Catalyze SV Feedback Response
Catalyze SV provided feedback on the draft outreach policy prior to the Planning Commission meeting (included in the Commission meeting packet). The following is a general response to that feedback.
Catalyze SV and the City share a common interest in improving the City’s outreach for Planning projects—which include private development applications, like conditional use permits; as well as City-sponsored projects, like new specific plans. It is our understanding that there are not many other cities in the area that have a public outreach policy for Planning applications, which reflects our innovation.
An aim of this policy is to measure how effectively the project sponsor integrates community feedback into the project's design based on the outreach. We are trying to establish a process where we can include informing, consulting, involving and where possible collaboration with stakeholders. Not every project scope is the same and every project has different levels of interest from the community. We are trying to create and maintain a balance between effective outreach and aligning with the State’s goals and expectations on housing production. Regarding non-residential development, we can expect that there would be more interest in projects that are within the vicinity of residential properties. The draft policy includes flexibility that will allow the City to achieve these outreach goals. We are trying to match the outreach with what may be the expected interest in the project, some of which would not be known until a project is submitted and we conduct the early and initial outreach.
The policy categorizes projects into “small”, “standard”, “large” and “significant interest”. Large and significant interest projects are similar and have the same requirements. There may be times when a small or standard project would be considered a significant interest project and subject to increased outreach.
Requiring childcare services, translation and food at every community meeting is not feasible, but we agree that, if necessary, then we should have those services available. This draft policy has flexibility built in to allow the Director to require additional outreach. We agree that creating a list of qualified outreach specialist would be beneficial for applicants as a resource.
We recognize that technology and outreach methods change over time and just because the policy does not specifically mention a technology or method does not mean that it cannot be used.