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After extensive community engagement, Develop Louisville staff will present the update of Louisville Metro’s Comprehensive Plan to the Planning Commission on April 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Old Jail auditorium (514 W. Liberty Street).
The Comprehensive Plan is a guide for the community’s growth and development over the next 20 years. This update builds on the current Comprehensive Plan, Cornerstone 2020, and will be in effect until 2040.
Kentucky Revised Statutes requires a Comprehensive Plan for communities with zoning ordinances. The plan was updated using five key principles: connectivity, health, authenticity, sustainability and equity. The plan includes elements focused on land use, transportation, community facilities, livability, housing and economic development.
Extensive research and community engagement was conducted to draft the update. Examples of such engagement methods include an Advisory Committee, six work groups with open membership, nine community forums, a scientific survey, a public opinion survey and presentations at various community events and meetings. In total, over 6,000 Louisville residents participated in over 160 meetings and events to provide their thoughts on this update.
When the Planning Commission completes its review of the updated plan, the document will be presented to Metro Council as well as 12 local municipalities with zoning authority for formal adoption. Those 12 local municipalities are: Anchorage, Douglass Hills, Graymoor-Devondale, Hurstbourne, Indian Hills, Jeffersontown, Lyndon, Middletown, Prospect, Shively, St. Matthews and St. Regis Park.
A public comment period is now open and will remain so until the Planning Commission recommends approval. To view the draft Comprehensive Plan update document and as well as a public comment form, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/planning-design/comprehensive-plan. Comments may also be provided to Develop Louisville Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as by mail sent to 444 S. 5th Street, Louisville, KY, 40202, Suite 300, RE: Comprehensive Plan.
Photo: Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District
A new survey from the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District is asking the public to weigh in on the District’s efforts to engage with and inform the community on air quality and the environment.
The District will use the information collected in the online survey to develop a series of community workshops.
The goal of the workshop series, slated to begin this spring, is to give the public a better understanding of the District’s work, while also offering a space where the community can discuss ways to continue improving Louisville’s air.
“Informed communities are more likely to support programs and policies that improve air quality,” said Michelle King, APCD Director of Program Planning. “And informed individuals are more likely to change behaviors to reduce their own emissions and exposure to poor air quality.”
The survey is online now, and will stay online until April 30.
Survey link: https://louisvilleky.wufoo.com/forms/the-apcd-wants-to-hear-from-you/
APCD Environmental Coordinator Torend Collins is overseeing the development of the workshop series.
“Community engagement is an important part of the work we do at the APCD,” Collins said. “So the results will not only assist with developing workshops, but will also help us better understand what the community knows about our agency.”
The Public Safety Committee of the Louisville Metro Council will hear a presentation that led to a Resolution requesting the Kentucky Attorney General to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate Former Louisville Police Department Officer Mark Handy.
“I believe it is important for the Committee to have a better understanding of this situation and we do not take the purpose of this Resolution lightly,” says Councilwoman Jessica Green (D-1), who chairs the Committee. “The public needs to have confidence in those who protect us and after this presentation we will decide what should be done regarding this request.”
The Committee will hear from Denny Butler, Louisville Police Detective, Retired and Mr. Edwin Chandler, the man wrongfully convicted for a crime he didn’t committee who was later exonerated.
Media reports in the last several weeks have indicated Handy was at the center of several homicide cases which resulted in convictions overturned.
To see the Resolution on line: Click Here!
The Public Safety Committee meets at 3:30pm in Council Chambers, Historic City Hall, 601 West Jefferson Street.The meeting is carried live on Metro TV, Spectrum Cable Channel 184 or on UVERSE at Channel 99. All meetings of the Metro Council are streamed live. Go to the Metro Council Home page at www.Louisvilleky.gov/metrocouncil and click on the Metro Council Agendas link.
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio tonight announced a new task force to reimagine and reshape the district’s alternative school programs.
“It’s time to rethink how we deliver services to our most at-risk students—ensuring that we’re providing them a quality education, relevant and career-focused opportunities and the comprehensive support services they need to thrive both in school and at home,” Dr. Pollio said.
The new model would establish separate programs and facilities for middle and high school students. Additionally, it would focus on providing career-focused opportunities to students by linking them to Academies of Louisville programming and providing a more personalized learning experience. This would allow students to make progress at the appropriate pace, instead of being confined by the restraints of a particular schedule structure.
“Currently, they’re all on traditional schedules, which is particularly challenging for students in an alternative-school setting, who are often behind,” said assistant superintendent Dr. Katy Zeitz, who oversees alternative schools and will serve as the task force chair. “Our goal is to reconnect and provide support to some of our most disenfranchised students. The task force will brainstorm and consider options, think through research-based programming and best practice strategies that work best for at-risk students and help vet new programs for JCPS.”
Dr. Zeitz is working closely with the JCPS Office of Diversity, Equity and Poverty Programs (DEP) to identify and select individuals within the district and community who can provide expertise and insight into relevant practices with at-risk and court-involved youth.
