Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-19-1994-X-C 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMNIISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 19, 1994 Action Agenda Item # X _ SUBJECT:REPORT FROM THE SHAPING ORANGE COUNTY'S FUTURE COMMITTEE: "THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY GROWTH STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING PLAN FOR ORANGE COUNTY" DEPARTMENT: PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING: _YES x NO ATTACIIMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Committee report Dave Stancil, Extension 2590 Proposed budget Committee resolution TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough - 732-8181 Chapel Hill - 967-9251 Durham - 688-7331 Mebane - 227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive the report of the "Shaping Orange County's Future" Committee on a quality growth and community building process. Orange County, along with the elected boards in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, adopted a resolution in October 1993 authorizing this inter-governmental committee to develop recommendations on a process for a countywide comprehensive planning effort. BACKGROUND: On September 30, 1993, as part of an Assembly of Governments forum, a conference entitled Shaping Orange County's Future was held. The conference was planned by a steering committee comprised of representatives from all elected boards in the County, and the University of North Carolina, as well as citizen volunteers from the Rural Character Study Committee, Chapel Hill Southern Small Area Plan Work Group, and Sierra Club. During the conference, renowned Florida planning consultant Dr. John DeGrove outlined efforts in other counties, states and regions where countywide growth strategies have been developed. 2 As followup to this conference, the Shaping Orange County's Future steering committee prepared a resolution that was adopted by all elected boards in the County. The resolution authorized the steering committee to continue its efforts by preparing a recommendation on a process for the development of a countywide "Community Building and Quality Growth Strategy". The steering committee met on a number of occasions during the period November 1993-March 1994. Assistance was provided by staff from each jurisdiction and the Dispute Settlement Center. On March 24, the Committee finalized its recommendations on process and budget. As outlined in the attached report, the Committee calls for a blue- ribbon task force of 18-25 persons representing a broad spectrum of interests be appointed - entitled the "Task Force on Shaping Orange County's Future". After team-building and information- gathering, the Task Force would then form committees to continue information-gathering and develop recommendations in specific areas. A number of goals and issues have been identified as a starting point for discussion. At the same time, the Task Force will embark on a community-building campaign to develop a structure and process for consensus-building. This effort should provide parameters and framework to the overall effort. The Task Force and committees will further analyze information and clarify issues before soliciting ideas on solving the issues. Recommendations would be part of a report to be presented to all four governing bodies. Implementation strategies and public hearings would be held, leading to a final report which would be available for use as a policy base for revising local comprehensive plans. The work of the task force is proposed for 12 months. A proposed budget reflects funding requirements of$50,000 - with $30,000 in staff time under three alternative approaches (please see budget memo). The distribution of cost also has two alternatives for distribution - a per capita basis and a sales tax basis. A resolution has been prepared for adoption by all governing bodies. The Towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough will be considering the resolution during the week of April 11. RECONEVIENI�ATION: The Administration recommends, in keeping with other governing board actions, that the Board adopt the resolution and refer the budget issues to a work group comprised of the four managers. 4 , 3 MEMORANDUM TO: Carrboro Board of Aldermen Chapel Hill Town Council Hillsborough Board of Commissioners Orange County Board of Commissioners FROM: Quality Growth Strategy and Community Building Steering Committee Representing: Others : Carrboro: Jay Bryan Bill Bracey Chapel Hill : Joyce Brown, Chair David Brower Hillsborough: Beverly Webb Margaret Brown Orange County: Alice Gordon Livy Ludington SUBJECT: Final Report DATE: April 4, 1994 We are pleased to transmit to you the final report of the Steering Committee, "The Development of a Comprehensive Quality Growth Strategy and Community Building Plan for Orange County. " In the fall of 1993 , a forum was held by the four governing bodies in Orange County called Shaping Orange County' s Future. Out of this discussion came a proposal to develop a countywide process for assuring quality growth and for building community. Each governing board adopted a resolution authorizing the Steering Committee to develop the idea. The Steering Committee has met regularly since November, 1993 to develop a proposed process . We now ask each governing body to review the report and to accept the proposed process outlined in the report . A resolution for your consideration accompanies the report . we also ask each governing body to consider financial support for the project . A potential budget for carrying out the process is included in the report materials, as well as information on potential methods of sharing the costs of the budget . We suggest that the Managers of the four governing bodies may wish to meet and discuss the budget, potential cost-sharing methods, and the allocation of staff time . The Steering Committee felt that it would be appropriate for the Managers to consider and make recommendations concerning this tentative budget proposal . 