Neighborhood Issues List - Updated 1/1/12

Neighborhood Issues List - Updated 1/1/12

Have you wondered what fellow neighbors have been asking their Alderman?  Here's an updated list with some helpful links.


When does the new Alderman start? Adam Marchand will be sworn in at noon, Jan. 1st.   Here's his email and website. 
Bulk trash and visiting the Dump. Check back soon for more details on my Blog.  Trips to the dump REQUIRE a stop at DPW headquarters at 34 Middletown Ave. M-F 7am-3pm.
Main number 946-7700.  Presenting ID with a city address will get you a coupon book for visits to the dump.  BULK trash appointments must be made IN PERSON and paid for to be scheduled.  
W. Rock Edgewood Park Gate should be locked by NHPD nightly.  Tennis lights are supposed to be set to go off at 9:30pm for the fall.  Parks Director confirmed this policy today (9/29) but add that this priority for NHPD is low.  I've contacted the CAO (oversees Parks & PD) to underscore neighbors' concerns for locking this gate. 
Cars parked more than 72 hrs - Vehicles cannot be parked on City streets for more than 72 hrs.  Call NHPD non-emergency or TT&P to report.  They will try to contact owner and if necessary Red Sticker, ticket and tow.
Yale Athletic Fields Event parking on neighborhood streets - I have established very good communication with Yale Athletics, Yale PD and NHPD.  If anyone has complaints, please call me or Yale PD or NHPD directly.  
City Trash Barrels - City has recently removed 12-20 citywide that are misused and/or overused.  These removals are also to save money, encourage recycling, and to encourage businesses and landlords to responsibly comply with City ordinances.  I concurred with the City CAO's and DPW Director's decisions to remove certain barrels in Ward 25.  Some barrels remain at bus stops around our neighborhood.
Tree Planting - Urban Resources Initiative is the City's tree planting partner.  EMAIL URI to request a tree-belt tree.  Ward 25 also has a Green-Space group to help neighbors plant trees together.  THANKS to these neighbors and volunteers for planting many trees this past year.  Email me if you have a planting request.  URI supports Neighborhood groups in the summer; HS kids plant in the fall.  Mayor's initiative is to plant 10,000 trees over the next five years with 50% support from private donations
dangerous/dead trees- Parks maintains all City trees.  Call or email me.
tree trimming - Parks maintains all City trees.  Call or email me.

yard waste - if you see yard waste bags being improperly picked-up by crews (like dumping in with trash), please email me or call DPW with date and time.  This is against CT DEP law and costs us $$$!  DPW Director will deal with this serious employee violation. 
stump removals - Parks crews deal with City tree belt stumps and added crews last winter; many more marked for removal.  JULY/AUGUST - they are out taking care of our to-do list.  Notice that most are marked with a white painted box for removal and Call Before You Dig notification.  Once the utilities sign off, Parks tries to get to them with the City's one stump grinding crew/machine.  Call or email me.
Pedestrian Crosswalk signs. Recently replaced.  Let me know if there's a corner that should have one that doesn't.  BTW, the state law says "yield," thus as someone wondered, they can't say stop.   
DPW Spillage.  (photo) DPW director & dep. director are aware of issues with crews spilling recycling - mostly broken glass - and NOT cleaning these spills up.  Please call/email these spills into DPW and/or me.  DPW crews have brooms and shovels and are supposed to deal with spills immediately.
streetlight out. seeclickfix.com is monitored by the City's Street Light engineer.  Use this online tool or email me.  Need POLE NUMBER and street address and problem.
not picking up after one's dog - please be responsible
Traffic Signal detection/timing.  seeclickfix.com is monitored by the City's Signals engineer.  Use this online tool or email me.
foreclosed property - LCI monitoring and enforcing City ordinance that banks register with City.
magazine soliciting door to door - please be careful when considering dealing with these folks that come around this time of year.

