Study of Birmingham Comprehensive Plan
In the Community Renewal plan of Birmingham area from Birmingham (Al) Department of Planning and Engineering, North Birmingham Community was listed as one of the several communities which need revitalization action. The city of Birmingham will invest its community renewal resources in ways to promote strategic revitalization of neighborhoods and communities knowing that community renewal goes beyond “ brick and mortar” physical improvements to encompass supporting human development and the nurturing of human aspirations in a community of shared goals and expectations about the conditions in which citizens live, work, and play. The planning suggests the promotion of strategic investment in the development of peculiar advantages of some locations in terms of aesthetics, natural resources, and/or access to diverse educational or other “life style” options. Investment in infrastructure (roads, water, and sewer lines, lighting, etc.), public facilities (fire stations, parks, schools), and public services will encourage residential and commercial development. Community renewal is more than physical improvements alone, that it includes support of human development and human capacity-building, through investment in community-based activities such as community development corporations, housing development corporations, programs serving the homeless, community economic development, and public health and education. Community renewal encompasses the physical environment and the life of the mind and spirit as well. In the section of Recreational and Cultural Opportunities in Birmingham Comprehensive Plan, a strategic policy has been stated “The city will continue to contribute to the recreational and cultural opportunities of city residents in order to stimulate a healthy, desirable quality of life. Neighborhood Action Plans find thirty-five neighborhoods, more than onethird, citing recreation needs as one of their priorities
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for improvements. This is the second most frequently mentioned priority to housing improvement.” In the Public Facility part of Birmingham Comprehensive Plan, the accessibility to public facilities is part of the community’s well-being standard. Public facilities include lands, properties, buildings, and equipment which are owned, constructed and maintained by the public sector for use by all members of the public in meeting basic needs and improving quality of life. Such services to the public range from health (potable drinking water, sanitary and storm sewers), to education (schools, museums, and libraries), to public safety (police and fire stations), to access ( streets, transit, sidewalk, and parking decks), and to recreation (parks and open spaces). In the planning strategy for park facilities, the city will provide for citizens in all parts of Birmingham a wide variety of active and passive recreation, activities for health, and opportunities to experience the beauty of nature (including natural spaces within developed areas) in a manner that celebrate s our unique ridge and valley environment, and which is effectively organized, programmed, operated, funded and carried out to enhance the quality of life for all our citizens. So according to the city’s comprehensive plan, and the analysis of the study area, a reconnection strategy is proposed by landscape architect to connect the Norwood Neighborhood back to the Downtown Birmingham. Through connecting Norwood back to the Downtown area, a better accessibility of educational, recreational and health care facilities will be offered to Norwood Neighborhood, which will improve the community’s well-being.