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1 Community & Economic Development Department
City Council
May 16, 2023
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
POLICY & TOOLKIT WORKSHOP
RiversideCA.gov
2 PURPOSE
1. Workshop Intent : seek additional feedback and
direction on next steps prior to implementation of
these Citywide resources.
2. Workshop Content: background on the draft Policy,
review of its key aspects and supporting Toolkit, and
pilot program and recent case studies for City Council
consideration.
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3 BACKGROUND
WHY DOES IT MATTER NOW?
1. The City has no formal Community
Engagement Policy in place today.
2. Engagement helps preserve Community
Trust - a key cross cutting thread of the
2025 Strategic Plan.
3. General Plan 2025, the Riverside Municipal
Code and State law (CEQA) require public
participation in the decision-making
process.
RiversideCA.gov
4 BACKGROUND
August 5, 2020
Inclusiveness,
Community Engagement
& Governmental
Processes Committee
(ICE&GSC)
Policy Direction
February 20, 2021
First “Community
Engagement 101”
Virtual Workshop
July 2022
Draft Policy &
Toolkit
Completed
(Policy Review)
March 2021 –
June 2021
5 Additional Virtual
Workshops Completed
Summer and Fall
2022
Pilot Program
Commences
December 7, 2022
ICE&GSC
Community
Engagement Policy
Update
TODAY
May 16, 2023
City Council
Workshop
December 13,
2022
Councilmember
Edwards requests
Council Workshop
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3 RiversideCA.gov
5 COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH
1. February 2021 - June 2021:
a. Staff hosted 6 virtual workshops/meetings to seek input; b. Workshops focused on “What, How and Why’s of Community Engagement;
c. Best practices were identified through discussion, research, and review of other municipal policies within the region and state and;
d. 26 community members participated with staff to develop a draft Community Engagement Policy (CEP) framework.
2. July 2021 – July 2022: the draft CEP was distributed and shared with the Executive and Deputy Leadership teams, among others in the organization for further input.
RiversideCA.gov
6 DRAFT POLICY & TOOLKIT
July 2022 – draft Policy & Toolkit completed
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7 DISCUSSION
RiversideCA.gov
8 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POLICY (CEP)
CEP Includes:
a. What is Community Engagement?
b. Vision and Commitment
c. Why, Who, When and How we Engage
d. Roles and Responsibilities
e. Ties to 2025 Strategic Plan
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9 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT
What is the Community Engagement Toolkit?
a. Getting Started
b. Stakeholders
c. Tools & Resources
d. Successful Facilitation
e. Appendices & Worksheets
RiversideCA.gov
10 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT
The Community Engagement Toolkit uses Policy framework and acts as a resource for City Departments and community members. Because these documents work together, the Citywide Community Engagement Policy should be reviewed before working t hrough the Community Engagement Toolkit.
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11 2022 PILOT PROGRAM
Examples of “Pilot Program” Outreach Workshops:
RiversideCA.gov
12 2022 PILOT PROGRAM
Participants:
Mayor’s Office – Big Tent Tour
CEDD – Northside Master Developer RFP
CEDD – Building Decarbonization Ordinance
CMO - Regional Climate Collaborative Grant
Libraries – Community Engagement Survey
Lessons Learned/Improvements to:
Meeting forum and approach
Effective interactive communication methods
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13 Public Works Department
1. Offer tactile experiences
2. Use technology creatively
3. Use pilot and demonstration
projects
4. Record feedback and share back
EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES
RiversideCA.gov
14 CASE STUDY #1
1. Hosted town-hall style meetings,
let attendees share openly
2. Attend regular community
meetings
3. “Balancing Act” web budget
4. ESRI Storymap
5. Variety of feedback options
PARKING RATES AND HOURS
RESULT = Adopted new parking rates and hours
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15 CASE STUDY #2
1. Walking audits
2. Physical & online maps
3. Clean N’ Green Halloween
4. Door to door engagement
5. Regularly updated webpage
6. Follow-through on requests
EASTSIDE CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE
RESULT = $31.2 Million in grant funds for the Eastside
RiversideCA.gov
16 CASE STUDY #3
1. Started with heavy in-person engagement
2. Pivot due to COVID
3. Thousands of web impressions
4. Share webinar recordings
5. Build on pilot projects
RIVERSIDE P.A.C.T.
RESULT = $30 Million in grant awards and counting
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17 DISCUSSION
RiversideCA.gov
18 NEXT STEPS
Next steps to implement the CEP
and Toolkit:
a. Receive feedback and direction
from City Council
b. Update documents based on
recommendations as needed; and
c. Return to Committee or proceed to
City Council for consideration and
implementation
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19 STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
Strategic Priority 2 – Community Well-Being (Goal 2.4 - Support programs and innovations that enhance community safety, encourage neighborhood engagement, and build public trust)
Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government (Goal 5.3 - Enhance communication and collaboration with community members to improve transparency, build public trust, and encourage shared decision-making) Cross-Cutting Threads
RiversideCA.gov
20 RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council provide feedback and
direction on next steps to implement a Citywide
Community Engagement Policy.
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