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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.a. Resilient Communities Projects: Communication Strategy4ROSEMOUNTEXECUTIVE SUMMARY CITY COUNCIL City Council Work Session Meeting Date: December 9, 2014 AGENDA ITEM: Resilient Communities Projects: Public AGENDA SECTION: Communication Strategy U SCV56 Dn PREPARED BY: Kim Lindquist, Community Development AGENDA NO. Director ATTACHMENTS: ThreeCommunication Strategy Reports APPROVED BY: RECOMMENDED ACTION: None SUMMARY As part of the Resilient Communities project, staff had requested assistance ininvestigating how to improvecommunicationin the City, especially as related to new residents and immigrant populations. A Humphrey class took on the task, looking at the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update and the public processneeded. There are three different proposals compiled bythree student groups. Two students will be able toprovide a short presentation of two of thethree projects at Tuesday's Council meeting. The format of the project was that they were responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) which provides the structure to the report. Staff attended the in -class presentations and thought that there are ideas in each of the reports which could be incorporated into the City's communication strategy regardless of whether the topic would be relating to the Comprehensive Plan update. CONCLUSION Information item, no action required. =============== January 6, 2015 k ivil A I I I will lif 00 ` = priwIOIo 17 I loss PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Overview Introduction City Background Our Goal Key Issues Our Proposal Participation Plan Objectives Stakeholder Identificati Participation Technique Communication Strategy Documentation Monitoring Work Program Timeline Tasks List Information Provisions Following Up Conclusion Table of Contents Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 3 4 4 4 5 6 7 8 8 10 12 14 16 17 18 18 20 24 28 29 1 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 « DEAR ROSEMOUNT' Kim Lindquist Community Development Director City of Rasemo unt 2875 145th Street West Rosemount, P✓linnesota 55068 November 25, 2014 Dear Ms. Lindquist, For the past three months, CPJ Consultants has enjoyed the opportunity to prepare a participation process proposal for the City of Rosemount's upcoming Comprehensive Plan update, slated for 2018. The enclosed document, PowerUp 2018, presents a framework for engaging all Rosemount residents in meaningful, productive, and effective participation processes that will serve to foster communication and collaboration between the City and residents as preparations are made far updating the City's Comprehensive Plan. The participation process plan aims to encourage proactive and continuous engagement from residents in an attempt to make the City of Rosemount as responsive to and representative of its residents' needs and desires. The plan's title PowerUp 2018, reflects this idea. Rosemount will continue to thrive and improve as it empowers all residents to engage in interactive planning processes in order to better their community. VVe greatly appreciate your consideration of our services and look forward to working with the City of Rosemount. Sincerely, CPJ Consultants lyssa Chiumento h1ariana Poskus Introduction —W PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION This proposal focuses on creating holistic strategies for engagement which foster proactive civic engagement, and actively involve all segments of the population. The overarching message that we put forth is: The City can increase levels of civic engagement by embracing the changing nature of Rosemount, and entering into a collaborative relationship with the community. Underlying this message is our assertion that civic engagement should not simply be seen as a requisite of democracy. Rather, civic engagement ought to be seen as a process that allows residents to develop relationships, guide the growth of the built environment, and build community. Because Rosemount is a quickly changing city, in terms of demographic makeup and sheer population, these issues are critically important. Through increased civic participation residents will be able to collaborate with City staff on key issues facing their community, and thus, collectively improve the place they all have come to call home. City Background The City of Rosemount, with an estimated population of 21,749 is as a third -tier suburb situated 15 miles south of the Twin Cities metropolitan area in Dakota County' The City was originally settled as a farming community and has a long tradition of Irish heritage marked by its annual celebration "Leprechaun Days." In recent decades, however, Rosemount has become an increasingly diverse suburb attracting young families, immigrants, and everyone in between. Some of the hallmarks that draw families to Rosemount are the numerous parks, great schools, quiet streets, and comparatively affordable housing. While Rosemount is primarily residential, it is also the home of Dakota Community Technical College (DCTC), the University of Minnesota's UMore Park, Winds Park, and the Rosemount Community Center. (1) U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 -2012 American Community Survey Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 OUR GOAL The current participation processes plan encourages Rosemount residents to adopt a proactive approach to participation in City planning activities, to foster continued, meaningful participation as projects progress, and to recognize the critical importance their participation plays in helping the City of Rosemount thrive. Of course, resident participation, in and of itself, is beneficial, as it allows for City staff and residents to educate each other and solicit feedback. It is especially important, however, when cities are experiencing significant change — change for instance, in infrastructure, programming, or demographics, as Rosemount has undergone in its recent past. Now, resident participation can be even more beneficial — and more critically important — as it can help foster a sense of community, build trust in the government, change the way residents interact with the government (and the government with residents), and solicit important information from Rosemount residents as the City's context changes. For this participation to be as meaningful and productive as possible however, it must be truly representative of all Rosemount residents. While participation from "the usual suspects" is necessary, it must be supplemented with participation from other communities, like renters, immigrant residents, and youth, as well, in order to fill gaps in information. Overview Overview Branding The idea behind PowerUp 2018 was to increase levels of participation by leveraging pre existing community organizations, events, and engagement strategies. It is a brand that focuses on energizing civic participation by popularizing the notion that resident's input is critically important and valuable. Likewise, the provisions provided by Powerup 2018 empower residents through innovative engagement strategies that accommodate their busy schedules, and are accessible to all segments of the population. We believe that PowerUp 2018 will increase participation because it focuses on invigorating civic engagement in a community that already has many of the necessary variables. PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan KEY ISSUES We approached improving civic engagement in Rosemount in a two - pronged fashion: on one hand we wanted to build on effective engagement strategies already in place, while on the other hand, we sought to rethink processes that have proven unsuccessful. With this in mind, we considered the context of civic engagement in Rosemount and identified key issues in tandem with City staff. LOW LEVELS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT REACTIVE ATTITUDES THE 'USUAL SUSPECTS' Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 OUR PROPOSAL IN A NUTSHELL In response to the request for proposals, we set out with a single question in mind: how can Rosemount improve civic engagement efforts to encourage positive participation amongst an increasingly diverse populous? Given the City's interest in not only engaging the diversity of views residents hold, but also in retaining these residents, we approached civic engagement in Rosemount with the spirit of government "by the people, for the people." It is our assertion that increasing positive civic engagement helps residents develop deep, personal connections with their community and encourages them to become long -time residents. With this in mind, we put forth numerous suggestions that value and facilitate sustained collaboration between residents and local government. Generally speaking, we strived to develop suggestions that were proactive, non - exclusionary, embraced changed, and kept the community up to date on the progress of any planning process. DELIVERABLES Specific strategy and brand for Rosemount's new take on civic engagement A 2 -year timeline that could be used for participatory process Micro timeline guidelines for the different components of the process. Specific strategies for increasing awareness of engagement events Stakeholder and Demographic matrix's that identify key populations in the community Overview Overview Information provisions PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan PARTICIPATION PLAN OBJECTIVES OW USE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TO BUILD COMMUNITY Good civic engagement builds community by fostering positive relationships among residents, and by helping them take an active role in shaping their community. On one hand, civic engagement brings residents into contact with one another around a common cause. Through dialogue, residents develop relationships with their neighbors, establishing the community rapport necessary for civic engagement On the other hand, civic engagement allows residents to create a community reflective of their values and interests, and thus fosters community pride. In crafting our proposal, we strove to incorporate steps that uphold these principles, and create a framework for sustained civic participation. Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 3 CRAFT SUGGESTIONS CHANGE PARADIGM MINDFUL OF THE CHANGING LoNATURE OFROSEMOUNT , As noted before, Rosemount is changing demographically and continues to experience general population growth. Seeing as this is likely to continue, we strove to create provisions that actively embraced the changing nature of Rosemount, and engaged all segments of the population. Some our key concerns in this regard were integrating diverse and marginalized populations into participation processes, and, likewise, creating processes sensitive to the changing needs of the community. 4 INCREASE AWARENESS While embracing the changing nature of Rosemount -A SUGGESTION THAT ENGAGE ALL 2CREATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS Pursuant of the demands for the request for proposals, we considered how to best engage Rosemount's increasingly diverse residents. Specifically, we considered the different needs of residents, and the potential barriers to participation that various demographics face including. language, residential status (renters vs. owners), age, and technological competency. In the spirit of building community, we placed critical importance on encouraging participation that reflected and embraced Rosemount's racial ethnic, and economic diversity. OF PARTICIPATION PROCESSES and building community is certainly important, a critical logistical component of participatory processes is simply "getting the word out" Subsequently, we considered how the City can improve current efforts to publicize information regarding civic engagement events. Many of our kLsuggestions combine both traditional and non- traditional, technology based media platforms to increase awareness of these events among all segments of society. , Participation Plan Participation Plan OF ENGAGEMENT The most ambitious of our goals was to change the paradigm of engagement all together. Typically municipal level civic engagement consists of a single meeting for which residents travel to City Hall and respond to proposals put forth by local government staff. Not only does this format fail to create a sustained, collaborative relationship with residents, it also kindles reactive rather than proactive attitudes. Rather than perpetuating this already broken system, we suggest that City staff go out into the community to engage with residents throughout the entirety of the planning , process. PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION Demographic Considerations for Engagement Key Demographics 2009 2012 Relevance to Engagement Total Population 20,710 21,749 The large concentrations of young, and middle 19& Under 335% 33.9 % aged adults suggest that any engagement efforts Age 25 to 44 years 313% 28.5 % will have to be multifaceted, and appeal to these primary age groups through different media 45 -64 years 237% 253% platforms. Total Households 7,300 7,448 Participatory processes will need to be sensitive Owner Occupied 88.7 % 88.1 % to the interests of family households, a large Total HH Renter Occupied 113% 119% proportion of total households. Youth engagement, Family Households 77.4 % 78.7 % childcare, and family oriented events may be Average Household Size 2.84 3 necessary to garner widespread participation. Total Population 20,710 21,749 White Alone 87.4 85% The different needs, interests, and barriers to Predominant participation of racial and ethnic groups should be Black or African American Race /Ethnicity 47% 5.1 addressed to successfully engage all segments of Asian 49% 4.8 Rosemount's population. Hispanic or Latino Origin 22% 54% Total Population 20,710 2x1,749 Engaging the foreign born population in Foreign Born Rosemount may require specific social, cultural, Native Born 9190% 90.4 and language provisions. Foreign Born 810% 96% Population 5 years and over 18,821 20,062 Speak English "less than To connect with residents that speak English 330% 3.3 % "less than very well ", language stipulations will Language very well" need to be outlined in the final process design Spoken At Home Spanish 150% 3.9 including translating pertinent documents and Asian and Pacific Islander 340% 2.9 disseminating information effectively. Other Languages 170% 28% Data Source. 2005 -2009 & 2008 -2012 American Community Survey, US Census Bureau 10 Participation Plan Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 An essential component of our participation plan was identifying those residents who are takeholders in Rosemount's future, and as such, in those planning processes that will help determine what lies ahead for the City. Guided by the participation plan's 5 objectives, we identified the following potential key partners and demographic considerations for engagement. Key Partners Identification Partner and Mission (where applicable) Key Audience It May Help Reach Homeowner Associations Homeowners, families 360 Communities "To provide hope and support to people by engaging communities to prevent violence, Low - income residents, immigrant groups, mostly Latino families ensure school success and promote long -term N 0 N m m 0 N v N N V) One Rosemount "The purpose is to be more intentional and proactive in making a positive difference in the lives of children and teens in the community... Youth, parents, families Reaching Up Ministries "To demonstrate God's love to youth and Youth, parents, families empower them to change the world around them " Rosemount AAA "Rosemount Area Athletic Association (RAAA) is a volunteer organization that serves the children Youth, parents, families of our community through athletic programs designed to develop both social and athletic skills " Public School Districts Youth, parents, families N Dakota County Technical College Young adults 00 ,p Inver Grove Heights Community College Young adults v ur UMore Park Future residents, University and business communities Participation Plan 11 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan PARTICIPATION TECHNIQUES .lryrliu low GET THE WORD OUT Informational and promotional tools to communicate and disseminate information within the community. tv SET THE FOOD Uiiiiiu 66_99 GENERATE CONTENT 12 COMMUNITY -WIDE EVENTS Traditional Rosemount festivities and events, like Leprechaun Week, Fall Cleanup Day and Christmas Tree Festival, already have a substantial rate of attendance. Continuity of these events is key to foster close relationships between all residents. LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS Collaboration on smaller events, like AAA games and practices, can provide venues for reaching out to the "less -usual suspects ", such as young families, who generally have a harder time to become involved in traditional planning meetings. THE PLANNING TRUCK NEIGHBORHOOD PARTIES Small -scale local block parties with food, music and local artists to foster neighborhood relationships between old and new residents, both homeowner and renters. Participation Plan Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 Like a three - legged stool, participation techniques are grouped in three major types,. Each type has an essential role in the process: for example, it would be difficult to gather input from the community (Generate data) if there had not been promotional methods (Get the word out) or if the opportunities for building close relationships with the rest of the community had not been provided (Set the mood). PLACEMAKING IN THE PARK GO ROSEMOUNT! WALK -TO- SCHOOL DAYS monthly events inviting parents and students to walk and bike to their schools instead of driving. These events include organized group walks by area, temporary biking and pedestrian marking in designated routes, wayfinding and complementary in -site and online campaigns through social media and schools. ONLINE CONTESTS Visual or text-based small-scale competitions, using Twitter, •.. and Instagram, to gather input related to ongoing planning efforts and P increase online/media coverage FIELD TRIPS sessions Group walks and information • Parks with local planning staff and UMMf representatives Participation Plan 11, 1111;1!►:1v,11111:1141130: Collaboration on smaller events, like AAA games and practices, can provide venues for reaching out to the "less -usual suspects ", such as young families, who generally have a harder time to become involved in traditional planning meetings. FAMILY- ORIENTED WORKSHOP SERIES NEIGHBORHOOD PARTIES Regular biking tours to promote bike culture and gather input on preferred trails and routes. 