HomeMy WebLinkAboutP & Z Packet 11-28-07
City of Cape Canaveral
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD REGULAR MEETING
CITY HALL ANNEX
111 POLK AVENUE
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
AGENDA
7:30 P.M.
,",_II J._ r\...-'__
vall LU VI uel
Roll Call
NEW BUSINESS
1. Approval of Meeting Minutes: October 28, 2007.
2. Discussion Re: Creating a Zoning Matrix - Todd Peetz, City Planner.
3. Discussion Re: Creating an Open Space Provision - Todd Peetz, City
Planner.
4. Review and Recommendation to City Council Re: Consideration of a
Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan (CAPP) Process - Todd Peetz,
City Planner.
OPEN DISCUSSION
ADJOURN
Pursuant to Section 286.1015, F.S., the City hereby advises the public that: If a person
decides to appeal any decision made by the Planning and Zoning Board with respect to
any matter rendered at this meeting, that person will need a record of the proceedings,
and for such purpose that person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the
proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the
appeal is to be based. This notice does not constitute consent by the City for the
introduction or admission into evidence of otherwise inadmissible or irrelevant evidence,
nor does it authorize challenges or appeals not otherwise allowed by law. This meeting
may include the attendance of one or more members of the Cape Canaveral City
Council, Board of Adjustment, Code Enforcement and/or Community Appearance Board
who mayor may not participate in Board discussions held at this public meeting.
Persons with disabilities needing assistance to participate in any of these piOceedings
should contact the City Clerk's office at 868-1221,48 hours in advance of the meeting.
105 Polk Avenue .. Post Office Box 326 .. Cape Canaveral, FL 32920-0326
Telephone: (321) 868-1222 .. SUNCOM: 982-1222 " FAX: (321) 868-1247
www.myflorida.com/cape .. email: ccapecanaveral@cfl.rr.com
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 24, 2007
A Regular Meeting of the Planning & Zoning Board was held on October 24,
2007, at the City Hall Annex, 111 Polk Avenue, Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Chairperson Bea McNeely called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. The
Secretary called the roll.
F\ A.I\ Jlnr-nt""'\. nr-u'-t""\.r-t.I-r-
IVICIVIDC~;:) r-~C;:)CI\l1
Bea McNeely Chairperson
Lamar Russell Vice Chairperson
Donald Dunn
Harry Pearson
John Johanson 1 st Alternate
Ronald Friedman 2nd Alternate
OTHERS PRESENT
Robert Hoog Mayor Pro T em
Shannon Roberts Council Member
Kate Latorre Assistant Citv Attornev
" . - -- - - - -.I
Todd Peetz City Planner
Susan Chapman Board Secretary
NEW BUSINESS
1. Approval of Meetinq Minutes: October 10,2007.
Motion by Harry Pearson, seconded by Lamar Russell, to approve the meeting
minutes of October 10, 2007. Donald Dunn requested that a statement that he
made during the discussion of agenda item #2 be added to the minutes. He
advised that he would give the wording to the Board Secretary to add to the
minutes. Vote on the motion carried unanimously.
2. Review Re: Land-Use Matrix for Mixed-Use Districts.
Todd Peetz, City Planner, noted that at the September 12th meeting, there was a
presentation of existing mixed land use districts. It was determined that the
mixed land use concept had merit to investigate further without being developer-
driven. There was a series of proposed steps that the city could proceed with to
ultimately decide if mixed-use districts were desirable for the city.
Planning & Zoning Board
Meeting Minutes
October 24, 2007
Page 2
Todd Peetz identified the steps that the Board should look at from other
jurisdictions' rules and requirements for mixed land use in a matrix format. He
advised that the purpose was to determine what elements would work for the city
and which would not. He noted that the board was only on steps one and two of
the following proposed action plan:
1. Create a mixed-use matrix of rules and regulations from other
communities.
2. ..... . Q~t~[miD~.'NhQleleme.DlswouJdbeappropriateJortheCjty.
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3. Take community input.
4. Invite potential stakeholders.
5. Develop a concept plan with the stakeholders' input and support.
6. Have the code/concept plan critiqued to determine if it were
economically feasible.
7. Modify and adopt ordinance as determined to be appropriate for the
City.
The Board members reviewed a mixed use matrix that was provided by Todd
Peetz, and mixed use ordinances from various cities.
Discussion was held regarding mixed use as follows: determining what elements
would be appropriate for the city; creating an independent zoning district; clearly
defining that mixed use not be allowed in any residential districts; updating the
Comprehensive Plan; creating a zoning name for a residential/commercial mixed
use district; determining and defining allowed uses; deciding where mixed use
districts should be aliowed and create location criteria; minimum acreage;
whether or not to allow townhomes, mixed use on water frontage, and regulating
alcoholic beverages from being within 300 ft. of schools, churches, and
playgrounds. They discussed parks, awnings, town squares, walkways,
fountains, trees, park benches, parking and loading areas, traffic flow, refuse
management; pedestrian walkways, bikeways, and sidewalks; appearance;
parking requirements (Le. shared parking, parking garages, parking on the
streets, off street parking, and on-site parking); green space; what kind of
designs, styles and themes to allow; maximum building height; open and closed
balconies; the front of the building facing the street; consider allowing outside
displays of merchandise; exterior lighting; and whether or not to allow residential
on the ground floor of a multi-use structure; and creating a mission statement for
mixed use.
Planning & Zoning Board
Meeting Minutes
October 24, 2007
Page 3
Tom Hermasen, Residence Inn, suggested that maximum building height be 45
ft., so that ceiling heights could be an average of 8 1/2 ft., which would enhance
architectural creativity. Chairperson McNeely asked that the Board members to
take into consideration that taller buildings block the sun and breeze.
John Fredrickson stated that the town was already overbuilt, the residents can't
sell what the already have, and the city did not need any more development. He
gave examples of unfinished and non-sellable units that were located throughout
the city.
Donald Dunn suggested that the city require a development agreement. Todd
Peetz responded that the city would not want to be responsible for finishing
private developments.
The Board members concluded that they would like to see visionary pictures of
existing mixed use developments and hold visioning discussions at future
meetings.
3. Review & Recommendation Re: Repeal Section 110-376. Preservation of
Trees.
Kate Latorre, Assistant City Attorney, explained that this ordinance was to repeal
Section 110-376, preservation of trees because this section was not consistent
with Section 102. Brief discussion followed. Kate Latorre clarified that Section
110-376 appeared to have not been amended at the time the major revisions to
Section 102 were enacted. The repealing of Section 110-376 would clean up this
discrepancy.
Motion by Harry Pearson, seconded by Donald Dunn, to recommend repealing
Section 110-376, Preservation of Trees. Vote on the motion carried
unanimously.
OPEN DISCUSSION
Due to the time there was no open discussion. There being no further business
the meeting was adjourned at 10:07 p.m.
Bea McNeely, Chairperson
Susan L. Chapman, Secretary
Meeting Type: Planning & Zoning
Meeting Date: 11/28/07
AGENDA
Heading Discussion
Item #
No.
AGENDA REPORT
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD
THE CITY OF CAPE CANAVERAL
SUBJECT: Review and Provide Direction to Staff about Creating a Zoning Matrix for the Zoning Code
DEPT. /DIVISION: Building Department
. A ~4-:~_.
Review and provide direction to staff about creating a zoning matrix for the zoning code.
Summary Explanation & Background:
A zoning matrix had been suggested as part of the Land Development Code review. The idea is a to have a
more user-friendly document that is easy to read and understand.
Exhibits Attached:
1) Proposed Zoning Matrix
Planning Official's Office Department
CAPE CANA VERAL
ZONING CODE MATRIX
Table A: Zoning regulations by designation Some cells in the following table have
numbers that correspond with code criteria listed after the table.
Front
Side (interior)
Side (comer lot)
Rear
Road setback
7,500 sf (10) (10) (11) (12) 10,000 sf
area
Minimum lot 75 ft 75 ft 75 ft (13) (14) 75 ft
width
Minimum lot 100 ft 100 ft. 100ft 100 ft 100 ft 100ft
depth
Maximum lot 40% 35% 35% 50% 50% 50%
coverage
Minimum living 1,100 (15) (16) (17) 300 square feet 300 square
area (Minimum sf/du feet
Floor Area for
C-2 and M-1)
Maximum 25 ft 25 ft 45 ft 45 ft 45 ft 45 ft
height
Maximum 185 ft 185 ft - -
Length/Width
FAR. - - (18)
* See section 110-536 for special setbacks.
Section 110-536. Building setback lines.
(a) The following shall be the minimum building setback lines along the listed roads:
(1) Highway AlA (portions known as North Atlantic Avenue and
Astronaut Boulevard). setback, each side, from the northern city
boundary to the southern city boundary shall be 50 feet from the
highway right-of-way.
(2) North Atlantic Avenue (that portion of North Atlantic Avenue also
known as Palm Avenue and S.R. 401). setback, each side, from its
intersection \vith IV!O!lTOe .LLl.... venue to the northern city boundar! shall be
50 feet from the right-of-way.
(3) Ridgewood Avenue. setback, each side, from the southern city
boundar; to the northern city boundary of Ridgewood A venue shall be
25 feet from the right-of-way.
(b) On the Atlantic Ocean, the setback shall comply with the coastal construction setback.
See section 82-81 et seq.
(c) In determining the setback requirements for any building proposed to be erected, the
setback requirements in this section shall be construed as a minimum setback, and if a
greater setback is required under any of the zoning districts such greater setback
requirements shall be enforced.
Note: Side setbacks for all lots contiguous with the ocean beach shall be ten feet or ten percent of the width
of the lot, whichever is greater, up to 15 feet
(#) The following corresponds with the numbers listed in the Table A.
1. 8 ft or 10% oflot, whichever is greater, up to 20 feet
2. 8 feet or 10% of width of lot, whichever is greater, up to 15 ft
4. 15 ft, except where industrial property abuts a residential district, in which case the minimum side
interior lot shall be 25 ft
5. 25 ft; on all nonconforming lots of record, 15 ft
6. 25 feet; 20 feet when abutting an alley.
7. 10ft; 25 ft when abutting a residential district
8. 15 feet, except where industrial property abuts a residential district, in which case the minimum
rear yard requirement shall be 25 feet
9. Public or private street, 25 feet
10. One- and two-family, 7,500 square ft.; Multiple-family, 10,000 square ft
11. Service stations, hotels and motels, 12,000 sf; All other principal uses and structures, 5,000 sq ft,.
12. Service stations, 12,000 square ft; All other principal uses and structures shall be 10,000 square
feet
13. Service stations, hotels and motels, 100 feet; All other principal uses and structures, 50 feet
14. Service stations, 100 ft; All other principal uses and structures shall be 75ft
15. One-family: 1,100 sf/du; two-family: 750 sf/du; Multiple family - efficiency: 50 sf/du, One bed:
650 sf/du, Two bedrooms or additional bedrooms: 750 sf/du (plus 200 square feet for each
additional bedroom).
16. One-family, 1,100 sf/du; Two-family, 750 sf/du; Multiple family, efficency:450 sf/du; One bed:
650 sf/du; Two bedrooms, additional bedrooms: 750 sf/du (plus 200 square feet for each
additional bedroom).
