Compiled: G Hall -NPST

Potential Steps for Achieving a Completed Neighborhood Plan

10-27-04 Draft-1

Notes: Some activities are done simultaneously, some will be repeated as new information/consensus becomes available, all could be expanded, rearranged, etc. This offers an opportunity to identify/recruit individuals to work on data collection/analysis, outreach and involvement, fund raising, writing/editing, meeting facilitation/development consensus. It is expected that everything written, meeting schedules and minutes, etc., would be posted on the RNA website, as well as being communicated to the list serve, posted at agreed-upon locations, etc. A “Q and A” could be maintained as issues/questions arise.

1. Develop overall process design/time line (ideally a group activity) with broad based participation, and determine how to adequately publicize the planning effort throughout the neighborhood.

2. Commence gathering known background socioeconomic, demographic, and physiographic data, along with applicable city plans/ordinances applying to the neighborhood – analyze and identify current trends, and respond to issues raised by neighborhood participation activities; this activity will likely change focus to include additional documentation as neighbors (various stakeholders) begin to participate, interact, and share visions, educate each other about salient issues. Prepare pictorial representation to support issue discussion.

Place material on web site for easy access/viewing/education, and comments.

3. Break out city contract elements and insure that mechanism exists for documenting “required” activities, required individuals (see city contract) are appointed, required records are kept (such as schedule of meetings, attendance sheets, financial records, etc.), that we do what we promised we would do.

4. Budget development and related fund raising (ideally need to raise $2.5k (we have $2.5k in-kind professional match) along with $5k from RNA to $10k from city)

5. Organize for community dialogue (develop overall outreach strategy), start public contact with invitations to community-wide meeting to review why we’re doing this, break out into focus groups – what would neighbors/stakeholders like the RN to be in the future? (key is to develop ideas/aspirations untrammeled by perceptions of current constraints, things to treasure, preserve, recreate)

Related issues:

· Process design for meeting and working with neighbors and stakeholders (who should be involved – everyone at the outset – participants should reflect uniqueness and character of the neighborhood, how long should it take, how many meetings, what are the agendas, who develops publicity, who facilitates, who records ideas/commentary)

· May require special organizing efforts to reach “un-organized” but discernable groups (such as the business area at Highland/Old University, and Old University/Farley), apartment owners along Old University, representatives of neighborhood schools, etc.)

· Provide pre-meeting training to facilitators (for this to work, an understanding of collaborative facilitation would be helpful, and consideration for common rules (eg. Everyone has opportunity to speak, no individual is put on the spot, etc.)

· Develop consensus (introduce idea, provide for discussion, test for consensus) over goals (where can individuals agree, stand aside, or block?) Consider whether to bring in professional assistance once goals have been defined and participants are looking for concrete ways to achieve them.

Vision/goal statements ideally would include preferences relating to

· Land use and management

· Transportation

· Revitalization, business retention/recruitment

· Housing and historic preservation

· Community services and public works

· Natural resources

· Parks and recreation

6. Share information developed through public participation with city staff (periodic meetings with city staff are required per contract)

Identify points of neighborhood goal congruence/consistency with city plans

If necessary, reconvene neighborhood/stakeholder groups to focus on issues where differences occur

Develop consensus, or….

7. Integrate background data and goal statements (potentially with consultant)

Develop maps and other materials portraying potential alternatives developed around obvious intersections of goals and data

Reconvene neighborhood residents/stakeholders and refine alternatives, adding new ones where necessary, and develop consensus on preferred alternatives

Develop concrete implementation strategy

8. Assemble draft plan

Convene neighborhood and stakeholders for presentation of draft plan, break into small subject matter groups to refine draft plan where necessary

Determine what level of “approval” consensus, etc., is necessary – how does neighborhood “officially” submit/recommend plan to the city for adoption?

Submit draft plan to city for comment (sections of the plan will have been shared all along, so this would ideally be a pro-forma exercise)

9. Prepare final plan

Produce required number of copies (10) for the city

Develop public information and lobbying effort to assure adoption by city plan commission and council