13 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan COMMUNICATION STRATEGY Guidelines There are three key guidelines that will define the communications strategy for participation processes. First, information will be delivered to the public and to relevant agencies early and often. Early in the process, as soon as events have been scheduled, City staff should publicize events, explain why they are being held, and invite the public to participate. It is important that these events are advertised well in advance, so that residents who would like to attend can adjust their schedules accordingly without last minute interruptions. The message must be delivered early and it must be repeated. With busy schedules and even just everyday life, it is easy to forget planned events — even when we have the best intentions of attending. iss 14 As such, it is vitally important that events are advertised both well in advance and repeatedly in the weeks leading up to them. In addition to being repeated, the publicized messages must be consistent. Most people have to hear or read the same message multiple times before they actually comprehend its content. This is an especially important consideration when informing the public of events that warrant their participation. Information must be succinct and direct this is the project, this is why it is happening, and this is how, where, when, and why you could be involved in impacting its outcome. The message should be consistent across outlets throughout the campaign. The third prong of the communications strategy is to present the public with a general timeline of a project. People often do not have realistic expectations of a project's length. However, if expectations are not met, regardless of whether they are realistic, people decidedly lose interest, thinking perhaps that their contributions to the process have not produced change, been incorporated, or even taken seriously. Thus, it is extremely important to provide participants with a general, but realistic timeline of events. For example, on the bottom of every City message about a process to the public, there can be a basic timeline showing major events that have occurred in the past three months and that are slated to occur in the next three. This can serve two purposes to demonstrate the process's progress and to alert residents of upcoming events. An added message, along the lines of "If you can't make this featured event, don't worry — here are some more chances to participate "' can further remind residents that their participation is valuable. Participation Plan Event timeline /phases The communications strategy will have three key phases: one before, one during, and one after an event. Though each phase will have common approaches, there are some important distinctions between them. In the weeks preceding, the City should publicize the event by posting information to its Facebook page, but by also purchasing Facebook and newspaper advertisements. Though the City's page may have a number of followers, it isn't likely that the vast majority of Rosemount residents follow the City's page. However, it is highly likely that the vast majority of Rosemount residents are Facebook users, and as such, would see advertisements on the social media site It is also important to retain traditional media outlets, like newspaper advertisements, in order to reach those groups who may not use social media. In -store advertisements could be a useful way to reach both social media users and non- users. Paper ads could be displayed in storefront windows, in check out aisles, and in restrooms of participating stores, businesses, and restaurants. Though it might seem excessive, publicizing events immediately before and during the events themselves is extremely important to garnering participation. Twitter would be the most appropriate use of social media in this instance it could provide followers with current and updated, news -like coverage of an event. Television coverage, even if only a short blurb on the news, could spark the interest of residents or remind them of the event that they had wanted to attend. These methods are a great way to inform residents initially, but they also serve as a great reinforcement of previous messages that residents received via Facebook, read in the Participation Plan Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 newspaper, or saw standing in a checkout line. The "after" phase is perhaps the most critical phase in the communications strategy, because it affords the City a few key opportunities. The term "after" can be misleading, as it implies that the participation process, or a segment of it, is over A participation process that favors proactive engagement, however, must have a communications strategy that encourages residents to ask questions, solicit information, and provide feedback continually - and especially, after an official event has finished. In the days immediately following an event, staff should publicize an announcement via Facebook, the newspaper, and the radio, thanking the public for their participation, letting them know that it is crucial to the success of the plan, and alerting them to the fact that staff will be working on incorporating their input. Specific mention, however, should be made to the fact that the planning process is often a long one announcements should provide an approximate timeline ( "Check out the full results from our meeting on the City's website in x weeks" "), so that participants have a realistic expectation of when results will be produced and don't get discouraged by perceived delays. Posting photos of the event to the Facebook page or in the newspaper in this after phase can serve to show participants that the event has been documented. Likewise it can serve as additional advertising for future events, perhaps by exposing potential attendees to what happened at the event and by sparking their interest in participating. 15 16 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan DOCUMENTATION Data Gathering Accurate documentation of event proceedings, including information disseminated to the public, and information received from them, is critical for an effective, productive, and meaningful engagement process. The more care that is taken in asking for and recording information, the more the public may realize that their participation is valued and essential. At least two staff members will be present at events to take detailed notes, administer surveys and assist respondents in completing them, take photographs, and document the events in other relevant ways. Of course, the manner of data gathering will depend on the type of plan addressed and information desired. Some events maybe conducive to having participants scan OR codes with their smartphones to complete a survey, at other times, paper or iload surveys maybe more appropriate. Feedback can also be written down or audially recorded as well. After events, summaries of this information will be posted to the City's Facebook page and printed in the newspaper. Complete, detailed reports of this information, once compiled, will be posted to the City's website and included in the appendices of official planning documents, hard copies of which will be available at City Hall. Delivery of information As illustrated above in the Communications Strategy guidelines and phases, information delivery will occur in two main ways: through technical and non- technical mediums. The City could use technical mediums, like its website, Facebook page, and Twitter account, to make announcements, invite residents to participate, provide updates, and solicit feedback. Non - technical resources will also be critical. Newspaper columns and advertisements, in -store advertisements, "stall stories;' and announcements at other events, like Leprechaun Days and AAA sports tournaments, are critical to delivering information, as they can reach audiences that technical resources may fail to do. Participation Plan Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 MONITORING Rosemount City staff will be in charge of monitoring and evaluating the participation processes outlined previously. Staff will monitor the processes as plans progress and will evaluate the processes once they have been completed in order to ensure accountability, transparency, incorporation of the public's input, and timely response to inquiries. These crucial steps in the process will include: Identifying potential problems, proposing solutions, and adapting plans accordingly. Soliciting feedback regarding the public's perceptions of both the participation process's and the plan's progress, via surveys after each. Examining the accessibility of the participation processes to all Rosemount residents, by analyzing who was present at events and who was not. Efficiently recording feedback and recommendations and incorporating them in future participation processes. Participation Plan 17 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan WORK PROGRAM TIMELINE The following outlined planning processes are divided into two separate timelines by year. The first timeline of events, which is scheduled for 2015, focuses largely on getting the word out and building community. The engagement initiatives scheduled in this year serve as a precursor to the events slated for the following year, 2016 - of which the majority will serve to gather information to be used in the Comprehensive Plan update. This two - pronged approach will allow residents to become familiar with and learn about the planning initiatives and then see the City's dedication to engaging residents and soliciting meaningful input from them. legend Community -wide Events The Planning Truck Family Workshop Sessions Go Rosemount! Local Partnerships Informal breakfasts Placemaking in the Park Neighborhood Parties Walk to School Days Bike Tours Field Trips 18 Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 2015 2016 A M J J A S O S i PLANNING MONITORING & EVALUATION & ANALYSIS Identifying potential problems, proposing solutions, and adapting plans accordingly. Soliciting feedback regarding the public's perceptions of both the participation process's and the plan's progress, via surveys after each Stakeholder Examining the accessibility of the participation processes to all Rosemount residents, by analyzing who was present at events and who was not identification Efficiently recording feedback and recommendations and incorporating them in future participation processes. Aligning actions with the goals of the comprehensive plan OUTREACH & DESIGN Development of communications strategy Design of participatory events and initiatives P THE PLANNING TRUCK (Y1) +RKSHP WRKSHP 4wjft� i'i i COMMUNITY -WIDE EVENTS Ir ONLINE CONTESTS GO ROSEMOUNT! THE PLANNING TRUCK (Y2) WRKSHP DATA ANALYSIS Analysis of data collected during the processes LP LP LP LP LP LP LP LP LP I N PMINP LP LP B 113 113 113 113 113 IB IB IB IB IB 113 113 113 113 IB IB IB !NHBH 113 113 113 PMI HBH P NHBH P NHBH P NHBH P IB P NHBH P W W W = W W W W W BKT BKT BKT BKT BKT BKT FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T Work Program Work Program 19 Incorporation of such analysis when writing the Comprehensive Plan update in 2017. WRKSHP ► LP LP LP LP LP LP LP LP LP I N PMINP LP LP B 113 113 113 113 113 IB IB IB IB IB 113 113 113 113 IB IB IB !NHBH 113 113 113 PMI HBH P NHBH P NHBH P NHBH P IB P NHBH P W W W = W W W W W BKT BKT BKT BKT BKT BKT FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T FIELD T Work Program Work Program 19 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan TASKS LIST Community -wide Events WHO All Rosemount residents. WHEN During specific community events, like Leprechaun Days. WHERE At event sites. WHY These already established events are well attended by community residents and provide the City with the rare opportunity of reaching hundreds of residents at a time with its message. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art. HOW? OC ❑❑ W n 4 @ aim Local Partnerships WHO Youth, parents, families. WHEN Every other month. WHERE At parks and recreation centers where the league plays, like Bunker Hill Park, Rosemount Middle School Athletic Fields, and Meadows Park, for instance. WHY Collaborative meetings at smaller events, like AAA games and practices, can provide venues for reaching out to the "less- than -usual suspects,' like young families, who generally have a harder time becoming involved in traditional planning meetings. TOPICS Infrastructure HOW? rJ ff] Ct7) RU� Informal breakfasts WHO All Rosemount residents. WHEN Once a month. WHERE Local coffee shops and diners. 20 WHY In order to foster a two -way communication with public officers, such as the Rosemount Police and Fire Departments and local representatives, through informal breakfast sessions. These meetings could serve to build trust and community, and provide residents a venue in which they could voice their concerns. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? rJ O l==iu1 The Planning Truck WHO All Rosemount residents. WHEN During major community events, like Leprechaun Days, the Haunted Trail, and the Christmas Festival. WHERE At event sites. WHY A customized, highly attractive truck that can be placed at different events, that provides information about the City's current and future engagement efforts and solicits resident feedback, through interactive visuals and games for adults and children. In the first year of the participation process, the Planning Truck would be used for, primarily, building community and getting the word out, in the second year, it would be used for soliciting feedback and gathering data from community residents. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? ( 0 [J rl 1-11 4 O Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 Communication Methods legend 0 Feedback on- the -spot Mobile application for residents that allow them to upload pictures and comments and receive alert notices on different issues, like OpenPlans.org, MindMixer, Poll Everywhere (e.g. transit, pedestrian and biking infrastructure, urban design and furniture). DemocracyOS Mobile application for residents to get up -to -date information on current topics, planning efforts and discussions being held in their area The app lets users vote and comment. ° Stall and sink stories w Targeted advertising on bathroom users regarding different engagement events. School folders Weekly communication from schools to parents on upcoming events, special school sessions, and classes. ❑:� "I'm your neighbor" featurettes Video and text featurettes highlighting local residents, their stories and their contributions to the City's ongoing participation efforts, economic growth, local investment and cultural support. QMulti- language support Communication materials will be provided in other languages to reach out to non - English speaking communities. In- person translators and facilitators will be provided in key planning events. OSocial media Communication platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Rosemount's website) will be reformulated to provide useful information for residents and visitors ( website), news and alerts (Twitter) and promotion and visual documentation (Facebook). Emphasis will be made on interoperability, to ensure information is available for multiple platforms, especially mobile devices. Traditional media Television news station coverage, newspaper advertisements and letters to the editor, radio advertisements Work Program Work Program 21 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan TASKS LIST Neighborhood Parties WHO All Rosemount residents. WHEN 3 times a year, once in the Spring, the Summer, and the Fall. WHERE In different neighborhoods throughout Rosemount. WHY Small, neighborhood street or block parties with food, music, and local artists to foster neighborhood relationships among both old and new residents and among homeowners and renters alike. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? II n O l=" ,I� lu� Placemaking in the Park WHO All Rosemount residents. WHEN Events once a month during June, July, and August, semi- permanent installations lasting for approximately one month. WHERE Different sites throughout Rosemount, including parks, recreation centers, housing development community rooms, etc. WHY Permanent or temporary "tactical urbanism' installations designed to inform and gather spontaneous feedback from park users. These can include mobile furniture and games, "I wish this was..." -type art installations, semi - permanent outdoor proposal exhibitions, comedy theater and music events (e.g. T2P2). Programming will need to coordinated by and with local artists and planners. 22 TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? OU ❑❑ rte- ffJ L-04O01 Walk to School Days WHO Youth, parents, families. WHEN Four times during the school year, seasonal weather permitting. March, May, September, and November. WHERE In relative proximity (within 1 mile) to Shannon Elementary, Rosemount Elementary, Rosemount Middle School, and Rosemount High School. WHY Monthly events inviting parents and students to walk and bike to their schools instead of driving. These events include organized group walks by area, temporary biking and pedestrian markings in designated routes, wayfinding and complementary in -site and online campaigns through social media and schools. TOPICS Infrastructure HOW? IZ n ® 0] Bike Tours WHO Young adults, families, those who use biking trails in particular. WHEN 3 times a year, once in the Spring, the Summer, and the Fall. WHERE Parks, biking trails throughout Rosemount. WHY These regular biking tours promote bike culture, encourage alternative transportation modes, and gather Work Program input on preferred trails and routes TOPICS Infrastructure HOW? (�) L Mffj 4 O ==m Go Rosemount! WHO Youth. WHEN Annual event during the academic year, schedule subject to coordination with school faculty. WHERE At Rosemount public schools, middle school and high school levels. WHY Series of coordinated events for students to reflect and think creatively about the type of city they have and want. The type and content of events will be targeted to various age groups, and will include student fairs, competitions, and in -class exercises. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? ff] ® 0 Online Contests WHO All Rosemount residents. WHEN Ongoing during the planning process, to coincide with other community and local partnerships events. WHERE n /a. WHY Visual or text -based small -scale competitions, using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, to gather input related to ongoing planning efforts and increase online /media coverage. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Work Program Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? �d 4 O Q Family- oriented workshop series WHO All Rosemount residents, youth, parents, families. WHEN A weekend every season. WHERE At City Hall or community centers. WHY Similar to "traditional' planning meetings, but upgraded. These weekend family- oriented events for specific engagement processes (e.g. Parks and Recreation Plan), would include activities for kids and young adults, speaker sessions and charrettes. Food (food trucks, outdoor barbecues) and childcare would be provided also TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? O ❑❑ �J Q O 1 = �1u1 Field trips WHO Adults. WHEN Once a season. WHERE UMore Park Site WHY Group walks and information sessions at UMore Park regarding potential developments for the area with local planning staff and UMN representatives. TOPICS Community gathering spaces, Urban agriculture, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure HOW? W O 51 23 24 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan INFORMATION PROVISIONS Overview Information released by the City should be accessible to anyone living in Rosemount irrespective of the language they speak or their ability to use technology. In this regard, Rosemount is particularly unique because the population varies in terms of age and ability to speak English. While there are large concentrations of young adults and teens, who are more likely to be tech - savvy, there are also large concentrations of older adults, who may rely on traditional media for information. Likewise, although the predominant language in Rosemount continues to be English, there is a growing population of immigrants in need of interpreted information. With these realities in mind, and in response to the City's request to increase awareness of participatory events, we created suggestions that attempt to transcend barriers to participation that Rosemount residents face based on their age, ability to speak English, and technological competency. Our suggestions outline how different media platforms or community events can be used to disseminate information. Information Deliverables In contrast to the communications strategies section, this section outlines the rationale behind using different media platforms to distribute information. It connects how various platforms engage different segments of the community based on their age, culture, technology abilities, language competencies, and family situation. Likewise, this sections provides an analysis of logistical provisions such as using consistent messages, diversifying information distribution, and using positive, encouraging language to solicit greater participation. Web based repository for information on engagement events Social media sites to connect with younger generations How to use community events to disseminate pertinent information Strategic use of traditional media outlets including print mediums and local news Partnerships with faith based organizations, community organizations, and local businesses which tap into social networks Translation of basic documents and information on central repository website Work Program Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 A Balanced Approach Given the diverse population of Rosemount, we suggest that the best way to overcome language and technological competency differences is by disseminating a common message through a mixture of traditional and nontraditional, technology based media platforms. Put simply, by diversifying how information is released to the general public, City staff will be able to reach a broader audience, and actively work towards more inclusive engagement processes. That being noted, it is equally important for City staff to