Bond Neighborhood Association,

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN 4:
Lack of visually appealing streetscapes in the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Concern 4: Lack of visually appealing streetscapes in the neighborhood

Desired Outcome: Improved streetscaping on targeted corridors that enhances public safety and mobility while also beautifying the surrounding neighborhood.

Strategy 4.1: Develop and implement a comprehensive streetscaping plan that focuses on four key corridors within the Greater Bond Neighborhood.

Action Item 4.1.1: Identify priority streets for enhanced streetscaping.  Options include Gamble Street, Saxon Street, Holton Street, Osceola Street, Floral Street, Perry Street and Eugenia Street.

  • Lead: Greater Bond Neighborhood Association
  • Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Planning, Community Beautification and Waste Management, Underground Utilities and Public Infrastructure, CRA)

Action Item 4.1.2: Develop and implement a comprehensive streetscaping plan for the four priority streets that includes improved lighting, appropriate tree plantings, sidewalk improvements, additional street/way-finding signs, historical markers, and other landscaping opportunities.

  • Lead: City of Tallahassee (Planning)

Potential Partners: Greater Bond Neighborhood Association, City of Tallahassee (Community Beautification and Waste Management, Underground Utilities and Public Infrastructure, CRA)