Redevelopment of the Georgia-Pacific Mill Site, Fort Bragg, CA. Options and Alternatives for Public Participation in the Planning Process Neil Peacock

Premise #1: Preeminent Public Interest Premise #1: Preeminent Public Interest Redevelopment of the mill-site will have immense impacts on a variety of quality of life issues Redevelopment of the mill-site will have immense impacts on a variety of quality of life issues Employment Opportunity Employment Opportunity Housing Affordability Housing Affordability Coastal Access Coastal Access Revenue Base Revenue Base Civic Assets Civic Assets

Premise #2; Civic Engagement The public’s interest in redevelopment requires proactive and sustained participation throughout the planning process. The public’s interest in redevelopment requires proactive and sustained participation throughout the planning process. Various “participatory mechanisms” should be used to establish community-based goals that can help guide the creation of a specific plan. Various “participatory mechanisms” should be used to establish community-based goals that can help guide the creation of a specific plan.

Premise #3; Collaborative Potential Premise #3; Collaborative Potential Collaborative planning processes can help create mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders involved. Collaborative planning processes can help create mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders involved. The City The City Enhanced revenue base, infrastructure improvements Enhanced revenue base, infrastructure improvements The Community The Community Coastal access, parks, trails, & affordable housing Coastal access, parks, trails, & affordable housing The Property Owner The Property Owner Project approval & fair market value Project approval & fair market value

A “Community-Based” Perspective on Redevelopment Planning Enhance Participatory Democracy Enhance Participatory Democracy Involve the community in the decision making process. Involve the community in the decision making process. Establish community-generated goals and objectives Establish community-generated goals and objectives Create Distributive Benefits Create Distributive Benefits Serve the diverse segments of the community Serve the diverse segments of the community

A “Community-Based” Approach Examples - Diversify economic base & widen employment opportunity structure Diversify economic base & widen employment opportunity structure Small business complex Small business complex Entrepreneurial incubator Entrepreneurial incubator Wood worker’s cooperative Wood worker’s cooperative Worker retraining & skills development Worker retraining & skills development High tech infrastructure High tech infrastructure

A “Community-Based” Approach Examples - Create “anchored civic assets” Create “anchored civic assets” Coastal access & trail systems Coastal access & trail systems Arts center & extended educational facilities Arts center & extended educational facilities Eco-park & community farm Eco-park & community farm Affordable housing arraignments Affordable housing arraignments

A “Community-Based” Approach; Requirements - Build relationships between the various stakeholders Build relationships between the various stakeholders Form partnerships to leverage scarce resources Form partnerships to leverage scarce resources Use multiple approaches & innovative thinking Use multiple approaches & innovative thinking Structure collaborative decision making processes Structure collaborative decision making processes

Options and Alternatives for Public Participation

Common Participatory Methods Community Surveys Community Surveys Idea Competitions Idea Competitions Citizen Advisory Groups Citizen Advisory Groups Public Forums Public Forums Participatory Workshops Participatory Workshops

Planning Charette The “Hands On” planning method The “Hands On” planning method Interactive workshop environment Interactive workshop environment Involving citizens, stakeholders, & experts Involving citizens, stakeholders, & experts Establish goals & define objectives Establish goals & define objectives Generate ideas & explore options Generate ideas & explore options Generate project feedback Generate project feedback Specific community design issues Specific community design issues

Community Visioning Initiate broad-based community outreach Initiate broad-based community outreach Establish inclusive dialogue to help build consensus Establish inclusive dialogue to help build consensus Common quality of life values Common quality of life values The unique identity of Place The unique identity of Place Identify the community’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, & threats Identify the community’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, & threats Create an inventory of local resources Create an inventory of local resources Build on local assets Build on local assets

Community Visioning Highly publicized Highly publicized Long range focus Long range focus 20, 50, 100 year outlook 20, 50, 100 year outlook Goal oriented Goal oriented Produce a tangible outcome Produce a tangible outcome publish & distribute visioning results publish & distribute visioning results

Community Action Plan Strategic Planning Process Strategic Planning Process Community Groups - grass roots action Community Groups - grass roots action Non-Profits - organizational assistance Non-Profits - organizational assistance Municipal Governments - create policy Municipal Governments - create policy 1. Visioning 2. Evaluation 3. Prioritization 4. Action Plan

Charter Of Cooperation Long-term collaborative planning process for a complex, multi-party situation Long-term collaborative planning process for a complex, multi-party situation Facilitated partnership agreement between stake-holders groups Facilitated partnership agreement between stake-holders groups “Collaboration refers to a process where by a unified group of diverse stakeholders agree to work together to achieve a common purpose and share resources.” “Collaboration refers to a process where by a unified group of diverse stakeholders agree to work together to achieve a common purpose and share resources.”

Why Collaborate ? Situation of interdependence, mutual concern, and /or over-lapping responsibility Situation of interdependence, mutual concern, and /or over-lapping responsibility Build relationships between stakeholders to mitigate the potential for conflict Build relationships between stakeholders to mitigate the potential for conflict Mediate consensus among diverse parties Mediate consensus among diverse parties

Why Collaborate ? Increased transparency of decision making process Increased transparency of decision making process Provide the means for genuine, long-term public participation Provide the means for genuine, long-term public participation Maintain continuity of the planning process to ensure positive outcome Maintain continuity of the planning process to ensure positive outcome

Charter Components ( Examples ) Sponsorship Sponsorship Mission Mission Membership Membership Decision Making Processes Decision Making Processes Goals & Objectives Goals & Objectives Agenda & Facilitation Agenda & Facilitation Communications & Out Reach Communications & Out Reach

Facilitated Agenda Meeting # 1 Meeting # 1 Meeting # 2 Meeting # 2 Meeting # 3 Meeting # 3 Meeting # 4 Meeting # 4 Build consensus on guiding principles Build consensus on guiding principles Identify stakeholder issues and contextual constraints Identify stakeholder issues and contextual constraints Analyze information Analyze information Develop & explore options Develop & explore options

Facilitated Agenda Meeting # 5 Meeting # 5 Meeting # 6 Meeting # 6 Meeting # 7 Meeting # 7 Meeting # 8 Meeting # 8 Generate feedback & give recommendations Generate feedback & give recommendations Draft Alternatives Draft Alternatives Review Proposals Review Proposals Reach agreement on specific plans Reach agreement on specific plans

Accordion Format Advisory Council Affordable Housing Infrastructure Economic Development Advisory Council Tourism Community Issues Design

Accordion Format Advisory Council Affordable Housing Environmental Economic Development Advisory Council Civic Venues Special Projects Advisory Council Transportation

Recommended Charter Facilitators Institute for Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute for Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution California Center For Dispute Resolution California Center For Dispute Resolution Susan Carpenter & Associates Susan Carpenter & Associates