Title
Conduct visioning exercises.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The citywide Comprehensive Plan study includes Discovery and Preliminary Engagement as Phase I activities. As included in the Public Engagement Plan, approach to engagement during this phase will focus on informing the public about the comprehensive planning process and gaining broad insights about the vision for Farmers Branch for the next 20 years. Information provided to stakeholders during this phase will include the Community Profile, trends in community-wide planning, and a synthesis of existing plans. Priority activities for this phase of engagement include:
• Kicking off project with the TAC and SAC with roles and responsibilities
• Project website setup
• Community Ambassador Program establishment
• Media engagement/promotion
• Vision and Goals Development -
o TAC and SAC meetings
o Story Map
o Interactive community workshop - August 4, 2022
o Topical focus group interviews (4)
o Pop-up events (One at DART Light Rail Station)
Engagement can only be as effective as its promotion to diverse audiences and key messaging about why involvement matters. In coordination with the City’s Communications and Marketing Team, city staff have utilized several avenues to promote the activities associated with this engagement push.
The list of priority communications outlets includes:
• Social Media
o Farmers Branch Facebook, Twitter, Instagram accounts
o Farmers Branch YouTube video content
• Farmers Branch newsletters - one that goes to employees and one to the residents
• Project website
• Spanish media radio - Saturday Community Hour
• Spanish language print media
• Flyer drops
• Community board posters
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
At the August 17, 2022 Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting, the SAC will participate in visioning exercises, similar to the community workshop activities on August 4, 2022. Following outline describes the goals and activities of the visioning exercise:
Goals
Goal 1: Gauge aspirations for vison and goals
Goal 2: Understand desired uses
Goal 3: Inform public of existing conditions information
Goal 4: Educate about implementation/funding trade-offs
Goal 5: Gauge potential concerns
Goal 6: Maximize public buy-in and project support
Six-Word Story
Description: As an activity in the planning process, the Six-Word Story encourages participants to be creative while providing telling information about the core sentiment of their experience of a place. The Six-Word Story attempts to distill a person’s experience or narrative into a short-evocative story.
Love, More, Less
Description: This will include three digital boards with broad questions
• In Farmers Branch I love . . .
• In Farmers Branch I want more of . . .
• In Farmers Branch I want less of . . .
Areas to Strengthen and Transform
Description: On a large digital map identify areas that require more investment or need to transform or transition to something better
As a homework, staff would like to request the SAC to complete the Six-word story exercise (attached) and provide that to staff at the meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consultants will be facilitating discussion and answer any question.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Six-Word Story