17. Hotels and motels, 300 square feet per rental unit; hotel and motel units containing provisions for
cooking or light housekeeping, not less than 400 square feet.; All other principal uses and
structures, 300 square feet
18. The ratio of gross floor area to lot area shall not exceed 1.5: 1.0
Meeting Type: Planning & Zoning
Meeting Date: 11/28/07
AGENDA
Heading Discussion
Item #
No.
AGENDA REPORT
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD
THE CITY OF CAPE CANAVERAL
SUBJECT: Review and Recommend to Staff whether to Create an Open Space Provision within the
Code
DEPT. /DNISION: Building Department
Requested Action:
Review and recommend to staff whether or not to prepare a provision to include open space as a required
provision in the land development code.
Summary Explanation & Background:
At recent workshops and council meetings the topic of open space has come up. The concern is there is not
enough open space being required. Generally, open space for individual lot has been provided for through
setbacks and necessary drainage areas. However, the setbacks are used for parking and the drainage can in some
cases be located underground or at one end or the other in small townhome projects. The information attached
discusses how open space is provided for in other communities. It should be noted that the open space is often
required in Planned Unit Developments (PUD), just like in the City's Residential Planned Unit Development
Section 110-438.
Exhibits Attached:
1) Open Space requirements from other local jurisdictions
I Planning Official's Office I Department I
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OPEN SPACE FOR AREA JURISDICTIONS
The following lists the City of Cape Canaveral's open space requirements along with four
other local jurisdictions in order to gauge the standards practiced in the region. These
open space requirements range differently from one jurisdiction to next and help give
perspective on the varying differences for each local government.
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA
DIVISION 3. LAND USE REGULATIONS (Residential Planned Unit Development)
Sec. 110-438. Minimum common recreation and open space.
(a) As used in this section, the term "common recreation and open space" means the
total amount of improved usable area, including outdoor space, permanently set aside and
designated on the site plan as recreational or open space for use by residents of the
residential planned unit development. ~,,-"'''''~'''''''.''''''''''''''- _"'''~''''''m''m'''''~''''''~'''~
--~~-(bflwenty- five percent of The gross site- acn.~age shall- be delineated as tracts for
common recreation and open space.
(c) Common open space shall be integrated throughout the residential planned unit
development to provide for a linked recreational and open space system. Such usable
space may be in the form of active or passive recreation areas, including but not limited
to: playgrounds, golf courses, beach frontage, nature trails and lakes. Common open
space shall be improved to the extent necessary to complement the residential uses and
may contain compatible and complementary structures for the benefit and enjoyment of
the residents of the residential planned unit development. Easements, parking areas,
perimeter setback areas, road rights-of-way and minimum yards and minimum spacing's
between dwelling units may not be included in determining open space. Perimeter
setback areas may be included as open space if improvements such as bikeways and
pedestrian ways are provided. Water bodies may be used to partially fulfill common open
space requirements; calculations for such may not exceed 50 percent of the required open
space. The exclusion of water bodies which are in whole or part drainage easements may
be waived by the city council after adequate measures are provided which guarantee in
perpetuity a level of water quality acceptable for recreational purposes. Private navigable
canals shall not be utilized in fulfilling the common open space requirement. If golf
courses are used to partially fulfill common open space requirements, calculations for
such may not exceed 60 percent of the required open space. Where a golf course is
utilized to partially fulfill the open space requirement, other facilities to meet the active
residential needs of children and adults shall be provided. All water areas included as part
of the open space requirement shall be permanent water bodies and shall be improved
with 3: 1 minimum sloped edge extending at least 20 feet into the water areas and planted
with grass and maintained around all sides so as not to harbor mosquitoes, insects and
rodents, unless it is determined by an environmental review of the water body that such
slope or improvements would be detrimental to the ecology of such water body site.
(Code 1981, ~ 640.09(C))
COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT BUILDING COVERAGE
MINI MINIMU
MUM
DISTRICT ABSO FLOO M OPEN
LUTE PRINCIP AL R PERVIO SPACE
BUILDING ALL ABUT ABUT ABUT PRINCIP PLUS AREA US
RS-I RM-I RM-2 AREA
HEIGHT ATTA 3 3 3 AL ACCESSOR
CHME Y
NTS
RS-I 25 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 35% 45% 1,250 20% 20%
sq. ft.
1,250
RM-I 35 ft. 45 ft. 25 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 40% 45% sq. ft. 10% 10%
5
RM-2 45 ft. 45 ft. 25 ft. 35 ft. 45 ft. 50% 50% 750 sq. 10% 10%
35% 7 40% 7 ft. 6
Same
CT-I 45 [t. 45 ft. 25 ft. 35 ft. 45 ft. 35% 8 40% as RM- 30% 30%
2
CN 45 ft. 45 ft. 25 [t. 35 ft. 45 ft. 35% 40% N/A* 10% N/A*
Same
CG 45 ft. 45 ft. 25 ft. 35 ft. 45 ft. 35% 40% as RM- 10% N/A*
2
B-1 35 ft. 45 ft. 25 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 50% 50% NONE 95% 9 N/A*
PS-I 45 ft. 45 ft. 25 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. 50% 50% NONE 15% N/A*
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
DIVISION 5. OPEN SPACE SUBDIVISIONS
Sec. 62-3000. Standards for open space subdivision design.
b) The minimum percentage of open space and the calculation of development area.
The minimum percentage of land that shall be designated as permanent open space:
(1) A minimum of 35 percent of the total subdivision area which may include the
following kinds of land:
a. Existing naturally occurring wetlands;
b. Riverine floodplains, as shown on official FEMA maps;
c. Uplands.
(6) Usable common open space requirements. If the lot, plot, tract or parcel is two acres
or more in size, or, regardless of the size, if the property has or will have more than 15
total dwelling units, then 35 percent of the total land area shall be utilized as usable
common open space as defined in section 62-1102. At the time of site plan submission,
the method of perpetual maintenance of common facilities shall be provided as required
in section 62-1445(a). Ten percent of this area shall be retained in natural vegetation
rather than improved.
SANFORD, FLORIDA
Zoning District Map Symbol
Residential Res/Of Commercial Industrial Agr
Area and Dimension SR- SR- SR- SR- MR- MR- MR- RMOI RC- GC- SC-3 RI- MI- AG
Regulations IAA IA I 2 I 2 3 I 2 I 2
Open space 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 30 25 25 None 20 20 None
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
HOLLY HILL, FLORIDA
Subdivision V. R-4, Cluster Single-Family Residential District
Sec. 114-177. Open Space.
Sixty percent of the project site in the R-4 district shall be retained as open space.
Open space does not include any land area devoted to buildings or driveways. Open
space must be suitably improved for aesthetic or recreational purposes and it must be
maintained by the property management or conveyed to a nonprofit organization such as
a homeowners' association which will be responsible for its maintenance.
Note: There are no open space requirements for residential Zones of less density than R-
4. R-4 has open space requirements due to the option to cluster unit.
Meeting Type: Planning & Zoning
Meeting Date: 11/28/07
AGENDA
Heading Discussion
Item #
No.
AGENDA REPORT
PLANNING & ZONING BOARD
THE CITY OF CAPE CANAVERAL
SUBJECT: Review and Recommend to the City Council to consider a Citizen Awareness and
Participation Plan (CAPP) process.
DEPT. /DIVISION: Building Department
Requested Action:
Review and Recommend to the City Council to consider a Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan (CAPP)
process.
Sununary Explanation & Background:
At some recent P &Z and City Council meetings there have been comments by residents that the developer did
not discuss the project with them. There really is no requirement to have community meetings with applicants
and the neighbors around the development. The creation of a CAPP process would have the developer meet
with the residents to discuss the project before going to public hearing. The idea is to resolve all the community
issues before bringing the project to public he~ring. This would also greatly reduce confusion on the part of the
residents as to what is actually happening on the property. It would provide the residents the opportunity in a
less formal setting to discuss the issues about the project. Attached are some examples by the cities of
Longwood and Winter Springs. There is even a handbook of how the meetings should be conducted. The
overall general purpose is to have more open dialogue and community awareness of proposed projects.
Exhibits Attached:
1) CAPP Examples
Planning Official's Office I Department I
I I
Date: 11/20/2007
To: Bennett Boucher, City Manager, City of Cape Canaveral
From: Todd Peetz
Re: Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan (CAPP)
_"__._________~___"".,_._"___""_"_""_""".."___________m_.__,,,.,",",,",,""___________"__.,,.,,",,_,,"",_"""""__________"""'______""""______,___""""._""'""_____"""'__"._____
As requested, attached is a staff analysis and information about the potential Citizen
Awareness and Participation Plan (CAPP). Several attachments, including the City of
Longwood's CAPP program, is included with this memo as an example.
Purpose:
The purpose of the CAPP is to ensure applicants provide early and effective citizen
participation in conjunction with their applications, to provide citizens with an adequate
opportunity to learn about proposed applications that may affect them and to facilitate
communication between the applicant, citizens, property owners and the City.
Considerations:
As noted from the City of Longwood's CAPP
.. A formal staff review meeting on most projects preparing a CAPP is optional.
The information gathered from the CAPP program is used by staff to conduct
their analysis and comments are sent to the applicant directly within two weeks.
II Projects in the CAPP program typically abut residential piOperties.
.. Further consideration should be given as to whether the existing City notification
and posting process is sufficient or if additional noticing standards should be
added.
Comments/SuQQestions:
.. Costs associated with implementing the CAPP program should be paid by the
applicant/developer.
.. Specific distance requirements for the notification of property owners must be
part of the plan and should be based upon the size of the proposed project and
the density of the surrounding neighborhoods. A standard distance commonly
used may be 500 feet.
.. The applicant/developer is responsible for performing all notification and site
posting associated with the CAPP and providing all necessary documentation
and copies to the City.
Attachments:
City of Longwood CAPP Resource Handbook
City of Winter Springs Staff memos, Sample CAPP report and Longwood Code
language
IMPROVING COM M U NIT I E S. CREATING E N V I RON MEN T S.
Central Florida Office: 631 S Orlando Avenue' Suite 200 . Winter Park, Florida' 32789-7122
(407) 629-8880 . Fax: (407) 629-7883
wwwmillerlegg.com
CITY COMMISSION
ITEM 303 Consent
Information
I Public Hearing W
March 13,2006 Regular
MG:R~11~'IDeJJ~m..
Meeting
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REQUEST: --
The Community Development Department requests the City Commission review the attached
information about the City of Longwood's Citizen Awareness and Participation Pl~(CAPP) as
well as staff's analysis and recommendations and advise staff as to whether the COI11IDission
would like staff to proceed with implementation of a similar program for the City of Winter
Springs.
PURPOSE:
This agenda item presents information about the City of Longwood's CAPP program and
incorporates staff's comments relative to that program. The purpose of this agenda item is to
request that the City Commission consider and provide comments on the CAPP program and
direction to staff as to whether or not they want such a program incorporated into the City of
Winter Springs Code of Ordinances.
CONSIDERATIONS:
In meetings with the City of Longwood, staffhas discussed the following information about the
existing CAPP program and its implementation:
1. .'I'i1e for:rna,l~~ffreview meeting on most projects that are preparing a CAPP
report is opti01lal. The information gathered as a result of the CAPP program is
used by staff as part of their review and the comments are sent directly to the
applicant without a formal meeting - usually within two (2) weeks.
