Best Local Land Use Practices Update Kirby Date, Countryside Program Coordinator

Accomplishments: 2006/ General Awareness Sessions – Fall General Awareness Sessions – Fall Technical Workshops – Spring Technical Workshops – Spring 2007 Outreach to potential technical assistance communities Outreach to potential technical assistance communities Extensive surveying, jointly with Coastal Management Training group Extensive surveying, jointly with Coastal Management Training group

Significant Evaluation Findings General Awareness sessions: General Awareness sessions: -total attendance 130 (range 12 to 70) -were best attended when done as part of a larger conference Technical Workshops: Technical Workshops: - total attendance about received very high ratings for overall satisfaction, information gained that was relevant to work, and interest in using information to address work issues

Significant Evaluation Findings Individual Technical Assistance: Individual Technical Assistance: - minor interest expressed - many communities weren’t ready to commit resources to take the next step Needs: Needs: - more focused technical workshops for engineers, watershed groups – can be longer, more speakers - expanded promotion of individual technical assistance - broader education for the general public, elected officials, and technical staff (service directors etc)

Survey Findings: Overview 247 respondents represented a 40% response rate, of a sample size of respondents represented a 40% response rate, of a sample size of 604. Respondents included city/village council members (53, 25%), township trustees (50, 24%), zoning commissions/administrators (27, 13%), and mayors (21, 10%) and others. Respondents included city/village council members (53, 25%), township trustees (50, 24%), zoning commissions/administrators (27, 13%), and mayors (21, 10%) and others. Geographic distribution was balanced across the Lake Erie basin. Geographic distribution was balanced across the Lake Erie basin.

Survey Findings: Issues Stormwater, economic development, and wastewater were the top three issues Stormwater, economic development, and wastewater were the top three issues Local officials most frequently identified funding as the greatest challenge Local officials most frequently identified funding as the greatest challenge Other challenges: include compliance with state regulations, construction of infrastructure (e.g. storm-, waste-, or drinking – water infrastructure), changing land use, managing conflict, and education. Other challenges: include compliance with state regulations, construction of infrastructure (e.g. storm-, waste-, or drinking – water infrastructure), changing land use, managing conflict, and education.

Survey Findings: Needs legal and environmental aspects of land use, water and wastewater regulatory changes legal and environmental aspects of land use, water and wastewater regulatory changes smart growth implementation tools, smart growth implementation tools, land use planning, land use planning, stormwater engineering and regulation compliance stormwater engineering and regulation compliance expansion of programs that support sustainable rural development (e.g. The Countryside Program) expansion of programs that support sustainable rural development (e.g. The Countryside Program) communication skill development for local officials communication skill development for local officials how to facilitate positive change how to facilitate positive change

Survey Findings: Needs ctd. Address funding sources, practical examples and case studies, state agency roles and contact directories. Address funding sources, practical examples and case studies, state agency roles and contact directories. Provide performance data on stormwater best management practices Provide performance data on stormwater best management practices Provide studies that quantify the economic value of natural resources Provide studies that quantify the economic value of natural resources

Best Local Land Use Practices: Plans for the 2007/2008 Year Develop a promotional DVD with general awareness information that can be used by local television stations Develop a promotional DVD with general awareness information that can be used by local television stations Provide focused technical workshops Provide focused technical workshops Repeat last year’s technical workshops Repeat last year’s technical workshops Identify and approach target communities for individual technical assistance Identify and approach target communities for individual technical assistance Economic analysis: identify/scope new analyses needed Economic analysis: identify/scope new analyses needed