craft a common message that will be distributed in multiple languages and through various mediums to ensure consistency of information. If the City is able to distribute information in a multifaceted manner, they will take an important first step towards increased civic engagement. Traditional Media In most cities, middle -aged adults and seniors are some of the most civically active residents and account for a large portion of the population. Rosemount is no exception with approximately 33% of the population over the age of 452. Seeing as many of these individuals, specifically the elderly, may not know how to use technology based information outlets, traditional media platforms still serve as an important means of disseminating information. However, in line with our engagement strategy of bringing participation to the community, we suggest not only disseminating information through traditional outlets, but also that City staff go out into the community to disseminate information. Going out to the community Given the overall popularity of events such as Leprechaun Days, community wide events are an excellent opportunity to provide the general public with information on upcoming engagement events. Whereas in the past City officials have tried to leverage existing community events for civic participation purposes, our approach suggests these events are better suited for simply disseminating information. The best way to leverage these events for greater civic participation is to simply "get the word out" through casual conversation, flyers, and brochures. The main benefit of this approach is that being on the ground allows City staff to meet the residents of their community, which can build personal relationships and foster trust in City government. Local Media While local media outlets are increasingly web - based, many people still rely on local newspapers and the evening news for information about their communities. In general, we do not suggest any revolutionary way to use local media posting notifications about upcoming events is the most effective way to utilize these platforms. That being noted, the City should pursue two strategies when using local media platforms. First, information regarding upcoming planning events should (2) 2008 -2012 American Community Survey, US Census Bureau Work Program 25 26 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan INFORMATION PROVISIONS mirror information disseminated elsewhere to provide a unitary narrative. Second, City staff should use language that encourages participation, rather than language that simply notifies the public of the event. In sum, local media is still an important means of providing local information to the general public, but needs to be used strategically. Community Partnerships To tap into the social networks of Rosemount residents, partnering with social service organizations, faith based organizations, and local businesses is a useful way of disseminating information. Not only are community organizations critical nodes within social networks, they are also highly trusted by residents. Thus, City staff should consider using these places, informally, to connect with local residents and make them aware of upcoming events. Perhaps setting up an information kiosk at local dinner or faith based organization is all it takes to encourage greater participation. Non - Traditional media platforms Social Media Although social media was initially created for personal networking purposes, it is increasingly used by businesses, community organizations, and cities to disseminate pertinent information. For many people, especially younger generations, social media is not only a means of developing and maintaining personal relationships, but also a virtual space they can use connect with others around a common interest, for example, an engagement event in their local community'. Thus, we encourage the City to create a Twitter or Facebook page for the purposes of providing information to residents and getting input on local issues. For this to be successful, however, the City needs to develop strategies for managing not only the content that they put up on these sites, but also for dealing with the content which they receive in return. Once again, though, they should see social media as an extension of overall engagement strategies and strive to disseminate a common message. Online Repository for Civic engagement An online repository for civic engagement information is, perhaps, the most important information provision we suggest. Since information dissemination is otherwise fragmented, an online repository will effectively aggregate this information and serve as an obvious place to get information regarding any engagement event. Often people hear murmurs about these events and are interested in participating, but do not know where to find information. A central repository would solve this problem. However, this does not necessarily mean the City needs to create an entirely new site Rather it might be as easy as creating a page titled "civic engagement' on their website as they have done with "parks and recreation,' for example. The City should strive to make this repository (3) "Percent of Internet Users in Each Age Group Who use Social Networking Sites', Pew Research Center (May, 2013). Rosemount Participation Plan I PowerUp 2018 accessible, and frame it as the ultimate source of information regarding engagement strategies. Information for Immigrants /Non - English Speakers Although Rosemount has a growing concentration of non - English speakers, it does not have the numbers that would require substantial engagement provisions for these populations. That being noted, Rosemount, as well as suburbs throughout America in general, are increasingly attractive destinations for immigrant populations. Subsequently, creating information provisions that engage these populations is more than just a nice gesture, it is an integral component for future community engagement and city vitality. The strategies that we have developed to engage foreign born populations are collaborating with affiliated community organizations, and translating basic documents, publicized through traditional and nontraditional mediums, that provide overviews of upcoming events. For foreign -born populations, social service, community, and faith -based organizations are some of the few places where they come into contact with the broader community. Unlike native born populations, immigrants largely develop community and friendships through ethnic social networks and live in residential niches, isolating them from the rest of society". In turn, there is little incentive for them to participate in community wide engagement events. Similarly, many immigrants come from countries with turbulent social and political histories, and may have a distrust for government in general. Given these circumstances, cities must take non - traditional approaches to engaging immigrants. We suggest that Rosemount attempt to engage immigrant populations through affiliated social service, faith based, and community organizations. Not only do these organization provide a simple way of connecting with immigrants, they also capitalize on pre- existing trust between immigrants and the organization. Additionally, we suggest that Rosemount proved translations of basic documents that give an overview of upcoming participatory processes. In addition to providing these documents on the online repository, City Staff can also distribute physical versions through affiliated community organizations. While the City can certainly do more to increase immigrant participation, we believe these are important first steps to beginning the overall process of immigrant integration. (4) Per - Anders Edin, Peter Fredriksson, Olaf Aslund, "Ethnic Enclaves and the Economic Success of Immigrants. Evidence from a Natural Experiment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics Vol. 118, No 1, (Feb., 2003) 329. Work Program Work Program 27 PowerUp 2018 1 Rosemount Participation Plan t"! FOLLOWING UP Engagement After Plan Implementation Following an engagement event,City staff should use both traditional and nontraditional media platforms to provide residents with information regarding the ongoing project. Specifically, we suggest providing regular updates about a given project on the online repository; this provision was largely used to mirror the past success of "friday folders ". Additionally, the City should consider providing surveys and feedback loops to residents, perhaps via social media, so they can get ongoing input on various planning projects. Rather than simply providing updates on the process, engagement should be focused on garnering the continued input of the community. Moreover, engagement after a participatory process should continue the conversations that residents had on critical issues related to the given project. That is, information notifications and surveys should engage residents around issues that they saw as important. Not only will this approach be of greater interest to residents, but it will also allow them to play a sustained role in the planning process. In general, engagement after a particular planning process is important because it keeps the community informed, and highlights the City's dedication to civic engagement, which will encourage participation in future events. In many ways than, engagement after the fact is an excellent way to foster and sustain a culture of civic engagement in Rosemount. 28 Work Program rnmri i 11� 111 1111 11 1111 111 loss 1111 — ■■■■ December 2nd, 2014 Kim Lindquist Community Development Department 2875 145th St. W. Rosemount, MN 55068 Phone: 651 - 322 -2051 Dear Ms. Lindquist, 25FIFTY Consulting is committed to providing our clients with exceptional service by developing cutting edge planning and participation processes with the reassurance of demonstrated success in other municipalities. Because each city is unique, 25FIFTY proposals are designed with individual attention to reflect the community. Our project team consists of four consultants with years of experience developing planning and participation programs for many municipalities. We are confident in our ability to help the City of Rosemount connect with their community in meaningful and productive ways. 25FIFTY Consulting is excited about the potential opportunity to enhance community involvement and long -term participation in Rosemount, a City that has much to offer its residents. Building off of the planning and participation processes already established by various departments in the City, we present this plan to unify, grow and enhance the overall program. Through the Learn, Participate, Lead! (LPL!) framework, we have developed programs which will expand the City's capacity to meet the needs of the evolving community. Enclosed you will find an outline for the general LPL! approach. The programs under this framework are comprehensive, covering the engagement of a diverse range of residents, education of residents on the structures, functions, and processes of the City government, connection and cultivation of citizen leadership, and ways of understanding community issues and visions for the future. Sincerely, David Kratz Leslie Mclnenly Matthew Unzeitig Michael Varien Contents CommunitySynthesis ................................................................................................................... ............................... l History.......................................................................................................................................... ..............................1 CommunityDescription ........................................................................................................... ............................... l Government.............................................................................................................................. ............................... 3 Community Engagement Initiative ............................................................................................ ..............................4 Goals........................................................................................................................................... ..............................4 KeyIssues .................................................................................................................................... ..............................5 A Framework for Community Participation: Learn, Participate, Lead! ................................. ..............................6 LPL! Objectives .......................................................................................................................... ............................... 6 LPL! Approach ............................................................................................................................ ..............................7 TargetAudiences ................................................................................................................... ..............................7 Brand Marketing and Promotion ........................................................................................ .............................10 MultimodalCommunication .............................................................................................. ..............................1 l Learn....................................................................................................................................... .............................13 Participate............................................................................................................................. .............................16 Lead! Into 2018 ...................................................................................................................... .............................18 WorkPlan ....................................................................................................................................... .............................18 KeyTasks .................................................................................................................................... .............................19 Component1: Staff Capacity ............................................................................................ .............................19 Component 2: Community Partnerships ........................................................................... .............................19 Component 3: LPL! Communications Strategy ................................................................ .............................19 Component 4: Rosemount Learn, Participate, Lead! Events ........................................ .............................19 Timeline...................................................................................................................................... .............................19 Flow Chart of the LPL! Framework ...................................................................................... .............................20 KeyMeetings ............................................................................................................................. .............................22 StaffCapacity ....................................................................................................................... .............................22 CommunityPartnerships ...................................................................................................... .............................23 RosemountLPL! Events ......................................................................................................... .............................23 InformationProvision ................................................................................................................ .............................28 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... .............................28 Community Synthesis The City of Rosemount is a small community on the fringe of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Although the City is dominated by industry and has grown substantially since the 1970's, it is still, in large part, agricultural and undeveloped. Major land uses are residential, agricultural, and heavy industrial. The City's community engagement program is not very well developed. City staff has requested development of an engagement initiative in anticipation of further growth in their community. History Rosemount was designated as a township in 1858 and acquired additional land in 1871. In 1942, the federal government began to build a munitions plant in support of World War II, first acquiring over 100 farms in the town of Rosemount. Gopher Ordnance Works' (GOW) 11,500 acres encompassed nearly half of the land area in Rosemount. It had a significant effect on the town, causing many of the existing residents to leave and leading to thousands of new residents coming to work at GOW. Displaced farmers were forced to sell their land and evacuate in a matter of weeks; some were happy to sell, but many faced great hardship. Local business owners, realtors, builders, and anybody that still owned property in Rosemount and the surrounding area, on the other hand, benefited from a wartime boom economy. New housing, expanded businesses, recreational opportunities, utility construction, etc., came at a rapid pace. After multiple starts and stops during construction, the ordnance plant finally opened in early 1945, but only ran until October 1945. The property was then transferred to the University of Minnesota, named UMore Park, and is currently used for educational and research purposes. Much of the property is slated to be developed as a sustainable community. Rosemount was incorporated in 1972 and has been on a steady trajectory of population growth since that time. Even with the growth, there is still a substantial amount of agriculture within City limits. Community Description According to the American Community Survey of the Census Bureau', the Rosemount population, now nearly 23,000, has increased by about 50% since 2000. Over the same period, the population of its surrounding county, Dakota County, has increased only 12 %. The median age of the community is lower than Dakota County or the Minneapolis -Saint Paul metropolitan area, but is increasing at a more rapid rate. The community is fairly homogenous by race (87.3% white) based on the 2010 U.S. Census; however, the growing community is experiencing and anticipating greater diversity among residents. According to the 2008 -2012 American Community Survey, over 2000 Rosemount residents are foreign U.S. Department of Commerce. 2013. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office, Washington, DC. born; over 10% speak a language other than English (primarily Spanish). Relative to the metropolitan area, residents in Rosemount are less mobile; residents show lower same - county, same - state, and international migration rates. In a recent community surveyZ of 400 people, respondents were 88% white and 16% have lived in Rosemount for less than three years. While energy and agricultural industry dominates much of the landscape and economy, the majority of employed residents' occupations are managerial, professional, or sales - related; fewer than 20% of residents are employed in resource - based, production, or construction occupations 3 The unemployment rate among Rosemount residents is slightly higher than that of the Twin Cities metro area. Roughly half of the community works outside of the county and a high percentage of workers commute by car. Education, primarily the quality of public and private schools, is a source of pride and a recognized asset of the community. Rosemount is part of independent school district 196, which is known as one of the higher quality school districts in the metro region. Rosemount has four elementary schools, a middle school, and high 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Percent Change in Population, 2000 -2012* Minnesota Minnesota Dakota Rosemount U.S. Metro County, MN city, MN Languages Spoken in Dakota County, MN (ACS 2006 - 2010) ■ English ■ Spanish ■African languages ■ Vietnamese • Russian • Chinese ■ Arabic • French • German • Mon - Khmer, Cambodian • Hmong • Other (25) Rosemount K -12 Students by Ethnic /Racial Identity ■American Indian ■ Asian /Pacific Islander • Black • Hispanic 410 • White ■ 2 or more 2 Rosemount Community Survey- httr): / /www.ci.rosemount.mn.us /index ?nid =591 (accessed 14 October 2014) . 