Title
Briefing on Action Plan
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Council's Land Use and Environment Committee (LUEC) concurred with the approach and concepts outlined in the proposed Public Involvement and Communication Strategy, including an Action Plan Partner Work Group Charter (Attachments 2 and 3).
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive briefing. As recommended by LUEC, concur with the general approach and concepts outlined in the Public Involvement and Communication Strategy, including the Action Plan Partner Work Group Charter
Report
Issue:
Staff has begun work to develop a Draft Action Plan for carrying out the goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of this agenda item is for Council to receive a briefing and provide staff with guidance on a Public Involvement and Communication Strategy and Action Plan Partner Work Group Charter (Attachments 2 and 3).
Staff Contact:
Stacey Ray, Senior Planner, 360.753.8046
Presenter(s):
Stacey Ray, Senior Planner
Background and Analysis:
In 2014, Olympia adopted a new Comprehensive Plan with updated goals and policies that reflect our community's vision. Early in the Imagine Olympia process, the City Council identified a vital next step: ensure the goals and policies become reality and have real "on the ground" impact by creating an Implementation Strategy or Action Plan.
In November 2013, the Council Land Use and Environment Committee (LUEC) provided staff with direction to begin work on an Action Plan, and some initial draft concepts were reviewed and approved by the full City Council at their 2014 retreat in January. Staff returned to LUEC in February to introduce the interdepartmental staff team formed to develop a draft Action Plan.
In April 2014, LUEC directed staff to move forward with a comprehensive and collaborative approach to participation. Additionally, LUEC said to move forward with five Action Areas that summarize goals and policies in the Draft Comprehensive Plan: Neighborhoods, Downtown, Environment, Economy, and Community (Attachment A).
Performance Measures
In June 2014, LUEC directed staff to move forward in using a Performance Measure Criteria Checklist. Performance measures represent data the City or a community partner will collect to help us better understand if we are making real progress in accomplishing our Comprehensive Plan goals. A criteria checklist helps to ensure that the selected measures are significant and meaningful, understandable, available long-term, and can be impacted by our community.
Staff shared with LUEC in August 2014 a list of draft performance measures developed using the checklist. Minimal detail was outlined for each measure because of work still underway to determine if the data was readily and consistently available, and LUEC directed staff to continue work on refining the proposed list.
Action Items
Also in August, staff began identifying draft actions for the Action Plan. Primary sources staff used to collect possible action items are the goals and policies in the Draft Comprehensive Plan and the extensive and thoughtful community input received during Imagine Olympia. Other important sources included the "1994" Comprehensive Plan, department work plans, Master Plans, and Council goals.
In November, staff received direction from LUEC to move forward with a proposed set of Action Item Criteria. The criteria was developed to ensure actions are consistent and strategic in implementing the Comprehensive Plan (as opposed to including in the Plan every project or program the City or a community partner will initiate over the next six years.)
In addition to guiding staff's work, the Action Item Criteria will be used throughout the public involvement process. It can help inform participants on how existing draft action items were identified, and provide guidance for considering priorities and possible actions to include in the Plan.
Public Involvement and Communication Strategy
In November, LUEC also reviewed and provided staff with initial direction on an updated Public Involvement and Communication Strategy (Attachment 2). The strategy was updated in response to input from LUEC, City staff and department directors. In particular, the revised version was intended to better achieve:
· Authentic collaboration with community partners and community members;
· Broad-ranging community member involvement; and
· Use of successful tools and techniques from other communities.
To engage potential community partners in development of the Action Plan, staff is proposing as an element of the Public Involvement and Communication Strategy to host an Action Plan Partner Work Group (Partner Work Group).
Staff seeks Council's input on and general concurrence with Attachment 3, a Draft Charter for the Partner Work Group. The Charter outlines the group's purpose, proposed structure, membership, roles and level of commitment, number of meetings, and expected deliverables.
Why Partners Matter
After five years of dedicated and passionate hard work, Olympia's newly adopted Comprehensive Plan outlines a clear vision for how our community will grow and develop. However, to achieve this vision, city staff and the City Council will need a committed team of community organizations, non-profits, and other governmental agencies. Reaching out now to existing and potential new partners is a critical ingredient for success.
Attached are several examples of successful and award-winning Action Plans from other communities (Attachments 4, 5, 6 and 7). While each plan has a unique emphasis, all share several significant elements:
· Extensive and diverse community engagement in development of the plan;
· Early and continued engagement with a diverse assortment of partner organizations;
· Clear and understandable goals, objectives, strategies, and actions; and
· Annual community updates and celebrations
Each of these commonalities highlights the critical role the community-at-large and partners play in developing and carrying out an Action Plan. For example, the Cities of Hillsboro and Beaverton, Oregon, use regular community updates and annual open houses to demonstrate an on-going commitment to nurturing existing partnerships and projects, and to encourage new ones to start and flourish.
Regular sharing of accomplishments and performance measures means all community members stay informed and the successes of committed partners are shared and lauded. The clear message from these cities is that there is an open invitation for members of the community to get involved and take part in taking action.
Council Role
Staff will continue to provide periodic briefings on development of the Action Plan for LUEC; however, the proposed Public Involvement and Communication Strategy also details four primary points of engagement and/or decisions for the full Council:
· February. Staff will provide a briefing on the Public Involvement and Communication Strategy, and request guidance on a Action Plan Partner Work Group;
· April. Staff will brief Council in advance of the Action Plan Open House and Kick-off Meeting. Council members will be encouraged to attend;
· June. Staff will brief Council on major outcomes from the public involvement process, including the work of the Partner Work Group, focus meeting participants, and Advisory Committees and Commissions. Council will be encouraged to attend the Action Plan Unveiling and Partner Recognition event.
· August. Staff and key partners will deliver a Draft Action Plan for Council's consideration and approval.
In addition to staying informed as the process to develop the Action Plan moves forward, Council members can play an integral role in encouraging new and existing community partnerships. Strong relationships built from a shared vision have resulted in significant contributions to our community's quality of life. (One such example is the outstanding work that's been accomplished through the partners implementing the Downtown Project.)
Since its adoption in 2010, nearly 40 lead partners have taken the lead on one or more actions in Beaverton's plan and of the original 115 actions identified, 97 were launched or completed in the first few years. That incredible level of success is credited in part to the very visible commitment and support from the City Council from the outset. In his introductory letter in the adopted plan, Mayor Denny Doyle set the stage for shared success when he wrote: "The City is only one of many partners who will move the vision forward with a sense of shared ownership
This isn't the City's plan; it's the community's plan."
LUEC Recommendation
On January 29, 2015, LUEC concurred with the overall approach to public engagement and partners outlined in Attachments 2 and 3. As part of the discussion, LUEC provided staff with guidance on the make-up of the Partner Work Group, including for staff to try to balance male and female representatives and invite an additional environmental group to participate. LUEC also requested that the draft Partner Work Group Charter clearly articulate the group's anticipated deliverables.
Next Steps
Staff recommends that Council provide input on and concurrence with the general approach and concepts outlined in the Public Involvement and Communication Strategy, including the Action Plan Partner Work Group Charter.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Action Plan is a document that when adopted will have community-wide impacts.
Options:
1. Concur with LUEC recommendations; or provide additional guidance on Next Steps.
Financial Impact:
None; this work item is already budgeted for completion in 2015.