The Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition

What is it?

The Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition is, according to its website, an organization of community members concerned about housing in the city of Fredericksburg. Their main goal recently seems to be targeting the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance proposed by the city council. They want to maintain single family homes and their values, as well as the general aesthetic of their neighborhoods. Overall, they seem distrustful of the local government, implying that meeting details and important information are being concealed from the public.

How do we know?

I used an article by The Free Lance Star and a post on the social media site Hyperbole to evaluate the Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition. According to The Free Lance Star, this group’s dissent contributed to the failure of the ADU ordinance in the city council meeting that took place on August 8th. Their efforts to simply spread the word and gain as much support as possible created enough of a response within the community that the minds of some council members may have been changed. Additionally, the author of the post on Hyperbole describes the negative claims the Fredericksburg Neighborhood Coalition has made about the city council, but clarifies that they are not verified. To me this suggests that the Coalition may be exaggerating some facts for the sake of gaining support. Additionally, the lack of names, specific information, and sources on the Coalition website indicate that it may not be trustworthy.

Who is the internet for?

In short, everyone! But if we want everyone to benefit from the internet, we have to make sure that our content is both open and accessible.

Openness

Why?

  • To make your work better
  • To make the world better
  • We all benefit when we share knowledge!

How?

  • Make your work freely available for others to modify and use
  • Share your progress and findings

Accessibility

Why?

  • It’s morally right!
  • It improves business by expanding the user base
  • Avoid lawsuits

How?

  • Increase font size
  • Add alternative text to describe images
  • Organize your webpage with headers
  • Add closed captioning to videos
Decorative image of a mountain range

Image taken from the summit of Mount Washington, which is accessible by hiking trails, auto road, and trolley. Like the internet, there are multiple ways for people of different abilities to access and enjoy it!

For more tips and tools, check out this article on accessibility by the Digital Culture Network.

Katy

Hi everyone! My name is Katy, I’m a sophomore elementary education major. I am also a member of the UMW women’s rugby team.

css.php