2. The CAPP program is used primarily on projects that abut residential propertie~.
3. The existing language contained in Section 10.0.8 of the City of Longwood's
Code of Ordinances is in the process of being a...mended to give staff more
flexibility to determine which projects actually would benefit from a CAPP
report: The aim of this language revision is to provide flexibility so that not
---. . ---.- -
City Commission
Agenda Item 303
March 13, 2006
every proj ect will necessitate a CAPP report. Longwood staff feels that there are
certain projects for which the City's standard notification process and posting of
the site is sufficient.
4. The CAPP program, and therefore the resultant report, is tailored to each project
depending on the level of citizen involvement Less citizen involvement will
result in a more concise, less detailed report.
5. The Ci\:PPpr?.~alIl ~as been part of an efforttP$hort~n the amount of time that
required to review a project before the City Commission. To that end, the areas of
concern are summarized in a table and are submitted as part of the agenda packet.
This allows the Commission to concentrate on those areas that are a concern to
------------ ...... -- ------ ....-ffie6tizens-attedoooyfueproposed develOlnnent- ..-------- ..-----------
After discussing the CAPP program with Longwood staff and having reviewed the code language
and the CAPP Guideline and Resource Handbook, Winter Spring's staff feels that certain aspects
of the CAPP program could be utilized on selected projects within the City of Winter Springs.
Should the City Commission decide to proceed with the implementation of a process similar to
the CAPP in Winter Springs, staffhas the following comments/suggestions:
. A..CAPP report should not be required on projects within the Towncenter District unless
that project is located on the outer perimeter of the District.
~ All associated ~sts of implementing the CAPP program must be the responsibility of the
applicant! developer.
~ Specific distance requiremtRtsfor notification of property owners must be a part of the
plan and should be based upon the size of the proposed project and the density of the
surrounding neighborhoods. Standard distances commonly used vary from 150' to 500'.
. TIle applicant must be responsible for implementing all notification associated with the
CAPPand providing all documentation to the City in order to minimize the impact on
staffs current workload. Should the Commission decide to proceed with the
implementation of a program similar to the CAPP, staff will need to assess the potential
impacts on staffing and budgetary needs.
Staff would note that the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Certified
Planners, and the American Society of Landscape Architects have long been proponents of
increased public participation in development related issues.
RF.COMMF,NDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Commission provide comments and direction relative to the
establishment and implementation of a program similar to the CAPP program, subject to staffs
comments and suggestions detailed under considerations.
2
City Commission
Agenda Hem 303
March 13, 2006
ATTACH:M.ENTS:
A Sample "Concerns and Issues" table
B. Sample CAPP report
C. Longwood code language relating to the CAPP program
CITY COMMISSION ACTION:
...
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G0
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Concerns and Issues Regarding the Wildmere We~t Subdivision
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Issue Resident concerns De~eloper response
,
Density Too many houses, lot widths should be 100 Reduced number of lots frotn 11 to 10. Dimensional analysis per
I
feet, too close together LDC requires a width of 65 ~eet and lot sizle of 9,588 sq feet.
Current design provides mi imum width of 69.5 feet and minimum
size of 10,460 sq feet. Den~ity is less than 4 units per acre.
Setbacks comply with LDC ~esign standards. >
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Construction Mana{jement Construction debris, loose materials if there Contractor follows best ma~agement pracUces, City advises ~
is a hurricane tie down and securing materials in event of hurricane ~
i
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Overflow Parking Parties or gatherings could cause parking Developer is willing to install extra overflow parking off Oleander,
problems, cannot park on street on Wild mere however, LOC prohibits bac~-out parking. Developer is building ~
houses with 2 car garages ~nd large driveways to accommodate ==
extra parking needs. LDC r[quires minimum 4 spaces per unit,
current design meets or exseeds requirement for each unit. ~
,
Utility Demands Possible sanitary backups and increased Sanitary system has been d~signed to handle capacity associated tr-j
demand on the system with new development and tp comply with City standards. ~
;
Stormwater Manag1ement Will new houses cause flooding? All new subdivisions required to maintain stormwater onsite. ~
New dry pond designed to rttain additional post development
stormwater before discharging to City system per requirements >
of the City and SJRWMD. I
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Roads and Sidewalks Section of Overstreet associated with the Section of Overstreet fronting development to be paved, sidewalks
development should be paved, sidewalks provided on all streets. All r?ads and sidewalks installed to City
should be added where applicable. standards. ,
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lon9lwoodl Canal Canal is not properly maintained Canal is under Seminole Co~nty jurisdiction. Developer and
I City have no control over Cqunty maintenance activities.
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I .' ATTACHMENT B
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I City of Longwood
I
I Wildmere West Subdivision
I Citizen Awareness and
Participation Plan Report
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I Longwood, Seminole County,
I Florida
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I Applicant Sand Hill Homes, Inc.
I 1736 Whitney Isles Drive
Winter Garden, FL 34786
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Engineer VHBN anasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
I 135 West Central Boulevard
Suite 800
I Orlando, Florida 32801-2436
EB# 3932
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I June 17, 2005
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VH1J Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Ine. ~
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T ABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number
Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan Report ..........................................................1
A: Letter of Notification to Owners
Appendix B: List of Recipients
Appendix C: Retumed Certified Mail Postcard
Figures Figure Number
Color Rendering of Site Layout ..............................................................,...........................1 ;.'
Color Rendering of Elevations ............................................................................................ 2
Ft oar Plans.. ...... ................. ...... ............... ................ ...................... ...... ...... ..... ........ .................. 3
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I VHB Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc-
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. C.A.P.P. Report
1 S;md Hill Home. Ino. plam to o"",truot ,kven (11) home, on app,oxJma"'y 2.70
I acres of land. The homes will be custom built for each home owner.
1 The project site is south of E. Wildmere Avenue, west of Oleander Street ,and north
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1 During the Preliminary Plat submittal process, Sand Hill Homes, Ine. and their
I engineer, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Ine. mailed out notifications to surroundi.'1g
property owners publicizing the intent to develop Wildmere West subdivision. .A.B a
result, several property owners requested a formal review the project.
iii
Notification
Sa.Tld Hill Homes, Ine. and VBB, Inc. hosted a meeting about the proposed
preliminary plat of Wildmere West on Friday, June 10,2005 at 7 PM. The meeting
was held at the Church of God, 220 East Wildmere Avenue, Longwood, Florida. A
letter of notification was mailed out certified to the surrounding property owners and
the City of Longvv'ood City Council (See Appendix A). Based. on the Seminole
County Propert-y Appraisers' website, the list of property Owilers was derived. This
is the same list used during the Preliminary Plat submittal notification (See Appendix
B). There were approximately 56 property owners including Council members
informed of the meeting. Approximately, 43 recipients signed and returned the
postcard alerting receipt of the letter (See Appendix C).
II
Presentations
Sand Hills Homes, Inc. and VHB, Inc. started the meeting with an introduction to the
Applicant, Mr. David Coggin, and Engineer, Mr. Joe Kolb to approximately fifteen
(15)'homeowners. Mr. Coggin presented two proposed elevations and footpri...nts for
the proposed home sites. He explained the thought process and intent with the style
and feel for each. Nlr. Kolb discussed the ener.needng aspects of the project He
showed the subdivision layout vlith ttte proposed footpdnts.
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Issues/Concerns
During the course of the meeting, several property owners voiced their concems
regarding the proposed density and frontage of Wildmere West. Mr. Kolb explained
that per the City of Longwood the maximum density is 4 units per acre of land. On
the table was arL offer to purcll3.Se 0.05 acres of land from the Cllurch of God. This
would have satisfied the density requirement. The residents expressed desires for
Sand Hill Homes, Ine. to reduce the number of home sites and increase the minimum
frontage from 65 ft to 100 ft. Once again, Mr. Kolb explai..Tled that per the City of
each lot is within "the minimum area based on the lots told by
the City to use for area minirnum calculations.
Other concerns included:
. Plans for hurricane management, I.e., making sure there are no loose woods,
equipment, ete.
. Overflow parking for guests
. Sanitary sewer backups and increased demands on the existing system
0 Stormwater management for Wildmere West and adjacent areas
0 Improvements to Overstreet Avenue (road and sidewalks), Oleander Street
(sidewalks), and East Wildmere (sidewalk)
0 Maintenance of the FDOT ditch
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Recommendations
In the meeting Mr. Kolb addressed all the concerns and issues fairly with the
exception of decreasing the density and increasing the frontage of the home sites.
After the meeting Mr. Coggin decided to cooperate with the adjacent property
owners by decreasing the number of lots on the south side from six (6) to five (5) lots.
With this reduction, the minimum lot frontage goes from 65 ft to 80 ft. On the north
side, the lots will have a minirnum frontage of 70 ft with the exception of Lots 4 and 5.
These lots do not have typical lot dimensions. The density is within the required
limits without the additional 0.05 acres for. the eleven (11) lots. Also, overflow
parking will be added to the east on Oleander Street.
P:\60983.00\reports\CAPP\60983.00 Exec Summary.doc
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Transportation
Iland Development . .
Environmental · .
Services
I . Imagmatlon I mnovat:on \ energy Creating results for our clients and benefits for our communities
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I May 24, 2005 V'111fl'>'P J-[onJyen Rn-lstlin Tnr
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I Ref: 60983.00
Owner
I Address
I Re: Wildmere West Subdivision
I Dear Property Owner:
Sand Hill Homes, Inc. would like to invite you to attend a neighborhood meeting to discuss
I Wildmere West Subdivision. The meeting will be held at the following place and time.
Church of God
I 220 E. Wildmere Ave
Longwood, FL 32750
Friday, June 10, 2005 at 7:00 P.M.
I Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. has submitted a preliminary plat package to the City of
Longwood. The submittal package details the proposed subdivision of approximately 2.7
I acres of land located at the southwest intersection of East W ildmere A venue and Oleander
Street.
II Tne project consists of developing Ln.e land for an eleven-lot subdivision to include a dry
detention storm water management facility. The homes will range from approximately
1,800 square feet to 2,400 square feet. By adding these homes, Sand Hill Homes, Inc. plans
to enhance the visual appearance of the neighbor.
. Through the use of landscaping, the subdivision will add to the existing reatures. The
home sites will reflect and maintain the existing ambiance or the neighborhood, and should
. have a positive effect on property values.
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. and Sand Hill Homes, Inc. would like to address any
. comments and concerns you may have regarding this proposal.
II
135 V.Jest Centra! Boulevard
-- Suite 800
Orlando, Florida 32801-2476
407.839.4006 . FAX 407.839.4005
~ emaii: info@vhb.com
W'Nw.vhb.com
\ \. \60983.OD\docs\.letters\Neighborhood meeti..""I.g notifiC'!tion5-2...~5a..doc
Project No.: 60983.00
May 24, 2005
Page 2
Please call me at 407-839-4006 before the meeting if you have any questions regarding the
proposed development. I look fonvard to meeti_ng you.
Very truly yours,
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Joseph F. Kolb, Jr., P.E.
Director of Land Development
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ATTACHMENT C
10.0.8 Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan
A. Applications for the following land use decisions shall include a citizen
awareness and participation plan (CAPP):
1. Site development plan review.
2. Variances involving a non-residential use.
3. Other applications at the discretion of the Administrator.
B. The purpose of the CAPP is to:
1. Ensure that applicants pursue early and effective citizen participation
in conjunction with their applications, giving them the opportunity to
.................... ....... ..... .....~tinderstand.and~mitigataanTreal.orperceivectimpactstheir.. "^^^""^^_^__ u__ _^_.__'^'^
application may have on the neighborhood and community.