4 page 2 We also note the possibility of pursuing an appropriation from the General Assembly for developing this plan. The process could be a model effort for others across North Carolina. The Steering Committee appreciates the work of the staff of the four jurisdictions in helping the Committee complete the final proposal . Tentatively Chapel Hill and Hillsborough are scheduled to consider this item on April 11, Carrboro on April 12 , and Orange County onlApril 19 . We welcome your comments . � 5 THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY GROWTH STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING PLAN FOR ORANGE COUNTY Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and the unincorporated areas of Orange County are at a crucial period in their history. The next twenty years could well determine whether Orange County will continue to be an attractive, desirable place to live. With the improving economy and national recognition of our area as a good place to live, work, and retire, we face tremendous development pressures. There are various possibilities. We could become like Los Angeles with urban sprawl from Caswell to Chatham and Durham to Alamance. The environmental, social and economic consequences of this picture are not pleasant to contemplate. Another possibility is that the four governing bodies working together with each other and the citizenry could develop an Orange County model as determined by the values and visions of the people. This would not be an easy or a quick task, but the prospect we face without working together to preserve the quality of life we enjoy now, but are beginning to lose, is worth the effort. Without this we face increased environmental degradation, increased social problems, and increased taxes and expenses for citizens. Any one of these issues makes it imperative that we work together to develop a comprehensive quality growth strategy and community building plan. As we have grown in the past twenty years, one of the losses we have experienced is a shared sense of community. This is evidenced by increasing violence, an increasingly transient population, and lack of knowledge of our neighbors, among other things. To try and correct this, it is important that a community building plan is included in the quality growth strategy. Building community in the context of this effort has two components. First we need to assess the entire County's perspectives on issues relating to quality growth. Once assessed, we will need the "community" itself to reach consensus on resolving these issues. Attempting to reach such consensus - reaching out to understand others - is, in fact, community building. The second component is the development of a process for maintenance of community in every part of the County. With growth, we must make sure that we better our community, improve our relations with each other, and hopefully lay the foundation for future generations to lead fulfilling lives. If these are the tenets of our work together, then developing a process for nurturing community is imperative. At the September, 1993 conference on Shaping Orange County's Future, which was sponsored by the Assembly of Governments, nationally recognized quality growth planner Dr. John DeGrove said that we could grow smart or we could grow dumb. The way to grow smart, he said, was to develop a comprehensive quality growth strategy and the place to start was with Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and the unincorporated areas of Orange County. As a result of this conference, the four governing bodies - Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Orange County - appointed a Steering Committee to design a process for developing a community building and comprehensive quality growth strategy. After numerous meetings, the Steering Committee submits the following proposal which sets into motion the quality growth strategy discussed by Dr. DeGrove and adds to it a community building component. 1 F A CONSENSUS BUILDING PROCESS FOR FORMULATING A COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY GROWTH STRATEGY AND A COMMUNITY BUILDING PLAN STEP 1 FORMATION OF A TASK FORCE BY APPROVAL OF THE FOUR GOVERNING BODIES TO BE CALLED TASK FORCE ON SHAPING ORANGE COUNTY'S FUTURE A group of Orange County residents will be selected to gather information and make recommendations concerning quality growth and community building in Orange County. The Steering Committee recommends that each of the four governing bodies makes recommendations for the Task Force (identified by the categories listed li below) to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will contact those identified for interest in serving on the Task Force. The final list of 18 names will be submitted to the four governing bodies for final approval with each governing body selecting two additional members to serve on the Task Force. Membership will reflect a balance of the interests of all those concerned about the County's future, and will be a microcosm of the whole Orange County community. Such interests may be defined as: 1. citizens from each jurisdiction and township; 2. citizens from the public at large; 3. large landowners, including farmers; 4. business/development/real estate; 5. environmentalists; 6. elected officials; 7. neighborhoods; 8. University/school systems; 9. civic; 10. religious; 11. human services; and 12. cultural arts. STEP 2 FACILITATED MEETING OF TASK FORCE FOR TEAM BUILDING SKILLS In order for the Task Force to best work together as a team, members of the Task Force will participate in a facilitated meeting or meetings prior to discussing substantive issues in order to build rapport, develop a consensus process and team building skills, and foster a sense of community among themselves. 