Innovative Outreach Strategies for Public and Stakeholder Participation

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Innovative Outreach Strategies for Public and
Stakeholder Participation

• Georgia Planning Association Conference
  Presentation
• Thursday, September 20, 2007

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Agenda

• Public Outreach Purpose
• AICP Code of Ethics
• Statewide and Metropolitan Planning
• Environmental Justice
• Innovative Outreach Strategies
• Survey
• Bus Tours
• On-site Events
• Focus Groups
• Dialogue

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Public Outreach Purpose

• AICP Code of Ethics
• Statewide and Metropolitan Planning
• Environmental Justice

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Minimize Public Outcry
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AICP Code of Ethics

• Our Overall Responsibility to the Public
• Our primary obligation is to serve the public
  interest and we, therefore, owe our allegiance to
  a conscientiously attained concept of the public
  interest that is formulated through continuous
  and open debate. We shall achieve high standards
  of professional integrity, proficiency, and
  knowledge.

- AICP Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct Adopted March 19, 2005, Effective June 1,
2005
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AICP Ethics Aspirational Principles

• Be conscious of the rights of others.
• Have special concern for the long-range
  consequences of present actions.
• Pay special attention to the interrelatedness of
  decisions.
• Provide timely, adequate, clear, and accurate
  information on planning issues to all affected
  persons and to governmental decision makers.
• Give people the opportunity to have a meaningful
  impact on the development of plans and programs
  that may affect them. Participation should be
  broad enough to include those who lack formal
  organization or influence.

• Seek social justice by working to expand choice
  and opportunity for all persons, recognizing a
  special responsibility to plan for the needs of
  the disadvantaged and to promote racial and
  economic integration. We shall urge the
  alteration of policies, institutions, and
  decisions that oppose such needs.
• Promote excellence of design and endeavor to
  conserve and preserve the integrity and heritage
  of the natural and built environment.
• Deal fairly with all participants in the planning
  process. Those of us who are public officials or
  employees shall also deal evenhandedly with all
  planning process participants.

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Minimize Finger Pointing
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Statewide and Metropolitan Planning
Federal-aid Project Development Legislation 23
U.S.C. 128 Regulation 23 CFR 771.111(h), 40 CFR
1501.7 and 1506.6 Metropolitan Transportation
Planning Legislation Metropolitan Planning (23
U.S.C. 134) Regulation 23 CFR 450.316(b),
450.318(b), 450.322(c), and 450.324(c)
Statewide Transportation Planning Legislation
Statewide Planning (23 U.S.C. 135) Regulation
23 CFR 450.212
http//www.fhwa.dot.gov/////environment/pi_leg.htm
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Environmental Justice
Title VI, Executive Order 12898 and federal
transportation legislation establish EJ
requirements for federal agencies and federally
funded programs. Three major principles of EJ
are

• Provide a full and fair participation by
  non-white and low-income communities
• Avoid, minimize or mitigate disproportional
  impact to non-white and low-income communities
• Ensure that low-income and non-white citizens
  fully share in the benefits

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Innovative Outreach Strategies

• Surveys
• Bus Tours
• On-site Events
• Focus Groups

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Surveys
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Surveys
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Employ Public Research Methods
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Study Area Bus Tours
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Study Area Bus Tours
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Initiate Interjurisdictional Conversations
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On-Site Events
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On-Site Events
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Brand the Project
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Focus Groups
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Focus Groups
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Use Visual Aids and Engage New Voices
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Dialogue
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Contact Information
Kristen Wescott, AICP Transportation Planner URS
Corporation 1000 Abernathy Road, Suite
900 Atlanta, Georgia 30328 kristen_wescott_at_urscorp
.com 678-808-8830
Janide Sidifall Transportation Planner URS
Corporation 1000 Abernathy Road, Suite
900 Atlanta, Georgia 30328 janide_sidifall_at_urscorp
.com 678-808-8973