speed humps. Do we want them?  Where?  Perhaps there are other solutions.  Please reference the City's Complete Streets Manual
Speeding.  NHPD has been out there with their radar/laser guns doing enforcement.  Please email me requests for enforcement locations in the neighborhood.
Car break-ins.  NHPD reminds folks to lock cars and DO NOT leave valuables in cars.  Please report all break-ins and/or attempts to NHPD.  These statistics and location reports do help with allocating resources.
Missing No Turn on Red sign.  This sign on Fountain eastbound before Alden has been replaced by NHTA.
Leaf Pick UP.  City crews are clearing the streets of fallen leaves.  Property owners should NOT rake leaves into the street.  Please bag leaves from your yard into paper leaf bags for p/u with your regular recycling/trashMore info on DPW wepage. 
Lack of Scooter/Motorcycling parking downtown - The BOA recently established a Parking Working group.  Visit their website for more info, or to highlight an issue and/or propose solutions.
Zone 4 Parking Permits - There is NO $10 fee for these permits (despite renewal letters).  Permits ARE required "during Yale events."  It is recommended that they're displayed at all times however.  This system is under review as the program "borrowed" from the city-wide program does not fit the actual ordinance for our neighborhood.  Please contact me with your concerns with this program.
Spraying Yale Athletic Fields - I've been in contact with Yale Turf manager and Yale has shared their spraying schedule, types of herbicides/pesticides, and CT DEP inspector contact.  I've shared this info with the Cleveland Rd. neighbors.
recycling - new program officially begins 8/23/10!  New BROWN trash toter for TRASH and 96 gal BLUE toter for SINGLE STREAM Recyclables - Don't sort; throw it all in! Check out the new website for the new Office of Sustainability or DPW.  Increasing Recycling and lowering Trash desposal results in a NET savings of over $100 per ton!!
Click here for list of Recyclables. 

trash/recycling toter questions - Call DPW at 203-946-7700 (7am - 3pm). 
Block Party Street Closures - If you'd like to host a block party, you will need to get a permit and you must also contact your Alderman.  I'm glad to help!
Bike route signage and pavement markings - Downtown to Westville Bikeway painted with Fed grant $.  Signs up in AUGUST 2010.  Pavement marked with "Sharrows." 
leaf blowers - noisy and polluting??  The City of LA has banned gasoline leaf blowers and other places regulate them due to noise and/or environmental concerns - should New Haven?
4-way Stop Signs - I've toured TT&P Director around neighborhood to illustrate several "hot spots" and share concerns of traffic control inconsistencies.  AUGUST 2010- Alden & Willard warrant study initiated. Link to this blog post for warrant results and more info.
street condition - DPW has a graded assessment list for ALL city streets which I can share with folks.  I also have the "milling and paving list for 2010; no Ward 25 streets made this year's list; it's bad all over the city and only $900K in 2010 budget - email me.
pot holes - DPW out to assess and tried to patch earlier than usual but not with the best results.  Crews back in Westville week of 5/10/10 - 5/14/10.  hot spots shared with DPW. DPW also monitoring seeclickfix. JUNE 2010 - City crews "Skim Patched" sections of Willard and Oliver as "enhanced pot hole repair" ahead of future full resurfacing.  More of Central in summer 2011 perhaps.
speeding - Complete Streets policies and design manual for infrastructure to address speeding and emphasize pedestrian and bicycle safety soon to become a City Ordinance. Traffic calming initiatives via Complete Streets design guidelines can happen in near future. Read the new Complete Streets manual here (pdf).
speed enforcement - I asked the new Chief about this at a BOA Public Safety committee mtg.  check out this Blog entry for more info.  Per my requests, TT&P's Speed Trailer has been deployed in many hot spots.  These help with education and capture data that will be used for future speed mitigation efforts.  Our District Manager/Lt. Tchakirides has stepped up enforcement on Chapel and elsewhere this summer.
street sweeping - DPW's new policy also asks Aldermen for suggestions on which streets should get supplemental Paper Posting to help remind neighbors to move cars on the few Ward 25 streets that have a lot of on-street parking. PLEASE email me with your suggestions!  DPW tried to get a head start this March - read about DPW's new policy in effect 

