Tomorrow's Neighborhoods Today

Tomorrow's Neighborhoods Today (TNT) is intended to create a comprehensive process for involving Syracuse, New York neighborhood residents, businesses, and organizations in planning for their neighborhoods. It identifies and builds upon community assets, and develops workable plans and priorities for our neighborhoods. The plans direct the City's resources in the most important areas in the most cost-effective way. This process strengthens the democracy that is critical for a healthy city, improves the quality of life in our City, and builds the capacity for our City to solve problems and create a desirable future.

Establishment

“Each TNT Neighborhood Planning Council will create an asset-driven, continuous 5-year plan for its area which will include a comprehensive vision for the diverse neighborhoods within the area, 5-year goals and objectives, prioritized action plans, resource requests, budgets, recommendations to operating city departments, and timelines for completion. These plans will be compiled by the Neighborhood Planning Office and submitted to each of the city’s operating departments for consideration in the creation of annual and capital workplans and budgets.”

General Ordinance #48 of the City of Syracuse, Section 48-2(a)

Process

TNT is composed of eight Area Planning Councils: six neighborhood-based, one Downtown and one Lakefront. The six neighborhood-based areas are organized according to natural geographic boundaries, and include at least one business district, a city park, at least one city school, and 4-7 identifiable neighborhoods. The neighborhood Area Planning Councils are democratically organized and use methods of public participation that are open to all stakeholders in the area. The Downtown Area Planning Council consists of the Downtown Committee, residents of Downtown, the City, and Downtown businesses. The Lakefront Planning Council includes members of the Lakefront Development Corporation, area residents, and businesses.

Membership

The Neighborhood Planning Councils consist of a resident majority (51% or more) as a core of its members. The rest of the membership may consist of other neighborhood stakeholders, including Common Councilors, institutional representatives, agency personnel, and businesses located in the area. Each existing neighborhood association is invited to have a representative seat on the Area Planning Council within which it operates.

Product

Each Area has created an asset-driven, five-year plan that includes a comprehensive vision, asset surveys, five-year goals, specific objectives, prioritized action plans that describe how barriers will be overcome, resource requests, and recommendations to City Departments.

City Support

The Division of Neighborhood Planning provides the staff support for TNT. Each Department (Public Works, Parks, Police, Fire, Economic Development, and Code Enforcement) are invited to reflect their response to the neighborhood action plans in their annual workplans and budgets.

Functions of TNT Neighborhood Planning Councils

Creation of Area and Neighborhood Plans

Each TNT Neighborhood Planning Council will create an asset-driven, continuous 5-year plan for its planning area which will include a comprehensive vision for the diverse neighborhoods within the planning area, 5-year goals and objectives, prioritized neighborhoods within the planning area, 5-year goals and objectives, prioritized action plans, resource requests, budgets, recommendations to operate city departments, and timelines for completion. These plans will be submitted to each of the city's operating departments for consideration in the creation of annual and capital work plans and budgets.

Conveners of Community Stakeholders

Each TNT Neighborhood Planning Council will serve as a "community roundtable" where issues of pertinence and concern can be discussed, where education on complex community issues and action can take place, and where people from many different parts of the community (business, non-profit, government, grassroots) can come together as equals to address issues of common concern.

Facilitation

TNT Neighborhood Planning Councils can serve as a vehicle to address area problems, where there are divergent points of view that need to be aired and where solutions need to be sought that find the common ground between different points of view.

Advisement

The TNT Neighborhood Planning Councils shall advise City government (i.e.: the Mayor, Common Council, CDAC, and Operating Departments) on matters concerning the general health, safety and welfare of their neighborhoods. This shall be a reflection of the needs and wants of the neighborhoods, as articulated in the five-year plans.

Development of Neighborhood Directories

Each TNT Neighborhood Planning Council may develop, in partnership with area schools, businesses, non-profits, and/or grassroots groups, a descriptive neighborhood directory that serves to market the planning area and its unique attributes and virtues.

Sustaining the Organization

The Neighborhood Planning Councils shall develop an organization that will maintain itself and its leadership, and make a good faith effort to recruit a diverse and representative group of stakeholders.

City-Wide Convention

Annually, or more frequently, TNT Neighborhood Planning Councils will gather to discuss issues germane to the city as a whole.