2. Ensure that the citizens and property owners of Longwood have an
adequate opportunity to learn about applications that may affect
them and to work with applicants to resolve concerns at an early
state of the process.
3. Facilitate ongoing communication between the applicant, interested
citizens and property owners, City staff, and elected officials
throughout the application review process.
4. The CAPP is not intended to produce complete consensus on all
applications, but to encourage applicants to be good neighbors and
to allow for informed decision-making.
S. At a minimum the CAPP shall include the following information:
a. Identification of the residents, property owners, interested
parties, political jurisdictions, and public agencies that may be
affected by the proposed development.
b. Description of how notification will be provided to those
interested in and potentially affected by the proposed
development.
c. Description of how information will be provided to those
interested and potentiaiiy affected of the substance of the
change, amendment, or proposed development for which
approval is sought.
d. Description of the means by which an opportunity will be
piOvided to those interested or potentially affected to discuss
the proposal and express any concerns, issues, or problems
well in advance of the first public hearing.
e. The applicant's schedule for completion of the CAPPo
f. The means by which the applicant will keep City officials
informed on the status of citizen participation efforts.
6. The level of citizen interest and area of involvement will vary
depending on the nature of the application and the location of the
proposed development. The applicant will determine the target area
for early notification after consultation with the Planning Division
staff. At a minimum, the target area shall include the following:
a. Property owners within the public hearing notice area as
required by other sections of this Code.
b. The head or chair of any homeowners association or
registered neighborhood group within the public notice area
required by other sections of this Code.
c. Other interested parties who have requested to be placed on
an interested parties notification list maintained by the
7. These requirements apply in addition to any other notice provisions
required elsewhere in this Code.
8. The applicant may submit a CAPP and begin implementation prior to
formal application at the applicant's discretion. This shall not occur
until after the required pre-application conference and consultation
with the Planning Division.
9. Where a CAPP is required by this Code, the applicant shall provide a
written report on the results of the citizen participation efforts prior to
the notice of public hearing. This report will be attached to the public
hearing report. The report shall, at a minimum, contain the following
information.
a. Details of techniques'used to involve interested and
potentially affected parties, including:
i. Dates and locations of all meetings where citizens
were invited to discuss the applicant's proposal.
Ii. Content, dates mailed, and numbers of mailings,
including letters, meeting notices, newsletters, and
other publications.
Hi. Location of residents, property owners and other
interested parties who received notices, newsletters, or
other written materials.
iv. The number and names of people that participated in
the process.
b. A summary of concerns, issues, and problems expressed
during the process, including:
i. The substance of the concerns, issues, and problems.
ii. The manner in which the applicant has addressed or
intends to address these concerns, issues, and
problems.
Hi. The concerns, issues, and problems the applicant is
...
unwilling or unable to address and why.
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CITY COMMISSION
304 Consent
ITEM Information
I Pubiic Hearing LJ
July 24. 2006 Regular
MGR........\f~~~jDept.~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~..~
Meeting
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REQUEST:
The Community Development Department requests the City Commission review the attached
implementation language for a Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan (CAPP) and provide
comments or recommended revisions and also provide direction to staff for implementation of
the CAPP program, including incorporation of the proposed language into the City's Code of
Ordinances.
PURPOSE:
This agenda item presents the proposed implementation language for a CAPP program in the
City. The purpose of this agenda item is to request that the City Commission consider and
provide comments/recommended revisions to the proposed language and to direct staff to
incorporate the implementation language for the CAPP program into the City's Code of
Ordinances.
CONSIDERATIONS:
Like most communities near Orlando, Winter Springs has been experiencing a significant rate of
grow1h the past few years. Residents have watched as vacant land around them has been
developed and traffic has increased. Concern has been expressed about the pace, compatibility
and quality of development has grown along with the community.
Residents have begun to feel that they should have more say in the land use decisions that affect
their lives. At the same time, developers have felt ovenvhelmed because, after working in good
faith with the City Staff, they get to a public hearing to find residents up in arms over their
proposal.
ContempOraiy" planning arId propertj development is a complex and ever changing process that
requires new ways of doing business. A new, more collaborative method of decision-making is
not only needed, but should result in better decisions. Problems are increasingly complex,
expensive to address, and require multifaceted solutions. Getting people of different perspectives
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City Commission
Agenda Item 304
July 24, 2006
together to talk about problems and potential solutions is essential. Collaboration has the highest
potential for building long-term and well-supported solutions.
The goal and purpose ofthe CAPP program is to provide a menu of choices for including
citizen's voices in decision making. While citizen participation is not a substitute for decision-
making by the City, it is a very important influence on that decision-making. Shared decision-
making is not a cure for conflict because it does not mean that everyone will agree with the final
decision~ Ho\vever~ it does make everyone a\vare of the reasons for a decision in the hope that all
or most participants will accept the decision, even if they do not agree with it.
Staff has reviewed the proposed implementation language contained in Attachment A and offers
the follmving considerations relative to the implementation of the CAPP program in Winter
Springs:
1. The information gathered as a result of the CAPP program will be used by staff as part of
their review and the comments will be sent directly to the applicant without a formal
meeting - usually within two (2) weeks. A formal staff review meeting may be scheduled
with the applicant should staff determine that a formal meeting is warranted.
2. The CAPP program will be used primarily on projects that abut residential properties.
.., The proposed implementation language provides flexibility so that not every project
j.
would necessitate a CAPP report. There are certain projects for which the City's standard
notification process and posting of the site is sufficient.
4. The CAPP program, and therefore the resultant report, ",ill be tailored to each project
depending on the level of citizen involvement. Less citizen involvement will result in a
more concise, less detailed report.
5. The CAPP program would be part of an effort to shorten the amount of time that is
required to review a project before the City Commission. Areas of concern for a project
will be summarized in a table and submitted as part of the agenda packet. This
summarization allows the Commission to concentrate on those areas that are of most
concern to the citizens affected by the proposed development.
Staff also recommends that the following conditions/exemptions be put in place as part of the
implementation of a CAPP in Winter Springs:
1. A CAPP report should not be required on projects 'Nithin the TO'NTI Center District unless
that project is located on the outer perimeter of the District, adjacent to existing
residential properties.
2. All associated costs of implementing the CAPP progra..>n ,vill be the responsibilit'j of the
appli cant! d evel oper.
2
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City Commission
Agenda Item 304
July 24,2006
3. Specific distance requirements for notification of property owners will be based upon the
size of the proposed project and the density of the surrounding neighborhoods. Standard
distances commonly used vary from 150 feet to 500 feet. The current City standard for
notification of neighboring properties is 150 feet and will be utilized unless the City
Manager or his designee feel that the size and intensity of the proposed project warrant
additional notification.
4. The applicant will be responsible for implementing all notification associated with tbe
CAPP and providing all documentation to the City in order to minimize the impact on
staff's current workload.
~ina1ly,. stEiff\V()uld. note. t~at the PilllericanP laJJJli~g.A~~{)~i<l:ti{)I!,th~Am~Jj(;1lIl~titgt~Qf
..... . ... ... ..... mCerti:t1ed PIanners,ancrtb.eAmencanSoCietY of Landscape Architects have long been proponents
of increased public participation in development related issues.
CHRONOLOGY:
November 28,2005 - City Commission provided with information about Longwood's
Participation in Development Process.
March 13,2006 - City Commission directed staff to move forward with the outline of a CAPP
program for Winter Springs.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Commission approve the proposed implementation language for
the CAPP program and direct staff to incorporate said language into the City's Code of
Ordinances. In addition, staff recommends that the City Commission review and provide
comments on the draft language for the CAPP Handbook.
ATTACHMENTS:
A Proposed CAPP Implementation Language (DRAFT)
B. Proposed CAPP Resource Handbook (DRAFT)
CITY COMMISSION ACTION:
3 (iq)
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ATTACHMENT A
I. Special Project Notification (Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan)
A. Applications for the following land use decisions may necessitate a Citizen
Awareness and Participation Plan (CAPP):
.. Site development plan and subdivision pian review.
. Variances involving a non-residential use.
.. . ..... Other applications atthe discretion of the City Manager or his designee.
B. The purpose of the CAPP is to:
1. Ensure that applicants pursue early and effective citizen participation in
conjunction with their applications, giving them the opportunity to
understand and mitigate any real or perceived impacts their application
may have on the neighborhood and community.
2. Ensure that the citizens and property owners of Winter Springs have an
adequate opportunity to learn about applications that may affect them
and to work with applicants to resolve concerns at an early state of the
process.
" Facilitate ongoing communication between the applicant, interested
.).
citizens and property owners, City staff, and elected officials throughout
the application review process.
4. The CAPP is not intended to produce complete consensus on all
applications, but to encourage applicants, concerned citizens, and property
owners to be good neighbors, resolve as many issues as possible, and to
allow for informed decision-making.
5. At a minimum, the CAPP shall include the following information:
a. Identification of the residents, property owners, interested parties,
political jurisdictions, and public agencies that may be affected by
the proposed development.
b. Description of how notification will be provided to those interested
in and potentially affected by the proposed development.
c. Description of how information will be provided to those
interested and potentially affected of the substance of the change,
amendment, or proposed development for which approval is
sought.
d. Description of the means by which an opportunity will be provided
to those interested or potentially affected to discuss the proposal
and express any concerns, issues, or problems well in advance of
the first public hearing.
e. The applicant's schedule for completion of the CAPPo
informed on the status of citizen participation efforts.
6. The level of citizen interest and area of involvement 'Nill vary depending
on the nature of the application and the location of the proposed
development. The applicant will determine the target area for early
notification after consultation with the Community Development
Department staff. At a minimum, the target area shall include the
following:
a. Property O'Nners within the public hearing notice area as required
by other sections of this Code.
b. The president or chair of any homeowners association or registered
neighborhood group 'within the public notice area required by other
sections of this Code.
c. Other interested parties who have requested to be placed on an
interested party's notification list maintained by the Community
Development Department.
7. These requirements apply in addition to any other notice provisions
required elsewhere in this Code.
8. The applicant may submit a CAPP and begin implementation prior to
formal application at the applicant's discretion. This shall not occur until
after the required pre-application conference and consultation with the
Community Development Department.
9. \Vhere a CAPP is required by this Code, the applicant shall provide a
\.vritten report on the results of the citizen participation efforts prior to the
notice of public hearing. This report will be attached to the public hearing
report. The report shall, at a minimum, contain the follo\\1.ng information:
-.
a. Details of techniques used to involve interested and potentially
affected parties, including:
I. Dates and locations of all meetings where citizens were
invited to discuss the applicant's proposal.
n. Content, dates mailed, and numbers of mailings, including
letters, meeting notices, newsletters, and other
publications.
iii. Location of residents, property owners and other interested
parties who received notices, newsletters, or other written
iv. The number and names of people that participated in the
process.
b. A summary of concerns, issues, and problems expressed during
the process, including:
1. The substance of the concerns, issues, and problems.
11. The manner in which the applicant has addressed or
intends to address these concerns, issues, a.11d problems.
iii. The concerns, issues, and problems the applicant is
unwilling or unable to address and why.
