A new process aimed to foster more community input in the Jersey City, New Jersey development process.

1. A Ward E process to engage community in the
development of downtown Jersey City
Councilwoman Candice Osborne 11/2013
Ward E Development Feedback

2. Community engagement, which yielded the development of
projects like Grove Plaza, has led to better outcomes for the
residents of Jersey City

3. But the community engagement
and iNconsiStent

4. As your Councilwoman I want
to get early feedback & understand degree of support
from the community for development changes

5. 30 stakeholders weighed in to solve the problem
Ward E Council
Office
Concerned
citizens
New
community
input
process
Neighborhood
associations
Planning
department

6. • Formalized process
4 initial
goals for
community
input
• Widely disseminated
• Pro-active vs. reactive
• Cover items voted on by City
Council
• Redevelopment plans
• Zoning maps
• Land development ordinance

7. 1. Cover items not under City
Council purview
•
Initial
process will
NOT…
•
Planning board site plan
submissions
Changes to Master Plan
2. Prevent public input at later
phases
•
•
At planning board meetings
At City Council meetings

8. existing
High Level Proposal
change to
redevelopment
plan, zoning map, or
land development
ordinance?
new
yes
Community
Review 1
no
Idea Refinement
Out of Scope for Phase 1
Community
Review 2
Planning Board
Caucus + Council
1st Reading
Council 2nd
Reading

9. Community Review 1 (in person or virtual)
•
Owner: Ward E Council Office
•
Presenter: Planning + person requesting the change
•
Participant(s): Open to entire community
•
Invitation Method: Published to the press, on social media, message boards, via
Neighborhood Associations + anyone signed up to receive notifications
•
Timeframe: Invite sent 2 weeks ahead of time & summary sent out for feedback
for 2 weeks post review meeting
•
Location: City Hall for significant changes, virtual for minor adjustments
•
Content: Criteria for assessing the change (pros/cons), value of the change to the
city and scope of the change
Ward E Council Objective: Pro-active community feedback

10. Idea Refinement
• Owner: Planning
• Participant(s): Persons who initially proposed
changes to planning department prior to the
community meeting
• Timeframe: At discretion of Dep.
Director/Admin
Ward E Council Objective: Revisions based on community
feedback

11. Community Review 2 (Virtual)
• Owner: Planning + Ward E Council Office
• Participant(s): Anyone who attended community idea
review + anyone signed up to receive notifications
• Timeframe: 4 – 8 weeks, to be determined by Ward E
Council Office
• Content: final write up of proposed changes emailed out to
participants with a mechanism to provide Council Office
feedback on level of support for the change
Ward E Council Objective: Understand level of community
support

12. ?
WHAT OTHER DEVELOPMENT
RELATED IDEAS COULD BE
BENEFICIAL FOR RESIDENTS IN
JERSEY CITY?
Including: ideas for the administration & ideas for City Council

13. Ideas for the Administration to Consider
• The City website should include all
redevelopment plans in a clickable way that is
clear, perhaps an online interactive map
• The City website should include a list of all
active development related projects online
• The City should consider a task force to work
on a revamp of the Master plan

14. Ideas for the Council to Consider
• Introduce legislation that would require
mailings to people within 200 feet of a
proposed change

15. Sign up to get notified of
development changes!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Go to http://candiceosborne.com/act/newsletter-signup
Fill out your information
Choose the “development updates” check box
Click subscribe