Latest News Transportation Plan Initiative
Transportation Plan InitiativeThe recently adopted Municipal Planning Strategy has recommended that Council prepare a comprehensive transportation plan for the Town. Council is now reviewing a process for preparing such a plan which would provide for significant public engagement in the process of preparing the plan. A community wide study circles program is being considered. This form of public engagement has been used successfully in many parts of the world to resolve difficult and complicated community issues. In summary it involves the creation of many small groups of 8 to 12 people of varied interests and backgrounds (a study circle) who will work together over a period of time ( several months to a year) to learn about, discuss and make recommendations for resolution of an issue. Council will be considering discussion documents on this process in upcoming meetings. |
Transportation Plan Terms Of Reference (
Comments
How much has been funded for this project?? How much from the Town, how much from grants, etc.?
"Transportation Project Coordinator"?
Does "Town" include Council members or just Town staff?? Who will be involved in the selection of the Coordinator?
"TRD"?
Why is the Coordinator consulting with WBDC and AU? Why just the WBDC and AU?? Who will represent AU?? Is consulting with AU because of the students or expertise of faculty members?? If students, why not include them as members of the Study Circles? Is WBDC being consulted because it represents business interests?
Mention is made of "background information".? Does this mean a transportation survey?? Who uses cars, buses, etc, and for what purposes?
"Stages of the Process"?
What do you mean by "efficient and effective"? If the final plan is to arrive at the most "efficient and effective" solutions to transportation issues, then that might be stated at the outset.? Public participation may lead to more "effective" implementation, but not sure it leads to more "efficient" implementation.
Depending upon turnout at the general meeting and participation, what ways are contemplated to engage and get input from residents who may not attend meetings, but may be users of or affected by the outcome of the transportation plan ?
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Stage 2:
Are three meetings enough to come up with CTP?
Stage 2(c): since staff is to assure that each CIrcle is "heterogeneous" you should spell out what you mean by this term.? Different ages, location in town, profession, physical ability, income level?
Perhaps at the end of Stage 2, documents a/o summary should be actively distributed to public; the key ideas.
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General Questions/Observations
It appears that the Transportation Plan is being carried under the new MPS, in particular, pursuant to Policy 13.2.6. Must the final Transportation Plan be consistent with the new MPS? If so, then should TRD contain the principles and policies, etc. from the MPS which are meant to guide the Transportation Plan? Generally, what is the relationship between the numerous statements in the MPS about transportation and the contemplated Transportation Plan? For example, according to the Declaration of Sustainability (2.2), the Town is meant to strive toward ?reduc[ing] and eliminat[ing] our dependence upon fossil fuels. . .? How should such an objective be considered in drafting the Transportation Plan?
The Declaration of Sustainability (2.2) of the new MPS also states that in coming up with solutions to challenges, which would appear to include transportation challenges, the Town is to be guided by the Town?s Melbourne Principles and the principles of The Natural Step. The proposed Terms of Reference contains ways to foster participation, one of the Melbourne Principles. Not being familiar with TNS, how has TNS framework been included in the process of drafting the transportation plan?
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