(i [~)
L7
CITY OF
WINTER SPRINGS I
'"
""
Citizen Awareness ""
And "t
"
Participation Plan ,
Resource Handbook
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City of Winter Springs
Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan
Resource Handbook
Table of Contents
I ntrod u ctio n-------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
The Citizen Participation Process----------------------------------------- 3
Step One: Developing and Citizen Participation Plan----------- 4
Step Two: Implementing Your Plan--------------------------- 5
Step Three: Reporting on What Happened--------------------- 7
Citizen Participation Plan Checklists
Step One: Plan Development----------------------------------- 9
Step Two: 1m plementation--------------------------------------- 10
Step Th ree: Fi n al Report -------------------------------------------- 11
What to Consider When Drafting a Neighborhood letter------------- 12
Sample Neighborhood Meeting Notification Letter--------------- 13
Tips for an Effective Presentation---------------------------------------- 14
Tips for Handling Difficult Questions, Situations, Confrontation----- 15
C onc I us ion-----------------------------------------------------------------______ 16
INTRODUCTION
Winter Springs residents and property owners are becoming increasingly
interested in development issues and more insistent on being involved in the
decisions that affect them. In an effort to meet the needs of this interested
community, the City has developed a program entitled Citizen Awareness and
Participation Plan (CAPP}to..ensureearjyandeffectivecTtizen participaiionin
conjunction with proposed development applications.
Winter Springs' Land Development code now requires project applicants to
create and implement a citizen participation plan prior to gaining Planning
Division approval of the application and before any public hearing is scheduled.
The purpose of the Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan is to ensure that
both developers and citizens have adequate opportunities early in the planning
process to discuss, develop an understanding of, and try to resolve
neighborhood issues related to the perceived or real impacts of a proposed
project. The Plan does not guarantee success, but is instead a tool to help guide
you during implementation of the CAPP program for your project.
This handbook is designed to assist you in implementing your Citizen
Awareness Participation Plan as required by the City's Land Development
Code.
The Citizen Participation Process
Winter Springs is experiencing a significant reemergence of civic
responsibility, citizen participation and neighborhood spirit. The Winter Springs
City Commission is committed to ensuring that this renewed interest is captured
and used productively in municipal decision-making, particularly as it relates to
land use and development issues. The City's Citizen Awareness and
" ParticipationP.lanreEjuifementisdesignedtofocus attention on t he importance ""
of citizen participation early in the planning process and the relationship of that
participation to completing a successful development project in Winter Springs.
The Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan is designed to:
. Encourage early participation in the public review process.
. Open a dialogue between the applicant and affected
neighborhoods/property owners.
. Improve communication between the development community, citizens
and Winter Springs City government.
Three Easy Steps to Success
The citizen participation process consists of three steps.
1. Prepare a Citizen Participation Plan - This will be a written plan what
will describe how you intend to notify interested parties of your proposed
project and how those people will have an opportunity to comment on your
project. The plan will be reviewed by the City Planning Division. City staff
can help with much of the information that needs to be provided in the
plan, particularly in identifying issues that are likely to arise when you go
out to residents and property owners.
2. Implement the Plan - This is where you go out to the public and do what
the plan outlines. This handbook has information on where and how to
hold meetings, how to deal with conflicts, and successful ways to
approach the task of citizen participa"tion.
3. Report What Happened - This written report will be reviewed and
approved by City staff and will be given to the decision-making bodies for
their use during the formal public hearing process. It is a summary of
_.".u. --".
what was done, the issues and concerns raised during the process, and
what you have done or will do to address those issues.
Step One:
Developing a Citizen Participation Plan
The product will be a written plan that you will submit to the Planning Division.
City staff will review your draft plan, make comments and review your revisions,
just as for any other portion of your application. The staff can be used as a
. ..... . .. .r:esourceforcertaininfofrnationasyouprepareyourplan:
Before you write your plan, you need to think about the following:
1. Who might be impacted by your project?
Who are the residents, property owners, businesses and others who might
be interested in your project? Who will be directly affected? Who will be
indirectly affected? Who will not be affected but think they will? Who may want
to get involved even though they realize they won't be affected? Differentiate
between groups based on impact. For example, most residents of a
neighborhood have different concerns depending on what part of the
neighborhood they're in. A resident living immediately next to your proposed
project's site may have different concerns - and more strongly held concerns -
than the rest of their neighborhood. A resident living on a busy collector street in
the neighborhood may have much more concern about the traffic impacts of your
project than someone living on a cul-de-sac. Treating the entire neighborhood as
if they have uniform concerns may cause you to miss or gloss over important
issues.
2. What are the concerns, problems and issues related to your project,
as seen through the eyes of these people?
Put yourself in the place of these people. How will they see your project?
Wiii they view it as an enhancement to the neighborhood, or will they be
concerned that your project will create traffic that may adversely affect them?
Will they be concerned about the hours you plan to be open or the quality of
housing you intend to build? Try to predict what you will hear during the
participation process so you can be better prepared to respond. City Staff has
found that applicants that do a good job of thin king this through are better
prepared to discuss thorny issues with citizens.
3. How will you notify interested parties, and how will they be able to
comment on your project?
There are a number of citizen participation and notification techniques
which can be used in implementing your plan. Neighborhood meetings and
letters are the most common, but there may be other methods of communication
and interaction you might want to use. Applicants have had success with open
houses, tours of other projects, informational flyers, and news releases. What
will connect you with the people who need to know about your project? How can
you best inform them of what you want to do?
The written plan you submit to the Planning Division must include the
following information:
. eldentificationofwhichresidents;propertyowners;interestedparties;
political jurisdictions and public agencies may be affected by your project.
e How you will notify these people and agencies that you're making an
application for development?
e How you will inform these people and agencies of the details of your
project?
. How you will give the affected and interested people an opportunity to
discuss your proposal with you and let you know of any concerns, issues
or problems they may have?
e Your schedule for completing your citizen participation process.
. How you will keep the Planning Division informed as to the progress of the
implementation of your pian?
Step Two:
Implementing Your Plan
1. Getting the word out.
This may involve different techniques, but they all fall into two basic
categories; written communications and face-to-face discussion. Written
information is always a part of the participation process. Vvhether it's a
meeting notice or general information about your project, it's critical that you
give people background about your project, including a description of the
project, what process you're going through and what decisions related to the
project have already been reached. Don't assume that people know your
property has been designated for a shopping center for years. You need to
tell them. No meeting should be held without some written background
information having gone out beforehand.
To ensure that meeting notices are affective in getting people to your
meetings, you need to consider not just what you want to tell people in your
notice, but what form it should take. What techniques can make the
communication more effectIve? How can you help ensure people will read
your mail? Consider other ways of getting the word out, like door hangers,
homeowner association meetings or newsletters, local newspapers, etc.
It's important that all meeting notices get to people early enough so they
can make plans to attend your meeting. Notices of meeting should reach
invitees1BA4daysheforethemeeting:taterthanthatdoesn'tgivepeople
adequate time. Sooner that that and people tend to forget.
When you schedule your meetings, look for other events or activities that
might conflict. Is it a holiday or the day before a holiday when a lot of people
are out of town? Is there a big local or neighborhood function that day?
2. Listening to issues, concerns, and problems.
The process of listening to the questions, concerns and problems you
hear from the public is critical to successful citizen participation and a
successful project. Your role in any contact with neighborhoods is not to try
and convince people your project is wonderful, but to identify questions and
concerns the public has about your project so you can address them.
Much of this listening is done through group meetings, so how they are
conducted can be critical to your success. You must convey to the people
attending that while you may not be able to do everything everyone wants,
you are listening; and the process you are using is fair and open. If someone
is going to go to the time, expense and trouble to attend meetings, find baby-
sitters, rearrange their schedules and all the other inconveniences associated
with public participation, they need to believe there will be a return to them in
having a quality development that doesn't harm their way of life. If people see
your decision-making process as fair, they will be much more willing to accept
your proposal than if they think a project is being forced on them.
Make sure whoever you have on your team dealing with the public
understands the importance of listening and being non-confrontational. This
wiii help set the tone for the entire meeting.
3. Resolving issues, concerns and problems.
What are you going to do about what you hear from the public? The
problem solving process may involve many meetings, contacts with individuals,
and time to gather additional information. You may need to revise your plans
and bring them back to the public for further review. Don't feel you have to solve
everyone's concerns at one meeting. If they are confident you're working with
them to find solutions, people will be glad too put in the time and effort to work
toward those solutions.
Try to deal with people as directly as possible. Face-to-face
communication and the telephone are much better than communicating through
letters. Use letters as a follow-up and to formalize an agreement already
reached.
A large group will probably have a wide variety of issues and concerns.
..Sometimesworkingwithsmallergroups,o.r.ganizedbytheissuethey are
particularly interested in, can be very effective in helping to reach solutions.
While breaking a large group into smaller ones can be very effective, sometimes
it can also give the impression that you're tying to "divide and conquer" the
opposition. Remember the goal is to effectively work toward solutions.
You want to work toward a solution with which all the affected public can
agree. Sometimes, however, this may not be possible. If you reach an impasse,
recognize it, be clear about it, and move on to other issues. Resolving other
concerns can make the initial disagreements go away or make people more
amenable to compromise. If you have an interest group making completely
unreasonable demands on you, be clear about why you think they are
unreasonable. In the end, the public and the decision makers are able to tell
which concerns are legitimate and which aren't.
Once again, if you can't solve every problem to everyone's satisfaction,
you must at least show you have considered and addressed all issues and dealt
with them fairly and honestly.
Step Three:
Reporting On What Happened
When you have completed your participation process, you will need to compile a
written report that will summarize what has taken place and tell what you've done
to address concerns that arose. City staff will review your draft report to insure
that it is comprehensive and accurately reflects the process.
1. What techniques did you use to notify and involve the public
regarding your application?
Make a chronological list of all the meetings, mailings, telephone
conferences, open houses, newsletters, etc. that you employed in your
participation process. Include the number of people contacted and the number
that attended meetings. Include copies of written materials and publications,
letters, mailing lists, and sign-in sheets. Indicate on a map the general location
of people receiving notices.
2. What concerns, issues and problems did you hear during the
process?
Write a summary of what you heard at each meeting or during other
contact with the public as you carried out your plan. Be as comprehensive as
you can. Just because an issue was dealt with early on doesn't mean it won't be
important during the public hearing process.
3. How have you addressed or wiil you address the concerns,
issues and problems raised?
This is a critical part of the report for you, because this is where you can best
describe the reasonableness of your project issue-by-issue. Address each of the
concerns you listed in number 2 above, however minor or easily resolved. Write
a description of what you've done about each concern. If it's an issue you feel
was not legitimate, don't ignore it; this is your opportunity to explain why it's
unreasonable. Be as factual and straightforward as you can. Include details,
references to plans you've submitted, etc.
4. If there are concerns, issues and problems you aren't able to
address, detail these items in your report.
City Staff realizes there may be items raised in meetings that you won't be able
to resolve to everyone's satisfaction. You may not be able to do them and keep
your project viable. They may be issues that are the responsibility of the City or
another property owner to resolve. You may just not feel that the concern is
legitimate and doesn't require your attention. List these issues and the reason(s)
you won't be able to resolve them.
Citizen Participation Plan Checklist
Step One - Plan Development
Proiect Impacts
. I have identified the residents, property owners, businesses and others
who might be interested in my project.
. I have identifies those who will be directly affected.
. I have identifies those who will be indirectly affected.
. I have identified those who will not be affected but who think they will.
0 I have identified everyone who may want to get involved, even though
they realize they won't be affected.
