communities and consultants: best practices

Communities and Consultants: Best Practices for Best Results

MAPD 2014 Annual ConferenceJune 6, 2014, 9:00-10:30am

COMMUNITIES AND CONSULTANTS: BEST PRACTICES FOR BEST RESULTSMAPD 2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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Lynn Duncan, Salem, MA

Ashley Hahn, West Warwick, RI

Pamela McCarthy, Norwood, MA

Nancy Merrill, Claremont,NH

Karen O’Connell, Dedham, MA

Susan Sweitzer, Norwalk, CT

William Clark, Milton, MA

and...

Lynn Duncan, Salem, MA

Ashley Hahn, West Warwick, RI

Pamela McCarthy, Norwood, MA

Nancy Merrill, Claremont,NH

Karen O’Connell, Dedham, MA

Susan Sweitzer, Norwalk, CT

William Clark, Milton, MA

and...

Sources


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Four Questions


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1. What are the three most important things a planning consultant should know before beginning work for a town?


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2. What are the biggest mistakes an outside consultant made while working for your town?


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3. What are the three best practices a planning consultant has used in a project with you?


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4. What else would you want a planning consultant to know/be aware of in working with a town?


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Answers


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1POLITICS

Who drives the bus?

What drives the opposition?

Where are the existing or potential frictions?

Whose support is needed to get the plan approved?

Whose opinion matters?

Who are you working for?

Understand...

...the power structure.

...the political realities.

...the Town’s priorities.


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2LOGISTICS

How fixed is the budget for your work?

What is the funding source?

Who is the key contact with the Town (probably a staff person)?

How technologically advanced is the Town (GIS, Assessors’ data)?


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3LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Get the local nuances right.

Know the basic history and demo-graphics of the town.

What are the community expecta-tions for the plan?

What does the community expect of itself? Who is the leadership? What public outreach has already been done?

What forces are driving this plan or project?

What level of civic engagement is necessary for the success of this project?


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Thoughts from the Panel

The Cecil Group, Inc.Robinson & Cole LLP

Documentation for the Designation of the Arctic Village Redevelopment Area

December 2013


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2. What are the three biggest mistakes an outside con-sultant made while working for your town?


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1POLITICS

Lack of familiarity with the local governance structure.

Thinking you know what the town needs better than its decision-mak-ers - and not being tactful about it. Dismissive of past practices.

Not understanding the politi-cal realities - and not being adept enough to adjust.

Not understanding local power structure and priorities.

Mishandling group dynamics or being adversarial when seeking civ-ic engagement.


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2LOGISTICS

Underestimating the time and ef-fort needed to conduct outreach for public meetings.

Overwhelming people with slides and data and charts and maps.

Overspending the budget.

Not keeping to previously stated dates.

Not following up on previously discussed items.

Expecting more assistance from Town Staff than they can provide.

Not having an agenda for public meetings.


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3DIDN’T LISTEN

Assuming a plan that worked in one community will work in an-other

Delivering a plan that feels like a template in which the Town’s name was changed but nothing else.

Delivering a plan that does not match public input.

Not sensitive to information pro-vided by the Town.

Use of acronyms or patronizing speech.


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SOURCE: LIFTED FROM THE WEBPAGE OF ARTINSIGHTS.COM


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1POLITICS

Public input and workshops are key.

Work closely with the planner and discuss details with them sepa-rately from discussions with the boards/committees.

Sensitive candor regarding what works and why - sometimes mis-takes are the best learning tools and not making a decision is still a decision.


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2LOGISTICS

Use an agenda for public meetings.

Emails not phone calls.

Meet with the planner to discuss logistics before all public events.

Follow-up!

Create an approach that values communication and an active partnership between the town and the consultant - shared goals for the project and the investment of time and energy.


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3TOOLS

Understand the target audience and bring a new and different per-spective on how to reach that au-dience.

Use of visual and 3D modeling - walk people through their city.

Comparable images and design ex-amples with appropriate scale and sophistication.

Ability to create a vision that is not business as usual - encapsulates and addresses the challenges and results in deliverables that are ef-fective tools for the town.


