Comprehensive Plan Framework - 2017-11-20

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The Planning Office, in conjunction with the Land Use, Health& Development Department, received a Program Improvement Request(PIR)to update the Town's comprehensive Master Plan.The development of the Plan will be a dynamic process and may require several iterations to complete. While we are requesting funding for the full project, it is important to note that it may be phased— provided it's done properly. Staff considers the items included under Part i of this framework as prerequisites for any of the items contained in Part 2 of the process. It is expected that these items will be separately bid, such that the most appropriate private-sector expertise in these subject areas can be procured. The Planning Office will play a key role in the implementation of the process and will serve as the primary Town contact to any consultants throughout the master planning process. PART i PRE-PLANNING ACTIVITIES The Planning Office has identified several action items that require the following steps or studies to be conducted to begin moving forward. i. Community Education& Engagement Plan Staff desires to make the update process as community-based as possible, providing opportunities for learning as well as engaging community discussion. The credibility and utility of the Master Plan update process and the prospect for its adoption and implementation will rest heavily on strong public participation. The outreach process must be organized in such a way that the public's time is not wasted. The selected Consultant for this element must provide evidence of their experience in consensus building and negotiation among interest groups. As the work of the Plan proceeds, results should be frequently communicated to residents via multiple mediums,the Planning Office intends to solicit consultant help to prepare a Community Education and Engagement Plan using both traditional and forward-looking methods of public contact to ensure broad participation and community awareness of the planning process. This would likely include (but is certainly not limited to)email lists, social media,the Town's website, local papers, in-person events, and surveys. 2. Initial Data Gathering The planning process will require a thorough review of previous planning documents and a detailed analysis of current conditions. Staff has identified three discrete tasks that should be completed prior to engaging the public. -I.of1,