Proiect Concerns, Problems, Issues
. I have thought about my project from the perspective of the people listed
above.
. I have identified some of the concerns or problems they may have.
Notification
III I have decided which public notification techniques are most appropriate
for this project.
Citizen Participation Plan Checklist
Step Two..... 1m plementation
Gettina the Word Out
. I have considered different techniques for getting the word out to
interested parties abo1l1 my project.
. I have developed a timeline for notification that provides people ample
opportunity to plan to attend meetings.
. I have looked at a calendar of events in the area to ensure that there are
no conflicts with my meeting date.
Listening to Issues, Concerns and Problems
. I have identified potential questions and concerns that the public might
have regarding my project.
. The process I am using will be open and fair.
Resolvina Issues. Concerns and Problems
. I have a plan to show that I have considered all of the issues and have
dealt with them fairly.
_. -.
Citizen Participation Plan Checklist
Step Three - Final Report
Details of Techniaues Used
. I have included dates and locations of all meetings where citizens were
invited to discuss my proposaL
. I have included content, dates mailed, and number of mailings, including
letters, meeting notices, newsletters and other publications.
. I have included where residents, property owners, and interested parties
receiving notices, newsletters or other written materials are located.
. I have included the number of people that participated in the process.
Summary of Concerns. Issues and Problems Expressed DurinQ the
Process
.. J have included the substance of concerns, issues and problems.
. J have included information on how I have addressed or intend to address
concerns, issues and problems expressed during the process.
. I have included cOncerns, issues and problems J am unwilling or unable to
address and have explained why.
What to Consider When Drafting a
Neighborhood Letter
1. Purpose
Is the purpose of your letter to invite residents to a meeting? To provide
an explanation of your project? To state what you would like to see from
the neighborhood?
2. Background
Why are you writing to this neighborhood? Provide a description of the
proposed use of your property. What's happened up to this point
regarding your project?
3. Your intentions
What do you hope to do with your project? Describe some of the details
that you think will mitigate neighborhood concerns (i.e. landscaping, sound
barriers, improved street circulation, improved drainage, etc.)
4. Encouragement to the letter recipient to participate in the process
Conclude letter with a positive statement about hearing from the
neighborhood, meeting with them, value of their input, etc.
5. Include your name, company name, telephone number.
---....
~..\
V;5)
(SAMPLE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING NOTIFICATIN LETTER)
COMPANY LETTERHEAD
DATE
Dear Property Owner:
YOUR COMPANY NAME would like to invite you to attend a neighborhood meeting
to discuss BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR PROJECT. The meeting will be held at
the following place and time:
ADDRESS
DATE AND TIME
IN THE FOLLO\VING PARAGRAPH, PLEASE USE THESE MAIN POINTS:
. STATE WHAT YOU COMPAN HAS SUBl\lITTED TO THE CITY OF
WINTER SPRINGS
. BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT.
9 INDICATE HOW THE PROJECT COULD POSSIBLY IMPACT THE
SURROUNDING NEIGHBOR.HOODS.
I (or your company) would like to address any comments and concerns you may have
regarding this proposal.
Representatives from the City of Winter Springs have also been invited to attend this
meeting.
Please call me (or your company) at before the meeting if you have
any questions regarding the proposed development. I look forward to meeting you.
Sincerely,
YOlJRNAME
TITLE
TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION
Eight Steps to Preparing a Presentation
1. Develop Objectives
Why are you doing this presentation? What results do you want to
achieve?
~ Consider the Audience
"-.
Who will be in attendance? Why do you think they are coming? What are
their interests, concerns?
3. Introduction
them time to tune in on you and
other speakers. Set the tone for what is to come. This part of the
presentation can establish credibility.
4. State You Main Ideas and Supporting Ideas
Go from the general ideas to the more specific ideas.
5. State the Benefits
Tell your audience the benefits of your objectives.
6. Gather Facts
Make 8Uie you put together evidence to support your main ideas.
7. Develop Visuals, Handouts, Notes
These materials should complement your presentation and not serve as a
distraction. Handouts should be made available following a presentation
unless you want the audience to look at them while you are explaining the
information.
8. Practice
This is critically important for a successful presentation. If you are
planning to use equipment, test it before the presentation. Make sure the
rl""ll""lm ic:. ::lrr:::mI1Arl thA W::lV \/1""111 W::lnt it
.--... .- -"-";::'-- "':0_ .Y-J J-- ""_tl... .....
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------
TIPS FOR HANDLING DIFFICULT
QUESTIONS/SITUA TIONS/CONFRONT A TION
Be aware that, in you audience, there will probably be people who support your
project - and those who don't. There will also be people who have not formed an
opinion before coming to the meeting. The goal of your presentation should be
to educate the people who haven't made up their minds yet about your project.
Once they have the information, they may be in a better position to support your
ideas.
. ....... ... ...... . Arch Lustberg; authorofthebook "Wfnnfng WhenffReatlyCounts ;"isanexpert
on effective communications. In dealing with confrontation, he suggests winning
over your adversaries with reason, courtesy and valuable new facts. His book
details the following suggestions regarding confrontation:
1. Pause. Think before you speak.
2. Stay calm and reasonable.
3. Don't get angry and keep control of your temper.
4. Refuse to take any attack personally.
5. Be positive.
-.
6. Give information rather than denials.
7. Be explanatory. Don't succumb to the temptation to argue.
8. Take lots of time and don't run off at the mouth, argue, yell or
scream.
9. Be the voice of reason
10. Be the good guy, Mr. or Mrs. Nice.
11. Always assume your audience is smarter that you when it comes to
neighborhood issues.
CONCLUSION
It is the intent of the City of Winter Springs that the Citizen Awareness and
Participation Plan (CAPP) be a positive step forward in encouraging and
fostering early and effective citizen participation in the development process.
City Staff hopes that this handbook. along with out assistance. will prove to be a
useful tool in creating the Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan for your
project.
The City of Winter Springs staff is available to help you through the process of
pr~p~~Iil]gYQLlrgf\EP,EI~~?~J~~IJr~~Jgc:QD!~c:tth~EI~llrliD9Pi\,li~ign~t(4QIl
327 -5968 should you have any questions or need additional assistance. WE
look forward to working with you!
,r",~
(J!)
A
REACH OUT LONGWOOD
<<~<_<PROGRAM <<<
f
I
CITIZEN AWARENESS AND
PARTICIPATION PLAN GUIDELINE
AND RESOURCE HANDBOOK
City of Longwood
Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan
Resource Handbook
Table of Contents
."......."" e. e.."..."...."...... ..... e. e....." ........... ....."."....... ... ... ..... ..... .e.."......."...."... 2
Th e Citizen Participation Process ...... .......... ....................................... .................. 3
Step One: Developing a Citizen Participation Plan .................................4
Step Two: Implementing Your Plan ........................................................... 6
Step Three: Reporting On What Happened ............................................. 8
Citizen P artici pa tion Ch ecklists ................ ......... ..................................................1 0
Step One: Plan Develop ment .....................................................................11
Step Two: Implementation ....................................................................... 12
Step Three: Final Report ...,....................................................................... 13
Neigh borhood Meeting Rooms ........................................................................... 14
Local Media List .. ..........................................."'..........e..........!!!'!.."'..."".."''''''.'!!'''e'''''.e....eee 14
What to Consider When Sending a Neighborhood Letter ...............................15
Sam pIe Neigh borhood Meeting Letter ................................................... 16
Tips For an Effective Presentation .................................................................... 17
Au dio- Visual Aids ........... .................................................... .......... .... ........ .....18
Tips For Handling Difficult Questions/Situations/
Co nfro n ta tion .............................................................. ............... .... .............19
Con cl u s ion ................ .................................................... .... ................................. 20
Appendix: Citizens Awareness & Participation Plan From
Lon~vood Development Code ..................................................................... 21 - 24
- 1
Introduction
Longwood residents and property owners are becoming more interested
in development issues and more insistent on being involved in the decisions
that affect them. In an effort to meet the needs of tlns more interested
has a new and innovative Reach Out
Longwood Program entitled Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan to
ensure early and effective citizen participation in conjunction \vi.th proposed
development applications.
Longwood's Land Development Code now requires project applicants
to create and implement a citizen participation plan prior to gaining Planning
Division approval of tlle application and before any public hearing is
scheduled.
The pm-pose of tlle Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan is to
ensure tllat both developers and citizens have adequate opportunities early in
the planr.ing process to discuss, understand and u7 to resolve neighborhood
issues related to tlle perceived impacts of a proposed project. I t does not
guarantee success, but is instead a tool to help guide you tllfough.
Tins handbook is designed to assist you in hliplementing your Citizen
Awareness Participation Plan as required by tlle City's Land Development
Code.
-2
The Citizen Participation Process
Longwood is expe11.encmg a significant reemergence of ClV1C
responsibility, citizen participation and neighborhood spirit. The Long"\vood
City Commission is committed to ensuring that this community-based energy
and interest is captured and used productively in municipal decision-making,
particularly as it relates to land use and development issues. The City's Citizen
Awareness and Participation Plan requirement is designed to focus
attention on the of citizen in the
process and its relationship to completing a successful development project in
Long-wood.
The Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan is designed to:
e Encourage early participation in the public revie"\v process.
II Open a dialogue between the applicant and affected neighbor-
hoods.
· Improve communication between the development community,
citizens and Long"vood City government.
Three. Easy Steps To Success
The citizen participation process consists of three steps.
1. Prepare a Citizen Participation Plan - This "\v-ill be a "\vritten plan that
will describe how you intend to notify interested parties of your
proposed project and how those people will have an opportunity to
comment on your project. 111e plan "\"\111 be re\~ewed by your City
Planning Division. City staff can help with much of the information that
needs to be prov-ided in the plan, particularly in identifying issues that are
likely to arise when you go out to residents and property owners.
2. Implement the Plan - This is \vhere you actually go out to the public
and do what the plan outlliles. This handbook has infom:utiol1 on
where and how to hold meetings, how to deal with conflicts, and
successful ways to approach the task of citizen participation.
- J
'" Report What Happened - This written report "\vill be reviewed and
J.
approved by City staff and "\vill be given to the decision-making bodies
for their use during the formal public hearing process. It is a summary
of \vhat \vas done, the issues and concerns raised during the process, and
what you have done or \v-ill do to address those issues.
Step One:
Developing A Citizen Participation Plan
The product \v-ill be a written plan that you '\\I-ill submit to the Planning
Divi.sion. City staff w-ill review your draft plan, make comments and review
your revisions, just as for any other portion of your application. The staff can
be used as a resource in preparing your plan.
Before you write your plan~ you need to think about the following:
1. Who might be impacted by your project?
\V1l0 are the residents, property owners, businesses and others \vho
might be interested in your project? \\1110 \v-ill be directly affected? \'Z7ho
\v-ill be indirectly affected? \"X7ho "\vill not be affected but think they \v-ill?
\Vho may want to get involved even though they realize they won't be
affected? Differentiate between groups based on impact. For example,
most residents of a neighborhood have different concerns depending on
what part of tlle neighborhood they're in. A resident living inlmediately
next to your proposed project's site may have very different concerns -
and more strongly held concerns - tllan the rest of tlleir neighborhood.
A resident living on a busy collector street in the neighborhood may
have much more concern about the traffic impacts of your project than
someone living on a cul-de-sac. Treating tlle entire neighborhood as if
tlley have uniform concerns may cause you to miss or gloss over
. .
lffiportant Issues.
