Community Planning
The only way that people will get the communities they want is for more local involvement in the planning and management of the environment. And that local involvement is the best way of ensuring that communities become safer, stronger, and more sustainable.
But how should it be done? How can local people – wherever they live – best involve themselves in the complexities of architecture, planning and urban design? How can professionals best build on local knowledge and resources? Combining local knowledge with professional expertise creatively means that community planning becomes a truly powerful force for positive and sustainable change.
Sycamore excels in bringing parties together to plan the best solution to community challenges. We use innovative and proven strategies to accomplish this task. Among them:
- establishing advisory groups
- sharing information through various outlets including kiosks, open houses, fact sheets, and web sites
- soliciting comments and suggestions via surveys
- facilitating meetings and discussion groups
Paulding County Comprehensive Transportation Plan
Sycamore Consulting assisted with the development of a transportation plan for the rapidly growing Paulding County in metro Atlanta. The Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) was completed concurrent to the update of the county’s Comprehensive Plan. As such, care was taken to ensure that the CTP and the Comprehensive Plan were supportive, consistent, and based upon similar community visions and goals.
To guide the project, both a Citizens Advisory Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee were established. These groups were composed of citizen leaders, representatives from local jurisdictions, the Atlanta Regional Commission, and state transportation planning partners.
To involve and inform members of the public who will be impacted by transportation changes, Sycamore developed, published and distributed factsheets and handouts, provided logistics and preparation for public information open houses, and developed and coordinated placement of three information kiosks at county facilities. In addition, Sycamore facilitated an environmental justice focus group to connect with low-income and minority groups to assess their needs and gather input.
Rockdale County (Georgia) Community Transportation Plan Update
Public participation is the foundation for any planning effort, and therefore variety in opportunities for involvement ust exist to ensure active and widespread participation. This project began with the development of a public involvement plan which outlines the tools and strategies used for the update. Both Technical and Stakeholder Advisory Committees were established to provide expert input in existing conditions and community needs. Additionally, the project team used the SPLOST Transportation Sub Committee to gather feedback and input on issues and opportunities and as a means to disseminate information to the broader public.
Additionally, public workshops were held to inform affected citizens, and a project kiosk was staffed at a community event to engage the public in a non-traditional way. Sycamore prepared all the educational and outreach materials used for this effort.
Macon Heritage Foundation and Middle Georgia Historical Society Meeting Facilitation
Sycamore Consulting was asked to facilitate two critical meetings for key Macon Heritage Foundation and the Middle Georgia Historical Society board meetings. The objective of the meetings was to discuss the potential benefits of combining the two organizations. Sycamore staff worked closely with a committee to prepare for the sessions, which were designed as key steps in developing the concept and direction for this new and dynamic organization.
Sycamore staff used proven techniques and interactive activities to involve participants and ovecome conflicts. The groups found consensus and subsequently merged into the Historic Macon Foundation.
DeKalb County (Georgia) Zoning Code Update
DeKalb County is re-examining the land development code and considering revisions that better address its circumstances. Since the project will impact all of DeKalb County, public involvement is a key component. Sycamore Consulting is leading the outreach team and began by developing the public involvement plan that outlines mechanisms for keeping the public up-to-date on the project’s progress.
Sycamore also coordinates the Technical Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee, and a Developers’ Forum. We also conduct stakeholder interviews, plan public workshops, and make presentations to the public as well as develop website content and collateral materials.
Human Services Transportation Technology Feasibility Study
Sycamore Consulting led stakeholder involvement efforts for the Human Services Transportation (HST) Technology Feasibility Study for the Atlanta Regional Commission. The purpose of the study was to create a scaleable and replicable model of a transportation management coordination center (TMCC). The TMCC would serve as a regional resource center for information regarding transit services and providers for the transportation disadvantaged, defined as older adults, people with disabilities and low-income individuals.
The HST community is extremely diverse with multiple governmental programs, a myriad of diverse transportation providers and a wide range of consumers, each with individual needs for mobility. Considerable emphasis on stakeholder involvement was a necessity. The success of the project hinged on a clear and shared vision of the benefits of a coordinated and technologically advanced system that is embraced by the entire HST community.
To that end, the outreach plan consisted of a variety of methods to capture the varying perspectives. Two advisory committees were included: one explored technical opportunities and challenges and the other explored institutional issues. Discussion groups with users were another important component of the program to gather in-depth input into the development of the model and feedback on the alternatives. Interviews with stakeholders were also needed. Sycamore developed fact sheets and webpage content which served as the cornerstones of the public information dissemination strategy.