streetscape policy brief

The Fisherville Farnumsville Streetscape Project:

Opportunities for Civic Engagement and Collaborative Governance

Overview

South Grafton development

Public participation in Planning and development

Opportunities to Expand community involvement

Recommendations

Fisherville and Farnumsville

Fisherville Mill Fire

Absentee landlords, degraded sidewalks

40R Smart Growth Overlay District and Rehab Funds

The Streetscape Project

New park, streetscape improvements: trees, bike lane, sidewalks

Changing zoning to mimic historic mill village development

The Necessity of Public Participation

Neighborhood disinvestment causes suspicion of zoning changes

Governance system lacks nuanced avenues for community engagement in planning

Public support necessary for Town Meeting

From Confrontation to Collaboration

Community-engaged planning can:

Include unheard voices in community development

Foster a sense of citizen ownership

Prevent unwanted development

Criteria to Evaluate Empowered Participation

Community knowledge and preferences

Fairness and legitimacy

Accountable autonomy

Options for Empowered Participation

Information sharing and outreach

Collaborative planning

Co-Production of public goods

Option 1: Information Sharing, Outreach, and

Education

Outreach through existing Fisherville and Farnumsville Streetscape Committee

Streetscape presentation for local organizations

Option 2:Collaborative Planning

Include more citizens in visioning and planning process for South Grafton redevelopment

Facilitate a public planning series on community issues to inform master plan Changes

Option 3: Citizen Capacity Building in South Grafton

Provide staff assistance for resident-led projects:

Farmer’s market, community gardens, Green initiatives

Promote ownership and volunteerism through matched mini-grants

Weighing Options

Information

Sharing

Co-Planning

Co-Production

Community knowledge and

preferencesmaybe yes yes

Fairness and Legitimacy

yes yes yes

Empowered Participation

no maybe yes

Informing Citizens, Reviewing the Master Plan,

Funding Neighborhood Initiatives

1. Outreach and EducationNewsletter and presentationsrelational approach to building support

2. Focus on Local ownership of master plancross-committee involvement in revising Plan

3. matched mini-grants and neighborhood initiatives to advance goals of Master Plan

Broad Participation Sustainable Communities

Broad public participation can improve outcomes in community planning

All residents have a role in preserving and revitalizing Grafton

Questions