-4
2. What are the concerns, problems and issues related to your
project, as seen through the eyes of these people?
Put yourself in the place of these people. How y\;jJ} they see your
project? Will they v-iew it as an enhancement to the neighborhood, or
will d1ey be concerned that your project Y\fill create traffic d1at may
adversely affect them? Will they be concerned about the hours you plan
to be open or the quality of housing you intend to build? Try to predict
what you will hear during the participation process so you can be better
prepared to respond. \'{le've found that applicants that do a good job of
CltJZens.
3. How will you notify interested parties, and how ,viTI they be able to
comment on your project?
There are a number of citizen participation and notification techniques
which can be used in implementing your plan. Neighborhood meetings
and letters are the most common, but there may be other med10ds of
.I
communication and interaction 'you might want to use. Applicants have
had success with open houses, tours of other projects, informational
flyers, and news releases. \Xlhat Y\fill connect you wid1 the people who
need to know about your project? How can you best inform them of
what you want to do?
The written plan you submit to the Planning Division must include the
follmving information:
. Identification of which residents, property owners, interested parties,
political jurisdictions and public agencies may be affected by your
project.
. How you \,vill notify d1ese people and agencies that you're making an
application.
. How you y",-ill inform these people and agencies of the details of your
project.
. How you will give the affected and interested people an opportunity to
discuss your proposal \v-id1 you and let you know of any concerns, issues
- ~
or problems they may have.
. Your schedule for completing your citizen participation process.
. How you \vlll keep the Planning Division informed as to what's going
on.
Step Two:
Implementing Your Plan
1. Getting the word out.
This may involve many different techniques, but they all fall into two
basic categories; \vritten communications and face-to-face discussion.
\vritten information is always a part of the participation process.
\'{7hether it's a meeting notice or general information about your project,
it's critical that you give people background about your project, including
a description of the project, \vhat process you're going through and what
decisions related to the project have already been reached. Don't
assume that people know your property had been designated for a
shopping center for years. You need to tell them. No meeting should
be held \\7ithout some written background information having gone out
beforehand.
To ensure that meeting notices are effective in getting people to your
meetings, you need to consider not just what you \vant to tell people in
your notice, but what form it should take. \V11at techniques can make
the communication more effective? How can you help ensure people
"\vlll read your mail? Consider other ways of getri......ng the 'Nord out, like
rlr"'\r\+" hfi~rrc>+"s h^"tY\Or\."t.7~O+" r)SC'r\.r~ahr\..n 'f""Y""lap-h".nrrs r'\1"' 1'""'l,:::l"'i:'iclAt+p1""C' L....ral
UVV-L l..lCLl..lfS\......L , ..lJ.V.l.L..l\.....\.J \-'\'.L..l\,.,...J,.. a. 0V\.....l UV.L.l. ..l.l..1.LL.LL1..l.6 V..L J....l\.... '\Y u.l.'-'LL'-'..Lu, .J..V'-
newspapers, etc.
It's important that all meeting notices get to people early enough so they
can make plans to attend your meetings. Notices of meetings should
reach invitees 10 to 14 days before the meeting. Later than that doesn't
give people adequate time. Sooner than that, people tend to forget.
~l1en you schedule your meetings, look for other events or activities
that might eonmet. Is it a holidav or the day before a holiday \vhen a lot
.J _ .
- 6
of people are out of town? Is there a big local or neighborhood function
that day?
2. Listening to issues, concerns, and problems.
The process of listening to the questions, concerns and problems you
hear from the public is critical to successful citizen participation and a
successful project. Your role in any contact \vith neighborhoods is not
to try and convince people your project is wonderful, but to identify
questions and concerns the public has about your project so you can
them.
:Much of this listening is done through group meetings, so how they are
conducted can be critical to your success. You must convey to the
people attending that while you may not be able to do everything every-
one wants, you are listening; and the process you are using is fair and
open. If someone is going to go to the time, expense and trouble to
attend meetings, find baby-sitters, rearrange their schedules, and all the
other inconveniences associated \vitll. public participation, they need to
believe there \\1m be a return to them in having a quality development
that doesn't harm their way of life. If people see your decision -making
process as fair, tlley \vm be much more \vi.lling to accept your proposal
than if they think a proj ect is being forced on them.
Make sure whoever you have on your team dealing \vitll tlle public
understands the importance of listening and being non-confrontational.
This \Vm help set the tone for the entire meeting.
3. Resolving issues, concerns and problems.
\X1hat are you going to do about what you hear from the public? The
't""\.1~..........hlQ-t""'Y"\ C'r\l~';-r""lrr 1"""\1"'rv"'PC'C' 'f""'rlt)\7 ~-n"tT^l..c"p 1'""r""l~-r"lr t"'nPPT-1-nrrc rr\nr-:art-c ,"i:titl,
l:-"J..VL.l..l..~..l....l.1. u'-J..l...J....1.J.6 .t'..L.V'-,-"U>J ..L.L.l.UJ' .J....1..l.,\''-'.1.'o'\...- .1..1..1. .Li .l...l...l\.............W-l....L5'-" '-\.J .l.r...u.._,-u l'l'..L.l,....l..i--
individuals, and time to gatller additional information. You may need to
rev1se your plans and bring them back to tll.e public for furtller re\:1e\v.
Don't feel you have to solve everyone's concerns at one meeting. If tlley
are confident you're working \vith them to find solutions, people \vi.ll be
glad to put in time and effort to work toward those solutions.
Try to deal \vith people as directly as possible. Face-to-face
.I
communication and the telephone are much better tllan communicating
- J
through letters. Use letters as a follow-up and to formalize an agreement
already reached.
A large group is liable to have a \\:ide variety of issues and concerns.
Sometimes working \vl.th smaller groups, organized by the issue they are
particularly interested in, can be very effective in helping to reach
solutions. \vhile breaking a large group into smaller ones can be very
effective, sometimes it can also give the impression that you're trying to
"divide and conquer" the opposition. Remember the goal is to
effectively work toward solutions.
You "vant to work toward a solution with which all the affected public
can agree. Sometimes, however, this may not be possible. If you reach
an impasse, recognize it, be clear about it, and move on to other issues.
Resolving other concerns can make the initial disagreements go away or
make people more amenable to compromise. If you have an interest
group making completely unreasonable demands on you, be clear about
why you think they are unreasonable. In the end, dle public and dle
decision makers are able to tell which concerns are legitimate and which
aren't.
Once again, if you can't solve every problem to everyone's satisfaction,
you must at least show you have considered and addressed all issues and
dealt \vith them fairly and honesdy.
Step Three:
Reporting On What Happened
\~'hen you have completed your participation process, you \v-ill need to compile
a written report that will summ~11:ize what has taken place and tell what you've
done to address concerns that arose. City staff \v-ill review your draft report to
insure that it is comprehensive and accurately reflects dle process.
1. What techniques did you use to notify and involve the public
regarding your application?
I\1ake a chronological list of all the meetings, mailings, telephone
conferences, open houses, newsletters, etc. that you employed in your
patl1clpatlOn process. Include the number of people contacted and the
-8
number that attended meetings. Include copies of written materials and
publications, letters, mailing lists, and sign-in sheets. Indicate on a map
where people receiving notices were located, generally.
2. What concerns, issues and problems did you hear during the
process?
Write a summary of what you heard at each meeting or during other
contact \vl.th the public as vou carried out your plan. Be as
-
comprehensive as you can. Just because an issue was dealt \vl.th early on
doesn't mean it won't the
3. How have you (or will you) address the concerns, issues and
problems raised?
This is a critical part of the report for you, because this is where you can
best descll.be the reasonableness of your project issue-by-issue. Address
each of the concerns you listed in number 2 above, however minor or
easily resolved. Write a description of what you've done about each
concern. If it's an issue you feel was not legitimate, don't ignore it; this
is your opportunity to explain why it's unreasonable. Be as factual and
straightforward as you can. Include details, references to plans you've
submitted, ete.
4. If there are concerns, issues and problems you aren't able to
address, tell us why.
\Ve realize there may be items raised in meetings that you won't be able
to resolve to everyone's satisfaction. You may not be able to do them
and keep your project \l.able. They may be issues that are the
responsibility of r..he City or a...ll.other property owner to resolve. You
mar ,,,er .,,,r fpp] rh-:1t tl,p r".,rp'!"., 1" ]pmt1n;-:1tP -:1.,rl rl"p".,'t '!"pn1l11'p 1'n111'
..l....l...L } J'-'-'-'\.. .......L............ .L................ ...........L~<..- ................... .......'-"........--.............. .....v ...-6.....'-'-'-...................- ......................... .........................,........ '- ...........,...............- J....................
attention. List these issues and the reason(s) you won't be able to
resolve them.
-9
Citizen Participation Checklists
1()
Citizen Participation Plan Checklist
Step One - Plan Development
Project Impacts
0 I have identified the residents, property owners, businesses and others
who might be interested in my project.
0 I have identified those who \vill be directly affected.
0 I have identified those who \v-iU be indirectly affected.
0 I have identified tllose who \v-iU not be affected, but \vho think they \v-iU.
0 I have identified everyone who may want to get involved, even tllough
tlley realize they \von't be affected.
Project Concerns. Problems, Issues
0 I have tllought about my project from tlle perspective of tlle people
listed above.
0 I have identified some of tlle concerns or problems they may have.
Notification
I"""'l I have decided which public notification techniques are most appropriate
L...J
for this project.
11
Citizen Participation Plan Checklist
Step Two - Implementation
Getting The Word Out
0 I have considered different techniques for getting the word out to
interested parties about my project.
o. rh~i~';ede'TelopedatimeIii1eloii:iotifiCationi:liafpio,Tidespeopleample
opportunity to plan to attend meetings.
0 I have looked at a calendar of events in i:l1e area to ensure that there are
no conflicts \vi.i:l1 my meeting date.
Listening to Issues. Concerns and Problems
0 I have identified potential questions and concerns that i:l1e public might
have regarding my project.
0 The process I am using \".Till be open and fair.
Resolving Issues, Concerns and Problems
0 I have a plan to sho\v that I have considered all of the issues and have
dealt \vi.i:l1 them fairly.
12
Citizen Participation Plan Checklist
Step Three - Final Report
Details of Techniques Used
0 I have included dates and locations of all meetings '.vhere citizens were
invited to discuss my proposal.
including letters, meeting notices, newsletters and other publications.
D I have included '.vhere residents, property owners, and interested parties
receivmg notices, newsletters or other written materials are located.
0 I have included the number of people that participated in the process.
Summary of Concerns, Issues and Problems Expressed
During the Process:
0 I have included the substance of concerns, issues and problems.
0 I have included information on how I have addressed or intend to
address concerns, issues and problems expressed during the process.
0 I have included concerns, issues and problems I am unwilling or unable
to address and \vhy.
13
Neighborhood Meeting Rooms
If you plan to hold a neighborhood meeting as part of your Citizen
Awareness Participation Plan, the City of Longwood has a Community
Building \vith meeting rooms which can be reserved ahead of time. To reserve
a meeting room or to get information about other possible meeting locations,
please call the City of Longwood Recreational Proerams Coordinator at 407-
~ "'....... u
260-3447.