3 U.S. Department of Commerce. 2013. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office, Washington, DC. 2 1 P a g e school. In addition, Dakota County Technical College resides in the City. City government has a strong connection to the school district and recognizes it as an important partner and resource for developing their community engagement efforts. The vision, as described by City Council goals, is to Grow, Live and Manage the City of Rosemount. Rosemount is a growing, business- and development - friendly community with an eye on ecological and social sustainability that results in a high quality of life for residents. Government Rosemount City Council consists of the mayor and four council members. Current terms for the mayor and two council members expire December 31, 2014. Rosemount City governance is organized into eight departments: Administration, Community Development, Finance, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Police, Public Works and Engineering. All departments have some level of public engagement or education responsibility ranging from overseeing multi - departmental activities, to community planning, to addressing public health and safety. Five City boards and commissions serve to advise the City Council and can provide City staff with more outside connections to the community. These commissions are the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Planning Commission, the Port Authority, which is responsible for economic development projects to "create new job opportunities and increase the tax base," and the Utility Commission. The Youth Commission is comprised of youth, aged 14 to 18, who are selected to represent youth interests in City operations. It is notable that the Port Authority and Youth Commission have articulated specific goals and strategies to implement Council goals. Dakota County also has several initiatives that overlap with key issues important to the City, including the Communities for a Lifetime and Healthy Dakota initiatives. 4 City Council Goals - httr):// www. ci. rosemount.mn.us /index.asr)x ?nid =376 (accessed 14 October 2014) 3 1 P a g e Community Engagement Initiative The City of Rosemount requires development of a high - profile, proactive community engagement initiative designed to foster participation by diverse residents5. The initiative must engage members of an increasingly diverse community, educate residents on City processes and functions, and foster long- term relationships between residents, community leaders and City staff. Ultimately, this participation initiative will position the community to collectively update Rosemount's Comprehensive Plan in 2018. The City of Rosemount seeks innovative engagement tools, methods, and strategies to reach target audiences; mainly minorities, low income, and youths. The City wishes to reach these audiences in a more proactive and consistent manner, as departments currently act on their own with limited informal communication and coordination. In response to the RFP issued by the City of Rosemount, we have developed a comprehensive strategy to address Rosemount's needs and accomplish stated goals. The planning and participation process envisioned in this proposal includes development of standards and methods to create and market Learn, Participate, Lead.►, an initiative designed for Rosemount. The initiative includes curriculum for internal staff and citizen education, tools for effective and mutually beneficial community engagement, reference to useful information generated through the Resilient Communities Project (RCP), and tools to connect with and cultivate community leaders. The process provides a flexible plan that can be tailored to address diverse audiences and evolving issues. Our goal is to help Rosemount connect with their residents and empower the community to help create a thriving and sustainable city through engagement in the upcoming comprehensive plan review. Key to this effort will be a focus on engaging traditionally underrepresented communities through a series of educational activities. GoaIS6 . Engage a diverse range of residents over an extended period of time through a series of activities. 2. Inform residents about the structures, functions and processes of the local government to enable more effective participation. 3. Build skills, capacity, and leadership experience of participants for ongoing engagement. 4. Explore and reveal key community issues to begin setting a vision for the community. 5 City of Rosemount, Minnesota. 2014. Community Engagement Initiative - MOCK Request for Proposals. 6 City of Rosemount, Minnesota. 2014. Community Engagement Initiative - MOCK Request for Proposals. 4 1 P a g e Key Issues The City of Rosemount has established methods of planning and decision - making which have historically experienced little or no public involvement. This has not required significant attention as residents of Rosemount seem generally satisfied. As a result, Rosemount has not experienced great need to commit resources to develop programs that effectively engage the public. No overarching public engagement initiatives or coordination exists between City departments at this time. However, the City of Rosemount is currently experiencing a cultural diversification of its population and City staff members recognize the need to engage these new populations. Future engagement methods will need to include new and culturally specific approaches. In the absence of an engaged public, the City is missing out on opportunities to collectively enhance Rosemount and create a vision, by the people, for the future. Additionally, by lacking a clear forum for community participation, residents are missing an opportunity to provide feedback to city staff and leaders. In such cases, issues of concern to the public may go undetected and unacknowledged by staff and, ultimately, may only be recognized once an issue has been elevated to a problem or crisis status. There is a lack of awareness among residents about the role the City plays in planning processes. Residents don't know the roles that private business, consultants, City departments, and other government entities play in the development, maintenance, and visioning of their city. Civic skills and capacity of Rosemount's residents will be particularly important as the City faces development pressures and opportunities in the coming decades. tanning and Participation Issues • Need overarching, proactive engagement initiative • Evolving community • Opportunity to enhance staff understanding community needs • Opportunity to enhance resident civic skills and capacity • Upcoming comprehensive planning update in 2018 5 1 P a g e Local - • Community gathering spaces • Urban agriculture • Energy • Public art • Infrastructure A Framework for Community Participation: Learn, Participate, Lead! The overarching framework for this proposed planning and participation process is encapsulated in the Learn, Participate, Lead! (LPL!) brand. • Learn Rosemount! involves educating the public to garner interest in the planning process and to cultivate more meaningful interaction by developing knowledgeable citizens. Education for residents on City structure, processes and planning issues is a key component of Learn Rosemount.►, as is education of City staff on issues related to increasing diversity, and encouraging public participation in an evolving community. • Participate Rosemount! consists of initiatives designed to reach out and encourage participation from those in the community who are unaware of the planning and participation process, individuals and groups who have been traditionally underrepresented and underserved, as well as more involved residents and community leaders. • Lead Rosemount! programs are designed to strengthen relationships with existing community leaders and to stimulate the creation of and empower more comprehensive community leadership. Identification, organization, cultivation and empowerment of citizen leaders is important for Lead Rosemount! These three unified initiatives have extensive overlap and the key concepts of all three have a place in every aspect of the LPL! Framework. The approach has been designed to create familiarity with all City programs through a recognizable and understandable brand. The three LPL! elements will quickly and effectively inform the community of the major theme of a particular program. LPL! Objectives (1) Establish LPL! as widely recognized terminology among City residents. (2) Establish a knowledgeable, compassionate, and culturally aware attitude among staff. (3) Establish a working toolbox of effective methods to communicate with residents and target audiences. (4) Enable provision of relevant and useful information to the community. (5) Maintain non - hierarchical relationships with communities based on mutual respect. 6 1 P a g e (6) Establish an educated public with an enhanced ability to contribute to decision making. LPL! Approach Building blocks for the LPL! initiative include development of an interdepartmental public engagement team of City staff and a community advisory team to develop, coordinate, and implement the City's public engagement activities; a broad marketing and communication campaign; and a series of participatory events. The communication campaign will jumpstart the initiative with a multi- format strategy to advertise a series of events and foster interest in community discussions. LPL! has been designed with a goal to position the community to develop the next comprehensive plan as a plan for the people, by the people. The Learn, Participate, Lead! initiative is about educating the community about City functions, processes and planning structures; providing a diverse range of participation opportunities; and empowering community members to take the lead in planning activities, plan development, and plan implementation. Main components of the Learn portion will highlight a Community Speaker Series and a Community Planning Curriculum tailored to the City of Rosemount. Participation will take on a wide range of activities including traditional public input methods; meetings in a box; discussion dinners; pop ups, significant places mapping; surveys; and staff availability at local and organizational events. Results from public input and participation will inform the upcoming comprehensive plan update through the LEAD! into 2018 transition. LPL! will position community members to begin a visioning process for the 2018 planning effort. Strategic and neighborhood plans focused on local issues (e.g., public art and community spaces) will be discussed and developed in preparation for comprehensive planning. Target Audiences Key audiences for the LPL! initiative typically have low levels of civic engagement. These audiences include youths, seniors, racial or ethnic minorities, and renters. These groups must all be engaged to satisfy the foundational objective of educating the community on the structure, function and processes of the City. Doing so enables more effective participation, which can create a better vision for the City in its comprehensive plan update. Outreach to all residents is necessary for this objective, but specific outreach strategies will be needed to reach each target audience. To engage a diverse range of residents in Rosemount, City staff will need to expand and rely upon working relationships with community members. 7 1 P a g e With the significant growth experienced in Rosemount, accurate demographic data are limited. An initial stakeholder analysis has been conducted based upon communication with City staff, a review of American Community Survey data, and recent school enrollment in Rosemount. To broaden this analysis, we recommend engaging existing community contacts (e.g., from organizations that serve underrepresented groups) to refine the stakeholder analysis. Focus groups with community leaders and members of underrepresented communities are recommended to refine the proposed LPL! initiative based on community- identified issues, partners, meeting spaces and communication or engagement preferences. It is important the City understand barriers, concerns, and needs of residents in order to develop and implement a mutually beneficial participation process will be key to LPL! success. Question examples "How can the City help improve communication and participation ?" "Who is missing ?" "What issues should the City be addressing with residents ?" "How do you want to be engaged ?" "How do you want to receive follow up to public participation ?" This is a very basic yet fundamental stage in the LPL! initiative. Identifying, partnering, and speaking through community leaders has proven to be an effective strategy many times over. Once the City has established communication it can then begin to educate, inform, and include the people in the process. New residents are still integrating themselves within the City, and thus may not have the level of connection or familiarity with the City that established residents enjoy. From the 2000 U.S. Census to the 2011 -2013 American Community Survey (ACS), Rosemount citizens who identify as Black or African American have increased by 150 %, Asian by about 200 %, and Hispanic or Latino by about 200 %. People who identify as racial and ethnic minorities are moving into Rosemount at a rate much higher than that of the State. Members of different races /ethnicities are distributed fairly evenly throughout Rosemount, with a slight increase in minority populations in the northwestern side of the City, north of 150th St. W., particularly among people who identify as Asian. To reach this audience, additional participatory activities in northwestern Rosemount should be considered. Participatory tools for communities that are more challenging to reach are described in the "Participate" section below. Strategies to reach senior citizens and youths are unsurprisingly quite different. Seniors can become less engaged with their local government due to the digital divide, where an increasing amount of information is disseminated. It would be worthwhile to visit the Rosemount VFW or local churches to engage with seniors. An ample amount of young people, conversely, could be reached through the 8 1 P a g e internet on the City's Facebook page. These are broadly applicable strategies, so we suggest connecting with the respective organizations of each group, such as DARTS for seniors and the Rosemount Youth Commission, to learn of other locations where these groups congregate. Renters are the second and only other group that can be identified geographically. This audience can be an outreach challenge due to factors such as having lived in the City for a shorter period of time than homeowners or because a number of renters do not have utility bills in their name. Renters are concentrated downtown and in the neighborhood that lies in the triangle between Dodd Blvd., Shannon Pkwy., and 145th St. W. New resident - specific materials, such as the Rosemount Resident Guide, could be inserted with LPL! initiative mailings to these racial /ethnic and renter -dense neighborhoods. Community organizations will also be instrumental in reaching out to these populations. A community -led LPL! advisory committee should be established with people representative of the community, with particular emphasis on including individuals or organizations who reflect target and underrepresented groups. Resilient Communities Projects (described in the "Learn" section below) could be used to inform potential committee members and garner interest in LPL! and this committee. Use of the advisory committee will increase the likelihood that Rosemount's public engagement remains relevant to the community. The LPL! advisory committee should be composed of well - respected community residents, who will receive attention from their respective community and also serve as a well- connected point of contact to their community. The attributes of these committee members will help implement the LPL! initiative by reaching a broader spectrum of the community and lending legitimacy for the initiative through their own promotion of the engagement. 9 1 P a g e -Community as a Whole • New Residents • Legacy Residents -Youth (Elementary Students, Secondary Students) -Young Adults (Post- Secondary Students, Young Professionals) • Elders • Families • Households (diverse cultures, immigrant communities, multi - generational) • Racial and Ethnic Minorities -Socioeconomic Classes • Renters /Homeowners • Parks Users -Arts Community -Agricultural Community • Business Community Brand Marketing and Promotion •360 Communities -Community Action Partnerships (CAP) Agency • DARTS • Dakota County • Dakota County Technical College • Farmers Market • ISD -196 • One Rosemount • Police Department • Rosemount Area Arts Council (RAAC) • Rosemount Recreational Center • University of Minnesota (Humphrey School of Public Affairs; Resilient Communities Project) The Learn, Participate, Lead! brand has been designed to communicate and reinforce the three intersecting elements of public participation. It FLead has also been designed to be an enduring brand that can be used to czParticipate promote community engagement in Rosemount through the 2018 comprehensive plan update and beyond. Initial rollout of the LPL! brand is planned to coincide with a celebration of the Resilient Communities Project, and associated speaker series, in May 2015. Introduction of the LPL! initiative is a proactive next step following completion of the RCP that will 1) build upon and use findings of the year -long research investment, 2) answer the important question of "What Next ? ", and 3) garner additional attention through a clear connection to the RCP. The City should develop a strong marketing plan for LPL! and the upcoming comprehensive plan to garner interest in participation, share participation opportunities and highlight fun events, successes, and benchmarks. Rosemount could develop a partnership with the Civic Engagement Committee at Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) and the graphic design and multimedia department to extend the marketing campaign and promotional material for the LPL! initiative. Over the next two years, the 101 Page City should be regularly promoting LPL! at events and public spaces throughout the City. The City has a well - developed online and email presence, newspaper and print outlets, and local television options that should be used to promote and advertise the LPL! initiative. Word of mouth will play a big part in promoting the LPL! initiative and related activities through the partnerships and relationships the City builds in early engagement steps. Marketing activities will be an ongoing process. At each event or activity, promotion of the next and upcoming events should be made. In the weeks and days before an event additional promotional efforts should be made to capture last minute decision - makers. The City should inform participants of the timeline for respective plans and projects and when they can expect to see the results of their input, as well as how to receive the results. Multimodal Communication The LPL! initiative relies on multi - modal, one -way and two -way communication to foster community relationships. Information will be posted before and after participation activities online, in the newspaper, via email update, and by presentations and brochures for larger participation activities. Some groups may want a simple memo update and others may want to meet in person. Updates and recaps should also be done at each participation meeting and events. City staff should inform target audiences based on their preferences. It is important to provide timely feedback after events. A good way to show the public their input is being heard is to implement small projects and activities that the public has expressed an interest in as soon as possible. People like to see that work is being done, even if incremental. Always provide a means for participants to respond and provide feedback such as written comments, online and email, and in person. Information can be delivered via email, mail, public postings, online, newspaper, radio and television. Content Current and future issues facing Rosemount, along with the need to advertise public services and events, will determine the majority of the LPL! communication content. First and foremost, people need to know where to find information and who to ask if they have questions. The answers to common inquiries should be used as a resource for repeat questions, and could be disseminated to the larger population. Distribution