Neighborhood Safety Forum in Cedar Rapids at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 23

We begin the fourth week of 2012 in Cedar Rapids today.

This morning, Realtor Robin Tucker attended a Realtor Government Affairs committee meeting at the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors. An Noon, the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids had a program from the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Tonight, there will be a Neighborhood Safety Forum at St. Paul's UMC at 7 p.m.

Council Member Pat Shey is hosting the Neighborhood Safety Forum. Pat Shey represents District 3 on the City Council for Cedar Rapids.

The purpose of this forum is to provide information to help residents make their homes and neighborhoods safer. We will discuss current crime statistics, what you can do to protect your home, how you can make your neighborhood safer, and what you should do if you experience a crime or witness suspicious activity.

Robin Tucker, as one of the new Commissioners on the Civil Rights Commission, said he plans to attend. At last week's first Commission meeting, he decided to join the Outreach Committee for the Commission for 2012. Tucker is one of two new members of the 11 member citizen Commission.

Pat Shey to Host Neighborhood Safety Forum on Jan. 23
City Council Member Pat Shey will host a Neighborhood Safety Forum on Monday, January 23, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, located at 1340 3rd Ave SE, especially for residents of District 3.

“The purpose of this forum is to provide the citizens of Cedar Rapids with information that will help them make their homes and neighborhoods safer,” said Shey. “We will discuss current crime statistics, what you can do to protect your home, how you can make your neighborhood safer, and what you should do if you experience a crime or witness suspicious activity.”

The forum will feature a panel discussion, moderated by Shey, which will include the following experts from the Cedar Rapids Police Department: Lt. Jerry Potter, Sgt. Matthew Welsh, Investigator Michael Bailey and Crime Analyst Dawn Stanford. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and share concerns during the forum.

Residents with personal experiences to share are encouraged to submit a written narrative or statement before the forum and send them to Pat.Shey@cedar-rapids.org. All statements will be compiled, scanned and share with all who are interested.

Cedar Rapids Neighborhood Planning Process: Final Meeting

Final Neighborhood Planning Meeting, May 5

We’ve reached a critical point in the Neighborhood Planning Process and the City Council would like to encourage everyone to get involved, and thank all who are already participating. We are beginning to determine final area plans for the flood-affected neighborhoods. The two final meetings –April 25 and May 5 – will determine the outcome of plans for reinvestment in our River Corridor neighborhoods.

Thanks once again to the hundreds of community members who have contributed a total of 4,143 hours of planning in the Neighborhood Planning Process. Your time, ideas and vision for our neighborhoods is shaping critical plans for Cedar Rapids’ future. If you are not yet involved, it’s not too late. Attend upcoming meetings and help Cedar Rapids to recover and not just be better, but greater.

The final area meeting will be held May 5, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the Kirkwood Community College Center for Continuing Education.

The announcement was reprinted from a Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce news release.

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Robin Tucker, Realtor

Is your property within a local historical district in Cedar Rapids?

As a member of the Cedar Rapids Association of Realtors®, Tommy Tucker Realty Co. received the following communication today:

A Realtor® member is a member of the Historic Preservation
Commission (an advisory commission to the City of Cedar Rapids). They have
been discussing the fact that many homeowners and Realtors® are not aware that certain homes are part of a designated historic district with design standards
in place (which are primarily in place to help homes in the area retain value).

Essentially, because there are design standards in
place, this means that before work can begin on certain types of exterior
improvements, the homeowner must first submit a one page form located at http://cedar-rapids.org/development/documents/preservation/Hist%20Dist%20Application.pdf
explaining the scope of work to be completed, to the commission for
approval.

In an effort to provide improved communication to the
public, the City of Cedar Rapids and the Historic Preservation Commission have
now included information on the city assessor site (http://www.cedar-rapids.org/assessor/pmc/)
as to whether or not a home is part of a designated historic district. In
other words, when searching for a home on the assessor’s site, if it is in a
historic district, it will be noted on the screen near the address of the
property. Below is an example.

1815 RIDGEWOOD TER SE Cedar Rapids, IA

WITHIN LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT

Class: Residential

Tax District: 286 CR-COE/MT VER C TIF
PDF: Res Permit Region 7

Neighborhood: SE 217
Plat Map: 2222

Deed Holder: (and other information on the property)

*** ***

As Realtors, we hope you find this information useful.

As a homeowner or as a prospective buyer in the City of Cedar Rapids, we want to bring to your attention this issue of a Local Historic District. If you have any questions about your real estate or properties in the City of Cedar Rapids or elsewhere in our area, feel free to contact Tommy Tucker Realty Co. at 1-319-365-6956 or by e-mail.

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