“Our task is: how do we build a situation that is safe and relevant, but also meets the social and emotional needs of students who have experienced the kinds of violence and trauma that some of our kids have seen?” Dr. Zeitz said. “We want to provide more wrap-around and therapeutic supports to students, and collaborate and partner with other city efforts around response to trauma, violence prevention and safe and healthy neighborhoods.”
The group will convene for the first time this spring. Pending any needed approvals from the Jefferson County Board of Education, changes to the district’s alternative school programs would be effective with the 2019-20 school year.
Photo: Louisville Metro Housing Authority
Mayor Greg Fischer today named Lisa Osanka as the Interim Director of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority (LMHA).
“Our Metro Housing Authority is a national leader in neighborhood revitalization and housing development,” the Mayor said. “Lisa brings an activist’s passion and expertise in community engagement that will enhance an already remarkable team. We appreciate her commitment to the city and its residents.”
Osanka currently serves as the Director of Leased Housing for LMHA and has more than 26 years of experience in housing and community development
As the Interim Director, Osanka will partner with staff and LMHA’s Board of Directors to carry out the current and future goals of the agency, including the $30 million HUD CHOICE Neighborhoods grant for the revitalization of the Russell neighborhood.
“At the early age of 14, I learned that not every child had a safe place to call home and since then, I have committed myself to securing affordable housing for all,” said Osanka. “I appreciate the support of Mayor Fischer in appointing me, and I welcome the continued opportunity to serve the Louisville Metro community, especially the over 14,000 families we at LMHA serve every day.”
Prior to joining LMHA, Osanka held positions at Local Initiatives Support Corporation in Washington D.C., Louisville Tenants Association, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and Habitat for Humanity International.
Osanka earned her Juris Doctor from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville and earned her Bachelor of Arts in History from Valparaiso University.
Osanka replaces long-time LMHA Director Tim Barry, who is retiring in the spring. She will begin her new role April 21.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Councilman Rick Blackwell announces the next “Coffee with your Councilman” is set for Saturday, March 17th. It is an opportunity for District 12 residents to meet with their Councilman.
It will take place at Panera Bread at 6900 Dixie Highway beginning at 10:00am to 12:00 pm.
There is no formal program and no need to sign up, just stop by and talk with the Councilman about any issue or concern you may have for District 12 or Southwest Louisville.
For more information about this “Coffee with your Councilman,” contact Councilman Blackwell’s office at 574-1112.
3-day summit to train educators on restorative intervention strategies
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and Spalding University are teaming up to host a three-day summit to highlight and train educators on restorative justice practices.
The Restorative Justice Practices Training Summit, being held March 14-16 at Spalding, will educate school administrators, teachers, staff and school resource officers about the methods of restorative practice, a social science that seeks to manage conflict and tensions by repairing harm and restoring relationships.
“Restorative practice has been a valuable tool in guiding how we respond to conflict and misbehavior in the classroom while emphasizing safety and accountability,” JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said. “Our ultimate goal is to utilize these strategies to decrease referrals and improve school attendance.”
JCPS has turned to intervention strategies such as restorative practice and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports in recent years to proactively manage student behavior. The district implemented a restorative practice pilot at 10 schools this fall, with another eight schools to be added in the 2018-19 school year. Preliminary data indicate that restorative practice elementary and high schools were outperforming the district on suspension incidents, suspension days and in-school suspensions, while two of the three middle schools in the pilot have shown recent improvements in the suspension data.
“We look forward to hosting JCPS leaders and resource officers on our campus to learn more about restorative practices,” Spalding President Tori Murden McClure said. “At Spalding, we’ve made restorative practices a priority and believe they are a thoughtful, compassionate way to manage conflicts and build community. Spalding has implemented restorative techniques and methods on our campus to help find solutions and understanding in a range of settings.”
The first day of the conference is designed for professionals who work in K-12 educational settings and are interesting in finds ways to implement restorative practice in their schools.
School resource officers will take part in the second and third days of the conference, which will include training and offer examples on how to utilize authority in restorative ways. The focus will be on fostering positive relationships with students and how to implement talking circles – controlled group conversations designed to promote dialogue about difficult topics and offer all parties equal time to talk freely in a safe setting.
In some cases, restorative practices are also being used as an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system in Louisville. With restorative practices, the offender and victim volunteer to participate together to express what harm has been done, who is responsible for repairing that harm and how can that harm be repaired, according to Restorative Justice Louisville, whose offices are located on Spalding’s campus.
The International Institute of Restorative Practices and local law enforcement agencies will all be partners in the training. In addition, JCPS Behavior Support Systems Department Coordinator Naomi Brahim and resource teachers Angel Jackson and Ronzell Smith will present, along with Spalding Director of Forensic Psychology and Restorative Studies Dr. Ida Dickie and forensic psychology graduate student Mariya Leyderman.
The conference is being held at Spalding University’s College Street Building, 812 Second St.