of, and discussion about, RCP outcomes is an essential communication priority; will provide a wealth of content for LPQ and will serve as a basis of information for the upcoming 11 1 P a g e comprehensive plan. Content will also contribute to education of interested citizens through a City of Rosemount LPL! Community Academy to promote further leadership development. Finally, the City needs to advertise the various events and services. This is important for successful turnout of events and for reaching those in need of services. The City should also advertise their presence at local and organizational events to show mutual support for resident interests. Communities of Interest and Communities of Place Communication of content in a manner that is relevant and meaningful to general and targeted audiences is crucial. For example, public participation may be more successful if content and participatory opportunities are framed within a local scale (e.g., neighborhood issues) and small area plans because they are often more readily tangible. Residents are better able to provide input because they have a higher level of "local knowledge" and understanding of their neighborhoods. It can be more difficult to grasp comprehensive planning's scope and scale than, for example, a park plan. Communication Methods Communication for public engagement requires a diversity of techniques and comprehensive strategies. Every communication technique has tradeoffs; LPL! will utilize a series of integrated and diverse techniques to communicate effectively to a diverse audience. Communication plans are iterative and are more successful if the audience is included in the design and refinement of the public engagement process. The community advisory committee could be utilized to confirm and evaluate communication strategies (e.g. through user surveys). Rosemount distributes information to its residents through an extensive email list; a monthly column in the Rosemount Town Pages newspaper; new resident and parks brochures, a well- maintained website; and a tri- annual newsletter, which is Rosemount resident's largest source of information. These traditional techniques, which have an existing audience from years of exposure, are effective and are focused on providing information but may not be reaching new, diverse audiences. These techniques are excellent avenues for marketing the LPL! initiative and providing regular updates to planning activities, engagement opportunities and the upcoming comprehensive plan. The City needs to increase and enhance its presence on social media, such as Facebook, as a sizable portion (37 %) of the community uses the site. The page can function both as an information portal and as a forum for public comments, questions, and idea generation. As an alternative, a portion of the 12 1 P a g e Rosemount website could be developed as an online LPL! portal. Two -way communication will increase the spectrum of engagement from informing to consulting (e.g., through posting question -of- the -week requests). It provides a communication line to individuals with online access that may not respond to traditional methods. The City should consider partnering with the Dakota County Technical College multimedia and graphic design department to help develop the City's online presence. The most important aspect of a communication plan is in- person communication and relationship - building. It is crucial that the City meets with target groups through coffee klatches, participation in events hosted by community organizations, and reaching target audiences by visiting their events and locations for socialization. Opportunities to utilize partner communication strategies and networks, such as advertising through organizational email lists or newsletters should also be considered. The City needs to talk to known organizations, e.g., 360 Communities, Darts, and RAAC to strengthen communication lines, get help identifying and contacting target groups, and learn preferred methods for reaching target groups.. Once a relationship has been established, techniques like Meetings -In -A -Box and the LPL! speaker series can be implemented more effectively. Personal relationships are key to sustaining long term engagement. Without these relationships, the City may have a difficult time reaching underrepresented groups and sustaining long -term engagement. Strong relationships are the most important piece for capacity building. Information Delivery LPL! will make a point of asking participants how they want to receive communication regarding upcoming projects, events, and planning activities; how they want to participate; how they prefer to provide comments and feedback; and how they expect to receive information about projects in which they have participated. Some will want simple email updates or online updates, others may want brochures, and some may want presentations updating them on how their participation and input was used. It is important to follow up with participants in a timely manner and in the fashion they prefer. The key is to identify and follow through with the communication preferences of participants. Learn LPL! is designed with components to educate both staff and residents. First, City staff will benefit from RCP findings and learn more about residents and resident needs, how to engage diverse members of 13 1 P a g e the community, and resources to enhance participation through a brown -bag lunch series. Second, the public will about civic participation in a manner that is interesting, useful, and fun through the RCP speaker series and information and curriculum designed to reach various audiences through different levels of engagement. Resilient Communities Project (RCP) Speaker Series The Resilient Communities Project (RCP), an initiative of the Sustainability Faculty Network at the University of Minnesota, provides sustainability expertise to one community each year through collaboration between students, faculty, and the partner community. The City of Rosemount was selected as the RCP community for 2014 -2015 and is currently benefiting from work on nearly 40 community -based projects touching on topics related to housing; communications and public engagement; parks, open space and recreation; energy and green technology; water management; transportation and land use; and economic development'. These projects are anticipated to provide a wealth of information on Rosemount that will be valuable to City staff as well as the community and can serve as a foundation for discussions to inform the 2018 Comprehensive Plan update. LPL! will rely on this in -depth exploration into community issues by incorporating findings into staff and community training as well as to kick off the community engagement initiative through a widely advertised speaker and dinner series to begin community discussions. Staff Training LPL! asks City staff and leaders to enhance their own engagement skills through understanding current trends and issues identified by RCP, dedicating resources for public participation, and forming an internal staff team with the responsibility of coordinating public participation and engagement efforts. Team formation should involve training for staff at the outset to learn how to establish regular communication channels between departments and with the general public as well, and also how to engage minority and underrepresented groups throughout the community. Dedication of resources, including funding, time, and staff, to public engagement is a critical City need. Internal education will come from many different sources such as: RCP proposals; development of LPL! training sessions, projects, and event materials; individual research; and lastly from additional consultation and trainings. 7 Resilient Communities Project website: httr): / /rcr).umn.edu/ home / communities /2014- 2015- r)roiects/ (accessed 1 December 2014) 141 Page LPL! Academy A significant LPL! education component will be a form of Citizen Academy in which a series of courses and trainings will be created to teach civic engagement and community planning as it relates to the City of Rosemount. The City should work with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Dakota County Technical College, government agencies and local partners to develop a location- specific community and regional planning curriculum for its residents. The curriculum should include topics identified by resident's interests. Potential topics could include public planning processes, public participation, land use planning, neighborhood planning, urban design, economic development, land use law, environmental planning, transportation planning, and natural resource planning in addition to topics of particular local interest (e.g., public art or community spaces). Curriculum should be adapted to the history and patterns of development that lead to the current City of Rosemount and surrounding areas. Consider having instructors from respective organizations and agencies teach their expertise of topics. The key here is to create a curriculum that is appropriate for residents to learn through a series of courses and trainings that build upon topics and current planning activities, such as neighborhood plans and local issues. To implement this, a series of community education core courses could be created and continued from year to year. A simple residents' guide to planning process could be used to initiate the course curriculum development and provide a useful resource to handout at events and send to new residents. Course material should include a digital version that could be printed as needed and should be adapted for non - English speaking (or English -as -a- second - language) residents. Courses can also be digitally recorded and offered online and on public television. One option would be to create a massive online open course available to residents. Lectures can then be watched at users convenience and short quizzes used to gauge understanding and record participation. Residents could be awarded points for completing courses. Points could be awarded individually or as neighborhoods to create a competitive challenge to become citizen planners. Awards, such as gift certificates to local restaurants, could be given for achieving certain point benchmarks, such as completing a number of courses. A curriculum should also be made for school -aged kids as well to foster participation and interest in LPL! at an early age. Partnership between the school district a City would have multiple benefits by informing and engaging students while meeting education requirements through an applied project. 15 1 P a g e Participate LPL! participatory events have been designed to develop a foundation of public engagement in advance of the Example Gathering Spaces 2018 comprehensive planning process. Traditional public participation events often rely on the public coming to 'Central Park and other City parks •Community Events the planners and events and expecting the public to be •Communuty Gardens engaged, show up and participate. The assumption was • Farmers' Market made that Planning is inherently interesting and civic • Neighborhoods engagement is a not only a right but an activity in which • Public Schools -Robert Trail Library people would want to participate and that planners • Rosemount Family Resource Center should accommodate. Our approach suggests designing • Rosemount Community Center participation efforts that can be integrated with -Steeple Center community activities and events, such as the farmers' ' UMore Park market, 360 Communities, RAAC, and annual events. LPL! asks the planners to go to where the people are, instead of expecting people to come to the planners. The City needs to show an interest in its citizens and establish solid relationships, only then will citizens be receptive to further proactive public participation and planning activities. The LPL! participation process asks the City to actively attend local events, meetings, and activities that residents and local organizations are hosting. Attending these events, talking with and listening to the people, is crucial to building strong relationships with residents. Build in downtime for people to reflect on planning activities and for staff to synthesize and integrate public input. Re- establish public interest by presenting the results of the last engagement activity and introducing the next step. A mixture of social and planning events will help ensure long -term participation and interest. Citywide neighborhood mapping and significant places project Another approach to garnering interests in planning and LPL! is to conduct a citywide neighborhood mapping and significant places project. Consider asking residents to outline the boundaries of what they consider to be their neighborhoods. Ask residents to identify significant features and locations on a map and ask about aspects they like and do not like. This information can be compiled to help identify distinct neighborhoods and begin the process of creating neighborhood plans. Let neighborhoods create visions, goals, and name their neighborhoods to instill ownership and commitment to the planning initiative. These plans can then be used throughout planning courses and trainings. Mapping activities can be done at workshops, in courses, at events and through 16 1 P a g e neighborhood -led meetings (e.g., Meetings -in -a -Box). Mapping can be done on paper or an online mapping survey could be created through ArcGIS Online, Google Earth, or Wiki -map. This mapping activity could be used for identifying priority public spaces, locations for public art, identifying infrastructure needs, connectivity surveys, locating community gardens, pedestrian and bike feasibility studies and way finding projects. Early mapping activities can be used to initiate neighborhood plans and connect with neighborhood leaders for ongoing engagement. Neighborhood -scale mapping and plan development is an excellent way to get proactive interest and participation while completing planning activities. LPL! in Your Neighborhood The City needs to be present at community events, not just Leprechaun Days but also at school events, park events, farmers market, recreation center events and activities, 360 communities events, RAAC events and any location that target audiences are attending. The City can bring trainings, information, mock planning, strategic plans, and mapping activities to community events, local organization events and meetings to reach a broader audience and bring the planning to the people. It is important the City maintain active presence at non -city lead events to promote LPL! and provided opportunities for engagement. More importantly the City needs to show it is participating in the activities of the people. LPL! in Your Neighborhood should be designed to build off of community discussions generated during the RCP Speaker Series and previously identified local issues. For example, in our work plan we have suggested a "Developing a Community Vision" event that uses a partnership between RAAC artists and community members to develop artwork for City Hall that reflects the vision different community members have for the future or Rosemount as well as a photo contest for the community to identify important spaces. When possible, the City should provide entertainment and fun activities, such as games, food, and music, in addition to a planning agenda at public engagement events. This can also be accomplished through partnering with events such as the Bluegrass Festival. Opportunities for residents and City staff to socialize without a strong planning agenda are also important. Meetings in a Box To engage hard to reach or underrepresented groups, meetings -in -a -box should be created to parallel LPL! other participatory activities. Contacts established in initial engagement activities should be encouraged to host meetings -in -a -box gatherings to further include target groups. Opportunities 17 1 P a g e include the creation of academy courses for small group settings, mapping activities, or structured topical discussions to be led by residents. Meetings -in -a -box can also be used to conduct surveys or questionnaires as well as to inform the public about planning activities. Meetings in a box are an excellent way to reach minority groups and build stronger relationships with hard to reach groups. Lead! Into 2018 LPL! has been designed to increase community planning capacity, engage new and diverse residents, and develop long -term relationships with an eye to the future. Rosemount is changing. Through LPL.►, our aim is to build off of learning opportunities, community participation and leadership development in preparation for the 2018 Comprehensive Plan Update. Participatory events will be designed to solicit discussion and input on the key issues of community gathering spaces, urban agriculture, energy, and public art. This information can organized as informal, topical strategic plans or compiled into more local neighborhood plans. As mentioned, these plans would provide excellent opportunities to teach planning throughout LPL! courses and trainings, create opportunities for participation and engagement, create opportunities for comment, feedback, and input about planning projects, and help the City develop community -based information that can feed into the comprehensive planning process. The possibility to build community capacity while completing meaningful planning activities is invaluable. Work Plan Four key components serve as the foundation for the LPL! initiative. While a suite of tools in support of each component has been identified, the proposal has been designed to allow flexibility in prioritization and implementation of LPL! Two components, enhanced staff capacity and community partnerships, will set the stage for community ownership of a broad, well- communicated public engagement initiative. These components will build off of the RCP outcomes and current community assets. 