CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the selection process for the Fifth Avenue Steering Committee and Working Groups.
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DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
SUBMITTED BY: Marcie Schatz
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
On October 3, 2017, City Council directed staff to engage and authorize Ryan Companies to conduct community engagement and market research to determine feasible and beneficial options for the redevelopment along 5th Avenue in the vicinity of the Naperville Metra station. This approval also included bi-monthly status reports with the City Council requiring an affirmative vote to proceed and a Steering Committee comprised of Council members, staff members, and at a minimum, community members from the immediately affected neighborhoods and commuters.
The Community Engagement plan includes a number of opportunities for community involvement including Community Meetings, Group Input Sessions (nine currently scheduled), Working Groups, Stakeholder interviews, and City Council workshops. This agenda item focuses on the selection process associated with the Steering Committee and Working Groups.
DISCUSSION:
Through the Community Meetings and Group Input Sessions, the community has shown a strong interest in participating in both the Steering Committee and Working Groups. Staff and Ryan have both received a number of inquiries regarding the selection process for these groups. This recommendation is being placed on a City Council agenda for community input and City Council consideration and approval.
Steering Committee
The purpose of the Steering Committee is to provide Ryan Companies with community input and direction during the issue engagement /program phase of the development process. In the event that the project moves forward to the visioning/program development phase, the Steering Committee’s role will continue. The Steering Committee members will serve both as communicators, sharing residents’ concerns with Ryan and explaining progress back to the residents, and as an advisory group similar to a peer review committee. The Committee will act as a sounding board and initial issue negotiators as differences of opinion arise. The Steering Committee will not be a decision-making body. Project decisions will be recommended by Ryan Companies to City Council. The Steering Committee will however have a unique opportunity to influence and steer the direction of the 5th Avenue project.
Representatives on the 5th Avenue Steering Committee will be expected to:
• Attend all Steering Committee meetings, the current expectation is that the Steering Committee will meet at least every two (2) months and could meet more frequently
• Actively engage in Steering Committee discussions, providing insights unique to their representative group as well as global perspectives on the overall project
• Effectively represent the views of the respective neighborhood or stakeholder group
• Respectfully collaborate with other Steering Committee members, Working Groups, community members and stakeholders
• Regularly communicate with the respective neighborhood or stakeholder group about the 5th Avenue Project and Steering Committee discussions
• Participate in the bimonthly City Council presentations and/or workshop discussions
• Discuss key findings of the Input Meetings and identify Working Group topics
• Review applications and collaborate on selection of Working Group community representatives
• Review and evaluate work products and progress of the Working Groups
• Actively monitor community engagement process and make recommendations for improvements
• Participate in the initial balancing of priorities for the 5th Avenue area
The Steering Committee is being established at the direction of the City Council. The meetings will be open to the public and compliant with the Open Meetings Act including notice, agendas and minutes.
The recommended composition of the Steering Committee as well as the Working Groups attempts to balance the number of members and effectiveness. The goal is to be representative while also ensuring that the group does not become so large it becomes less effective.
Staff, in conjunction with Ryan, is recommending the following composition of the Steering Committee:
• 2 City Council members - Councilwomen Obarski and Brodhead
• 2 City Staff members- Marcie Schatz and Allison Laff
• 2 Ryan Company representatives
• 3 Area resident representatives- One resident from each: Park Addition, Pilgrim’s Addition, and ECHO
• 1 Commuter (either a permit or daily fee parker)
• 1 Representative of the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation
• 1 Representative of the Senior Task Force
The resident and stakeholder representatives should be selected by the population that they represent. Ideally community and stakeholder members of the Steering Committee will self-nominate and then be selected to represent their interest group through an open caucus process led by an independent facilitator. For community members interested in serving on the Steering Committee, an interest form will be provided on the 5th Avenue project website and printed copies will be available at Community Input meetings scheduled during this time. The form will request name, address, statement of interest for serving on the Steering Committee, and confirmation that the community member can meet the time commitments of the Steering Committee. These applications will be shared with the neighborhood in the caucus process.
Working Groups
Working Groups are tasked with completing more in-depth analysis of topics raised by the community during the input sessions. Activities of the Working Groups include:
• Defining and reviewing existing conditions
• Engaging with technical consultants and professionals, reviewing and questioning technical studies and analysis
• Inviting and considering community feedback on the working group topic
• Identifying and collaborating on potential solutions
• Considering the work of other Working Groups and potential tradeoffs between the findings and recommendations of each group
While some of the topics such as traffic, stormwater, land use and parking have already been determined, additional topics will be identified from the feedback provided at the Community Input sessions. Working Groups will include community representatives, a City Council member, city staff, and representatives of Ryan Companies. The original engagement plan suggested 1-2 community members per Working Group. However, in order to involve more community members, staff and Ryan recommend 3-4 community members per Working Group.
Working Groups will have a more intensive meeting schedule, meeting at least two times per month for an estimated two hours per meeting. Meetings will be held in the early morning or late afternoon to facilitate the schedules of the community members while also recognizing these meetings will also include technical consultants. Many of the expectations of the Working Group members are similar to those of the Steering Committee including:
• Attendance at all Working Group meetings
• Actively engage in discussions and provide guidance on the Working Group topic
• Effectively represent the views of the respective neighborhood or stakeholder group
• Respectfully collaborate with other Working Group members, the Steering Committee, community members and stakeholders
• Regularly communicate with the respective neighborhood or stakeholder group about the 5th Avenue Project and discussions at Working Group meetings
• Potentially participate in the bimonthly City Council presentations and workshop discussions
• Participate in the initial balancing of priorities for the 5th Avenue area
The discussion at the Community Input sessions will drive the number and topics for the Working Groups. The Steering Committee will identify the Working Group topics.
For community members interested in serving on a Working Group, an interest form will be provided on the 5th Avenue project website and printed copies will be available at project meetings scheduled during this time. The form will request name, address, statement of interest for serving on the Working Group, which Working group(s) are of interest, expertise or personal experience with the Working Group topic and confirmation that the community member can meet the time commitments of the Working Group. In order to maximize the number of community members involved, staff recommends that community members participate on only one Working Group or the Steering Committee.
If there are more community members interested than there are seats on a Working Group, it is recommended that the Steering Committee select the Working Group representatives considering the following:
• Ability to meet the time commitments of the Working Group
• Expertise or personal experience with the Working Group Topic
• Geographic distribution, seeking representation from a number of surrounding neighborhoods
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A