Changemaker Training

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Hosted by Greenbelt Alliance

William Faus

Happily married for 33 years Involved with planning issues for 38 years Attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Completed graduate studies at SJSU This is my 3rd year in retirement I currently dedicate most my time to a number

of non-profits, volunteer work, gardening, and cooking for my beautiful wife

How you can make a difference

Know & study your specific issue(s)

Carefully define the specific action(s) you want to happen

Communicate your concerns

Know & Study your issue(s)

Most projects have two distinct components in the approval process:

Environmental review (CEQA)

Project characteristics & scope

Environmental ReviewUnder the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

In-depth analysis of potential impacts Applied Mitigation Measures will lessen

potential impacts Do the recommended Mitigation

Measures address the potential impacts Are project alternatives [found within an EIR]

sufficiently vetted

Project characteristics & scope

Development plans describe the proposal

Plans can be: Drawings [blue prints] Descriptive narrative

The final project

Will be a product of:

Approved development plans Adopted Mitigation Measures Conditions added on by:

Recommending body Approval body

Define the action you want

GOOD: Carefully define your issues & concerns Communicate your issues & concerns

This sets up vulnerable ownership, as the outcome is strongly influenced by others

Define the action you want

BETTER: Carefully define your issues & concerns Outline potential solutions and/or options Communicate your issues & concerns

This sets up shared ownership, where the outcome is influenced by suggested solutions

Define the action you want

BEST: Carefully define your issues & concerns Outline potential solutions and/or options Support your recommendations with

reasons and findings Communicate your issues & concerns

This takes ownership, where the potential outcome is strongly influenced by you

Communicate your concerns

This is the easy part and can be transmitted in many forms to the recommending and/or approval bodies

Prior to project approval - express your concerns

During project approval - express your concerns

The more ways you communicateyour message - the better

Verbal, person-to-person {by far the best way!} Phone call Text message E-mail Submit a detailed letter of concern Fax Letter(s) to the local newspaper editor Express your concerns at the public

hearing(s)

Communication – cont. Get community groups to support

your position … Chamber of Commerce Business associations Home-owner’s association Environmental groups Neighborhood group

Be even more proactive …

Prior to the public hearings: Speak to agency staff in charge of

environmental review Speak to agency staff in charge of the

project review and/or staff report recommendation

Speak to individuals in charge of specific sections of the report:

Traffic Engineer Fire safety Etc. etc.

Your public Standing

For a Resident Number of years as a local resident Number of years as a property owner Proximity to the project site

For a Business owner Number of years as a local business owner Number of local people your business employed Annual tax dollars generated Proximity to the project site

Who approved that?

There are typically five key groups involved in a project decision: Policy Planners City Planners Project Design Planners Environmental Planners Special Interest Planners

Those involved: Policy Planners

City Council, Board of Supervisors, etc. Planning Commission Specific area boards [ABAG, MTC, SCVWD] LAFCO [Local Agency Formation Commission]

City Planners Staff planners, management, directors

Those involved: Project Design Planners

Architects, Engineers, Design Planners, etc. Environmental Planners

CEQA consultants, specialists [i.e. Traffic] Special Interest Planners

Environmental interests [i.e. Sierra Club, Greenbelt] Business interests [i.e. Chamber of Commerce]