18 1 P a g e Key Tasks Component 1: Staff Capacity Training focused on enhancing staff capacities related to community diversity and resident engagement will leverage understanding from RCP study, expand proposed stakeholder list through community expert analysis, and refine the participation proposal with input from key community leaders. Component 2: Community Partnerships Community partnerships for public engagement will be strengthened through component 1 and, specifically, focus groups or panel discussions designed to enhance staff understanding of community participatory needs and preferences. Establishment of an LPL! Advisory Committee is recommended to engage and leverage expertise of current community leaders and to shift the LPL! initiative from a proposal to a community- designed effort. An LPL! 8 -to -80 program is suggested to benefit from Rosemount's strong youth and elder communities. Component 3: LPL! Communications Strategy A multi -modal communications strategy is recommended to inform and initiate dialogue with Rosemount residents. The strategy includes development of a community LPL! curriculum and academy, marketing the LPL! initiative, and creating tools to recruit and retain participants. An example summary communications strategy is provided in the Appendix. Component 4: Rosemount Learn, Participate, Lead! Events A number of events have been designed to build community planning and participation capacity in advance of the 2018 Comprehensive Planning Process. Goal- oriented LPL! events and activities will include an RCP celebration and speaker series; development of a residents' academy; neighborhood events; and LEAD! into 2018, a transition into the City's comprehensive planning process. Timeline 25FIFTY wants to ground the LPL! initiative by conducting a City staff meeting after this document has been reviewed internally. Staff should have the opportunity to thoroughly review this proposal and associated RCP documents. A follow -up meeting will provide time to ask questions or provide suggested improvements for this proposal. Staff training on outreach methods will ensue as early as February, and should have taken place by May. The work of branding the engagement process will begin in February and be completed by May, ready to be used in the summer public outreach series. In 19 1 P a g e spring, focus groups and City leadership (Council /boards /commissions) will be consulted to identify member for the Community Advisory Committee, which will be essential to guiding City outreach efforts. In May and June, the City will heavily promote the upcoming series of engagement events, which is followed by the two -way, interactive, activities from June through September. Flow Chart of the LPL! Framework 20 1 Page The LPL! Foundation LPL! Participation Initiative Rosemount Community Participation - Proposed Timeline Stall iPCf lramin� &and De k*fflcnl One •wav COmmuruulion Focus firoups CO rAVrKd and Curunlis mt C f]Ci[ Crv4t FnrAte t Co -,tt, C� Carvnunrtf ndosory Comm,lire `. Rev4en! Canmunrlln ProJM: . S peaker DCrC C W tw ne P arlNlpatrtn PtosemouM le. Nth Class Partrc,pato llLl f &wnOun! Coffer break rtaJl[ blueyass RMC LPL! Ar! Cpllabpratlrc Farmen' Market Cdnwnun4y Spaces • Mapping Leprcthaun Oayl , WYM m Ow Pars . Kkmted Woods Trad M M ti"I 9 �a Merim6s- m•a•Bax ftlelghbprhppd Plans lll! Wllon�ng Key Meetings Key meetings will reflect the 4 key components of the LPL! initiative and include a staff kickoff event and brown -bag engagement series, a community leaders Participation Focus Group, the RCP Speaker Series, the LPL! Academy, LPL! in Your Neighborhood, and a visioning kick -off to LEAD! into 2018 comprehensive planning. Staff Capacity Learn, Participate, Lead! staff kickoff and brown -bag series on community engagement: An investment in staff capacity in community diversity and engagement will benefit from RCP projects that can inform staff about community trends, resident desires, and engagement needs. The LPL! staff component will utilize a brown bag series to highlight RCP information particularly valuable for City staff and other leaders. An interdepartmental public engagement committee will be established to share engagement expertise and to develop, coordinate, and implement the City's public engagement activities. Who — All City Staff. Required for heads of each Department and all City Planning staff Where — City offices When — Weekly: January 2015 -July 2015 Kickoff: January 2015 • Serving a Changing Community: Rosemount Demographics and Future Projections • Stakeholder Analysis — Review of 25FIFTY analysis; identification of additional key community leaders to contact — invite for focus groups in May LPL! Academy and Education Materials: February - May 2015 • City staff reviews new resident guide for application to LPL! Citizen's Academy and other community planning outreach materials (e.g. LPL! in the Classroom). Brown -bag Series: June - July 2015 June July • Cultural Integration: New Immigrant Groups in Rosemount —Gaps in Services and Programs (Maurer) • Communication Methods for Underserved and Hard -to -reach Populations • Connecting Volunteers and Organizations (Cox and Foster) • Supporting Neighborhood Cohesion (Cox) • Homeowner Associations: Collaboration and Partnership for Public Benefits (Watson) • Opportunities to Enhance Leprechaun Days (Schuster) • Strategies to Publicize Community Amenities and Engage Residents in Future Capital Planning (Schuster) Community Partnerships Learn, Participate, Lead! community outreach and engagement Community Partnerships: February - March 2015 Focus groups with community leaders to identify community participation needs, refine SWOT stakeholder list, and STRENGTHS explore community strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The SWOT analysis will OPPORTUNITIES begin with a review of previous engagement efforts and community partnerships. Analysis -WEAKNESSES Community Advisory Committee: May 2015 Establish Community Advisory THREATS Committee based on initial focus group participants and additional LAcommunity leaders. This group should meet bi- monthly to support LPL! implementation and refinement. Key outcomes from the initial meeting will include commitments from youth commission, RAAC, DCTC and ISD -196 on proposed LPL Educational Series and Neighborhood Events. Who - City Council, City Commissions, Civic Organizations, Chamber of Commerce, DCTC Civic Engagement Committee Where - City Hall and meeting locations of respective partners. Rosemount LPL! Events LPL! Educational Series RCP Speaker Series (Sponsored by LPL! Initiative) Kickoff Celebration: May 2015 Outcomes of the Resilient Communities Project will provide a wealth of information for the community to use as a foundation of the comprehensive planning process. A kickoff to celebrate the 2014 -2015 RCP will include an overview of the project, a community introduction to the Learn, Participate, Lead! initiative (announce academy and partnerships), an invited speaker (History of Rosemount ?), and a poster session to advertise projects and upcoming speaker series. Dinner Discussions: June 2015 - December 2015 RCP dinner discussions will be organized around five themes identified by the City of Rosemount: Creating Public Spaces, Urban Agriculture, Public Art, Energy, and Infrastructure. To the extent possible, they should be placed based in community spaces throughout Rosemount (e.g., Central Park, Community Center, Community Gardens) and presented concurrent to LPL! in My Neighborhood events. Dinner discussions will be facilitated and recorded to identify community priorities, additional topics for consideration and potential questions for online and physical meetings -in -a -box. Citizen interest will be gauged from the presentation of RCP materials to tailor further outreach and engagement efforts based on initial attendance. Series 1: Creating Public Spaces Community Gathering Spaces Recreational Programming (Kids in Nature) Recreation Needs and Opportunities (Underserved Populations) LPL! in the Classroom DCTC Civic Engagement: Fall 2015 - Fall 2016 Partnership with the Dakota County Technical College will support goals of the DCTC Civic Engagement Committee and connect student work with applied community needs. The Design and Technology Department at Dakota County Technical College presents a significant opportunity to use students within the Oak Savannah and riverfront restoration Public multi - jurisdictional athletic fields Series 2: Urban Agriculture Urban Agriculture Community Gardens Series 3: Public Art Public Art in the Downtown District Series 4: Energy and Green Technology Alternative Sources of Energy Greenhouse Gas Emissions Efficient Lighting, Climate Adaptation Water (Storm Water Management, Water Reuse and Conservation) Green Energy Impacts on Urban Development Series 5: Infrastructure Housing: Barriers and Opportunities for multigenerational Housing, Single- family housing, student housing Transportation (Non- motorized, travel -shed analysis) Benefits and Impacts of Constructing Alleys Economic Development (Business Clusters, Eco -Green Business Park, Website) community to develop communication curriculum materials based on the materials from the RCP. The LPL! initiative will work to coordinate development of an online community engagement portal during the fall of 2015, recording of the first LPL! Citizen's Academy courses during the spring of 2016, 24 1 Page involvement of DCTC students in the 2016 LPL! photo competition, and development of an online Citizen's Academy during the fall of 2016. Rosemount Middle School: Fall 2015 - Fall 2016 Partnership with Rosemount Middle School will include presentation of LPL! Academy topics to students, introduce students to Rosemount Youth Commission opportunities and events, and conclude with a group projects in support of one of the five City of Rosemount planning themes: Creating Public Spaces, Urban Agriculture, Public Art, Energy, and Infrastructure. Participation in the LPL! community spaces photo competition will also be promoted. LPL! Community Academy The LPL! Citizens Academy will be designed to introduce residents the planning process as well as City governance and assets. This program will give residents the knowledge, tools and resources to be active, educated and highly effective participants in the community planning process. Opportunities to connect participants with City Commissions will be identified. To incentivize participation, the City could create a local accreditation or award for residents to become citizen planners. Residents completing the LPL! Citizen's Academy will be recognized by the City Council; one community leader will be recognized annually with a leadership award. LPL! In Your Neighborhood Engaging citizens face -to -face is the best way to create dialogue between citizens and Rosemount staff. Consistent dialogue opens easy, comfortable lines of communication between staff and citizen, allowing the City to better address resident's needs, and allows the two parties to handle conflict better if it does arise. Rosemount will create a series of education and engagement events for the public around the topics of 1) Community Gathering Spaces, 2) Urban Agriculture, 3) Energy, 4) Public Art and 5) Infrastructure. These meetings will take place with varied structures (e.g., charrette), audiences, dates, times and locations in order to capture the most attendance. Residents will ideally learn general information of each topic, and then each topic will be presented on how it specifically relates to Rosemount. Next, residents will give their perspective on how they believe Rosemount relates to the topic. A 25 1 Page basic SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a useful tool to start a comprehensive conversation in all these topics. Who - Community members, targeted audience by topic Where - Leprechaun Days, County Fair, School Events, Park Events, Rec Center, 360 Community Events, RAAC events - Bluegrass Festival; Art Collaborative and Photo Contest, Neighborhood Block Parties, Rosemount Coffee Break, Farmers' Market, Movie in the Park, Haunted Woods Trail, Police Night to Unite, Community Gardens, Community Center Community Perspectives - Developing a Community Vision Art installation through RAAC artist partnership with community /underrepresented groups to make artwork for City Hall. A LPL! Significant Spaces photo contest will be used to engage and reflect the interests of various residents. Additional opportunities to invite the public to suggest ways to redesign City hall meeting spaces to be more friendly to the public could also be considered. Significant places mapping: valued spaces and assets (Community Gathering Spaces) Mapping project to identify important locations, spaces, features of the community combine with a photo contest. Out -of- the -box Planning Mock planning workshops for creative planning scenarios (e.g., such as building our City, zombie planning for Halloween, envisioning a no -car city, or "what if nobody in Rosemount had to work and the City was all about having fun ?" Online Surveys and Dialogue Questions based around Urban Agriculture, Creating Public Spaces, Energy, Public Art, Infrastructure Public Art The Rosemount Area Arts Council (RAAC) would be a great host for public art issues. The RAAC is a volunteer -run, financially independent organization founded in 2007 to "spearhead action and programmingi8 in Rosemount. As of August 2013, the RAAC has put on 33 events, 30 of which were free, and spent $18,500 in Rosemount. The RAAC provides classes, grants, and community events. The Council has a relatively low amount of programming scheduled, thus it could benefit the Council by giving it a large platform to have itself heard, and the community could benefit by becoming involved with the RAAC and partnering with an established local arts organization. 8 httr): / /www.rosemountaac.ora /about- us.html (accessed 1 December 2014) 261 Page Urban Agriculture Partnering with the University of Minnesota's Rosemount Research and Outreach Center at Wore Park is an obvious choice. Wore Park has collaborated to create the Discovery Gardens, a "regional destination where visitors are engaged in horticulture education that fosters a'Come - Discover - Adopt,' 9 an approach coincidentally similar to LPL!. Discovery Gardens will open in summer of 2015, providing an exciting and beautiful field trip for participants. A wrap -up meeting could later be held to document any inspiration the trip inspires. Meeting(s) could also be segmented or separated to focus on urban agriculture and rural agriculture Energy Energy, in many forms, is of high importance to Rosemount. Alternative and renewable energy research and installation, such as wind and solar power, and LED lighting, is encouraged by the City 10 . Energy efficiency and water conservation are important as well. The local issues of Energy, Infrastructure and Urban Agriculture are all interrelated; these events should be held in close succession to each other to while new information is fresh in the mind of residents and staff. 9 httr): / /rroc.cfans .umn.edu /r)rod /arour)s /cfans/ @r)ub/ @cfans / @rroc /documents /asset /cfans a sset 478842.r)df (accessed 1 December 2014) 10 httr): / /ci.rosemount .mn.us /DocumentCenter /Vi ew 597 (accessed 1 December 2014) Infrastructure Infrastructure may be the largest local issue. In a residential questionnaire conducted in April 2014, 24% of Rosemount residents stated "too much growth" is the second highest "serious issue facing Rosemount today," barely behind "nothing," at 25 %. Residents are clearly apprehensive about the current pace of development in the City. The rate of growth and its effects needs to be the central topic of conversation in events concerning infrastructure. Infrastructure is what physically shapes cities; a conversation on how residents want their city to grow could not be more pertinent to Rosemount's upcoming Comprehensive Plan update. 27 1 Page Visioning kick -off to LEAD! into 2018 comprehensive planning This campaign will begin with a series of visioning events to make the next comprehensive plan a plan for the people, by the people. Specific details for the visioning sessions will be fleshed out as the LPL! initiative progresses. Visioning sessions can feed into more in -depth discussions via meetings -in -a -box to begin to inform strategic and neighborhood plans. Information Provision To organize the myriad of proposed meetings, the City needs to create an online LPL! presence in the form of a Facebook page and a website or portal that will serve as an information source to residents and the City. Residents can use the site to discover and attend meetings, and review and comment on event or meeting products. The City can gather information by making a highly visible survey on whichever topics it desires, such as the Local Issues on page 10 of this document. This website /portal can serve as an essential tool to maintain participation once the initial waves of marketing have dissipated and events have begun generating products. Displaying the products of meetings, i.e. surveys, goals, and designs through not only the website, but existing traditional sources (i.e. T.V., newspaper, newsletter) as well, is important because it will show that resident's input is being processed and broadcasted. Conclusion The LPL! framework, and associated programming, that we propose encompasses a comprehensive, inclusive, forward thinking structure which will serve the City of Rosemount and its residents well. Through branding, the people of Rosemount will be able to recognize and understand that they can be involved in City processes. As residents become aware of the roles of the City, they will have opportunities to learn about and interact with its structures. This heightened level of awareness and involvement by residents will set the stage for a comprehensive planning process with high levels of community participation and leadership. Many other municipalities have shown direct correlation between levels of involvement and successful outcomes in the city planning process. Through LPL! the City of Rosemount will have developed the communication channels with residents to a level that will not only benefit the 2018 Rosemount Comprehensive Plan update but will also carry the community into the future with the capacity and relationships to address future issues and planning needs. Let's help Rosemount build its future, together. Appendix: Example Summary LPL! Communications Strategy 29 1 Page Spectrum of Activity Responsible Party Frequency Audience Communication Participation Mailings, Television, Online, inform, consult, Learn, Participate, Brochures, Word of Mouth, City, partners Ongoing All involve, collaborate, Lead! Initiative News paper, Community Education Catalogue, email empower Resilient Communities Early to rally Community as a Flyers, Online, Newspaper, inform, consult, Projects City, Partners interest Whole email involve, collaborate Immediately, Word of mouth, email, phone Audience Identification City update as Target audience inform, consult calls needed Mailings, Online, Brochures, inform, consult, Word of Mouth, News paper, LPL! Academy City, partners Ongoing All involve, collaborate, Community Education Catalogue, Flyers, email empower Word of mouth, mailings, inform, consult, Strategic Planning City Ongoing Target audience flyers, online, email involve, collaborate, empower City, Community Word of mouth, brochure, inform, consult, Meeting -in -a -Box Leaders As needed Target audience email involve, empower Significant Places City As needed All Mailings, Online, Flyers inform, consult, involve Mapping Summer and LPL! In My early fall, 2 Televisons, Online, City All Newspaper, Flyers, Word of inform, consult, involve Neighborhood minimum mouth, email mtgs /issue Televisons, Online, 2 -4 times a year Social Events City, Partners All Newspaper, Flyers, Word of inform or as needed mouth, email Surveys and Mailings, Emails, Online, City As needed All inform, consult Questionnaires Flyers, Phone, 29 1 Page a planning and participation strategy SIH Consulting Stephanie Hatten Drew Ingvalson Laurelyn Sandkamp SIH Consulting I Minneapolis, MN I St. Paul, MN December 2, 2014 Kim Lindquist Office of Community Development Rosemount City Hall 2875 145th Street West Rosemount, MN 55068 Ms. Lindquist: Rosemount is a dynamic and vibrant community with a very distinctive culture within the greater Twin Cities Area. Specifically, Rosemount's combination of rural and agricultural living, alongside the benefits of a suburban community, make it an desirable community to live and work. It is vital that Rosemount maintains its cherished community identity, while also embracing the cultures and traditions of new residents. Now that the 2018 Comprehensive Plan update is approaching, it is especially vital that the City of Rosemount focuses on reaching out to traditionally underrepresented groups. One promising way for the City to gain greater understanding of its longstanding and new residents is through a series of exciting and engaging themed participation events. SIH Consulting believes that these goals can be met largely through organizing participation events around already well- attended community celebrations and high - traffic areas. In the pages that follow, we describe specific engagement strategies that Rosemount can draw upon to make participation both easy and exciting. The following document further describes a framework for ways in which Rosemount can communicate, engage and collaborate with the various community groups within the City to help guide the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update. We call our proposed engagement strategy My Rosemount 2040. We greatly appreciate your consideration of our firm on this project and look forward to working with the City of Rosemount. Sincerely, SIH Consulting Laurelyn Sandkamp, Drew Ingvalson, Stephanie Hatten Introduction 7 Demographics 2 SI H Philosophy 3 Key Issues 4 Key Stakeholders 5 Stakeholder Map 6 Underrepresented Residents 7 My Rosemount 2040 9 Overarching Strategies 7 7 Participation Toolbox 72 Work Plan 79 Seasonal Events 20 Continued Engagement 25 References 27 Rosemount, Minnesota is a suburban community located twenty miles south of the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Less than half of city land is currently developed, and a large portion is used for agriculture. Rosemount's population is projected to grow significantly in coming years, consistent with the whole of Dakota County and the Twin Cities metropolitan area. New residents are arriving, including immigrant and minority populations. Longtime residents of Rosemount take pride in their Irish history and agricultural roots, and seek to maintain the distinct character of the city while proactively responding to growth and change. k The City of Rosemount is located in Dakota County, Minnesota. 