Title
Special Recognition - Announcement of Public Participation Details for Downtown Strategy
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Announcement only; no action requested
Report
Issue:
Staff will announce the details of the public process to form a Downtown Strategy, which will kick off this fall.
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Senior Planner, Department of Community Planning & Development, (360) 570-5847, abuckler@ci.olympia.wa.us
Presenter(s):
Amy Buckler, Senior Planner
Background and Analysis:
On May 19, 2015, the City Council approved a scope for the Downtown Strategy. On October 6, following an extensive consultant selection process, the City Council approved a contract with MAKERS architecture and urban design, LLP.
Attachment 1 is a one-page graphic summarizing the steps and public involvement opportunities that will ultimately form the Downtown Strategy. The City will heavily advertise the public participation timeline throughout October, as well as preceding each public involvement opportunity.
It was not possible to include every detail on the attached. Additional key information for the City Council includes:
• The Downtown Strategy website will be continually updated to include public meeting dates, results of public input and other items listed as deliverables in attachment #1.
• The Stakeholder Work Group is currently being formed with help from several key stakeholder groups. Check the website after October 23 for more info.
• Staff and consultants will continue to reach out to specific individuals or groups as needed throughout this process. For example, additional steps in the process include meeting with housing and social service providers to gather input on developing strategies.
• Staff will provide regular updates to the Olympia Planning Commission (OPC) throughout this process.
• In addition to a joint City advisory board workshop in the spring, advisory boards may be engaged in other ways, as appropriate. For example, the Design Review Board and Heritage Commission will be asked for feedback on proposed design and historic preservation standards.
• The scope for the Downtown Strategy includes prioritizing public space improvements. This includes recommended changes to the City’s street design standards. More specifically, MAKERS will provide conceptual design schemes for the five streets scheduled to be repaved over the next 5-6 years (Franklin, Legion, Jefferson, Washington and Capitol Way.)
• The City will update its parking strategy following the Downtown Strategy. As we form the Downtown Strategy, we will consider parking needs and impacts within the various alternatives. Changes to parking will be informed by the Downtown Strategy, not the other way around. MAKERS will provide high-level parking recommendations to be further developed by the parking strategy consultant - the recommendations will identify steps necessary to achieve the preferred urban design, housing, retail and economic development strategies.
• Step 5 includes review by City Council and OPC. In early 2016 -- when we are a little further along in the process -- staff and consultants will engage the Council and OPC in shaping their review processes. This could include briefings, workshops or other events. Something that has worked well in other communities is a public hearing jointly hosted by the Planning Commission and the City Council.
• We will follow Council’s adopted scope, including goals for the Downtown Strategy public process.
CITY COUNCIL’S ADOPTED GOALS FOR THE PUBLIC PROCESS:
• Follow the public participation goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan, including:
o Provide a transparent process that enables open, meaningful and respectful dialogue among a broad array of stakeholders and opinions
o Provide information and outreach materials through a variety of means
o Use creative methods to engage under-represented groups and people
• Educate and enable dialogue that builds broader community understanding of current conditions and market opportunities in downtown
• Clearly articulate what is being asked of the public, how their input will be used, and report back about what was heard
• Use visually-oriented, data-driven information
• Build and maintain the momentum of public engagement
• Draw on previous planning efforts - complement them, do not recreate them
• Focus efforts on what is realistic, vital and impactful
• Manage expectations, address false assumptions and provide consistent messages
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Previous public input about downtown and public process was considered in shaping the scope of work and public participation goals for the Downtown Strategy.
Financial Impact:
$250,000 has been allocated for Downtown Strategy consultant services.