2 7 STEP 3 THE TASK FORCE WILL SET SCHEDULE AND PROCESS TO BEGIN INFORMATION GATHERING. The Task Force will set a schedule and process to begin information gathering related to the goals and issues identified in this document. A time frame of a year from the first meeting is suggested (with reasonable revisions). The Task Force will use methods for gathering information about Orange County that include, but are not limited to, telephone and mail surveys, written documents, public meetings, informal meetings at identified gathering places such as churches, barber shops, restaurants, focus groups, and written documents. The Task Force will also identify specific organizations or entities, as well as individuals who represent particular interests concerned with quality growth in the County and the municipalities, from whom the Task Force wishes to receive information. The Task Force will identify any potential barriers which prevent citizen participation in its information gathering process, such as loss of time from work; lack of transportation or day care; intimidation by group processes; and perhaps a sense that the public meetings, in particular, are designed for professional participation, rather than citizens at large. The Task Force will make all public meetings as accessible as possible. To address the large group intimidation factor, citizens will be encouraged to use any vehicle of communication to provide input - written, by telephone or otherwise. Fliers to neighborhoods and business community, as well as personal, one-on-one invitations, will be considered. Notices informing the public of the formation of such a group will be widely publicized throughout the County, following procedures used by each jurisdiction, so interested persons can participate in the information gathering. The principle of the process will be based in broad outreach designed to be democratic and to build community. STEP 4 THE TASK FORCE WILL FORM COMMITTEES TO CONTINUE WITH THE INFORMATION GATHERING PROCESS TO DEFINE A VISION AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS Goals and issues related to quality growth will be defined within four general areas: environmental, economic, social, and community building. The Task Force will form committees of interested citizens as it determines necessary. The Task Force and committees will gather information on citizens' visions and values; the technical data related to the goals and issues will be gathered by the staffs of the four governing bodies in consultation with the Task Force. 3 (Below is a list of topics for which the Task Force should create goals and explore (the issues that may arise from attempting to achieve those goals: TOPICS FOR GOALS AND ISSUES DISCUSSION INFORMATION GATHERED BY: Task Force, Committees& Staff: Citizens: Technical Data ENVIRONAV ENT Values&Vision 1. Water Quality, waterways and watersheds 2. Water and(sewer infrastructure 3. Air quality] 4. Solid Waste 5. Hazardous waste 6. Natural hazards 7. Environmentally sensitive areas and present resource p otection within various jurisdictions 8. Land use _urban, rural, agricultural - present zoning and future possibilities 9. County's beauty 10. Historic, built and natural environment 11. Communii y building with regard to the above entitled is es 12. Other suggestions by committee ECONOMY 1. Employment 2. Employers 3. The Count's economy 4. Non-residential development 5. Planned and efficient delivery of public services 6. The financing of local government services 7. Agriculture S. Transportation 9. Community building with regard to the above entitled issues 4 9 10. Other suggestions by committee SOCIAL 1. Housing - density, affordability, and livability 2. Human services - community services 3. Education 4. Crime and security 5. Poverty 6. Recreation 7. Cultural Arts 8. Intergovernmental cooperation and communication 9. Our borders - how do we deal with Durham, Alamance, Chatham and Caswell Counties 10. Preservation of Diversity of People 11. Community building with regard to the above entitled issues 12. Other suggestions by committee COMMUNITY BUILDING The goals and issues of community building will develop a.structure and process for the maintenance of community in Orange County. The development of such a structure and process will begin with the Task Force seeking support and/or commitments from individuals, groups and institutions to reach consensus on the mission of the Task Force. It will carry through to the final recommendations of the Task Force, which will provide a structure that, among other efforts: 1. fosters tradition, history, common heritage and memory, County character; 2. fosters a sense of identity and belonging; 3. fosters a framework of shared values; 4. nurtures networks of caring individuals and a climate of caring, trust, teamwork and mutual responsibility; 5. creates institutional arrangements that diminish polarization, teach diverse groups to know one another and encourage coalition-building, dispute resolution, negotiation and mediation; 6. fosters wholeness within diversity while allowing healthy conflict and an open atmosphere for dissent; 7. establishes collaborative ties among leaders of different