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PublicOutreach <br />issueswithrespecttocommunitytrustandwillingnesstoengageinacollaborative <br />process.Theseissueswerevalidatedthroughextensivepublicoutreacheffortsthat <br />weremaintainedthroughoutthedurationoftheplanningprocess. <br />ConcurrentwiththebeginningoftheTransitionProject,twoproposedCityprojects <br />Neighborhood <br />werevettedinRiverRoadandSantaClaraatpublicmeetings,whichcontributedtothe <br />OutreachContext <br />levelofdistrustbetweentheCityandRR/SCresidents.Theseproposalsbecamevery <br />controversial,reflectedthedifficulthistorybetweenresidentsandtheCityofEugene, <br />andillustratedattheoutsetthatconductingneighborhoodoutreachfortransition <br />planningwouldbedaunting. <br />First,theCityprojectproposedalandswapthatwouldhaveresultedinanew <br />communityparkinSantaClaraaspartofalargeneighborhooddevelopmentproject. <br />Althoughtheproposalwassubsequentlywithdrawnduetointenseoppositionfrom <br />localresidents,apositiveoutcomeofthecontroversywasthecreationofagroupof <br />citizenswhoformedtheSantaClaraCommitteeforSensibleParksandOpenSpaces. <br />ThisgroupbecameaveryorganizedandcommittedandinfusedtheSantaClara <br />CommunityOrganizationwithnewmembersandenthusiasmforcommunity <br />involvement. <br />ThesecondCityprojectwasaproposaltoimprovetourbanstandardsamajor <br />collectorstreet,RiverAvenue,locatedintheRiverRoadcommunity.Extensive <br />oppositiontotheproposeddesignresultedinanegotiateddesignprocess,withmajor <br />stakeholdersworkingcollaborativelywithCitystafftocometoagreementona <br />preferredalternative. <br />TheOutreachChallenge <br />Thesecontroversialprojects,plusthefactthatpasteffortstogaugepublicopinionin <br />RiverRoadandSantaClarafocusedonlyontheissueofannexation,gavedirectionto <br />theTransitionTeamforplanninganeighborhoodoutreachprocess.Inparticular,it <br />becameevidentthat <br />noformalstructureexistsforinvolvingthetwocommunities <br />.Itwasalsoapparentthatresidentswant <br />inanopenandtransparentpublicprocess <br />opportunitiestobecomeengagedandhaveavoiceindecisionsthataffectthefutureof <br />theircommunitiesÐwhethertheyarein-Cityornon-Cityresidents. <br />AndhereinliesthechallengefortheCityofEugene.Ninecity-fundedprojectswere <br />underwayinRiverRoadandSantaClaraduringtheTransitionProjectincluding <br />extensiveparkandopenspaceacquisition,astormwaterbasinmanagementplan,a <br />historysurveyfortheRiverRoadcommunity,anaturalresourceconservationplan, <br />andadraftcomprehensivepark,recreation,andopenspaceplan.Yet,ifmostofthe <br />residentsliveinunincorporatedareas,howdoestheCitynotonlymaintainopen <br />communicationsbutalsoactivelyengageallcommunityresidentsintheseprojects? <br />CommunityOrganizationsÐLimitedRecognitionandNewsletters <br />EarlyintheTransitionProject,theTransitionTeamrecognizedthatexistingCitypolicy <br />gavelimitedrecognitiontotheRiverRoadandSantaClaraCommunityOrganizations, <br />withreducedfundingthatprohibitednewsletterdistributiontonon-Cityresidentswho <br />comprisethemajorityofthepopulationofthetwocommunities.TheTransitionTeam <br />madeaformalrequesttoLaneCountycommissionersfornewsletterfunding <br />assistance,withoutsuccess.SubsequentlytheEugeneCityCouncilprovided <br />additionalfundingandforthefirsttimethetwocommunityorganizationsdistributed <br />newsletterstoallresidentsinRiverRoadandSantaClara,whethertheyresidedwithin <br />theCitylimitsornot. <br />GiventhefactthatnopriororganizedpublicoutreachprocesshadtakenplaceinRiver <br />Neighborhood <br />RoadandSantaClara,aTaskForcesubcommitteeandtheTransitionTeamÕs <br />Conversations <br />communityplannerworkedforseveralmonthsdesigningapublicoutreachapproach <br />tailoredtotheneedsoftheTransitionProject.TaskForcemembersandneighborhood <br />leaderswereengagedinhostingandparticipatinginaseriesofsmallneighborhood <br />13 <br />RIVERROAD/SANTACLARA <br />TRANSITIONPROJECT <br />