Argyle Park Civic Association

Community Code

A Proud Neighborhood

Community Code

Simple Ways You Can Make Your Neighborhood a Better Place to
Live

1. Be a considerate neighbor – keep your yard clean and your home in good
   repair.


2. Get to know people who live on your block or in your apartment complex.
   Talk to folks; make friends.


3. Get together with neighbors and talk about how you can collectively
   improve the quality of life in your neighborhood.


4. Reach out to your neighbors in a dynamic, caring way. Volunteer to help
   neighbors who have special needs – offer to cook them a meal or shop for
   groceries.


5. Find out what’s going on in your neighborhood – be alert to developing
   issues.


6. Work diligently to be a positive influence in your community. Do something
   to make your neighborhood a better, friendlier place. Get involved in
   neighborhood activities or projects.


7. Establish a neighborhood watch – keep an eye on everything. The best
   security system available is a concerned and watchful neighbor.


8. Be inclusive when organizing your neighborhood; invite a broad mix of
   people to your meetings. Don’t be afraid to ask your mayor or city
   manager, state senator, bank president, and police and fire department
   representatives to your neighborhood meetings or block parties.


9. Band together in a meaningful way. Make your neighborhood’s cultural and
   ethnic diversity a strength.


10. Mentor a child who lives on your street or help start a youth group. Spend
    time with kids in your neighborhood – give them the benefit of your life
    experiences.


11. Enjoy fun activities with your neighbors – go on day trips or host an
    annual barbecue or block party.


12. Discover your power as a concerned citizen – change happens one person
    at a time.

We Pledge:

Building Maintenance

Whether we are owners or renters, we have a responsibility to ensure that our
properties are well-maintained and attractive. As owners, we have a
responsibility to see that the appropriate maintenance is promptly carried out;
as renters, we have a responsibility to ensure that the landlord carries out the
proper maintenance in a timely manner.

We pledge:

1. To promptly replace the glass in windows which have broken, and to ensure
   that proper storm or screen windows are installed.


2. To keep curtains and blinds in good condition and in neat appearance from
   outside the house or apartment.


3. To ensure that chipping or peeling house paint is repainted to ensure a
   neat and orderly appearance.


4. To maintain all gutters, down spouts, and shutters securely attached to
   the building.


5. To keep screen and/or storm doors well maintained and latched.


6. To keep fences in good repair.


7. To ensure that any graffiti on the property is removed or painted over
   within 15 days, either by doing this myself or by notifying people
   responsible for maintaining the building.


8. To work with the City to insure adherence to building codes throughout the
   neighborhood, especially in relation to vacant buildings and rental
   properties owned by absentee landlords.


9. To maintain all vehicles in good working order, and to avoid leaving
   inoperable cars on the property or street, and to repair cars with flat
   tires or missing parts as soon as possible.

Lawns, Trees, and Gardens

We believe that well-manicured properties add value, increase the beauty, and
demonstrate pride in the neighborhood, and that the visibility of adults working
outside provides a sense of comfort and security to our young people. We
understand that those residents who have years of experience in lawn care and
gardening can provide guidance and teaching to those with less experience, and
we encourage this type of community-based knowledge to spread and flourish.

We pledge:

1. To maintain lawns in good condition, including regular mowing during
   spring, summer, and fall so that the grass does not exceed 3 inches in
   height.


2. To trim shrubs away from sidewalks and pathways, and to maintain a neat
   and orderly appearance.


3. To plant flowers and/or cultivate a flower garden to increase the beauty
   of the neighborhood whenever possible.


4. To teach others – particularly children and teens – about the joys and
   habits of lawn care and gardening.

Public Space / Vacant Lots

The condition of a neighborhood’s public spaces and vacant lots sets the
tone for the condition of the neighborhood. When people see that residents take
pride in the appearance of their neighborhood, they treat the neighborhood
better. We will ensure that the City of Columbus does its part to keep public
spaces well maintained, but we will also do our part on a daily basis to keep
public spaces and vacant lots free from disorder.

To this end we pledge:

1. To keep sidewalks, streets, and alleys clear of bicycles, toys, other
   personal items, discarded couches, televisions, trash, and other rubbish.


2. To maintain the public areas around our properties by picking up discarded
   bottles, cans and other litter, by disposing of rubbish that is improperly
   left, and by sweeping up glass, stones, leaves, and other debris that may
   accumulate along the curb each month.


3. To use environmental design as a tool in crime prevention by creating
   small spaces with public space wherever practical.

Trash and Litter

While the City has the responsibility of a weekly trash pickup from dumpsters
and garbage cans, residents have primary responsibility for keeping the
neighborhood free from trash and litter. When trash or litter is around, we have
an affirmative duty to clean it up, regardless of where the trash came from.
When we know where litter comes from, we have an affirmative duty to insist the
source clean up its act.