Whalley Ave. reconstruction questions - the contractor has a website with updates.  While this is a State DOT project, the City will be gaining control of more of the signals along Whalley and along Fountain that had been previously under CTDOT control which should eventually with the new technology improve things.
traffic signal timing and cameras - yes many intersections are getting new controlling technology which includes cameras for sensors to replace the in-ground loop detectors.  Contact me with issues with the new system and I will contact signal engineer.  I toured the control facility at 200 Orange and met Bijan in JULY 2010.
tall grass and other property issues - LCI & the housing department can - as a last resort - help with unkempt grass (+1') on private property.  LCI deals with trash and vacancies primarily. The Building Dept deals with Code violations including illegally parked commercial or un-registered vehicles on private property (in residential neighborhoods)
graffiti - please call any and all suspicious activity into NHPD.  Can we catch this SHER person!?!?!  NHPD non-emergency 203-946-6316
building code violations - LCI/Building Dept has notified and non-compliance referred to City lawyers.  Unfenced pool brought into compliance this summer.
illegally parked commercial vehicles - Building Dept has notified owners and non-compliance referred to City lawyers (Corporation Counsel)
illegally parked unregistered vehicles - Building Dept has notified owners and non-compliance referred to City lawyers (Corporation Counsel)
catch basins needing repair - Engineering notified.  Re-assessing current subcontractor for Repair.
catch basins clogged - DPW is notified and assesses and cleans clogged drains.
red light running - Enforcement has been increased especially along Whalley Ave. per Lt. Tchakirides
illegal right turns on red - Enforcement has been increased especially along Whalley Ave. per Lt. Tchakirides
dangerous intersections - TT&P notified and implementing changes.  No left turn from W. Elm to Forest, new striping, and tree removal to improve sight lines
in-street pedestrian crossing signs - Replaced - and several more of them added per my and WVRA requests. (in place until snowplowing season returns)
street markings - annual repainting season is here (spring) and lots re-done this spring
Yale athletic fields participant parking issues - Yale's New Haven Affairs notified and Athletic Dept. notified neighbors of summer use schedule.  calender on my blog here.
idling buses for Yale athletic events - Yale's New Haven Affairs notified
sidewalk tripping hazards - DPW implemented new techniques including cutting/shaving.  See examples on Marvel, Alden near Edgewood, and in Westville Village.
tax collector/assessor errors - worked with depts including Elderly services to get answers
Edgewood Park gates not locked at night - West Rock and Whalley Ave. gates not being locked.  Shinanigans in park at night.  PLEASE CALL NHPD for any and all suspicious activity. NHPD non-emergency 203-946-6316.  All district cruisers have keys now.
Quad and Dirt Bikes - NHPD has a task force for enforcement this summer. Our District manager knows of this priority as well as more attention to Edgewood Park.  New Police Chief is supporting these efforts
Edgewood Park Duck Pond benches removed - Parks replace these summer 2010 and added picnic tables
condoms on Westwood Rd.- please call any and all suspicious activity into NHPD non-emergency 203-946-6316
coyote sightings
sick raccoon - NHPD Animal Control dealt with this
drug dealing on Roger Rd.- NHPD notified.  coordinated with Roger/Cleveland Block Watches
UPS/FEDEX package thefts from porches - PD investigating and working with UPS
police divers in Edgewood Park Duck Pond - they were TRAINING 5/10/10
barking dogs - NHPD handles noise complaints. NHPD non-emergency 203-946-6316
lost the left turn signal to Edgewood Way from Forest - re-installed 4/15/10 with new striping too.

sidewalk shoveling.   Please be a good neighbor and follow the law.  Clear your sidewalk of snow/ice within 24hrs.  LCI can issues fines.  Also, abutting property owners are responsible for clearing catch basins and crosswalk corners.
snow removal info.  DPW (Dir and/or Dep Dir) and I chat during snow events and work to resolve issues.  Please read DPW Snow Removal webpage.  I agree City should have done better.
street striping in the middle of the night - TT&P Director apologizes for not notifying us
2010/11 Budget questions (pre-passage) - here's the whole budget document.  the first section is worth reading for a summary of the Mayor's thoughts and tables and pie charts to illustrate revenues and expenses.  I attended all but one of the Finance Committee Budget hearings (I'm not a member of this committee).
2010/11 Budget questions - I'm chairing a Working Group to provide input on Budget Document redesign and to oversee the required cost cutting and reporting measures mandated per Policy Amendments to the Budget that I co-authored.