Harlingen Image Committee

Mayor’s Quality of Life Forum

August 18, 2007

Harlingen Image Committee

David Smith

Cheryl LaBerge

Elaine L. Flores

Ricky Leal

Paul Johnson

Doak Dunkin

Mike Allex

Monica Solomon

Danny Hoehne

Nick Consiglio

Our Charge

Identify initiatives to improveAppearanceLookVisual impact Cleanliness

Goals

To be the Cleanest, Greenest and most Beautiful City in the Valley.

To be a modern and attractive city by using proactive methods established by model cities nationwide.

Focus Areas

Clean Up

Green Up

Step Up

“Clean Up” !

Clean Up

Signage

Property Maintenance

Gateways

Clean Up: Signage

Quality signage shows you are a quality community!

Short-Term SolutionsProactive enforcement of current sign ordinance

Train & empower all city employees to address sign violations

Clean Up: Signage

Mid-term SolutionsReview sign ordinance to consider

• Reducing total sign size/area• Reducing sign height• Reducing sign clutter• Prohibiting future billboards• Establishing a permanent sign review committee. • Setting new and more rigorous design standards.

• Requiring permits for all signs

Clean Up: Signage

Long-Term SolutionsPhase out non-compliant signs

Consider phase out of billboards

Clean Up: Property Maintenance

Short-Term Solutions Pass resolution supporting enforcement of

International Property Maintenance Codes to eliminate blight.

Additional Code Enforcement Staff Establish and Maintain Proactive Code Enforcement

• Illegal dumping, vandalism, graffiti, junk vehicles, boats, trailers, etc.

Establish Friends of Rigorous Code Enforcement (Proud Patrol)

Clean Up: Property Maintenance

Mid-Term Solutions Consider establishing fund for incentives for property

enhancements.

Public education

Reexamine penalties/fees for code violations

Review Code Enforcement staffing & funding as city grows.

Clean Up: Property Maintenance

Long Term Solutions Consider use of web cams for chronic illegal dump

sites. Encourage citizen reporting of illegal dumping,

vandalism and graffiti Consider passing graffiti ordinance with penalties to

property owners regarding clean up More Neighborhood Watches & neighborhood clean-

ups

Clean Up: Gateways/Major Arteries

First impressions are lasting impressions!

Short-Term Solutions Eliminate sign clutter on Primera Rd Exit.

Remove deteriorated welcome sign at VIA

Improve directional signs to major attractions and remove deteriorated directional signs.

Remove dumpsters along major Arteries

Address other code violations

Clean Up: Gateways/Major Arteries

Mid-Term Solutions Install attractive, professional, welcome signs, impeccably

landscaped and lit at night to create ‘grand’ entrances to the city.

Develop plan to regularly clean welcome signs and maintain landscaping at all entrances

Identity and plan additional beauty spots to wow visitors traveling along major arteries.

Liaison with TXDOT to upgrade directional signage on expressway, frontage roads and major arteries.

“Green Up” !

Green Up HarlingenGarden City

• Ordinances

• Investment

• Maintenance

Green Up HarlingenOrdinances

Short TermStrengthen existing landscape

ordinances to improve overall appearance of Harlingen

Enforce ordinances

Mid-TermEstablish a public tree care ordinanceEstablish a tree preservation

ordinanceEarn Tree City USA

• Minimum $2 per capita• Host annual Arbor Day celebration• Establish a tree board• Adopt a public tree care ordinance

Green Up HarlingenOrdinances

Long Term Provide continuous, non-political effort

to improve the image of Harlingen.

Establish a horticulture division for City of Harlingen.

Green Up HarlingenOrdinances

Green Up HarlingenInvestment

Short Term City of Harlingen to plant 100 trees

Create prioritized list of landscape projects

At least 10% of 4B budget for landscape beautification projects

Complete 2 major gateway projects

Green Up HarlingenInvestment

Mid Term Establish a public/private partnership

Complete 2 – 5 major projects per year

Increase budget for horticultural maintenance

Apply for grants for future horticultural projects

Green Up HarlingenInvestment

Long TermEstablish a botanical garden

Work with partners on improvement of Arroyo Colorado

Green Up HarlingenMaintenance

Short Term

Audit of current maintenance plan

Increase budget for maintenance of landscape and horticultural projects

Recognize beautiful landscapes

Green Up HarlingenMaintenance

Mid-termDevelop an educational program

Increase budget (per capita growth)

Revitalize and expand past projects

Green Up HarlingenMaintenance

Long Term Maintain Garden City vision through

• continuous improvement • continuous education• continuous “Synergy Partners” investment

Revitalize & improve past projects

“Step Up” !

Harlingen’s

ImageSynergy Harlingen

Improvement Board

City Sector Representatives and

other Volunteers

PropertyOwners

PrivatePartnerships

“Step Up”

“Green Up”

“Clean Up”

“Step Up”

Immediate Resolution from the Mayor and City Commission which supports and commits to “Clean Up”, “Green Up” and “Step Up”.

Increase support, funding, scope and empowerment of Harlingen Proud.

Expand and initiate new educational programs to the schools and public through Harlingen Proud initiatives.

“Step Up”

Establish and maintain a Recognition Program, implemented through Harlingen Proud, which identifies and rewards exemplary individuals, neighborhoods, and businesses that are great examples of “Clean Up”, “Green Up” and “Step Up”.

Follow up meetings of the “Synergy Partners” to determine the additional courses of action and financial allocation needed to support various Step Up, Green Up, and Clean Up initiatives.

Thank you