wellesleyunifiedplan.com

Consultant team Stantec’s Urban Places Group Lead Consultant Larissa Brown, PhD, AICP Erin Garnaas-Holmes, ASLA Institute for Excellence in Government Strategic Planning for Town Government Jane Wiseman Community Circle Community Engagement Daphne Politis, AICP Metropolitan Area Planning Council Health and Wellness Noemie Sportiche, MS

What is a Unified plan? A process What do we want to preserve? What do we want to change? What are our priorities? How can we get the job done?

What is a Unified plan? A guidance document Wellesley today and future trends Our vision, values, goals and priorities Strategies to achieve the vision and goals A strategic plan to enhance the effectiveness of town government An action plan to implement the strategies

What makes it unified? Combined process and document Update to Wellesley’s Comprehensive Plan for physical development Strategic framework for town government; support implementation, excellent town services and prudent fiscal management Integrated, cross-referenced and a section focused on town government effectiveness

What is the process? 2016-2017: Visioning Research, interviews and focus groups/SC review of draft existing conditions Document: Wellesley Today/Needs Assessment Community outreach Digital and face to face outreach Town-wide Visioning Forum Interactive community workshop 4 Communities of Place Workshops + 1 Business Meeting Neighborhood based workshops (2 precincts each) and business meeting Document: Draft Vision, Principles, and Goals SC and Board and Commissions review Endorsements Presentation to Annual Town Meeting for endorsement Documents: Wellesley Today Vision, Principles and Goals

What is the process? 2017: Plan development Round 1 Working Groups on specific topics: SC members + Document: Preliminary plan elements Community outreach Digital and face to face outreach 4/5 Communities of Interest Workshops (topic focused) Interactive community workshops Round 2 Working Groups Document: Draft plan elements Community Open House Planning directions Steering Committee review of entire draft plan Document: First Draft Complete Plan Town-wide Forum on Draft Plan 2018: Plan Adoption Public hearings Document: Public Hearing Draft Plan Annual Town Meeting Document: Final Plan

What is the role of the Steering Committee (SC)? The SC is a working committee: Assist in community outreach Help identify issues and opportunities Update and solicit comment from “home” boards, commissions, and networks Attend committee meetings, public meetings, and selected working group meetings Review preliminary and draft documents

What is the role of the community in the process? Participate in events/digital opportunities Identify values, vision, general goals Identify issues and opportunities Neighborhood/village based Topic based Comment on and plan directions and Final Plan Draft

Strategic Plan for Town Government Why discuss it separately Funding and team from MAPC Approach and Scope

This is Town Government

The strategic plan will not change the form of town government. Work with the SC to identify innovations that deliver excellent, cost-effective services Strategic planning Organization and performance management Quantitative analysis Policy analysis Executive developmen

Strategy insights support achievement of the Vision and Goals. Data-driven Metrics to measure progress Framework for future integrated board and staff strategic work plans Transparent and accountable communication throughout government and the community

Visioning Phase: Fall 2016 – Winter 2017 The process will build a framework for town strategic planning. Visioning Phase: Fall 2016 – Winter 2017 Research and interviews Data gathering on current environment Best practice insights from other governments Transparency, performance measurement and customer orientation High-level assessment of current strategic planning strengths and challenges Memo for incorporation into Wellesley Today

Planning/Recommendation Phase: Spring – Fall 2017 The process will build a framework for town strategic planning. Planning/Recommendation Phase: Spring – Fall 2017 Template, process and timeline for department strategic plans and integration into town-wide plan Document: Drafts for plan elements Best practice implementation recommendations for governance, performance measurement, transparency, and customer service Timeline for implementing recommendations, consistent with town Vision and Unified Plan Document: Unified Plan implementation matrix

Towns are creating visual budgets.

Best practices: Boston.gov https://www.boston.gov/

Best practices: Kansas City Open Data https://data.kcmo.org/

Best practices: Santa Monica

Public Health Element Why discuss it separately Funding and team from MAPC Approach and Scope

Social, Environmental, Behavioral Factors Why consider health? Policy documents like this Unified Plan influence the 60% 60% 20% Genetics Healthcare Social, Environmental, Behavioral Factors The idea is to measure the impact of place on people through their health, which is one of the most basic proxies of how people are doing.

What is “health”? “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

What are the goals? Goal: To maximize positive, equitably distributed health impacts and minimize or mitigate any that increase disparities or harm health Emphasize that this is all part of the overall unified plan and will be done in close collaboration with Stantec With a focus on vulnerable populations. Develop actionable recommendations 4 Identify current and future health priorities 3 Analyze health impacts of social, behavioral, environmental context 2 Collect and analyze health specific data and literature 1

What is the process? Task Activity Timeline Data collection Background research Document: Existing Conditions/Needs Assessment Draft Sep-Nov 2016 Community context Document existing public health services Sep-Dec 2016 Outreach and engagement Preliminary interviews, possible survey, public meetings Sep 2016- June 2016 Draft Health Element Draft vision and goals, draft health element, review and final report Document: Health language for Town Vision and Goals; Final Health Element Jan-June 2107

Community Engagement Why discuss it separately Funding and team from MAPC Approach and Scope

Why engage the community? Develop shared vision, goals and priorities Consensus about the vision Shared understanding of concerns, desires, priorities Build a constituency for implementation of the plan

Who is the community? Include all points of view Residents Business owners Community organizations Local leaders Town staff and volunteers Youth, senior citizens, Religious/ethnic groups Institutions People who don’t usually participate Regional and state agencies (as relevant)

How will we engage the community? Make the process bridge differences; be inclusive, transparent, easy, fun and constructive Steering Committee meetings Interviews and focus groups Town-wide forums Neighborhood workshops Topic workshops Neighborhood Open Houses Business meeting Presence at town-wide Events Presentations to relevant boards

How will we engage the community? Create multiple opportunities for community conversation Project website Flash surveys Email blasts Social media

What is the process? 2016-2017: Visioning Interviews and focus groups; SC meetings SC, Town staff, others as relevant Community outreach Digital and face to face outreach Town-wide Visioning Forum Interactive community workshop 4 Communities of Place Workshops + 1 Business Meeting Neighborhood based workshops (2 precincts each) and business meeting Presentation to Annual Town Meeting for endorsement Documents: Wellesley Today Vision, Principles and Goals

What is the process? 2017: Plan development Community outreach Digital and face to face outreach SC/Working Group meetings Plan development and review 4/5 Communities of Interest Workshops (topic focused) Interactive community workshops Community Open House Planning directions Town-wide Forum on Draft Plan Public review of the plan 2018: Plan Adoption Public hearings Document: Public Hearing Draft Plan Annual Town Meeting Document: Final Plan

How will the community stay informed? Disseminate information in multiple ways Information hubs Project website updates Cable TV Press releases Speakers Bureau Presence at town events/festivals

Questions? Why discuss it separately Funding and team from MAPC Approach and Scope