Civic engagement process sets new standard

ZCC Public Outreach

Consultant Owen Franklin of Portfolio Associates presented the results of the most recent public outreach meetings and an overall summary of civic engagement activities since the start of the zoning reform project. The latest series of open houses was designed to seek feedback from the public on major changes and link those changes to particular outcomes. Throughout the project, reaction has been more positive than negative to every question, whether asking participants to help set priorities and values, draft recommendations, or comment on specific language. And participation in the process has been significant. Lead consultant Don Elliott of Clarion Associates has worked in numerous cities throughout the country and is impressed by the level of public outreach in Philadelphia. “I continue to be inspired by the number of people engaged in the process and the quality of the discussion,” Elliott said. “This is not the norm.”

While efforts to involve as many stakeholders as possible in the process have been deemed successful and overall response to new zoning has been favorable, Mr. Franklin was quick to explain that not all reaction was positive. “The key points of the civic engagement in this case,” he said, “are that there was quite a bit of input and that input led to a better product.” Franklin used the rating of the proposed Civic Design Review as an example. The initial rating was 2.7 when CDR was introduced in Module 2. After comments were received and changes were made in the draft consolidated code, the rating increased to 3.4. Click here to review the final report on civic engagement.

In all, the ZCC and its consultants conducted five rounds of public meetings, posted five online surveys, and conducted 125 interviews with code users and professional stakeholders. There have also been two public hearings at City Hall and numerous presentations to community groups and professional associations. ZCC member and chair of the Civic Engagement Committee Stella Tsai thanked Owen Franklin and the team at Portfolio Associates for a unique and impressive process. “The civic engagement committee will continue to communicate our goals to the public,” Tsai said. “We want to make sure we end up with a code that works for everyone.”