Bandon Transportation System Plan
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BANDON TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN VOLUME 7 Citizen In volvement -- October, 2000 VOLUME 1 - CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT Backqround Citizen involvement in the planning process is not just the law, it makes good sense. Without involving the citizenry in the preparation of plans and policies, there will be little support when it comes time to implement the plans. The planning process for the Bandon Transportation System Plan resulted in a significant and sincere effort to involve the citizens of Bandon in the preparation of the Plan. Interagency coordination is also important to any planning effort. The transportation planning program made efforts to assure good communication and coordination with a long list of federal, state, and local agencies. Those agencies were provided with information throughout the planning process, and their input was sought The greatest amount of involvement with and coordination with any agency was with the Oregon Department of Transportation. From the start of the TSP process, the work program was ambitious and the time frame unrealistic. It was anticipated at the start that the planning process would last about seven months. It took nearly three years. This unusually extended planning period has several root causes. Too much time and budget was expended on the inventory process. Too little technical assistance and guidance was provided by the Oregon Department of Transportation in the early phases of the project. The planning consultant was over-committed to other planning projects and was not able to perform on the Bandon project on a timely basis. And, the project was hampered by State and City staff turnover. Although the planning project stretched over nearly three years, the mid-part of that period is characterized by inactivity. Virtually nothing was being done for a period of almost one year, from August of 1997 when the City's transportation planner left, until August of 1998 when the City's Planning Director took on the responsibility of writing Volume 6. During that period, the consultant did complete the drafts of Volumes 4 and 5. So, the project can accurately be described as a segmented process. In the early part of the process, there was an intense effort to publicize the planning process and to involve the citizenry. During this time, there was light citizen turnout and mild interest in the process. In the late stage of the process, there was less intense effort to publicize the process, but more intense citizen involvement. This is too often the characteristic of planning processes. People fail to see the direct relevancy of generalized planning proposals. However, when the proposals become more specific, they can see how such proposals directly impact their individual interests. And, in this project, the intense interest involved a proposal to build a new transportation link from the top of the Bandon bluff to the South Jetty area. The citizen involvement process utilized all reasonable means available in a small community for informing and involving its citizenry in the planning process. Three newsletters were produced and directly mailed. All meetings were extensively advertised. Newspaper articles were published. A direct mailing list of citizens and public agencies was maintained and notices were sent by direct mail. Public forums were held to solicit ideas and input. Public meetings were held to present study findings and listen to reaction. Meetings were held to present planning alternatives and to gauge community preference. Open public work sessions were held to review draft planning reports. Public Hearings were held before the Planning Commission and City Council to take formal written and oral testimony on proposed plans and policies. Public meetinas and activities durina the process of preparation of the Bandon Transportation Svstem Plan March 17, 1997 City Council appoints a nine member Citizens Advisory Committee for the Transportation System Plan. Four members are citizens at large, two members are City Councilors, and three members are Planning Commissioners. March 19, 1997 Public meeting #I is advertised in the Western World newspaper. March 26, 1997 An article appears in the Coffee Break newsletter providing information on the transportation planning process and encouraging people to attend the scheduled April 2, 1997 public meeting. March 26, 1997 An article appears in the Western World newspaper providing information on the transportation planning process and encouraging people to attend the scheduled April 2, 1997 public meeting. March 27, 1997 First newsletter on the transportation planning process is mailed. The newsletter explains what a transportation plan is, who is working on the plan, and how people can be involved in the planning process. The first public input meeting date, time, and location is given in the newsletter. April 2, 1997 An article is published in the Coffee Break newsletter describing the transportation public meeting to be held that night. April 2, 1997 First public meeting is held on the transportation plan. The Citizens Advisory Committee is briefed in an afternoon meeting by staff on the material to be presented at the public meeting in the evening. At the meeting, JRH Transportation Engineering, the City's consultant on the plan, gives on overview of the transportation planning process. City staff presents an overview of the transportation inventory materials that have been prepared and describes the next steps in the process. Staff and the consultants solicit and listen to the ideas and concerns citizens have about the City's transportation system. April 16, 1997 A display advertisement is run in the Western World newspaper encouraging people to come to the May 7, 1997 public meeting on the transportation planning process. April 30, 1997 An article appears in the Western World newspaper describing the transportation planning process and encouraging people to attend the scheduled May 7, 1997 public meeting on the plan. April 30, 1997 The second newsletter is mailed. The newsletter reviews the contents of the first public meeting, previews the contents of the second public meeting, and gives the date, time, and location of the second meeting. May 7,1997 Second public meeting is held on the transportation plan. The Citizens Advisory Committee is briefed in an afternoon meeting by staff on the material to be presented at the public meeting in the evening. The consultant reviews the results of the analysis of future transportation needs in Bandon over the next twenty years. May 28, 1997 An advertisement appears in the Western World thanking those who participated in the May 7& public meeting and encouraging people to turn out for the scheduled June 25, 1997 public meeting. May 28,1997 An article appears in the Western World newspaper describing the progress to date on the transportation plan and telling people about the scheduled June 25, 1997 meeting. May 30, 1997 The third newsletter is mailed. The newsletter identifies future transportation needs in Bandon and outlines a series of alternative transportation system improvements which could be made to meet the City's needs into the future. June 18,1997 A display advertisement is placed in the Western World with information on the upcoming June 25, 1997 public meeting on the transportation plan. June 24, 1997 An article appears in the Coffee Break newsletter with information on the June 25, 1997 public meeting on the transportation plan. June 25, 1997 A box ad is run in the Coffee Break advertising the meeting in the evening on the transportation plan. June 25, 1997 Third public meeting is held on the transportation plan. The Citizens Advisory Committee is briefed in an afternoon meeting by staff on the material to be presented at the public meeting in the evening. The consultant reviews the analysis of the various transportation alternatives and leads the public through a discussion process which results in a general consensus on the preferred alternative. August 11, 1997 Volume 2 - Review of Existing Plans, Policies, and Standards is published and made available for public distribution and review. Dec. 24, 1997 Volume 3 - Inventory of the Existing Transportation System is published and made available for public distribution and review. May 15, 1998 JRH Transportation Engineering completes these reports: Volume 4- Transportation Needs, and Volume 5- Transportation Alternatives. Copies are made available for public review. December 8, 1998 Mayor holds a public meeting at Heritage Place to discuss and listen to South Jetty residents' concerns about the possible construction of a street link from Seventh Street to Jetty Road in the Madison Avenue corridor. January 6, 1999 Meeting notice for the January 12, 21, and 26 Planning Commission work sessions on the draft transportation plan is published in the Coffee Break and Western World. January 10, 1999 Meeting notice for the February 18, 1999 Planning Commission work session is published in the Coffee Break. January 12,1999 Planning Director completes first draft of Volume 6 - Transportation System Plan. Copies are made available for public review. January 12, 1999 Planning Commission holds a public meeting and work session to review and edit Sections 1 and 2 of Volume 6 of the Transportation System Plan. January 20, 1999 Meeting notice for the January 21, 1999 Planning Commission work session on the TSP is published in the Coffee Break. January 21, 1999 Planning Commission holds a public meeting and work session to review and edit Sections 3 through 7 of Volume 6 of the Transportation System Plan. January 25, 1999 Meeting notice for the January 26, 1999 Planning Commission work session is published in the Coffee Break. January 26, 1999 Planning Commission holds a public meeting and work session to review and edit Section 8 of Volume 6 of the Transportation System Plan. February 18, 1999 Planning Commission review meeting on Volume 6 of TSP. March 18, 1999 Planning Commission review meeting on Volume 6 of TSP.