My Town Hustle

Latest Episodes:

EP 10 – Architectural Review Boards Aug 26, 2020

Show notes

Do you live in a historical district? Do you consider your community either historic or charming? Well, listen in to this week’s episode as we talk about Architectural Review Boards. ARBs are established through local ordinance as a historical preservation tool for historic districts either commercial or residential. If you own property within these districts that are governed by a historic preservation ordinance than you know that you have to go before a board before you make changes to your property. We discuss why ARBs are designed to protect the buildings, not the people. The My Town Hustle team also talks about the word “historic” and the difficulties of determining what is considered “historic” in a community. Do you pick 1890 or 1940? If your community is considering a historic preservation ordinance, open dialogue about how you want to preserve those districts is key!

Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
Marietta, Ohio Historic District
Dublin, Ohio ARB
Julia-Ann Square Historic District

Recorded

August 2020

Questions?

Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!

As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 9 – Wayfinding Aug 19, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever been to a new town and didn’t know where to go? Are you even familiar with where public parking lots are in your own town? Well, wayfinding can help with how you get from Point A to Point B. It makes sense at an airport but why is it important in your downtown? In this week’s episode, we are talking about something as simple as a sign. Too many can get messy and too little won’t help. We make decisions based on visual cues so why not help citizens and tourists alike navigate your community. It seems like a funny topic to talk about but trust us when we tell you how much can go into wayfinding and although you may know where you are going sometimes, it is important to view your town as a tourist.

Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
Urban Wayfinding Planning & Implementation Manual by Sign Research Foundation
Sign Research Foundation
2018 Economic Impact of Tourism in the Appalachian Region of Ohio Report from Ohio’s Appalachian Country
Ohio’s Appalachian Country
The Image of the City by Kevin Lynch

Recorded

August 2020

Questions?

Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!

As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 8 – Main Streets Aug 12, 2020

Show notes

Main Street Programs? Do you have one in your community? Well, we here at My Town Hustle enjoy our local Main Street program. From one of us being a Board Member to the other being the previous Director, we couldn’t be more thrilled to have our first guest on the show. Cristie Thomas with Marietta Main Street joined us to go over all things Main Street. Main Street Programs function to revitalize historic commercial districts and strive to build a new vibrant community in those districts. From hosting events, working alongside property owners/developers, to drafting legislation, they can do it all. Did you know that these groups are behind the smallest of acts like hanging flowers in town but did you know that those flowers can make an economic contribution to your community? Main Street Programs fight to save your downtowns, so please tune in to learn more, learn how you can give back to your downtown, and how these programs bring people together.

Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin
Cristie Thomas – Executive Director of Marietta Main Street

Resources
Marietta Main Street
Marietta Main Street Facebook Page
Heritage Ohio
Main Street America

Recorded
August 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 7 – Comprehensive Planning Aug 05, 2020

Show notes

Does your city have a plan for the future? Have they spent some time with you, the public, on what that might look like or what your concerns are? Well, in this week’s episode, we are going to talk about Comprehensive Planning. We go over why we think it is important, why citizens should be involved in the process, and why all public officials should use it as the guiding principle for all their decisions. Comprehensive Planning is important for the future growth of your community. Sometimes Comprehensive Planning can suggest big changes or even pretty radical ones that may be unpopular but the most important part is that this process includes the public, it includes the people who actually live, work, or play in your community.

Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
The Importance of Implementable Comprehensive Planning
Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Plan Hamilton Comprehensive Plan – Hamilton, Ohio

Recorded

July 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 6 – Statutory v. Charter Cities Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

Did you know there are different kinds of local government for your town? Turns out, there is! Whether you have a statutory local government or a charter local government can change the operations and procedures of “how things get done” in your hometown. The distinction between the two often occur around a town’s stance on a particular issue but, is only ~really~ limited by general law at the state level. This episode focuses on the differences between the two forms of government along with the pros and cons of each.

Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
Knox Pages Case Study on Charter Government
Ohio Municipal League
City of Athens, Ohio

Recorded
July 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 5 – Complete Streets Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

When you are walking down your favorite street or through the main drag of your downtown, you probably aren’t thinking, “Wow, this street is not complete”, unless you are a planner or understand what a Complete Street is. Well, it is simple, Complete Streets is a transportation policy that has reshaped, redrawn, or reconstructed our city streets from vehicle focused to all types of ways we get around. This design approach is for everyone, no matter the mode of transportation that you prefer. In this week’s episode, we will quickly go over the concept of Complete Streets as this policy is different for every community. The main “drive” of this “Complete Streets” movement is more than becoming less focused on vehicles but how all modes including driving can be safer. We will discuss “Parklets” which is just one design that adds value to Complete Streets, it creates a new public place and can be an awesome tool for placemaking in your community, especially if you have limited outdoor seating. Jared is passionate about getting a “Parklet” in front of his building, so listen in to learn more from us, laugh, and hopefully walk away with a desire to advocate for safer streets in your community.

Who's on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
What are Complete Streets? by Smart Growth America
National Complete Streets Coalition
U.S. Department of Transportation

Recorded
July 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 4 – Zoning Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

ZONES!!! In this week's episode, we'll explore Zoning in our communities. Zoning dates back to the earliest twentieth century and is still applied to communities today. Although zoning laws and regulations have played both a negative or positive role in our communities, Form-Based Zoning is one tool that city leaders are using to re-imagine their communities and moving away from the separation of uses. Zoning plays such an important part in how and why our cities look the way they do but do you know how it applies to you? Do you know some of the differences between a Planning Commission and a Board of Zoning Appeals? Do you even know what zoning district you live or work in? Listen in as we discuss how zoning can be a good thing if applied correctly.

Who's on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
Form-Based Codes Institute at Smart Growth America
Demolition Means Progress - by Andrew R. Highsmith
Flint, Michigan, and The Fate of The American Metropolis
The University of Chicago Press
Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty

Recorded
July 2020
Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com
Shout out!
Smart Growth America
The University of Chicago Press
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify!

EP 3 – Land Banks Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

Tired of looking at blighted properties? In this week’s episode, we’ll be depositing our time into the discussion of Land Banks, no pun intended, well maybe a little. A County Land Bank in the State of Ohio is a useful program, that establishes a private, non-profit corporation through the power of your local government, to fight vacant & blighted properties and return them to productive use in your communities. We’ll discuss how one is established, how it can be funded, and explain to you that the reason your community may not have one is that your government doesn’t want one and not because they can’t have one.

Who's on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
Western Reserve Land Conservancy
A Lank Bank Playbook by Western Reserve Land Conservancy
List & Map of Ohio County Land Banks
Washington County, Ohio Auditor Website
List of Delinquent Taxpayers List in Washington County, Ohio
Recorded
June 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!
Western Reserve Land Conservancy
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes & Spotify!

EP 2 – D.O.R.A (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas) Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we’ll explore D.O.R.A, Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas. Did you know that in the State of Ohio, a DORA can be established to create an environment where you can walk in a particular area (your downtown possibly?) with a drink in your hand? Listen as we discuss what a DORA is, how a city can get one, and what the pros and cons.

Who's on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
State of Ohio Revised Code - Chapter 4301.82: Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/4301.82

A great example of a current D.O.R.A!
http://www.delawareohio.net/exploring-the-dora/

Recorded
June 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com
Shout out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes & Spotify!

EP 1 – The Who, The What, & The Why? Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

This episode is a quick little intro on why we decided to create My Town Hustle. You’ll get to know a little about all of our hosts along with some statistical background of the community we live and work in.

Who’s on it?
Jared Perry
Sam Tuten
Bret Allphin

Resources
https://www.mariettaoh.net/
https://www.washingtongov.org/
https://www.mariettamainstreet.org/

Recorded
June 2020

Questions?
Email us at support@mytownhustle.com

Shout out!
As always thank you to The Saylor for the hot jams. Check him out NOW on iTunes and Spotify