Schools often serve as a good location for a neighborhood meeting. You may
call the indiv-idual school site of
meeting room availability. -,-\1so, certain homeowner associations may have a
J
meeting room that could be used to hold a neighborhood meeting.
Using the Local Media for Citizen Notification
The City of Longwood encourages using the local media to announce meetings
and other news related to development projects. Many Longwood residents
obtain news about the City and related activ-ities by reading one of several
publications which now serve the City. Below is a listing of local media,
addresses, phone numbers and FA-,X numbers should you decide to use the
media to assist you in implementing your Citizen Awareness Participation
Plan.
Channel 2 - \X/ ESH TV Channel 13
1021 North W'ymore Road 64 East Concord Street
W'inter Park, Florida 32789 Orlando, Florida 32801
Phone: 407-645-2222 Phone: 407-513-1313
Fa..x; 407-539-7948 Fax: 407-513-1399
Channel 6 - WKlvIG Orlando Sentinel
4466 N. John Young Park:\vay 541 N. Palmetto Avenue. Suite 105
Orlando, Florida 32804 Sanford, Florida 32771
Phone: 407-291-6000 Phone: 407-322-3513
Fa..\:: 407-521-1204 Fax: 407-321-7435
Channel 9 - \\'FTV - .\BC SemL<101e Herald
490 East South Street 300 N. French Avenue
Orlando, Florida 32801 Sanford, Florida 32771
Phone: 407-841-9000 Phone: 407-322-2611
Fa..\:: 407-481-2891 Fa..\:: 407-323-9408
14
What To Consider When
Drafting A Neighborhood Letter:
Seeking Input And Involvement
1. Purpose
Is the pm-pose of your letter to invite residents to a meeting? To provide
from the neighborhood?
2. Background
Why you are writing to this neighborhood? Provide a description of the
proposed use of your property. Wl1at's happened up to this point
regarding your project?
3. Your intentions
\X7hat you hope to do vvith your project? Describe some of the details
that you think v,,-ill mitigate neighborhood concerns (i.e., landscaping,
sound barriers, improved street circulation, ete).
4. Encouragement to letter recipient to participate
Conclude letter with a positive statement about hearing from the
neighborhood, meeting \vith them, value of rl1eir input, ete
"' Include your name and telephone number.
:J.
(On the next page is a sample letter you may want to use)
1!) -"
0- ,
~
SAMPLE NEIGHBORHOOD
MEETING NOTIFICATION LETTER
COMPANY LETTERHEAD
DATE
Dear Property Owner:
YOUR COMPANY NAME would like to invite you to attend a neighborhood
meetingtodiscussBRIEFDESCRIPTIONOFYOURPROJECT; The
meeting "ill be held at the follmv-ing place and time:
NAME OF FACILITY
ADDRESS
DATE AND TIME
IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH, PLEASE USE THESE MAIN
POINTS:
~ STATE WHAT YOUR CO:MPMN HAS SUB~,nTTED TO THE
CITY OF LONGWOOD
~ BRIEF DESCR!PTION OF THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT
~ INDICATE HOW THE PROJECT COULD POSSIBLY
IMPACT THE SURROu'NDING NEIGHBORHOODS
I (or your company) would like to address any comments and concerns you may have
regarding this proposal.
Representatives from the City of Longwood have also been inv-ited to attend this meeting.
Please call me (or your company) at hpfnrp thp mppt1flo- if \7nll h~vp >1flV
--~-~- .u_ ~U---~b ~~ -' - - U_ - ---J
questions regarding d1e proposed development. I look fOr\vard to meeting you.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
TITLE
cc:
16
Tips For An Effective Presentation
Eight Steps to Preparing a Presentation
1. Develop Objectives
\Xiby are you doing trD.S presentation? \Vl1at results do you want?
2. Consider the Audience
\"Xino \vill be in attendance? \:v'hy do you think they are corning? What
3. Introduction
Capture the audience's attention and give them time to tune in on you
and other speakers. Set the tone for what is to come. This part of the
presentation can establish credibility.
4. State Your Main Ideas and Supporting Ideas
Go from the general ideas to the more specific ideas.
5. State the Benefits
Tell your audience the benefits of your objectives, particularly if your
presentation is int~nded to be persuasive.
-- Gather Facts
o.
Make sure you put together evidence to support your main ideas.
Anecdotes, statistics and quotes Ca..l1 be useful.
7. Develop Visuals, Handouts, Notes
These materials should complement your presentation and not serve as a
distraction. Handouts should be made available follmvmg a presentation
unless you want the audience to look at them \vhile you are explaining
the information.
Q P.,...n. -+-~ ro.Ct.
U. l.Q.\,...W'-''-
This is critically important for a successful presentation. If you are
pla..nning to use equipment, test it before the presentation. Ivlake sure
the room is arranged the way you \vant it.
- -
17
Audio- Visual Aids
The use of audio-,,-isual aids in a presentation can be very effective - if the
presenter is comfortable "\vl.th the equipment and/or the types of v-isual aids he
or she is using. Research has shown that only seven percent of an audience's
interpretation of our messages comes from \v"'ords; 38 percent comes from
voice and vocal inflections, and 55 percent comes from "\vhat "\ve see.
Audio-,,-isual aids should be used to support and to enllance the spoken
Examples of aids which can be used to make a point or illustrate an idea:
. Models (concrete objects).
. Graphics (maps, photographs, drawmgs).
It Charts, tables, graphs.
. Display boards/flip charts.
. Optical dev-lces such as overheads, computer projection, slide
projectors, ,-ideo recorders.
Keep it simple:
. Only put your main points on audiovisuals.
. One topic or no more than five lines per visual.
. Be consistent "\Vl.th the type of format you are using (i.e.,
vertical/horizontal, chart design, etc.).
Consider your audience and the room in which the presentation "\vl.ll be made.
This \'vl.ll help determine the type of aids \vhich "vl.ll be most effective, their size,
etc.
18
Tips For Handling Difficult
Questions / Situations / Confrontation
Be aware that in your audience there \Vill probably be people who support your
ideas, project, philosophy - and those who don't. There ,>vill also be people
who have not formed an opLfljon yet. Your goal in ma..1Qt1g the presentation
should be to get people who haven't made up their minds yet to "like" you,
thereby resulting in support for your ideas. This means working hard to
establish credibility and handling your adversaries ,",iithout being defensive or
Arch Lustberg, author of the book 'iVZ"ming IFhen It Rea1b' Counts, "is an expert
on effective communications. In dealing with confrontation he suggests
pausing, making eye contact and ,"vinning over your adversaries with reason,
courtesy and valuable new facts. His book details the following suggestions
regarding confrontation:
1. Pause. Think before you speak.
2. Stay calm and reasonable.
,., Don't get angt"Y and keep control of your temper.
.J.
4. Refuse to take a.."'l.Y attack personally.
5. Be positive.
6. Give information rather than denials.
7. Be explanatory. Don't succumb to the temptation to argue.
8. Take lots of time and don't run off at the mouth, argue, yell or scream.
9. Be the voice of reason.
10. Be the good guy, l\fr. or Ms. Nice.
11. ~\hvays assume your audience is smarter than you when it comes to
neighborhood issues.
19
Conclusion
The Reach Out Longwood Program is a pos1t1ve step forward in
encouraging early and effective citizen participation. \x/ e hope that this
handbook, along \vith our assistance, "\vill prove to be useful in creating your
Citizen Awareness And Participation Plan.
The City of Longwood staff is always available to help you through the process.
Please feel free to contact the Planning Division at 407-260-3462 should you
have any questions or need additional assistance. In addition, please let us
know if you have any comments or suggestions regarding our process. \',{iTe
look forward to working "\vith you!
20
City of Longwood
Citizen Awareness and Participation Plan
CITIZEN AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION PLAN:
A. At the discretion of the City Administrator, applications for the
follo"\ving land use decisions shall include a citizens awareness and participation
(CAPP):
1. Site development plan rev-iew.
2. Variances involving a non-residential use.
" Other land use or development applications.
J.
B. The purpose of the CAPP is to:
1. Ensure that applicants pursue early and effective Cltlzen
participation in conjunction "\v-ith their applications, giving them
the opportuniDj to understand and mitigate any real or perceived
impacts thejr application may have on the community.
2. Ensure that the citizens and property o\vners of Long'>vood have
an adequate opportunity to learn about applications that may
affect them and to work "\vith applicants to resolve concerns at an
early state of the process.
" Facilitate onQ"OlnQ" commurucatlon between the applicant,
J. u u
Interested citizens and property owners, City staff, and elected
officials throughout the application review process.
4. The CAPP is not intended to produce complete consensus on all
1" , 'I"" "I' , "I
appliCatlOnS, out to encourage applicants to be gOOd nelgllbors
and to allow for informed decision- making.
21 6,
(1!)
--
,.. At a minimum the CAPP shall include the follmving information:
J.
a. Identification of the residents, property owners, interested
parties, political jurisdictions, and public agencies may be
affected by the proposed development.
b. Description of how notification will be pro-vided to those
interested in and potentially affected by the proposed
development.
c. of how information \v-ill be to those
interested and potentially affected of the substance the
change, amendment, or proposed development for \vhich
approval is sought.
d. Description of the means by which an opportunity will be
provided to those interested or potentially affected to
discuss the proposal and express any concerns, issues, or
problems well in advance of the first public hearing.
e. The applicants schedule for completion of the CAPPo
f. The means by \vhich the applicant w-ill keep Cilf officials
informed on dle status of citizen participation efforts.
6. The level of citizen interest and area of involvement will vary
depending on the nature of dle application and dle location of the
proposed development. The target area for early notification \v-ill
be determined by the applicant after consultation widl the
Planning Division staff. At a minimum, dle target area shall
irc1ndo d'o ~r.llr.\\i-;nrr.
.1 loLL L.. ..1\..,.LV V .1...l;s-
a. Property owners widlin dle public hearing notice area as
required by other sections of this Code.
b. The head or chair of anv homeowners association or
0
registered neighborhood group \\;J.dlin dle public notice
area required by odler sections of this Code.
22
c. Other interested parties who have requested to be placed
on an interested parties notification list maintained by the
Planning Division.
7. These reqmrements apply ill addition to any other notIce
pro-visions required elsewhere in this Code.
8. The applicant may submit a CAPP and begin implementation
prior to formal application at the applicant's discretion. This shall
not occur until after the required pre-application conference and
consultation "\",J.th the Division.
9. \:{lhere a CAPP is required by this Code, dle applicant shall
provide a w1i.tten report on dle results of the citizen participation
efforts prior to the notice of public heali.ng. This report '\vi.ll be
attached to dle public heali.ng report. The report shall, at a
minimum, contain dle follo'\vi.ng information.
a. Details of techniques used to involve interested and
potentially affected parties, including:
1. Dates and locations of all meetings where citizens
were invited to discuss dle applicant's proposal.
11. Content, dates mailed, and numbers of mailings,
including letters, meeting notices, newsletters, and
odler publications.
ill. Location of residents, property owners, and
interested pal-ties who received notices, newsletters,
or other written materials.
lV. The number and names of people that participated
in dle process.
b. .!\ summary of concerns, issues and problems expressed
dmi.ng the process, including:
l. The substance of the concerns, issues and problems.
23
li. The manner in which the applicant has addressed or
intends to address these concerns, Issues and
problems.
111. The concerns, issues and problems the applicant is
UH\v"illing or unable to address and ,.vhy.
24 ;:~1
( ~'f J
~