jurisdictions, communities, non- profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and government; 5 8. strengthens each community or jurisdiction while requiring it to recognize and accept responsibility for the entire County's well-being; 9. asks a high proportion of the population to have some role in this community maintenance system and to share leadership tasks at all levels; and 10. encourages the maintenance of the existing infrastructure of neighborhood associations, churches, citizens groups, youth-serving organizations and professional groups. STEP 5 THE TASK FORCE AND COMMITTEES WILL ANALYZE INFORMATION AND FURTHER DEFINE THE NATURE OF THE ISSUES After the necessary information has been gathered, the Task Force shall then analyze the information gathered in light of the approved mandate to better define as specifically as possible, the nature of the issues needing solutions. Based on the information gathered, the Task Force will develop a consensus on issue definition, describing.the following: 1. alternative scenarios as to the future course of Orange County; 2. elements of those scenarios which the Task Force considers favorable and elements the Task Force considers to be unfavorable; 3. a set of values or principles defining a desirable future for Orange County; 4. identification of the forces (policies, practices, attitudes, behaviors, values, traditions, beliefs, physical factors, etc.) currently affecting Orange County's progression toward the desirable future; these will be forces currently blocking achievement of the desired future, and those currently contributing to that future; and 5. what needs to be protected and preserved. STEP 6 THE TASK FORCE AND COMMITTEES WILL GENERATE IDEAS ON SOLVING THE ISSUES DEFINED The Task Force will next generate ideas with facilitator as deemed necessary on how to solve the issues on its agenda in order to achieve the principles, evaluate those ideas according to criteria developed by the Task Force, and assemble its preferred ideas into a coherent set of recommendations. STEP 7 THE TASK FORCE WILL REPORT PROGRESS AND AGENDA TO ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR REVIEW AND COMMENTS 6 11 STEP 8 THE TASK FORCE AND COMMITTEES WILL REFLNE SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW TO SOLVE THE ISSUES STEP 9 THE TASK FORCE WILL PUT RECOMMENDATIONS INTO A WRITTEN REPORT FOR PRESENTATION TO EACH OF THE FOUR GOVERNING BODIES It is intended that each committee will examine its goals and issues to determine how they interrelate with, and can promote, the community building goals listed under "Community Building." STEP 10 THE FOUR GOVERNING BODIES WILL DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKE COMMENTS TO THE TASK FORCE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS STEP 11 THE TASK FORCE WILL CONSIDER THE GOVERNING BODIES' COMMENTS AND FURTHER ANALYZE ITS REPORT STEP 12 THE TASK FORCE WILL HOLD A PRESENTATION FOR ALL EXISTING COMMITTEES AND COMNIISSIONS IN THE COUNTY AND THE PUBLIC ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TASK FORCE AND THEN REFER THE REPORT TO THE FOUR GOVERNING BODIES STEP 13 THE FOUR GOVERNING BODIES WILL REFER THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE STAFF TO DETERMINE HOW TO INCORPORATE THE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO BOTH SHORT- AND LONG-RANGE WORKING PLANS FOR INCORPORATION INTO THEIR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING STRATEGY STEP 14 PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL BE HELD BY EACH JURISDICTION AFTER WHICH A FACILITATED MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLY OF GOVERNMENTS WILL BE HELD TO DISCUSS THE RECOMMENDATIONS As part of its recommendations to the community, the Task Force will design a community feed back mechanism through which responsible parties will monitor, evaluate and make mid-course corrections as the consensus is carried out. The feed back mechanism will also include ways 12 in which successful completion of significant steps on the way toward achievement of the desired future can be (recognized by the community. STEP 15 A FINAL REPORT FROM THE TASK FORCE WILL BE PREPARED AND SUBMITTED TO EACH JURISDICTION, FOR USE AS A POLICY BASE IN REVISING LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS. r 8 F 13 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A COOPERATIVE COMPREHENSIVE QUALITY GROWTH STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY BUILDING PLAN FOR ORANGE COUNTY WHEREAS, Orange County is at a crucial period in its history; while it is recognized nationally as a desirable place to live, it is facing development pressures which could erode the quality of life; and WHEREAS, the 4 governing bodies of Orange County have charged a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Orange County with developing cooperatively a proposed process for undertaking a comprehensive quality growth strategy and community building plan for Orange County; and WHEREAS, the 4 governing bodies of Orange County desire to work together with citizens to develop a model growth strategy and a community building plan; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the governing bodies of Orange County that the bodies receive the report of the Steering Committee titled "The Development of a Comprehensive Quality Growth Strategy and Community Building Plan for Orange County, " and hereby resolves that the governing bodies accept the proposed process outlined in the report, and pledge their best efforts to help carry out the process . BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this governing body thank the. Steering Committee for its work to date on developing the proposed comprehensive quality growth strategy. This the day of 1994 . i 14 Proposed Budget Quality Growth Strategy and Community Building Plan April 4, 1994 Hard Costs Administrative Costs Staff and GIS time Process Administration 30,000 (see page three for options) GIS Staff time 1,000. Data purchase 500. Computer time ($3/hr) 1,500. Survey School of Journalism 2,000. Process Administrative Costs Photocopying 200. Postage 800• Rent/refreshments 400. Advertising 2,400• Facilitation ($50/hr) 3,000. Guest speaker 1,500. Outside technical assistance 1,200. Publishing Interim report - newspaper insert 2,720. Final report photocopying 600. covers & binding 100. Contingency 2,080. 