And so it goes...

Our Vision
Piedmont Pines will be a scenically beautiful, diverse community dedicated to quality schools, neighborhood safety and living in harmony with our natural environment.

Montclair Organized Neighborhoods (MONs)

History
Map of PPNA’s MONs
PPNA’s MON Boundaries
Levels of MONs

History of MONs

In 2006, Montclair Safety and Improvement Council and Piedmont Pines Neighborhood Association joined forces to achieve the very ambitious and long-range goal of dividing and organizing 100% of Montclair into 40- to 60-home neighborhoods.  Once organized, a neighborhood works together to improve the safety, beauty and overall quality of life its boundaries, and can overcome the effects of increasingly dwindling City resources. 

The partnership between MSIC and PPNA has become a city-wide model for organizing neighborhoods.  In 2006, they co-hosted the first MON summit, attended by existing and potential neighborhood block captains.  Out of that summit came the creation of a how-to-organize guide and a network of leaders that meets quarterly to share tips, strategies and successes.  Click here to download the Montclair Organized Neighborhood Leader's Guide.  The guide is filled with templates to make it easy to get started.  To join the MON Leader’s network, send an e-mail to . To get help organizing your neighborhood or moving to the next level, .

An organized neighborhood can:

• better prepare for and respond to natural disasters and emergencies through CORE training and annual drills
• deter crime by multiplying the eyeballs and through Neighborhood Watch training provided by OPD
• improve neighborhood parking and traffic safety
• clean up and beautify surroundings
• socialize and build a stronger, more connected community

Before the 2006 MON Summit, PPNA’s inventory turned up only seven neighborhoods that had block captains, defined boundaries and an action plan.  In 2008, PPNA’s Board hired a professional organizer to:

• mark off boundaries of potential MONs
• sell the benefits of organizing to those with no structure yet in place
• help new MONs get started

By the end of 2009, PPNA had marked out boundaries for 35 neighborhoods, and had grown from the initial seven that were organized to 21, or 60%.  We have 14 to go.

Map of PPNA MONs

• Red numbers are the 14 “emerging MONs.”  These boundaries are arbitrary (divided into 40 – 60 contiguous homes), and are subject to change once the neighborhoods organize.
• Black numbers are organized with boundaries mapped out, a roster in place, a neighborhood leader assigned and an action plan developed.  The darker shaded lots mark the liaison to PPNA or the neighborhood leader.

PPNA MON Address Boundaries

To notify us of corrections or changes,

Levels of MON organization

The following levels of organization were established for MONs by MSIC. Each level is based on specific criteria, and is designed to allow a MON to progress to a higher level as desired. Some MONs may only exist for socializing, and will thus remain at Level 1. Ideally, each MON will set a goal of reaching the next level to be better prepared for an emergency or deter crime.

Level 0 (Emerging)

Neighborhood needs help in getting organized.

Level 1

Reasons why the neighborhood wants to organize are identified.
Basic organizing steps are completed.
A MON Leader is selected.
MON boundaries are identified and a preliminary map created.
A Roster with contact information is created.
An Action Plan is created.

Level 2

Neighborhood Watch training is completed.
CORE I training is completed (25%+ neighbors trained).
MON has participated in a Neighborhood Night Out event or held a similar neighborhood gathering in the last year.

Level 3

CORE II training is completed (20%+ neighbors trained).
Block Captains/Co-Leaders are selected.
Emergency preparedness tabletop exercises are performed.
An internal radio channel is selected (in conjunction with MSIC).
A detailed neighborhood map is created, including location of gas shut-off location

Level 4

CORE III training is completed (5%+ neighbors trained).
Neighborhood Incident Command Center (NICC) is set up and supplied.
MON has participated in a CORE Citywide exercise in the last year.
External radio communications capability is established.

Level 5 (Advanced)

Includes one or more of the following accomplished after reaching Level 4:
Advanced Neighborhood Watch or CORE training taken
Ham/Amateur radio capability established
First aid station created
At least one volunteer to work with and help other MON groups is identified