We pledge:

1. To organize and participate in neighborhood clean-ups.


2. To remove litter on a daily basis from the street and sidewalk in front of
   our houses.


3. To maintain and clean the portion of any alley directly behind our houses.


4. To avoid littering of papers, cigarette butts, or other trash.


5. To place garbage completely inside the appropriate containers, and to
   secure the lid of that container so the wind or small animals do not cause
   trash to spill out.


6. To avoid overflowing the trash container.


7. To make sure that people who take trash to the dumpster are capable of
   handling the dumpster, and to ensure that small children are supervised if
   they must take trash to the dumpster.

Noise

Residents have a general expectation to peacefully enjoy their properties and
homes. An important part of this peaceful enjoyment is the ability to be free
from loud or persistent noise and disruption, whether indoors or outdoors. In a
neighborhood of diverse people and interests, this expectation demand that we
foster an environment of mutual respect and support, and that we work peacefully
to resolve any differences which may arise.

We pledge:

1. To respect neighbors’ rights to peacefully enjoy their properties, and
   to keep all electronic equipment at a volume which will not disturb others;
   and to specifically recognize that musical instruments, television sets,
   home and car stereos, and radios played at loud volumes are a neighborhood
   nuisance which disturbs other people.


2. To ensure that family, friends, and guests observe the same level of
   consideration for the rights of my neighbors to peacefully enjoy their
   environment.


3. To ensure that my family and guests do not park their cars outside with
   music playing at a level which will disturb my neighbors, since cars which
   idle for several minutes outside a residence and/or play loud music are a
   neighborhood nuisance and disturb neighbors.


4. To respect a period of lower noise beginning at 9:00 P.M., and to refrain
   from loud noises altogether after 11:00 P.M.


5. To notify neighbors before any party or other planned event, which would
   fall outside these neighborhood noise guidelines.


6. To accept responsibility for the actions and noise of my pets –
   particularly barking dogs – and to ensure that my pets, through their
   noise or actions, do not become a nuisance to my neighbors.

Conduct and Behavior

In our free society we recognize extensive individual rights; however, as
members of a community we must always have the wisdom and courtesy to balance
our individual rights with the sense of decency of our neighbors. We place a
high value on respect, courtesy, decency, and good manners. We commit to
creating and maintaining a 100% positive environment, which promotes the
greatest possible society fulfillment and nurtures the fullest possible
development of human potential.

We pledge:

1. To commit to the highest standards of courtesy, behavior, decency, and
   conduct, and to be a strong and positive role model for all in the
   community.


2. To recognize that profanity and swearing are offensive, oppressive, and
   disturbing to may people, and to be aware of my use of language in the
   presence of children and others.


3. To recognize that profanity in music is offensive, oppressive, and
   disturbing to many people, and to refrain from playing such music in the
   presence of children and those it may offend.


4. To be responsible for the conduct of guests, and to understand that the
   acts of guests are considered to be the same as the acts of the family in
   the household.


5. To control all firearms in the household, and to ensure that no firearms
   are taken outside by any family member or guests.

Public Safety

We believe we can make our neighborhood the safest and most secure
neighborhood in Central Ohio. We believe that the highest degree of safety makes
Argyle Park a desirable place to live and raise a family, and that it is
our duty to provide the comfort and security of safe streets and homes for our
children. We support only lawful behavior. We believe that Argyle Park
residents are responsible for ensuring that their guests and friends act in a
lawful manner while in our neighborhood. We further believe that residents whose
family members and/or guests break the law are not welcome to live in this
family-oriented community.

We pledge:

1. To insist that nuisance and criminal activity are not tolerated in the
   community.


2. To impress upon neighbors that residents are responsible for ensuring that
   their guests and friends act in a law abiding manner, and that repeated
   police runs to an address (three or more disturbances, noise, violence, or
   criminal related activity) are prime examples of disruptive behavior which
   this community will not tolerate.


3. To support our police officers and fire fighters.


4. To support my Neighborhood Watch program and to keep an eye out for
   unusual or suspicious activity.


5. To promptly report a criminal activity.


6. To provide support for community members who assist in preventing,
   reporting, and prosecuting those who commit crime.

Education

In order for our neighborhood to achieve its excellence, its schools must be
the best. We believe that good schools come from parental involvement in the
education of their children. We believe that parents who value education send to
school motivated students who are interested in learning. We believe that an
outstanding education is the key to a successful life. We believe that a s the
adults in the community it is our sacred duty to create a positive learning
environment for our children.

We pledge:

1. To teach all children the importance of a solid education, and to ensure
   that our children are model students and outstanding school citizens.


2. To make sure our children study at least 1 hour every night school is in
   session.


3. To support teachers and their efforts.


4. To come to school at least one time each semester to observe a class or
   volunteer n a school-related activity.


5. To demand high standards and quality environment for teachers,
   administrators, students, and the students’ families.


6. To support after-school and extracurricular activities.