By Matthew Nash
Olympic Peninsula News Group
SEQUIM — Sequim city staff are hoping citizens can help brainstorm ways to build a better Sequim.
That’s the idea behind the Neighborhood Visioning Meeting set from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Guy Cole Convention Center at Carrie Blake Park.
Residents, business owners and churches within city limits are invited to discuss an array of ideas and issues, from affordable housing to code enforcement to roads.
“The city wants to be approachable and meet at a safe place,” Assistant City Manager Joe Irvin said.
He said residents will break off into their respective areas to focus on naming seven regions within the city for hyper-local projects, identifying what service projects are needed and how to increase engagement among neighbors.
For the event, the city is working with Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County, which will host Tad Monroe, organizational development consultant, to speak. After discussions, a spaghetti dinner will be offered by First Federal.
The event stems from a 2015 partnership with Habitat for Humanity to map downtown Sequim for neighborhood revitalization projects along with the City Council’s goal to holistically address needs.
In late July, Sequim City Council members agreed on the new neighborhood map that places the city into seven regions based on various factors such as physical barriers and the Urban Growth Area as a way to more directly address needs in certain areas. Other agencies such as Clallam County Fire District No. 3 and the Sequim Police Department might use the regions for Community Emergency Response Teams and Neighborhood Watches.
Irvin said city staff set a goal for 200 people to attend Saturday.
“It takes champions to get things rolling,” Irvin said.
City staff also identified ambassadors as points of contact for each region, but there will be many more ways for locals to become involved later. At the meeting, Irvin said officials plan to create a mailing list so city staff and residents can stay in touch.
Discussion groups will be led by trained facilitators among the city staff, and names for regions will be given to the City Council for approval at a later date, organizers said.
The meeting is a precursor to Service Fest in June 2018 in which work parties will work with Habitat for Humanity volunteers on improvement projects pinpointed by residents.
City staff members plan to propose $20,000 in the city’s 2018 budget to support projects for the special event.
Habitat for Humanity leaders also announced this summer that Clallam County is participating in a Quality of Life Framework study to measure neighborhoods to better help them.
Irvin said after the events, his hope is to “make neighborhood revitalization a sustainable practice in Sequim.”
For more information on Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County, visit www.habitatclallam.org or call 360-681-6780. Contact the city of Sequim by visiting www.sequimwa.gov or calling 360-683-4139.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
Seven new regions in the city of Sequim will be used by residents and city staff to pinpoint issues for code enforcement, affordable housing and other issues. (City of Sequim)
