When I am not blogging here, one way that I am involved is in serving as the North District representative to Neighborhood Planning Advisory Committee (the “NPAC”). We are a group of 24 citizens from across Seattle tasked with advising the city as we beign a process of updating neighborhood plans. We have met twice. Our first meetings were organizational in nature, but the upcoming meetings will have more substance. I am including information below on what the NPAC is formed to do, where you can learn more about what has and will happen, and dates and agenda items for upcoming meetings (which are all open to the public).
To ensure that I am truly representing North District, I would also like to hear from North District neighbors about your thoughts on the issues that will be addressed by the NPAC. Please feel free to e-mail or phone (366-9472) me with your thoughts – or set up a time to meet in person.
Goals of the NPAC:
The expectation is that the NPAC will make recommendations and provide on-going guidance to the Executive and Council on the development of the Neighborhood Plan Status Reports and the Neighborhood Plan Update Process, including, but not limited to, the following actions:
Neighborhood Plan Status Reports
1. Review scope of neighborhood plan status reports and make recommendations on the elements to be included in the status reports.
2. Provide advice on the content and general format of the neighborhood plan status reports.
3. Per Section C3 of Attachment A to Council Bill 116319, co-host with the Planning Commission broad public outreach open houses regarding the neighborhood plan status report process.
Neighborhood Plan Updates
4. Provide advice on community outreach and the appropriate scope of Neighborhood Plan updates that will be occurring in 2008-2011.
5. Provide advice on the order of plan updates after the status reports are completed.
6. Provide advice on community involvement strategies as needed at the neighborhood level.
7. Make recommendations on how best to reach under-represented communities and identify ways in which neighborhoods can welcome and involve new people in the update process.
8. Propose ways in which neighborhoods can improve the consistency and usefulness of Neighborhood Plans while maintaining the ability to address issues that may be unique to each neighborhood.
9. Before plan updates begin– beyond the initial three neighborhood plans that will be updated in 2009– NPAC will recommend to the Mayor and Council whether to allow neighborhoods to use an outside city approved consultant to draft their plan updates.
10. Identify ways to ensure that Neighborhood Plan updates reflect a broad range of interests and concerns within the neighborhood and options for “validating” neighborhood plan updates.
11. Recommend ways in which the City can improve both implementation of Neighborhood Plans and communication about the City’s progress to implement them.
12. Recommend how neighborhoods can remain involved in and work with the City to implement Neighborhood Plans and identify options for outside resources and public/private partnerships.
13. Help identify criteria to prioritize possible Neighborhood Plan updates that may occur after 2011.
Where to find information on the NPAC:
Meeting agenda, minutes, the member roster and additional information is available at: http://www.seattle.gov/Neighborhoods/npi/npac.htm
Upcoming NPAC Meetings and Workshops
– All meetings are open to the public
NPAC Half-Day Orientation Session 2/9 3 – 7:30 PM at Bertha Landes Rm, City Hall
Introduction to Neighborhood Planning
Race and Social Justice Initiative
Sustainability
Neighborhood centers
NPAC meeting – 2/17, 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Bertha Landes Rm, City Hall Community Neighborhood Plan Status Report (NPSR)