1 i IP With areas of glacial deposits and flat, open land, the City of Rosemount has historically been considered an agricultural town. The first settlers in 1853 were Irish immigrants looking for a claim to stake in the earth. Many other ethnic groups soon followed. The city was founded in 1858, the same year that Minnesota became a state. Rosemount maintains a very strong Irish tradition, as evidenced by the Irish mascot of Rosemount High School and the shamrock featured on the City's logo. Leprechaun Days, Rosemount's largest community event, is a citywide celebration honoring the city's Irish heritage. The sense of rural community established more than 150 years ago has stayed with the City of Rosemount to the present. Residents are proud of the small -town feel of the city and desire to embrace this character as the community continues to grow and urbanize. Rosemount can be described as a "family suburb." According to 2010 U.S. Census data, Rosemount's population is approximately 21,874. Compared to the rest of Dakota County and the state of Minnesota, Rosemount has a population that is younger, more likely to have children, more likely to own a home, and more affluent. County and state comparison data is available in Table 1. Rosemount has experienced an incremental increase in non -white residents in recent years. From 2000 to 2010 the percentage of Rosemount residents identifying as White (non- Hispanic) decreased from 92.8 percent to 87.3 percent. This shift can be explained by three minority groups' increase in population during this time: Black residents (2.0% to 3.0 %), Asian residents (2.1 % to 5.6 %) and Hispanic residents (1.8% to 3.1 %). These demographic shifts are shown in Table 2. ota i 2 The overarching philosophy of SIH Consulting is that all groups of residents should be involved in the decisions that shape the place they call home. We believe that the perspectives of those who choose Rosemount as the place where they want to live, work, and play are essential components of a plan that works for everyone. Our consulting firm strives to emphasize participation techniques that will encourage underrepresented populations, such as youth, renters, new residents, and ethnic minorities, to participate in this decisionmaking in a way that is meaningful and authentic. Key Goals Identified by Rosemount 9 Arn;,tein x1994] Ladder of Otixvn po"icipetiun Citizen CUnkrw ��btl+Mor Degrees of citimn Power F,artriorrdrip Placati -an Consulta6Dn De g, eel of Lu kurnsm Informing Tbarvy NK� pa M,Rr11pULdki *rl �`ti JukYn The City of Rosemount has expressed a need for a proactive engagement strategy which will not only educate residents and attract them to participate in City activities, but that will sustain this interest and participation throughout the planning process and beyond. The key goals for this process as defined by the City of Rosemount appear at left. Our proposed engagement strategy for Rosemount offers a variety of tools and techniques that can be implemented in a wide range of settings. There is no one - size - fits -all participation strategy or "silver bullet;" instead, the specific techniques Rosemount chooses will be highly dependent on the issue at hand. Resident Unfamiliarity with City Processes Lack of City Connections to Under- Represented Groups Lack of Time New residents may not be familiar with the process for completing Comprehensive Plans or may not be aware of the ways that they can participate in the process. New renters, specifically, have traditionally been an unengaged group and might be unaware of ways to become engaged. This might be because they are a very transient group that does not expect to still be in Rosemount in the near future. They may not feel it is appropriate, or worth their time, to participate in a plan for a city that they will not reside in for long. Rosemount has started to become more ethnically and racially diverse. City staff has noted that participation is low among these minority groups. Youth, new residents, and young families are also traditionally underrepresented. New residents of the city might feel deterred from participation and should be specifically targeted as a key group to engage with. It is critical that these underrepresented groups are actively sought out as a part of the engagement process. Residents often feel too busy to contribute in participation events due to children, work or other personal responsibilities. The City must implement creative ways that make it easy for these groups to be informed and participate in the planning process to ensure that all Rosemount residents are able to have their voices heard. 51 An effective public participation strategy requires strong partnerships between the City and key stakeholders. HiSh Interest fCa0abwaw COX) H igh Influence Y r wetv SJUSikdl cowcoaok rK"P kL6ff -1@ Low I nfluence rKeop I &nfflW j Low I rnterest D )-,zan d E r� actors SO s (L� p a�eds rptere esf r'c V. contest sttLerN � rr,nrw r Following initial conversations with Rosemount city staff, our firm drafted an initial stakeholder map (next page). The stakeholder map depicts four major identified groups: • Underrepresented Residents (purple) • Community Agencies + Organizations (orange) • Traditionally Engaged Residents (blue) • Elected + Appointed Officials (green) Rosemount has already begun to engage with these stakeholders on existing initiatives. The proposed engagement process will leverage these relationships to maximize public outreach. This initial map is not intended to comprise a comprehensive stakeholder list. We recommend that a formal stakeholder analysis be conducted with city staff in the initial stages of this contract. This analysis will serve two purposes: to add to the initial list of stakeholders and to also put stakeholders into groups based on their level of power and interest in the Comprehensive Plan Process (see images at left). Further details on the groups identified in the stakeholder map are provided in the following pages. New \ Residents I Youth Home Owners e Longtime Residents Renters //"Racial + Ethnic Minorities Rosemount Family Resource Center ., City of Rosemount Comprehensive Plan Business Community ' County \ Commissioners t Rosemount Area Arts Council Communities Planning Commission Specific groups that have been significantly underrepresented in participation initiatives and should be targeted for proactive outreach are identified below. Some of these categories tend to overlap and this list should not be considered exhaustive. Ethnic and Racial Minorities Due to an increase in migration to the metro area, suburbs, such as Rosemount, are starting to become a popular destination for minority populations. It is essential that the City engages with the growing ethnic and racial minority groups to ensure that the Rosemount's future plans include the concerns and views of all of its citizens. Young Families The City has stated that young families are frequently too busy to participate in the community. Due to the time constraints of this group, it is vital that the city seeks creative ways to make participation easy and less time consuming for them and other community members with time constraints. New Residents Most new residents of a community have a hard time getting information about public events and engagement processes. The City must make an extra effort to engage new residents so that their views are represented by the City government and so that they are active public participants throughout their time in Rosemount. 7 Youth The opinions of youth are traditionally underrepresented in planning decisions. As Rosemount embarks on a process to not only plan for its residents, but with its residents, inclusion of youth is highly recommended. Involving youth in My Rosemount 2040 would bring a variety of benefits to the youth and to Rosemount. First, youth bring diverse perspectives and values that often differ from those of adults. By protecting and enhancing the places and activities youth regard as valuable, Rosemount will promote livability and a higher quality of life for all its residents. Youth input enriches the planning process and ultimately the final plan. Second, such involvement exposes youth to local government and the planning profession at an early age. Creating fun, authentic, hands -on opportunities for youth to engage in public decisionmaking lays a foundation for effective citizenship and involvement later in life. Youth engagement activities can be designed to integrate with school curricula in subjects including writing, art, geometry, geography, history, social studies, and more. Renters and High- Density Housing Residents This household group is often hard to communicate with as they are fairly transient and tend to move around more than the average Rosemount resident. Per conversations with City staff, Rosemount typically sees less participation from residents that live in areas with higher densities (see red circles in the figure at right). These areas are typically described as having more rental units, lower household incomes and residents with less tenure in the city. High and medium density areas in Rosemount were described as having more transient populations that do not engage in participatory or community events as often as residents from single - family residential neighborhoods. City staff is particularly concerned about an area of the city that they termed "the triangle" (see blue circle in the figure at right). _M4 W)SEMOUN 1.1 na.�� �a� it err .rf������w���� M���.,: �.- .•.��.� -��,i 1 1 J I Traditionally Engaged . . Traditionally, engaged citizens have been Caucasian, homeowners, middle aged and older, and middle /upper class community members with a longer tenure within Rosemount. This group has incredible knowledge of the history and culture of the city and should be maintained as valuable resources in the participation process. ,a We recommend that the City of Rosemount create an overarching brand for all of their participation events and initiatives. MY ROSEMOUNT 2040 SIH Consulting recommends Rosemount adopt the brand "My Rosemount 2040" for the participation plan (abbreviated MyRsmt20AO). Creating a simple brand for this participation initiative will reinforce public understanding that the information they contribute throughout this process is all directed towards one goal: creating a Comprehensive Plan that reflects the needs and wishes of all residents. � T . I The City's Comprehensive Plan is owned by the entire community. Residents often believe that plans are made by city and elected officials, without the consultation of the people that actually live in the community. The City should counter this assumption by consistently demonstrating that this plan belongs to the community and should be created by residents, for residents. This plan is for Rosemount's future. r Essentially, the City wants community members' input on: Where should the city go from here? And how can the City get to where we want it to be? These are large questions that should be answered through numerous engagement events and much deliberation amongst the community. This plan is for the entire ROSE MOUNT city of Rosemount. The Comprehensive Plan will cover commercial, industrial, residential, public and agricultural sectors of the city. The City wants to know how these future areas should be shaped by community members. Graphics associated with this brand should reflect the Rosemount community. To meet this goal, we have inserted a graphic that displays the agricultural and suburban dynamics of the City. We also recommend graphics that promote Rosemount's Irish heritage and Rosemount Irish Schools (such as the four leaf clover in MyRsmt2040). 10 Tag Onto Large Community Events It is extremely difficult to attract large crowds to participation events that are not seen as controversial or contentious by the public. For this reason, we suggest that the City set up booths, open houses or other engagement initiatives at large community events. These participation events should be fun, energetic and connect with the theme of the larger community event. Examples: • Leprechaun Days (summer) • Neighborhood Night Out (summer) • Night to Unite (summer) • Halloween Haunted Trail (Fall) • Arts Council Winter Tree Lighting (winter) Multifaceted Communication Examples: • Social Media We recommend Rosemount utilize a multipronged communications strategy in • Mailers order to maximize the number of residents reached. Using a variety of techniques • Friday Folders will improve the chance that a diverse range of individuals will take part in My • Television and Radio Rosemount 2040. • Press Releases Inclusionary Practices To further promote participation that is representative of all groups living in Rosemount, we recommend the City implement inclusionary practices and incentives for participation at meetings and events. 11 Examples: • Child Care • Translation Services • Refreshments • Additional incentives The following pages describe a "toolbox" full of strategies for Rosemount to use during My Rose- mount 2040. All of these strategies are incorporated into the final process. The strategies are organized by their place on the ladder of public participation. Each description also contains a relative cost ($ - $$$$). Strategies that Inform Ciiaen control YouTube Videos - $$ Ddegatcd power Rosemount should host a series of short informational videos describing the comprehensive planning Pannership process, changes and trends in Rosemount and ways to get involved. This strategy should be used Placation early and often in the participation process. For instance, we suggest that the City post short videos Consunatlon explaining the process, reason and importance of the City's comprehensive plan prior to any major participation events. Inlorming Tfierapx It is vital that these videos are straightforward, easily comprehensible and engaging. In order to boost viewership, these videos could be narrated by prominent public figures such as the mayor, city council Manipulation members and other local elected officials, local news anchors, the school superintendent, or school principals. Adding humor and captivating graphics to the videos would also increase viewership. It is important that these videos are made for both informational and entertainment purposes. Press Releases - $ Currently, the City of Rosemount uses press releases as a communication strategy only when some sort of tragedy or negative situation happens within the community. We recommend that Rosemount also consider using press releases to disseminate information about upcoming engagement opportunities and positive news stories. Using press releases to generate information to the community in a positive manner can help the City spread news about participation events to a much broader audience. 12 Strategies that Inform New Resident Guide - $ Another group that does not participate at a high level is new residents. A potential strategy to engage this population is to distribute a new resident guide to all newly purchased homes and leased housing units. This guide would have information about the process for development proposals, an overview and link to the City Comprehensive Plan, a schedule of important events in the city and information about the city that might not be known by a new resident. Information from Apartment Managers - $ A strategy that could help facilitate communication among renters, or those living in high- density housing, is to have apartment managers distribute information that is pertinent to their tenants. A suggested way to do this is to have managers put up posters or send flyers (under tenants' doors or in their mailboxes) that explain recent city initiatives or advertise upcoming participation events that are relevant to their residents. This strategy will involve a very high level of communication between managers and a supportive agency (city staff, a hired position, or a volunteer person). Friday Folders - $ Citizen control Delegated power Psmership Placation consuhatlan Informing We recommend that the City send community engagement information in elementary students' Friday Folders. The information sent in Friday Folders will inform parents of the various participation events that will be occurring in the upcoming months. The events described in these fliers will be in- person participation events, online surveys, and other ways to connect with the city of Rosemount. This strategy will require a strong connection between the school and city government, but would also be an inexpensive and far - reaching strategy. This strategy was previously used by the City to connect with Rosemount's large parent population and city staff has suggested its possible renewal. 13 Strategies that Consult C itarsn central Online Surveys - $$$ Deiegatsd power We recommend that the city of Rosemount use online surveys to informally obtain community input Paanership on city initiatives. To ensure high response rates, these polls should be short, simple and to the point. Plat iti SurveyMonkey is an online survey company that the city could use to complete this task. This polling c�n service is affordable, straightforward and very simple to use. Consultation Inlonmina Pop -Up Events - $$$ Thmipy Rosemount city staff could host a series of "pop up" engagement opportunities at local grocery stores, AAanipulati ai the post office, the public library and other locations likely to draw many residents. Engagement opportunities at these pop -up events can include dot surveys, visioning activities and opinion surveys. Social Media - $ The city of Rosemount currently has an easy to navigate city webpage and descriptive Facebook webpage. The City should continue to utilize these social media outlets to inform their residents about participation future events. We recommed that these postings also encourage residents to leave comments or questions regarding the upcoming events. MindMixer - $$$ MindMixer is an online tool which allows individuals to share ideas with their local governments. Participants submit and vote on ideas online, and earn points for these interactions. Local government can view the popularity of ideas in real time. Dot Surveys - $ Dot surveys are an informal voting tool in which participants vote by placing a dot on a preferred image, design, or answer. If using images or designs, a dot survey can help reduce language or education barriers often experienced with written surveys. Using online dot surveys can make the participation process accessible to people that cannot attend the event. 