Public Relations Program
Since completion of the Community Plan, the Long Range Planning Team has placed significant efforts toward fostering general education and awareness of the Plan. In conjunction with other City departments, various methods are being used to provide comprehensive and ongoing discussion about the planning document, major planning topics of interest and the status of implementation efforts:
A. Community Plan Publishing/Distribution
Following adoption of the Community Plan, a six-month process to complete final edits, proofing and publishing culminated in the distribution of the new document during June 2008. Completion of the plan was highlighted by a press release; reception for City Council, Board and Commission members who participated in the plan; and a proclamation by the Mayor designating an entire week as Community Plan Week in the City of Dublin. In addition to hard copy versions, CDs were published and distributed to all registered HOAs within the city.
B. Community Plan Award Submission Program
As part of the significant efforts to design and publish the 2007 Dublin Community Plan, the Long Range Team continues to submit applications for various planning, landscape architecture, communications and design awards. To date, the team has received two major statewide awards from the Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Ohio Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
C. Community Plan Summary Document
As a user-friendly summary of the 2007 Dublin Community Plan, From Suburban to Sustainable captures the theme of the Plan’s support for long-term community sustainability. The document highlights major planning initiatives that are expressed through various policies listed throughout the Plan.
D. Community Plan Interactive Website
As an extension of the 2007 Dublin Community Plan, efforts are underway to complete a website that will communicate important policies, goals and design directives of the Plan. Completion of the website will include a more interactive way to search for information, provide mapping integration and list unpublished modifications to the Plan. A formal needs assessment study has been completed, and draft webpage mapping capabilities have been developed and are under review. Website launch is expected during 2010.
E. Special Community Presentations and Displays
To further communicate the importance of the Community Plan, the Long Range Planning Team encourages additional opportunities to display information and promote the Plan. Events with large user groups have been targeted to discuss different components and major planning topics contained within the Plan. Examples of presentations and major displays include the Memorial Tournament, State of the City event, EcoDublin event and various neighborhood civic groups and organizations. For presentations on the Community Plan or particular planning topics, please contact Carson Combs, Senior Planner, at 614-410-4669.
F. Professional Events and Conferences
In addition to municipal opportunities to advertise and educate about the Community Plan, other functions addressing a larger professional-based audience are encouraged. In particular, multi-jurisdictional functions and professional events provide greater exposure of the Plan in technical and professional circles. Examples of professional event displays and presentations include the following:
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Ohio APA, Central Ohio Section brownbag lunches
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LUC Regional Planning Commission briefing
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Union Rural Electric Board presentation
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Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission Sustainability Summit
The Long Range Planning Team has also provided professional conference sessions on various Community Plan topics:
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2009 Ohio APA conference session entitled “Communities in Transition”
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2010 ULI Cincinnati conference session on future housing options
For presentations or displays on the Community Plan or planning topics of interest, please contact Carson Combs, Senior Planner, at 614-410-4669.
G. Board/Commission Training Opportunities
Opportunities are encouraged to explain major concepts, policies and design expectations expressed in the Community Plan for new and current members of applicable Boards and Commissions:
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Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC)
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Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA)
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Architectural Review Board (ARB)
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Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC)
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Community Services Advisory Commission (CSAC)
H. Planning Tours and Educational Sessions
Continued learning and education are important at all levels of City government to facilitate discussions and decision-making that is grounded in basic planning knowledge and the awareness of recent trends. Mobile tours and workshops will be encouraged to evaluate progress and to consider new methods that could be successfully integrated into future development proposals.
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Post-construction review of Dublin projects to evaluate the success/failure of various site planning and design techniques
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Regional or non-local travel to look at important development projects that address important planning topics relevant to current trends and the intent/implementation needs of the Community Plan
Examples of past sessions include New Albany housing types; Crocker Park (Cleveland area) mixed use development; Franklin, Tennessee historic district revitalization and mixed use developments and Greenville, South Carolina for downtown development and tech-related growth.
I. Annual Updates and Coordination Meetings
The Community Plan is a “living” document that should not be reconsidered every ten years. The purpose of pursuing a Community Plan website is to not only provide interactive knowledge about the plan, but to facilitate formats by which the plan can continually evolve over time. As part of implementation, the Plan’s status and efforts to achieve established goals should be monitored on an on-going basis. Where possible, local media coverage should apprise the public of current discussion topics and potential changes discussed in yearly work sessions.
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Council’s yearly goals-setting retreat should include a distinct component on the Community Plan to identify areas of needed policy discussion/clarification, critical prioritization and staff direction and potential areas of further study/update
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An annual Community Plan Joint Work Shop should be established to provide a yearly opportunity to update City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission on the status of implementation efforts, achievements and to discuss future revisions to the Plan to be considered in the upcoming year
J. Other Planning Projects
As part of the work program for the Long Range Planning Team, many projects involve further refinement and a greater level of planning detail to implement the Community Plan. Related projects provide an opportunity to (1) cover the applicability and importance of the Community Plan; (2) increase public awareness of long range planning activities and the Plan’s importance to quality of life; and (3) keep the public informed of current planning and zoning activities and its relationship to Plan implementation. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:
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Dublin Zoning Code Revisions
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Hyland-Croy Corridor Plan
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Multi-modal Transportation Study
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Zoning Requests and Development Applications
K. Other Education Opportunities
Additional efforts are utilized to apprise the public of the Community Plan’s general purpose, efforts to implement policies, and education on specific planning topics of interest. Relevant examples may include but are not limited to: (1) the difference between zoning and planning, (2) the purpose of area plans, (3) roadway character and designations, (4) defining mixed residential land use classifications, and (5) mixed use centers.