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T I V E R T O N C O M M E R C I A L F O R M - B A S E D C O D E L O T D I A G R A M S

LOT

DIA

GR

AM

S

Table of Dimensional Regulations

Minimums Maximums Additional Regulations Reference

Lot Size* (sf)

Lot Width* (ft)

Front Yard Setback* (ft)

Side Yard Setback*† (ft)

Rear Yard Setback* † (ft)

Lot Coverage (%)

Building Height *

*Article V†When adjacent to another commercial property, setback can be zero to allow party walls; when adjacent to residential, the setback minimums are required.‡Setback required for improved pedestrian circulation on the ground level; overhanging and cantilevered upped stories are allowed to the edge of the lot line to form covered walkways. In all cases, 3’ minimum planted buffer.**For buildings ≥ 20,000 SF or parking areas 60 spaces, 50% coverage. All other projects, 70%.

General Commercial* 12,000 100 0 1-20 20 50 50

PFD Pedestrian Friendly District Proposed*

12,000 100 10‡ 10 20 50/70**≥8:12=35’<8:12=25’

Side Yard Setback

Front Yard Setback

Front Yard Setback

Rear Yard Setback

Lot Coverage

70% max.

Lot Size

30,000 sf min.

Defined pedestrian access from

sidewalk

to building’s main entrance.

Landscape plantings to buffer sidewalk/

walkw

ays from parking

Lot Line

Lot Line

Lot Line

Lot Line

Street

Street

3’min..

20’min.

10’

min.

Lot Diagram

Building Disposition

10’

min.

PFDPedestrian Friendly

Destination(Proposed District)

10’

min..

Min Veg. Buffer L

ine

Min. Veg. Buffer Line

Planing Buffer Varies; 3’ - 10’

Depending on Parking Configuration

Lot Diagram Alternates

Desirable Less Desirable Avoid

Lot Frontage

100’ min.

35’

max.

Building

Height

> 8:12

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LOT

DIA

GR

AM

S



Lot Size* (sf)

Lot Width* (ft)




Lot Coverage (%)

Building Height *




12,000 100 10‡ 10 20 50/70**≥8:12=35’<8:12=25’

Side Yard Setback

Front Yard Setback

Front Yard Setback

Rear Yard Setback

Lot Coverage

70% max.

Lot Size

30,000 sf min.


sidewalk



walkw

ays from parking

Lot Line

Lot Line

Lot Line

Lot Line

Street

Street

3’min..

20’min.

10’

min.

Lot Diagram


10’

min.



10’

min..

Min Veg. Buffer L

ine






Lot Frontage

100’ min.

35’

max.

Building

Height

> 8:12


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LOT

DIA

GR

AM

S



Lot Size* (sf)

Lot Width* (ft)




Lot Coverage (%)

Building Height *




12,000 100 10‡ 10 20 50/70**≥8:12=35’<8:12=25’

Side Yard Setback

Front Yard Setback

Front Yard Setback

Rear Yard Setback

Lot Coverage

70% max.

Lot Size

30,000 sf min.


sidewalk



walkw

ays from parking

Lot Line

Lot Line

Lot Line

Lot Line

Street

Street

3’min..

20’min.

10’

min.

Lot Diagram


10’

min.



10’

min..

Min Veg. Buffer L

ine






Lot Frontage

100’ min.

35’

max.

Building

Height

> 8:12


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4. What else would you want a planning consultant to know/be aware of in working with a town?


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1POLITICS

Why has the community issued this contract?

What are the goals of the commu-nity?

What drives the opposition?

What are the concerns of the local media?

Understand the political playing field!

Use plain speech - no talking at, over or under.


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2LOGISTICS

Finish the project on time and within budget.

Be accessible!

Don’t nickel and dime the com-munity for every hour of time through requested change orders.


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3TOWNS NEED US

The ability to retain a consultant is a key factor in taking an idea or a goal to the next level...consultants have a major contribution to make to towns and leveraging that work is an important strategic consid-eration. This represents a shift in how consultants are viewed...how can we be more proactive plan-ners together with an active imple-mentation strategy paired with the plan.

PARTNERS


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What do you think?

Most important things to know?

Biggest mistakes?

Best practices?

communities and consultants: best practices

Government & Nonprofit