Community Adaptation Strategies and Best Practices: Part 2
In our last newsletter, we discussed best practices and strategies to prepare for the post-COVID times. Planning for the future cannot be kept on hold while we deal with this pandemic. In fact, this is the best time for communities to start gathering public input, reviewing and updating the existing policies for community development, especially those that address aging adults and the changing transportation trends.
Best Practice Update
Signs
Sign Ordinances and the Master Plan
Many communities have updated or are updating their sign ordinances based on the landmark Supreme Court case Reed vs. Town of Gilbert. This can also be an opportunity to update all sections of the ordinance to reflect changes in the industry (sign types, lighting, etc.), best practices and recommendations from the community’s master plan.
What does your master plan say about signs? This subject is often not addressed or there is minimal reference to signage in a master plan. A master plan update can be an excellent opportunity to establish objectives and policies that provide a foundation to support sign regulations. Is the issue of aesthetics important in your community? Are there districts in your community that have distinct characteristics where signs need to meet certain standards to reflect that criteria? Establishing the foundation for sign regulations makes sense from a policy perspective and is good planning practice.
Michigan Sign Guidebook Update
The Michigan Sign Guidebook was published in 2011 by Scenic Michigan. It has served as an invaluable resource in the state and it is also referenced as a national resource.
The book is currently being updated by original co-author Brian Connolly of Otten Johnson on behalf of Scenic Michigan, and an Advisory Committee of legal and planning experts has been established to inform the update. Giffels Webster Partner, Rod Arroyo, is a member of the Advisory Committee. As part of this effort, Rod is providing input into the updated draft, sharing sign photos from the library of Giffels Webster and offering insight into factors to consider when regulating sign size. The updated guidebook should be available later this year.
Exploring Our Changing Reality
Public Participation. The need for robust, comprehensive public participation does not stop change despite to during COVID-19 pandemic. The Giffels Webster team is adopting new virtual methods of collecting public input for Master Plan updates, planning commission meetings, and city council visioning sessions. A Virtual Open House is an effective way to facilitate a public meeting for a new Master Plan at the convenience of residents. Using ArcGIS StoryMaps platform, the traditional information and public input opportunities presented at an in-person open house are recreated with a virtual presentation. Members of the public can interact with demographic data, view redevelopment sites, and even leave comments about specific places on a map. Mentimeter is a virtual tool used to gather live survey response data. In a Virtual Open House or planning commission meeting, an embedded Mentimeter link allows participants to respond to a survey question via text or link and immediately see the anonymous results. Virtual public participation tools oftentimes have the capability to provide summary data, charts, or excel spreadsheets which helps to create faster, more organized public input reports.
Today. Set up accounts for virtual public participation tools. Survey Monkey, Mentimeter, and ArcGIS Story Maps are great resources to ensure that public participation remains engaging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online public input tools also have the capability of being shared on various social media platforms, community websites, or in local publications to reach more people.
Future Idea. Keep innovating new ways to connect with the public. After the governor rescinds the State of Emergency orders consider continuing to offer virtual board and commission meetings. The online platform for community meetings enables residents with varying levels of access, time, or interest to attend and participate without the traditional challenges of in-person meetings.
Older Adults. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is urging communities to address the challenges faced by the aging adults during the pandemic. Aging adults are most at risk for illness and isolation and are not widely connected through technology.
Today. Set up a hotline for updated information on virus spread in the community, availability of goods and transportation and additional resources. This infographic prepared by AARP summarizes best practices from around the country to make communities more livable based on 8 Domains of Livability framework.
Future Idea. Communities should work to establish high-speed internet access for all residents. Work with local aging agencies to help older adults learn how to use technology with confidence. Work with other agencies and neighboring communities to address transportation and health needs.
Transportation. With the physical distancing requirements of businesses and the increasing delivery of goods, vehicular and pedestrian interaction with streets have changed.
Today. Communities should accommodate pickup and drop-off spaces near businesses as well as explore ways in which streets can temporarily be used for local businesses. The Village of Milford worked with local businesses to develop specifications and low-cost materials for temporary outdoor dining platforms. The City of Clawson created a “how-to” guide for outdoor dining platforms and waived the permitting fees.
Future Idea. Physical distancing regulations offer the opportunity to rethink the design, function, and policies of streets to meet the needs of local businesses, pedestrians, and physical distancing restrictions.
Efficient Communication. Build a contact list of resident and business emails addresses to offer e-news blasts about community events and activities on a regular basis. Work with neighborhood groups for more direct and personal communication with all residents, including those without Internet access.
Planning & Zoning News from our Communities
Redevelopment Ready Communities®. Giffels Webster is working with the MEDC and MML to provide “development services” to three Redevelopment Ready Communities® for specific redevelopment sites. At no cost to these communities, our team is preparing a market study, redevelopment concepts and a request for qualifications package that the MEDC and MML will share with the development community to spark interest in these special sites.
Clearzoning Ordinance Adoption. The City of Springfield in Calhoun County, Michigan recently adopted a new Clearzoning® Ordinance that will help the community better understand the city’s development standards.
Giffels Webster News
Leadership Spotlight. Giffels Webster and President Scott Clein were the subject of a July 2020 Forbes article on leadership and growth. Check it out!
Giffels Webster has been dedicated to making communities better for over 65 years by specializing in community planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture, GIS, traffic engineering, and surveying.
Giffels Webster will help you identify and leverage your unique resources to improve the assets and attractiveness of your community.
For more information, please call Giffels Webster at 866.271.9663 and visit www.giffelswebster.com.