Download - Finding Your Voice By William Faus
Changemaker Training
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Hosted by Greenbelt Alliance
William Faus
Happily married for 33 years Involved with planning issues for 38 years Attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Completed graduate studies at SJSU This is my 3rd year in retirement I currently dedicate most my time to a number
of non-profits, volunteer work, gardening, and cooking for my beautiful wife
How you can make a difference
Know & study your specific issue(s)
Carefully define the specific action(s) you want to happen
Communicate your concerns
Know & Study your issue(s)
Most projects have two distinct components in the approval process:
Environmental review (CEQA)
Project characteristics & scope
Environmental ReviewUnder the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
In-depth analysis of potential impacts Applied Mitigation Measures will lessen
potential impacts Do the recommended Mitigation
Measures address the potential impacts Are project alternatives [found within an EIR]
sufficiently vetted
Project characteristics & scope
Development plans describe the proposal
Plans can be: Drawings [blue prints] Descriptive narrative
The final project
Will be a product of:
Approved development plans Adopted Mitigation Measures Conditions added on by:
Recommending body Approval body
Define the action you want
GOOD: Carefully define your issues & concerns Communicate your issues & concerns
This sets up vulnerable ownership, as the outcome is strongly influenced by others
Define the action you want
BETTER: Carefully define your issues & concerns Outline potential solutions and/or options Communicate your issues & concerns
This sets up shared ownership, where the outcome is influenced by suggested solutions
Define the action you want
BEST: Carefully define your issues & concerns Outline potential solutions and/or options Support your recommendations with
reasons and findings Communicate your issues & concerns
This takes ownership, where the potential outcome is strongly influenced by you
Communicate your concerns
This is the easy part and can be transmitted in many forms to the recommending and/or approval bodies
Prior to project approval - express your concerns
During project approval - express your concerns
The more ways you communicateyour message - the better
Verbal, person-to-person {by far the best way!} Phone call Text message E-mail Submit a detailed letter of concern Fax Letter(s) to the local newspaper editor Express your concerns at the public
hearing(s)
Communication – cont. Get community groups to support
your position … Chamber of Commerce Business associations Home-owner’s association Environmental groups Neighborhood group
Be even more proactive …
Prior to the public hearings: Speak to agency staff in charge of
environmental review Speak to agency staff in charge of the
project review and/or staff report recommendation
Speak to individuals in charge of specific sections of the report:
Traffic Engineer Fire safety Etc. etc.
Your public Standing
For a Resident Number of years as a local resident Number of years as a property owner Proximity to the project site
For a Business owner Number of years as a local business owner Number of local people your business employed Annual tax dollars generated Proximity to the project site
Who approved that?
There are typically five key groups involved in a project decision: Policy Planners City Planners Project Design Planners Environmental Planners Special Interest Planners
Those involved: Policy Planners
City Council, Board of Supervisors, etc. Planning Commission Specific area boards [ABAG, MTC, SCVWD] LAFCO [Local Agency Formation Commission]
City Planners Staff planners, management, directors
Those involved: Project Design Planners
Architects, Engineers, Design Planners, etc. Environmental Planners
CEQA consultants, specialists [i.e. Traffic] Special Interest Planners
Environmental interests [i.e. Sierra Club, Greenbelt] Business interests [i.e. Chamber of Commerce]