Communications Plan

The City offers the Franklinton Area Commission the opportunity to be the next community in which to develop a plan that will guide future efforts to improve mobility and related livability issues in Franklinton. Franklinton was selected for a number of reasons, some of which include the new development potential due to the floodwall, the high number of pedestrian crashes, and the capability and representation of the Franklinton Area Commission and Franklinton Board of Trade.

The Franklinton Community Mobility Plan (FCMP) will complement and further detail the recently completed Franklinton Plan and the East Franklinton Overlay. The purpose of the FCMP project is to develop a plan with the community that will recommend efforts directed towards goals that:

• balance the transportation infrastructure for moving people and goods by several modes, notably including pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, transit, truck, and rail.
• reduce traffic violations, ticketed and non-ticketed (speeding, failure to yield to pedestrian, running red-light, etc)
• recognize and strengthen the connection between land use and the transportation system
• promote distinct and vibrant neighborhoods

The boundary of the plan will be the Franklinton Area Commission boundary, while addressing those travel ways in and out of the boundary.

The purpose of the Communications Plan for FCMP is not only to inform and educate, but also to engage stakeholders and the public in the process, the analysis, and ultimate outcomes of the decisions that will affect them and the Franklinton neighborhoods. Early involvement with the community will increase public interest in and ownership of the FCMP. The involvement of concerned community leaders will enhance the effectiveness of the recommended strategies and establish trust and confidence in the outcomes.

The goal of the Communication Plan is to produce a plan of activities that is:

• Engaging and informational to the stakeholders and public
• Comprehensive
• Result-oriented
• Inclusive of government organizations

The Consultant team, representing EMH&T, McKenna & Associates, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and Walkable Communities, Inc. envisions executing a Communications Plan that is both comprehensive and result-oriented. Objectives that illustrate these qualities include:

1. Ongoing coordination, collaboration and communication with city of Columbus staff.
2. Generation of the greatest amount of participation, interest and support possible from all.
3. Formation and provision of staff support for the Franklinton Community Mobility Advisory Group.
4. Identification of key opinion leaders for one-on-one, high-level communication that will minimize public/stakeholders’ discord and promote awareness.
5. Conduct of preliminary outreach in the study area to assess the level of knowledge, interest and areas of concern to area residents regarding the study.
6. Production of a high level of factual awareness about the study area and its components among public sectors/stakeholders.
7. Provision of a variety of mechanisms for continuous input and feedback; e.g., the Internet, public meetings, surveys, etc. Preparing presentations, conducting meetings and distributing material to advise selected publics of the plan.
8. Design of supportive printed materials for education and promotion of FCMP recommendations.
9. Identifying unanticipated opportunities.

The first task in the Communications Plan is to provide a strategy to communicate with the stakeholders and public.

The communications plan for the FCMP will be developed to encourage participation from a variety of audiences and will provide the community with multiple vehicles for obtaining information and providing feedback. A variety of outreach and communications forums will be employed to engage the public and facilitate discussions with numerous audiences. Such audiences include but are not limited to:

• Area Residents
• Businesses
• City Council
• Community Groups
• Columbus Area Pedestrian Safety Committee
• COTA
• Design Centers
• Disabled Community
• Economic Development Corporations
• Emergency Services
• Faith-based Organizations
• Libraries
• Mayor’s Office
• Neighborhood and Civic Associations
• News Media
• Parks and Recreation Departments
• Public Agencies
• Restaurants
• Safe Routes to School
• Schools
• State Legislators

See the attached for a complete and detailed listing of stakeholders.

• Coordination

  The Consultant and City Project Managers will engage City departments outside the core project management group that may have an interest in the project. City “Project Managers” expected to participate in meetings throughout the project include representatives of the Transportation, Planning, Police, and Health Departments.

