SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
                                                        VTC AGENDA         
                                                        SEPTEMBER 26, 1996 


                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                                   Date: September 11, 1996
                                                            File No. 3501-1


   TO:       Vancouver Traffic Commission

   FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services

   SUBJECT:  Guidelines for Public Involvement Process




   RECOMMENDATION

        THAT the communication guidelines attached as Appendix A be
        followed for public input for future neighbourhood traffic
        projects.


   COUNCIL POLICY

   All street improvement projects require posting an advance notice sign,
   discussion with affected residents, and submission of a design report
   prior to project approval.

   Projects that alter circulation in neighbourhoods are to be installed on
   a temporary basis for 6 months, with follow-up survey.


   PURPOSE

   The purpose of this report is to present communication guidelines for
   Commission's review and approval, to ensure that future processes
   provide ample opportunity for public discussion.


   BACKGROUND

   Vancouver residents have indicated a strong and growing desire to become
   involved in transportation projects.  At one time, residents were
   uninvolved in such discussions; the degree of involvement has progressed
   through information and consultation, to full participation.  Processes
   such as City Plan and the Transportation Plan provide opportunities for
   citizen involvement at a city-wide level.  To deal with more localized
   projects, the City has adopted elements like advance notice signs, open
   houses, and public surveys.  However, there is no clear indication of
   when and how such measures should be applied.

   Furthermore, in some cases, efforts by staff to accelerate a project to
   completion have resulted in a process that allowed too little time for
   full public discussion, or involved too small a group of residents.  The
   public's desire to become involved varies greatly from project to
   project; while it is difficult to anticipate the degree of involvement
   at the start, the process must allow sufficient opportunity for
   discussion to take place.


   DISCUSSION

   In order to define a public process that provides information to
   residents and allows sufficient time for discussion, I have prepared an
   outline of the steps and timetable that should be included in future
   processes.  This outline is attached as Appendix A.  The essentials of
   the proposal are as follows:

   -    for larger projects, notices would be distributed over a broad
        area, after notifying both the Commission and neighbourhood
        representatives;

   -    6 weeks should be allowed for discussion and feedback, in case
        additional meetings or revised proposals are needed.  This would
        allow for a public meeting of the Commission, if necessary;

   -    residents would be notified of the process to be followed, and
        would be offered a copy of the Commission report when it is
        prepared;

   -    other opportunities to notify affected residents, such as newspaper
        advertisements or school newsletters, may also be pursued; and

   -    for smaller projects, the notification area should be large enough
        to reach everyone affected.  Because of the opportunity to meet and
        resolve issues in smaller groups, the process may be less formal.

   Approval of these guidelines will provide clear rules for future
   processes to follow.  They should provide ample time and opportunity for
   informed discussion to take place.  One consequence of this is that
   processes may take longer to resolve, and the wait to begin addressing
   newly identified issues may be greater.  However, this wait will be
   worthwhile if the result is a more productive discussion and more
   complete resolution.  The guidelines also provide considerable
   flexibility to respond to the varying needs of individual
   neighbourhoods.

   The proposed guidelines for public participation processes are submitted
   for the Commission's discussion and approval.


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