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Betton Hills is a beautiful “canopy neighborhood,” nestled under tall pines and live oak trees. You look out of your window and see a wall of green. Located in the northeast quadrant of Tallahassee, it is well-established and close-in to town. It evolved over time--first in the late 1940’s, 50’s and early 60’s with new streets added in the 70’s and 80’s as the City expanded to the north. As this is written in 2007, a good amount of construction is underway as many of the older homes are being renovated.
Betton Hills consists of approximately 800 homes of which more than 50% are members of the Betton Hills Neighborhood Association. Residents are predominantly professionals and retirees. BHNA dues are voluntary--only $10—though on average Members donate $25 a year, which goes towards beautification projects, neighborhood events, newsletters, and contributions to our three neighborhood public schools: Kate Sullivan Elementary, Cobb Middle and Leon High. Funds are also raised through grants from the City’s Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program.
It is the mission of the Betton Hills Neighborhood Association to preserve the character of the existing neighborhood, protect its natural beauty, provide a forum for residents to express opinions and to develop and maintain relationships with local government so as to encourage sound planning and zoning and to improve public services, such as parks—Winthrop, McCord and Harriman—and infrastructure, drainage, transportation and public safety. It is important to note that the BHNA is a neighborhood association and not a homeowner’s association. The “covenants and restrictions” established in the 1940’s by Guy Winthrop lapsed in the 1980’s. The BHNA does not engage in code enforcement but instead refers complaints to the City.
The work of the Association is done by the Board of Directors, a core group of 25 volunteers. While conducting many on-going activities, we are always poised to gear up and deal with any issue that may suddenly threaten to impact the neighborhood. For example, in the fall of 2005, the City was in the process of revising its Sign Code. Board Members attended City Workshops and addressed the City Commission voicing our disapproval of the large advertising billboards at the intersection of Betton and Thomasville Roads, the entrance to our neighborhood. That December, the City put a cap on the number of these billboards that may exist around town then went on to design incentives for sign companies that may reduce the number of billboards in the future.
In 2004, the BHNA was awarded Neighborhood of the Year. This was largely due to the hundreds of volunteer hours put in by Board Members to make the Armistead Road Sidewalk a reality by coordinating the concerns of Armistead Road homeowners with the needs of the City’s Department of Streets and Drainage. Another major project was completed--overseeing the custom design, manufacture and installation of the five Betton Hills Markers.
The BHNA sponsors two yearly events at Winthrop Park: the Ice Cream Social & Annual Meeting in October and our Family Fun Day & Annual Marker Walk in early May. In the winter, our Parks Committee oversees Arbor Day plantings. In 2005 and 2006, we—with the help of neighbors--planted 30 flowering trees along Betton Road, dressed up the traffic islands, and planted many trees and shrubs at McCord Park while removing invasive plants from around the pond. We publish periodic newsletters and send out a Member Survey each fall, which generates ideas from residents that help guide our activities each year.
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