  This item of work provides for meetings with other City departments as follows: Fire, Development (Economic Development, Neighborhood Services, Housing, Downtown Development), Building Services, Utilities, Recreation and Parks, and COTA. Up to three meetings will be attended to update City Departments on the project and encourage comments and dialogue. MORPC will organize, lead and document this meeting. See the attached for a complete listing of City departments.

• Outreach

  Various communication methods and tools will be used to encourage public involvement in the study. Outreach to the public sectors/stakeholders located in and near the greater Franklinton area as well as audiences who are interested in or have an interest in the project will include but not be limited to the following efforts:

  • Public Forums
    • Meet with Stakeholders

      Identify Stakeholders-The Consultant team will work with City staff to identify stakeholders. City staff will prepare a contact database if one is required including names, addresses, email, etc.

      One-on-One Meetings with Stakeholders-The Consultant, EMH&T, will meet with select stakeholders, together with City staff, for the purpose of identifying traffic, parking, transit, and pedestrian problems, needs, and goals associated with specific businesses, institutions, and neighborhood groups in Franklinton. Discussion of goals will include measures of effectiveness and evaluation criteria for alternative solutions to be developed later in the study process.

      Stakeholder meetings will precede general public meetings (charrettes and open houses) and will inform Stakeholders about project progress to date and the specific material to be discussed at the general public meeting. MORPC will organize, lead and document this meeting.

    • Open House

      An initial open house meeting will be held in the Franklinton area to introduce the project to the community, explain the process to be used, and solicit early input on the problems, needs, and goals to be addressed. Evaluation criteria will be discussed for use in evaluating alternative solutions later in the study process.

      A final open house meeting will be held in the Franklinton area to present the final recommendations of the study including the prioritization plan.

      MORPC will organize, lead and document these meetings.

    • Charrettes

      Opening Charrette-An opening charrette will be held in the Franklinton area prior to the neighborhood walk audit. The charrette will provide an opportunity for public participation, problem identification, discussion of evaluation criteria, and public education.

      Closing charrette-A closing charrette will be held to provide an opportunity for the Consultant team and City staff to return to the public with a summary of the walk audit process and recommended solutions to identified problems. Criteria for evaluating and comparing conceptual alternate solutions will be discussed and used to develop an evaluation matrix.

      MORPC will organize, lead and document this meeting.

    • Walk Audit

      A walk audit will be conducted with the Consultant team and City staff on a weekend day to review and discuss problem areas.

      MORPC will organize, lead and document this meeting.

    • Overview to Mayor, Council, and Service Director

      The Consultant will work with City staff to present an overview of the project to the City Administration and Council. Up to 3 meetings will be attended and the Consultant will provide exhibits, hand-outs, and visual aids as necessary.

      MORPC will organize, lead and document this meeting.

  • Printed Material

    Meeting Preparation and Exhibits-The Consultant, EMH&T, will provide display boards, projection equipment, drawings, and exhibits as appropriate to communicate the scope of the project, and the purpose and need for proceeding. Results of problem identification, alternatives analyses, and prioritization will be presented with an emphasis on linking recommended solutions to problems, needs, and goals articulated by the community. Comfort items including snacks and beverages will be provided by the Consultant, EMH&T.

  • Meeting Notification

    MORPC will prepare a meeting notification flyer for distribution by City staff that provides notification for the opening and closing Charrette, walk audit and open houses. Postage, distribution, printing costs and preparation of mailing lists will be performed by the City and are not included in the Consultant scope of services.

    Mary Carran Webster, Assistant Director of Public Service, 614.645.7263, email, mcwebster@columbus.gov will be the media contact for the FCMP.

  • Internet Website

    A project web site will be established by the Consultant, EMH&T, and hosted on the Consultants servers. The web site will provide a summary of the purpose and goals of the project, display graphics and documents describing project activities, findings, and recommendations, and provide notice of upcoming meetings and events.

Meeting minutes, summaries of public comments, and other appropriate documentation of public meetings will be prepared by MORPC and distributed to City staff for review and comment.