Archives/Technology Note: New Officer

As the newArchives/Technology Officer I was charged to go over the plan and present it to the residents of Apple Valley.

Assist in the management of family tree information: Will update the family tree document monthly and upload the updates once a quarter. Possibility of adding DNA information or at least special cases (ie-green alien race, blue alien race, ozian race, etc)

Collect community & residents registry: Will start maintaining basic residents information online for current residents only. Information will include: names, preferences, badges, aspiration, zodiac signs, career & education, hobbies and group membership. Must upload an updated map of the hood. Also started looking for TS1 photos and will make a collection for families to have thier historical photographs.

Test and implement 3rd party technology: Currently culling CC folders of little use items. Also looking to compile and combine items and use more MAXIS meshes.

Perform back-ups of resident information: Backups are current

Serve as local reporter: Online paper could be jazzed up a bit. Also looking to create telecast news broadcasts locally and internationally.

Manage the local library: Library is much smaller (in fact my office is in the "library" which consists of a few bookshelves). New titles are arriving each day, however there is a lack of local authors.

Manage the Historical Society: With the new land mass, the history of Apple Valley needs to be researched. The Historical Society is looking at creating three seperate histories (1) TS1 times and the land (2) TS2 before the great storm (3) TS2 after the great storm.

Hood Council Note: Comprehensive Plan-Volume II - The Plan: Goals, Objectives, Policies & Implementation Recommendations

Volume II - The Plan: Goals, Objectives, Policies & Implementation Recommendations (After the Storm)
Chapter 1 - Population and Demographics

Due to the decreasing population and aging of residents, recommend special iniatives for these demographics. Encourage families to have two children, encourage elders to pass on talents and knowledge to younger generation. It's estimated that in a span of fifteen simdays the population will have leveled off with an even number of births to deaths.

Chapter 2 - Land Use

Recommend publishing the construction criteria online for residents and other hoods to consult, especially with the hood now occupying a smaller landmass.

Chapter 3 - Transportation

Recommend building a dock to allow for better travel options bewteen hoods. The dock can also hold hotel rooms for visiting sims, small diner and shopping options. Ferries and sailboats currently transport sims to the nearby Pringit City for interesting nightlife and there is still a contract for travel to the various vacation locations.

Chapter 4 - Housing

Once residents are moved into thier homes on the island, focus will be on remodeling and permit criteria for renovation projects.

Chapter 5 - Economic Development

Due to isolation and long ferry rides, recomment that all residents work locally. To reach this goal, the hood council will invest in local and administrative businesses by offering incentives to businesses for hiring local employees, affordable business loans and encouraging residents to spend more by asking local stores to offer sales.

Chapter 6 - Natural & Agricultural Resources

Recommend encouraging farm to invest in greenhouses and more farm land to prepare excess produce for the winter season. Especially with landmass being limited, and food delivery is now much longer, local produce is of essence.

Chapter 7 - Parks & Open Space

With the limited landmass, the number of parks has decreased, however there is still plenty of green space and spectacular views of the surrounding ocean. However due to the rocky nature of the island, beach access is banned.

Chapter 8 - Historic & Cultural Resources

Recommend investing in historical and cultural aspects of the hood by hosting a seasonal celebration. Each season a celebration will be held to mark historic events in Apple Valley's history and to celebrate the unique blending of culture.

Chapter 9 - Community Facilities (Police, Fire, Community, School)

There is a need for a police station and fire station as it will take to long for SCPD and SCFD to respond to emergencies. The local Medical Centre is used for medical needs and the school is for all dependants under the age of young adult.

Chapter 10 - Utilities

Currently the community uses wind power and utilities from SC.

Chapter 11 - Intergovernmental Cooperation

Currently the hood is active in the SUN Core and has relationships with other
hoods.

Hood Council Note: Comprehensive Plan-Volume I - Background Information

Volume I - Background Information
This report details the state of the hood before the storm.

Chapter 1 - Population and Demographics

The population was decreasing due to emmigration and low birthrates. The population is aging and there may not be enough of the younger generation to substain the hood in the future.

Chapter 2 - Land Use

Land was under very strict control. There are construction requirements and criteria for each street. McIntosh allows for up to three levels and is mostly commerical. Each residental streets have house value criteria and there are plenty of green spaces and parks.

Chapter 3 - Transportation

With the new BV deal, cars have been discouraged due to the small size of the neighborhood and easy walking distance to most places. Carpools and public taxis make transportation faster. There is an airport nearby, but residents must take a ferry to get there.

Chapter 4 - Housing

All sims have adequate housing. Even the lower valued homes are still great in terms of comfort. Mortgages allow for residents to obtain the home of thier dreams. There is little movement within the hood, most residents focus on improving thier home.

