AGENDA DATE: 6/1/2016
TITLE:
Title
Rio/29 Small Area Plan Public Engagement Plan.
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Discussion of Public Engagement Plan for the Upcoming Rio/29 Small Area Plan
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Walker, Kamptner, Catlin, Kilroy
PRESENTER (S): Lee Catlin, Emily Kilroy
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: In February 2015, the Board approved the inclusion of the Rio/29 Small Area Plan, including a typical community engagement plan, as part of the Community Development Department’s Work Program for FY16. In March 2016, the Board directed staff to proceed with a consultant scope of work for Phase I of the project. This first phase will identify and develop land use alternatives for the study area that are based on a market assessment of future business potential and capture rates and will include a trip generation analysis for each land use alternative, incorporating the new grade-separated intersection at Rio Road and US-29. The attached public engagement plan has been developed in accordance with the County’s guidelines for citizen involvement to ensure robust, meaningful engagement.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Goal 1. Citizen Engagement: Successfully engage citizens so that local government reflects their values and aspirations. Goal 2. Critical Infrastructure. Prioritize, plan and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs.
DISCUSSION: Staff has developed a draft public engagement plan (Attachment A) focused on creating opportunities for effective public involvement to support the consultant team, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Supervisors in developing land use alternatives that are data-driven and context-sensitive. This will be achieved through the use of the Small Area Plan Advisory Committee, as constituted by the Places29-Hydraulic and Places29-Rio Community Advisory sub-Committees; focus groups with representatives from the business, development, and civic communities; and the community at-large, with targeted outreach to area residents.
The specific goals of the plan are as follows:
• Provide educational opportunities for Places29-area residents regarding general planning processes and the Small Area Plan process
• Gather public feedback about community desires for the Small Area Plan land use alternatives
• Disseminate community input to ultimate decision-makers for their consideration
• Establish realistic expectations about the process and timeline for completion
• Keep the public informed about the Small Area Plan as it moves through the process
• Provide a transparent process for how public input is used in developing alternatives and strategies
The use of a project website, County A-mail, meetings of the Small Area Plan Advisory Committee, and survey instruments will facilitate open communication throughout the process.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact associated with the proposed public engagement plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board provide any desired changes and approve the public engagement plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Draft Rio/29 Small Area Plan Public Engagement Plan