14 Strategies that Partner Community Organizer - $$$$ ($ if AmeriCorps) In order to facilitate connections with underrepresented groups and improve engagement in City processes, the City of Rosemount could choose to hire a community organizer. The community organizer would be responsible for gaining an understanding of an underrepresented group's goals /ideals, communicating with city staff on issues related to the people they represent and disseminating information pertinent to the underrepresented group. Depending on funding availability, the position could be full -time, part -time, or volunteer. Another option is for Rosemount to apply for one or two AmeriCorps positions. AmeriCorps is a federally funded national service program that places young adults in local organizations to build capacity and strengthen communities. Participatory Design /Charrettes - $$ Citizen control Ddegatcd dower Partnership Plwatlon C,amunatlon Inlonming Therapy Ma nipu latiGn Charrettes and other participatory design strategies offer the public the opportunity to engage in dialogue and experimentation around design - related questions. At these events the host will give a large question or problem for multiple groups to answer. Groups are usually not much larger than ten individuals. Each group is given props and /or large maps to represent different areas or elements. The goal of these events is to gain local knowledge and allow for communication between community members. These events are often held over multiple days due to the intense background knowledge that is required for participants and time consuming dialog between participants. However, mini charrettes that are held for 4 -6 hours can also be an effective strategy. Note: In order to qualify as a "partnering" strategy, the ideas contributed as a result of participatory design must be incorporated into plans in a meaningful way. 15 Strategies that Delegate Power Cit"n control Overarching Steering Committees - $$$ Delegated power The City of Rosemount should create steering committees to help guide each seasonal event. These Partnership individuals will be able to assist in the person -to- person dissemination advertising for the seasonal events and will also give the City a better perspective on the issues that should be addressed at the Placation events. Cortisuttatlon These steering committees will allow a consistent group of individuals to help with the Comprehensive Inlonming Plan engagement process and could provide meaningful community engagement, dialogue and input Therapy as needed throughout the comprehensive plan development process. Members of the committee shall Manipulation be selected to represent a wide range of interests among the community and can act as facilitators among the seasonal events and other planning efforts. Community Organizer Case Study: Seattle Public Outreach and Engagement Liaisons In 2009, the City of Seattle initiated the Public Outreach and Engagement Liaison (POEL) program. This program seeks to increase civic participation among Seattle's most underrepresented groups (ethnic and racial minorities, immigrants, renters, senior citizens, small businesses, youth and people with disabilities). Techniques used by POELs to assist underrepresented groups involve providing: • quality translations; • fair and equitable facilitation (in native language); • simultaneous interpretation; • constituent support at city- hosted events; • accurate records and reports of participant feedback and concerns; • community workshops and events that parallel larger city- hosted meetings. Source: Seattle Department of Neighborhoods- http: / /www.seattle.gov /neighborhoods /engage /poel.htm 4r to hip 'L 5 Strategies that Include To further promote participation that is representative of all groups living in Rosemount, we recommend the City implement inclusionary practices and incentives for participation at meetings and events. :> Child Care As stated previously, the City should provide exciting child care options so that adult participants can fully engage in the event. Child Care could be provided by volunteer groups within the community and would involve activities that match the current season. For example, during Leprechaun Days, young children could complete a four leaf clover art project or a summer scene painting project. These activities should be engaging and fun for children to ensure a positive experience. Translation As Rosemount becomes more ethnically and racially diverse, communication efforts will need to be created to accommodate minority households. One way that Rosemount could do this would be to have different translations for meetings and other events. It could also be helpful to have less printed word materials, use more diagrams or designs and focus translation efforts to be more personal to help engage those who are not proficient in reading English. Refreshments Food and drinks (or even snacks) can encourage people to attend a meeting or event. We recommend healthy, culturally - appropriate refreshments purchased from locally -owned businesses. Providing Incentives for Participation In order to further encourage participation in public planning, the City of Rosemount should offer incentives for participation. For example, individuals who attend public meetings, provide comments via social media, or participate in another way could be entered into a drawing for prizes. These prizes could include tickets to the Halloween Haunted Trail, free registration for a Parks and Recreation - sponsored activity or gift cards that are donated by local businesses. 17 Steering Committee Case Study: Participatory Planning for Sustainable Community Development In 2001, the Community Partnership Center (CPC) at the University of Tennessee implemented a participatory process for sustainable community development, put into action through the use of groups called Community Learning /Planning Teams. Functions of the Community Team include but are not limited to the following: • Provide leadership among residents • Provide accountability for the planning process • Monitor outcomes of different plans that are implemented • Identify main priorities among members and other underrepresented stakeholders • Implement the combined knowledge of current and historical context of the community, core community values, and preferences for policy and monitoring systems in terms of social, economic, and environmental systems The Community Teams consist of at least eight members and not any more than sixteen. The members of the team represent numerous groups in the community such as those that are underrepresented by race and social class or stakeholders that are involved in the project. A facilitator helps the team throughout the process and serves as a resource person to integrate social, economic, and environmental data, models, and methods from the scientific community. The Team uses a process called Multi- Criteria Decision Analysis in which many different information aspects are analyzed. These include spatial data and maps, demographic information of the community, history, community values, and neighborhood visioning. Source: Project Reimagine! http: / /reimaginerpe.org /rpe/ Place It! is a public participation process that employs interactive design techniques to engage diverse groups of individuals in translating their visions for their community into physical form. The process is notable for its use of everyday tactile materials such as Legos and recycled objects as the metaphorical "building blocks" of future city streets, neighborhoods, or cities. Place It! is a unique opportunity to foster interaction and collaboration between individuals of different ages, primary languages, and levels of experience with planning and design concepts. The process also serves to expose participants to the importance of planning in shaping the built environment. The visual, interactive nature of the Place It! method renders it a promising opportunity for the City of Rosemount to consider. While staff time must be allocated to plan and facilitate the workshops, material can be gathered or purchased secondhand at minimal cost. Source: http: / /placeit.org /about.html 18 Preparation � � Engagement � � I 2016 Meetings Winter Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring Summer Fall Stake- For Monthly Steering Group Stakeholder holder Steerjin Outreach Mapping Committee Interviews + Focus Groups with Add'l Stakeholders Seasonal Events Evaluation rban Energy Infra- Comm. public Event Plannin Even Ag +Home structure Gathering Art ISpaces Create survey Online Survey instrument +data ] collection Data Collection at Meetings and Events Ai goo Online Engagement Set up online tool Mindmixer (or alternative online engagement tool) Ir Ongoing Social Media, Press Releases, YouTube Videos Communication luej All Year Continued Consultation with Stakeholders Kickoff Event - Summer 2015 Since Leprechaun Days is one of Rosemount's biggest city gatherings, we recommend that this event be used to kick off My Rosemount 2040. Citizens will be able to participate in a variety of booths and activities relating to different aspects of the comprehensive plan and will be able to learn about all the upcoming ways to engage in the creation of the new plan. Rosemount citizens could have a chance to express their visions for the future of Rosemount and can help in the beginning of the visioning process for the Plan. People attending Leprechaun Days will be informed about each of the upcoming engagement events for the Comprehensive Plan update; including the seasonal events targeted around important aspects of the community such as urban agriculture, energy and home assistance, infrastructure and development, community gathering spaces, and public art. i ■t �r Rol Urban Agriculture - Fall 2015 Rosemount has a rich agricultural heritage which should be celebrated as part of the public engagement process. Autumn, the traditional harvest season, brings many opportunities for activities centered around local food. The City of Rosemount has identified a desire to expand their local farmers market. We recommend that Rosemount hold pop -up engagement booths at the farmers market in order to gather residents' and vendors' ideas on the future of the farmer's market. Rosemount is home to nearly fifty community garden plots on city -owned land. Community gardens offer opportunities for healthy food access, physical activity, and community building. To showcase Rosemount's community gardens and encourage more residents to get involved, Rosemount could host a Community Garden Day. This event would be centered around community gardens but designed for anyone with an interest in growing food. Some ideas for a garden festival day appear in the sidebar at left. Rosemount's main fall community activity is the Halloween Haunted Trail. We recommend that the City of Rosemount tag onto this event and offer opportunities for the public to provide input. As an additional draw maintaining the Harvest and Food - related theme, the City of Rosemount could partner with a local pumpkin grower to offer pumpkin carving and painting at the event. The City could also sponsor a pumpkin bake -off contest, featuring a panel of well -known judges from local grocery stores, restaurants, or other community organizations. 21 �F J i T ■�i rt Energy and Home Assistance - Winter 201512016 A significant concern of city staff is the underutilization of local energy assistance programs. Several energy assistance programs are offered by Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA). However, despite the need for energy assistance within the city, this resource has hardly been used. Because this funding is provided at the county level, we recommend the City partner with Dakota County CDA for this event. The winter energy event will be largely informational; an open house will be available to educate residents about who is eligible for assistance and how assistance funds can be used. This event will rely upon traditional strategies like poster boards and a short PowerPoint presentation to give residents information. Due to the social stigma attached to receiving assistance for energy, the City will emphasize the fact that this assistance is available for even moderate income residents and emphasize the money savings element of the program. There will not be a Q &A for this event (due to social stigma), but there will be staff located throughout the open house that will be available to answer questions. There will also be FAQ handouts with contact information made available for guests. The goal of this event will be to assist residents in better understanding the various grants and low interest loans that are available for a variety of projects and for their home. To expand on the topic of energy, this event will also give residents the opportunity to provide the city with input on public energy efficiency (such as energy efficient light bulbs, urban growth, etc.). A survey (provided both in person and online) and a community discussion will be conducted on ways that the city can become more energy efficient. These two opportunities will give residents the opportunity to voice their preference on energy efficiency spending within Rosemount. O -X Infrastructure - Spring 2016 As Rosemount continues to grow and develop, infrastructure will continue to be a important topic. This spring event will provide information about local development while providing a hands -on opportunity for participants to model how they would like Rosemount to look in the future. We recommend the Place It! engagement strategy, mentioned previously in this document and pictured at right, as a particularly useful technique for discussing infrastructure changes. The Place It! tool would help participants easily show how and where infrastructure could be improved or developed throughout the City. Work groups can also be formed to provide for discussion and collaboration among community members. The citizen steering committees that were formed can help with this event by starting up engaging conversations about infrastructure and development and recording information that participants express as important to the growth of Rosemount. The City staff can use the results from this meeting and partner with the steering committee to make sure that results are consistent for updates to the Comprehensive Plan. In addition, City staff can provide flyers and information sheets about upcoming development already approved and contact information if people have more questions. Because people are usually well educated about infrastructure in their community, the main goal from this event is to bring the knowledge that people have about their own neighborhoods and incorporate that with their visions for the future of infrastructure in Rosemount. 23 Community Gathering Spaces - Summer 2016 �,7� r; • L. • J . c }. Public Art - Fall 2016 The Summer 2015 Comprehensive Plan input theme is Community Gathering Spaces. This theme would encourage residents of Rosemount to reflect on their favorite community spaces and create a vision for new ones. Pop -up events should be held at existing community spaces, including the Robert Trail Library, the Rosemount Community Center, the Rosemount Steeple Center, parks and natural areas, and local public schools. Participatory activities for these pop -up events can include the Place It! participatory design tool described above, photos of residents with mini chalkboards describing their favorite community spaces as well as aspects of community spaces they would like to see in Rosemount. The seasonal events conclude with participation centered around public art opportunities in Rosemount. In collaboration with the Rosemount Area Arts Council, Rosemount could sponsor a mini design charrette that would offer the opportunity for residents to reimagine public spaces including parks and main streets. For feedback regarding the public art charrette meeting, design ideas could be posted in high travel locations throughout the city. ON Data Collection and Analysis Basic Survey Data to Consider: (voluntary and anonymous) • Age Group • RacelEthnicity Identification • Gender Identification • Income Level • Homeowner or Renter • Parent of School -Age Children • Time lived in Rosemount • Level of involvement with local government My Rosemount 2040 offers numerous opportunities for voluntary and anonymous data gathering. Engaging in this practice will better enable Rosemount to evaluate if the events they host are indeed representative of the community as a whole. This can most easily be accomplished through a simple survey at events. It is extremely important that this data collection be both voluntary and anonymous. Residents should not feel pressured in any way to provide data. One way to encourage survey completion is to emphasize that the results will drive future City programming. However, the reality is that some residents will not feel comfortable sharing information with the government. Examples of data that would help Rosemount evaluate the effectiveness of My Rosemount 2040 are listed at right. Comprehensive Plan Creation - 2017 After all the seasonal engagement events have been completed, we recommend that the City compile all of the information received during the My Rosemount 2040 process and evaluate to what extent the results are consistent with the direction of the most recent Comprehensive Plan. Where discrepancies exist, City staff and the steering committee will collaborate to incorporate new ideas and strategies wherever possible. It is essential for staff and steering committee to take notes about their rationale for including certain ideas and excluding others, to ensure transparent communication with residents. Citizen input should be considered an asset to the future of Rosemount and should be included wherever feasible when updating the Comprehensive Plan, in order to create a plan that maximizes benefits for all residents. 25 Comprehensive Plan Release The release of the comprehensive plan represents the culmination of years of hard work. It is essential that the finished product be created with just as much attention to inclusivity as the engagement process was. First, the Comprehensive Plan should be written and formatted with the general public audience in mind. Large amounts of unengaging text should be avoided. Instead, the document should draw upon exciting graphics to describe the community that the City is striving to create. The current Thrive MSP 2040 is a great example of recreating the image of a community plan to be more exciting and engaging for a wider audience. In order to explicitly recognize the ideas generated through My Rosemount 2040, a special section should be added detailing the process. An appendix listing many or all of the ideas would further contribute to this transparency. Second, the Rosemount Comprehensive Plan should not be something that is completed to be put on shelf. Instead, this document should be distributed throughout the community. In addition to posting the plan online, the City should also provide copies of the Comprehensive Plan to all community centers, libraries, schools and other busy places with reading material. By creating a more captivating document and increasing the distribution of the plan, the city will ensure that the readership of their Comprehensive Plan will increase and residents will become more educated on the direction Rosemount is heading. We anticipate that this Comprehensive Plan, and the process it took to create it, will become a catalyst for future participation efforts and dialogue between community members and their local city government. t � E +tip• Ki References 1. (Cover page) - City of Rosemount street with trees) Image source: http: / /rcp.umn.edu /2014- 2015- partner - rosemount/ 2. (Table of Contents - Shamrock handprints) Image source: http: / /www.examiner.com /article /super- cute - shamrock- handprint- craft- for - kids - for -st- patrick -s -day 3. (Page 1 - Map of Rosemount and Dakota County) Image source: http: / /en. wikipedia .org /wiki /Rosemount,_Minnesota A. (Page 1 - Rosemount Steeple Center) Image source: http: / /rosemountrotary.areavoices.com /201 1/03/21 /rosemount- state -of- the - city - address/ 5. (Page 1 - Rosemount High School Logo) Image source: http : / /www.rosemountbasketbaIl.com /page /show /256844 - rosemount- high - school- girls- basketball 6. (Page 3 - Arnstein's Ladder of Participation) Image source: http: / /www.georgeiulian.co.uk /2013/01 /22 /social- media -and- citizen - engagement/ 7. (Page 5 - Stakeholder Evaluation Chart #1) Image source: http: / /www- esd.worldbank. org / popstoolkit /POPsToolkit /POPSTOOLKIT_COM/ RISKMANAGEMENT/ MODULE /STEP3/ IMPLEMENTATIONPLANNING /STAKEHOLDERS.HTM 8. (Page 5 - Stakeholder Evaluation Chart #2) Image source: https: / /weadapt.org/ knowledge - base / transforming - governance /stakeholder - analysis 9. (Page 9 - Park) Image source: http:// ci. rosemount.mn.us /facilities.aspx ?RID =6 &Page = detail 10. (Page 10 - Trees) Image source: http: / /www.southmetrohouses.com /local- info /rosemount 11. (Page 16 - Public Outreach and Engagement Liaisons) Image source: http: // www. seattle. gov /neighborhoods /engage /poel.htm 12. (Page 16 - Seattle City Seal) Image source: http: / /www.seattle .gov /cityarchives /seattle -facts /city - symbols 13. (Page 20 - Leprechaun father and son) Image source: http: / /sunthisweek.com /2012/07/31 / strike -up- the - band - f or- rosemount- leprechaun -days/ 14. (Page 20 - Leprechaun Days logo) Image source: http: // www. worldwidelighthouse .com /lepdaysleader 15. (Page 20 - Leprechaun Day Parade) Image source: http: / /sunthisweek.com /2012/07/31 / strike -up- the - band - for - rosemount- leprechaun -days/ 16. (Page 21 - Boy at Rosemount Farmers Market) Image source: http: // www. ci .rosemount.mn.us /index.aspx ?nid =191 17. (Page 21 - Woman tending garden) Image source: http: / /www.mprnews.org /story /201 1 /06/15 /twin- cities - community- gardens 18. (Page 21 - Haunted Woods Trail) Image source: http://Www.rosemountevents.com/HauntedWoodsTrail.htmi 19. (Page 22 - Utilities icons) Image source: http: // www. erc- co.org /wp- content /uploads /2013/08 /Utility- assistance -w.jpg 20. (Page 23 - Downtown Rosemount) Image source: http: / /www.twincities.com/ news /ci_ 26797450 /le -minh- thai - vietnam- war - photographer- dies -us 21. (Page 23 - Place It! Demonstration) Image source: http: / /www. rural - design.org /workshop /live -oak -fl 22. (Page 24 - Robert Trail Library) Image source: http: / /www.armstrong.com /project- gallery /project. asp ?masterGeographyld= commcigam &locale= en- us &projectld= Project +1 14 23. (Page 24 - Charrette) Image source: http: / /www.lakeflatodogrun.com /field- report / the - montessori- school- of- san- antonio- community - design- charrette/ 24. (Page 26 - Rosemount Flag) Image source: http: / /www.southmetrohouses.com /local- info /rosemount 27