Chapter 5 - Economic Development

Unemployment is at record lows especially since Apple Valley gathers data on residents that manage thier own businesses (though technically unemployed, they gather income). Descretionary spending is low with most sims spending 50% or more of every simolean they make on household expenses and food.

Chapter 6 - Natural & Agricultural Resources

Currently there is one farm to provide food and fresh produce to the hood. Residents can buy food from other hoods, but must pay a delivery surcharge.

Chapter 7 - Parks & Open Space

Currently there are three parks to service residents: Celebration Park,
Children's Park and Botanical Gardens.

Chapter 8 - Historic & Cultural Resources

Currently no way to track or maintain historic or cultural resources in spite of Apple Valley's rich cultural history and long past.

Chapter 9 - Community Facilities (Police, Fire, Community, School)

Currently there is an unmanned police station (awaiting a police chief to occupy
the site) thus we must use SCPD. The hood uses SCFD for fire related emergencies
and the local Medical Centre for medical needs. There is a school for teenagers
as an alternative to SC's public school system. Currently there are a few
community lots for residents (The Pavilion and The Centre).

Chapter 10 - Utilities

Currently the community uses wind power and utilities from SC.

Chapter 11 - Intergovernmental Cooperation

Currently the hood is active in the SUN Core and has relationships with
other hoods.

Archives/Technology Note: Historical Society

The Historical Society met concerning awarding Historical Preservation Awards. These little plaques can be mounted outside the local for all to see.



Eligibility for Historical Preservation Award:
This award will recognize the best work in protecting a threatened historic property in Apple Valley. The historic property may be a building, structure, object, site or district. Commendable community and individual efforts such as advocacy, fund raising, creation of a protective ordinance, physical stabilization, and repair will be recognized.



Historical Preservation Award Criteria:
Nominations will be evaluated by the following criteria:
-The degree to which projects have overcome a significant, tangible threat to the historic resource (the type and degree of the threat to the property should be identified)
-The degree to which the project has successfully protected a historic resource from harm
-The degree to which efforts have been made to ensure the future protection of the property through fund raising, covenants, reuse, and rehabilitation plans or other measures

Hood Council Note: Party Areas

Residents are complaining about the lack of places to marry and throw parties in the hood. I propose that we install a wedding arch at the ballroom at The Centre and truly renovate that space to be a nice party facility. Currently the ballroom only occupies the second floor, but with the demolition of the courthouse, I believe we can turn the ballroom into a very nice amenity and many brides and grooms will love to visit the place and make it thier own. We can make it a two story venue, with the alter and wedding area downstairs (the layout can be moved into various ways-round, alter, etc) and the reception area upstairs (buffet tables, piano, DJ booth, tables and chairs, dance floor, cake & champagne table)

Hood Council Note: Budget

Should we publish the budget? Time moves by so slowly here in the hood and we keep a budget for each simweek. I suppose publishing it won't hurt-it will help residents realize where the money is going and how much things cost. That would help residents be more trusting of the hood council and our desicions to better the hood.

Hood Council Note: Dyanamics of Hood

The hood is changing, it's getting smaller as more sims decide not to return after college, emigrate to other hoods or simply leave. Also residents having fewer children. This change is not a bad thing as the hood wants to stabilize and focus on the charm of small town living. Many other residents have applied for emigration and are currently waiting on external things-like promotions, children reaching certain ages and such before they leave.



With the population decreasing, do we have a need for multi-family housing? There are still sims that desire the convenience of living on McIntosh and walking to work and entertainment areas-they don't want the traditional single family homes. But is multi-family living the way to go? Or should we encourage the building of single family townhomes. The Apple Valley Boarding House is still empty, there haven't been any boarders since it's existence and that lot is 3x2, perhaps it can be converted into a series of flats, but under what surname? Perhaps simply building a 2x2 home for downtown living is best and it can be rented-perfect for those just starting out. Except there are not too many sims just starting out (especially with the surname law). Most families are pretty well off and stable in their finances, there are only a few that have a lower income. Is our hood becoming elitist?



To counter-act the possibility of becoming elitist, I propose that we tear down the Apple Valley Boarding House and create a nice multi-sim living community. With 3-4 units, community gardens and direct access to the Celebration Park behind the lot, this multi-sim lot can be very beautiful and desired amoung younger sims returning from college, but not ready to move home yet due to circumstances. We'll have the surname be the name of the community (McIntosh Parque Place or simply Parque) for easy transmission of funds. We'll limit each unit to 2 sims each and limit the rental period to one season (6-7 simdays). Rental fees would cover garden maintaince and home maintaince. The rent would be low, less than $1000 each simweek (or $1000 the entire rental period).



The current townhome on McIntosh will be rebuilt into a single family townhome and then placed on the market for those sims desiring urban living, yet have more than 2 sims in thier family and desire to put thier roots down.



This would help out a few college graduates and sims that desire to stay in the hood, while their family desires to move elsewhere.