Page Intentionally Left Blank Appendix Deta D iled R esults of Publ ic Workshops The roles and membership for each of these ARTS/Aiken County Bicycle and groups is outlined below. Pedestrian Plan: A Guide for Community Involvement and Consensus (1) Project Steering Committee The Project Steering Committee will be The Augusta Regional Transportation Study comprised of government agencies responsible (ARTS) and Aiken County recognize that the for developing and implementing the ARTS/ success of any community improvement plan Aiken County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is dependent upon a meaningful community plus representatives from interested bicycle involvement effort. ARTS/Aiken County is and pedestrian community organizations. committed to conducting a pro-active The committee will review and comment on stakeholder and public involvement program materials to be presented to the public, help for the development of the ARTS/Aiken County advertise the plan process, and distribute Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan focused on information to the larger community. The soliciting local government and community committee will meet during the study to interaction throughout the study process. The establish study goals, identify needs and value of implementing a strong stakeholder opportunities, review preliminary improvement and public involvement effort is to ensure that alternatives, and select preferred improvement the needs of the community are identified and alternatives. A subcommittee for Aiken County to develop public awareness of and support for will be formed to address Aiken County the study. specific plan elements. The Project Steering The ARTS/Aiken County Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee will meet up to five times (3 ARTS Plan team is committed to providing broad regional committee meetings and 2 Aiken based and continuous opportunities for County subcommittee meetings) during the stakeholder and public involvement throughout course of the study. One joint meeting of the the plan development process. The process Project Steering Committee and the general is designed to be responsive to citizen community will be held at the close of the participants and is committed to utilizing the study process. To conserve costs, the ARTS and knowledge and understanding of citizens to Aiken County steering committee meetings will address important issues. The outreach plan be scheduled to occur on the same day with offers multiple opportunities for engagement public outreach events or field investigations, – at varying levels of involvement. All public when possible. ARTS staff will be responsible input and the responses to the input will be for meeting logistics, meeting notification, and included as an appendix to the ARTS/Aiken assistance with meeting summaries for the County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. regional committee meetings. The consultant staff will attend, facilitate, and provide meeting Public Participation Committee Structure materials and presentations. The Project The public participation framework includes Steering Committee will participate in a walking four primary groups that will guide the and bicycling tour to gain first hand knowledge development of the ARTS/Aiken County Bicycle of the study area and to identify potential and Pedestrian Plan. The four groups are: (1) system improvements. The ARTS/Aiken County Project Steering Committee; (2) Stakeholder staff will select an area to be examined and Interviews (3) Targeted Focus Groups; and (4) provide tour arrangements and notification. Community Organizations and General Public. Consultant staff will facilitate the tour activities Detailed Results of Public Workshops | D-319 Augusta Regional Transportation Study and discussion. Anticipated meeting times are • Recreation and Equestrian Users illustrated on the study schedule in Appendix A. • Safe Routes to Schools A preliminary membership list for the Project Steering Committee is included in Appendix B. Focus Group participants will be recommended by ARTS/Aiken County staff, consultant team (2) Stakeholder Interviews staff, and the Project Steering Committee. Focus group membership will be approved by Together with the Steering Committee, ARTS/Aiken County Staff. the Alta/Greenways Team will identify appropriate interviews with key local agencies (4) Community Organizations and General and stakeholder groups. Interviews will be Public conducted regarding local needs, goals, desires, attitudes and concerns for the ARTS/ The Community Organizations and Aiken County area’s bicycle/pedestrian General Public group will be comprised of network and related facilities and programs. representatives from civic organizations with a The interviews will be conducted in-person or general interest in the betterment of the ARTS via telephone. Some stakeholder interviews will community. Initial groups identified for inclusion be conducted with agencies/organizations are predominantly neighborhood associations represented on the Steering Committee. Up to and economic development organizations. five stakeholder interviews will be conducted Other organizations will be added as they are for the regional plan including one in Aiken identified during the study process. Individual County. ARTS staff will contact the stakeholders citizens will be added to the list as they express and arrange for the interviews. Two additional interest in the study. Additionally, all public interviews will be conducted for the Aiken involvement activities will be advertised using County plan. free media outreach engaged through the release of meaningful press releases and paid (3) Targeted Focus Groups display advertisements as needed. Database membership will be maintained by ARTS/Aiken To assist ARTS/Aiken County and the Study County staff utilizing input from the consultant Team in identifying specific needs throughout team. the study area, the consultant team will conduct up to four targeted focus group Public Workshops meetings during the needs assessment phase of the study. Three focus groups will be The Community Organizations and General conducted for the regional plan (2 in Georgia Public database will serve as a basis for and 1 in South Carolina) and one focus group organizing public workshops during the study will be specifically targeted towards Aiken period. Two rounds (each round consisting County. ARTS Staff will identify potential of two locations) of public workshops will be participants, make logistical arrangements and held. Each round will consist of two meetings send notifications for the focus group meetings. conducted in two locations in the ARTS area. The consultant staff will provide focus group Two regionally focused meetings will be held in meeting materials, facilitate the meetings, and Georgia and one regionally focused meeting document the meetings. Based on guidance plus one Aiken County specific meeting will from the Project Steering Committee and the be held in South Carolina. The first round of study team regarding the need for additional public workshops will take place during the focused input, the focus group targets may needs assessment phase and the second include: round of public workshops will occur when draft recommendations are available. The public • Transit Users will also be invited to attend the final Project Steering Committee Meeting which will serve • Special Needs Citizens such as the elderly as an additional opportunity for the public to and sight and hearing-impaired participate in the plan development process. • Employment, Education, and Housing Notification will be issued to the Community Providers Organizations and General Public Database maintained by ARTS Staff. The meetings will D-320 | Detailed Results of Public Workshops Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update be advertised using both meaningful press Collection of public input will occur throughout releasesIn to generate community interest and the duration of the study. The purpose of display advertisementstro as needed. Display the SPIP is to define how all stakeholders, advertisements willd beu paid for by ARTS if they public, and study team staff will be involved are deemed necessary cto teffectivelyi notify the throughout the planning effort and how the public of involvement opportunities.on One very community will be provided opportunities important method of generating community to participate in and comment on the plan interest will be reliance on e-mail distribution lists development. maintained by members of the Project Steering Committee, Targeted Focus Group Participants, Study Website and Community Organizations and General The consultant team will provide materials to Public groups. Prior to each public meeting, a be placed on the ARTS/Aiken County websites flyer will be developed by the consultant team during the course of the study. The website and distributed electronically by the ARTS/ materials will include a downloadable study Aiken County staff to the membership of the factsheet, an on-line survey, and information study committee organizations. Each member about opportunities to participate in the study will be requested to share the information with process. The study website will provide a portal their members or associates. A Facebook for the Steering Committee, through password Group could also be established for distribution protected access, to view documents under of notification materials. review, exchange comments, view scheduled Public Event Booths events, and post links. The website will also provide the general public