20,000. 30,000 Total 50,000• Notes: 1. GIS staff time is listed separately because the technicians involved have not been involved in this process up until now. 2. The survey is a specialized phone survey of Orange County residents. 3. "Rent/refreshments" covers whatever costs may be associated with 2 large meetings/public hearings. 4. "Advertising" covers both trying to get people interested in the process and meeting notices. 5. "Facilitation" covers a community building retreat for the task force to set up an open listening process for the entire project. It also includes facilitation at any committee meetings that may be necessary. The steering committee realizes this process will touch on some hot topics and facilitation will help keep meetings productive. 6. "Interim Report" allows us to publish the draft report in a tabloid form and have it inserted into the Orange County newspapers (CHN, CHH, NofO) 15 To: Mayors, Chairman, and governing board members From: Shaping Orange County's Future Steering Committee Date: April 4, 1994 RE: Quality Growth Strategy and Community Building Plan General assumptions about the process: There is one Task Force of approximately 25 people. This group will convene as a whole at least six times during the one year process. One staff member from each jurisdiction should be present at the Task Force meetings. There are at least 5 subcommittees focusing on topics. These committees will contain both Task Force members and others and will meet at least once a month for 9 months. One staff should work with each committee. There is one steering committee that meets quarterly to check on the progress being made. The Steering Committee should meet with either the coordinator, a rep. from the lead entity, or one rep. from each jurisdiction (depending on how it is set up). Coordination and Administration: It was very difficult to estimate total staff time this process will consume. For that reason, we chose to focus on administrative time spent rather than total time. Since it is unreasonable to assume that a committee of 25 citizens can organize and coordinate itself, we propose 3 options to cover this task. Planning staff time to support this process must be determined by each jurisdiction. Certainly there will have to be inter-local agreements and accounting measures instituted to make this work. Option 1 Coordinator. Responsibilities to both Task Force & committees Prepare/mail/deliver meeting notices, agendas, information packets, meeting summaries Schedule/confirm meeting space & confirm quorum Act as initial contact person for interested persons Estimated cost: $30,000 nearly full time position for at least one year. This could be existing staff or new, temporary staff located in any of the 4 jurisdictions. The coordinator would be on one jurisdiction's payroll and that jurisdiction would be compensated by the other 3 for salary, etc. Option 2 Designate Lead Jurisdiction This would be essentially the same as securing a coordinator except the jurisdiction would determine how to distribute work among existing staff, rather than designating one person. This is very similar to the DCHC MPO and HOME program formats. Estimated cost: $30,000 (rough). The jurisdiction would receive funds from other 3, same as Option 1. Option 3 No lead Entity or Coordinator A division of labor among the jurisdictions would have to be determined. Propose a 3 way split with Carrboro and Hillsborough sharing 1/3. Estimated cost: $30,000 (rough). If this cost is added to the total, jurisdictions should get credit for staff time spent on administration. If it's not added, divide the labor and each jurisdiction assumes responsibility for their share. Distribution of costs The Steering Committee discussed 2 options for distributing the cost of this process: by population and by the sales tax distribution. Mebane has chosen to not participate, their population and sales tax has been included with Orange County. Distribution of Hard Costs only - $20,000 This simply distributes the costs that will be due to other agencies or will cover the hard costs to completing this process. Population Sales Tax (city limits) Orange County $8,500 (42.5%) $12,600 (63%) Chapel Hill $8,020 (40.1%) $ 5,000 (25%) Carrboro $2,580 (12.9%) $ 1,600 (8%) Hillsborough $ 900 (4.5%) $ 800 (4%) Distribution of all costs - $50,000 This would apply to the first & second administrative options. The $30,000 for administration has been added to the $20,000 of hard costs. Population Sales Tax (city limits) Orange County $21,250 $31,500 Chapel Hill $20,050 $12,500 Carrboro $ 6,450 $ 4,000 Hillsborough $ 2,250 $ 2,000 Distribution of all costs - $50,000 This would apply to the third administrative option. These figures are those in the first table with the $30,000 for administration split 1/3, 1/3, 1/6, 1/6. Some of these funds could be in-kind services. Population Sales Tax (city limits) Orange County $18,500 $22,600 Chapel Hill $18,020 $15,000 Carrboro $ 7,580 $ 6,600 Hillsborough $ 5,900 $ 5,800