A Ward E process to engage community in the development of downtown Jersey City

Councilwoman Candice Osborne 11/2013

Ward E Development Feedback

Community engagement, which yielded the development of projects like Grove Plaza, has led to better outcomes for the residents of Jersey City

But the community engagement

and iNconsiStent

has been sporadic

As your Councilwoman I wantto get early feedback & understand degree of support

from the community for development changes

30 stakeholders weighed in to solve the problem

New community

input process

Ward E Council Office

Planning department

Neighborhood associations

Concerned citizens

4 initial goals for community input

• Formalized process

• Widely disseminated

• Pro-active vs. reactive

• Cover items voted on by City Council• Redevelopment plans• Zoning maps• Land development ordinance

Initial process will NOT…

1. Cover items not under City Council purview • Planning board site plan

submissions• Changes to Master Plan

2. Prevent public input at later phases• At planning board meetings• At City Council meetings

change to redevelopment

plan, zoning map, or land development

ordinance?

Community Review 1

yes

Planning Board Caucus + Council 1st Reading

Council 2nd Reading

no

Idea Refinement

Community Review 2

Out of Scope for Phase 1

High Level Proposalexisting

new

Community Review 1 (in person or virtual)

• Owner: Ward E Council Office

• Presenter: Planning + person requesting the change

• Participant(s): Open to entire community

• Invitation Method: Published to the press, on social media, message boards, via Neighborhood Associations + anyone signed up to receive notifications

• Timeframe: Invite sent 2 weeks ahead of time & summary sent out for feedback for 2 weeks post review meeting

• Location: City Hall for significant changes, virtual for minor adjustments

• Content: Criteria for assessing the change (pros/cons), value of the change to the city and scope of the change

Ward E Council Objective: Pro-active community feedback

Idea Refinement

• Owner: Planning

• Participant(s): Persons who initially proposed changes to planning department prior to the community meeting

• Timeframe: At discretion of Dep. Director/Admin

Ward E Council Objective: Revisions based on community feedback

Community Review 2 (Virtual)

• Owner: Planning + Ward E Council Office

• Participant(s): Anyone who attended community idea review + anyone signed up to receive notifications

• Timeframe: 4 – 8 weeks, to be determined by Ward E Council Office

• Content: final write up of proposed changes emailed out to participants with a mechanism to provide Council Office feedback on level of support for the change

Ward E Council Objective: Understand level of community support

WHAT OTHER DEVELOPMENT RELATED IDEAS COULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR RESIDENTS IN JERSEY CITY?

Including: ideas for the administration & ideas for City Council

?

Ideas for the Administration to Consider

• The City website should include all redevelopment plans in a clickable way that is clear, perhaps an online interactive map

• The City website should include a list of all active development related projects online

• The City should consider a task force to work on a revamp of the Master plan

Ideas for the Council to Consider

• Introduce legislation that would require mailings to people within 200 feet of a proposed change

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