The document summarizes public engagement strategies in Washington D.C.: - The city employs various engagement methods at the neighborhood level, including neighborhood planners and community meetings, to involve residents in planning. - It also undertakes a comprehensive planning process every 4-12 years that establishes land use policies and guides development, which involves residents, businesses, institutions and other stakeholders across the city's 8 wards. - For the upcoming comprehensive plan amendment process, the city aims to engage over 8,000 residents, representing the city's diverse demographics, through various communication methods.

1. September 15, 2015 Montreal Delegation
Public
Engagement
in the
District of
Columbia

2. Washington, DC – The Nation’s Capital & A Local Home
2
 Not just a government town
 A world class city with a strong
business environment, resilient
economy & diverse population
 Functions as a city, county &
state
 A sustainability leader among
cities
68.5 square miles
8 wards

3. 638,432
606,900
572,059
605,210
620,427
635,040
649,111
658,893
520,000
540,000
560,000
580,000
600,000
620,000
640,000
660,000
680,000
1980 1990 2000 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total Population
86,864Population growth since 2000
A Growing City

5. Public Engagement

6.  Rapid Population Growth
 Demographic Changes
 Race
 Age
 Income disparities
 Education
 Housing needs
 Neighborhood Uniqueness
 Multiple Languages
Public Engagement - Challenges

7.  Creating Opportunities for all
Public Engagement- Opportunities
“…welcoming all District
residents, whether they’ve
been here for five minutes
or five generations…”
Mayor Muriel Bowser

8. Innovating Our Planning Approach
Creative Engagement
Early Implementation
Other tools

9. Geographic-Based Neighborhood Planners
• OP assigns a Neighborhood Planner to each of the 8 Wards who coordinates day-to-day
planning projects, and Small Area Plans, tracks ongoing site-specific development projects
and acts a community liaison.
Neighborhood-Based Planning
• A key focus in the DC Office of Planning is developing Plans and tools that work at the
neighborhood level and are community driven. Planners work with residents to develop a
vision and goals and recommendations at the block level that reflect growth and change.
Mayor’s Office of Community Relations (MOCRs)
• Each Ward in the City is assigned a team of outreach coordinators at the Mayoral level.
The MOCRs represent the Mayor or other agencies as needed at community meetings,
conduct outreach prior to community meetings and act as a liaison between residents and
District agencies.
Ongoing Engagement

10.  Neighborhood-Based Planners
 Small Area Plans at the block & corridor
level
 Community-Wide Meetings: varying
formats/locations
 Presentation at Civic and Homeowners
Associations
 Online Engagement
 Mindmixer/My Sidewalk
 OP blog
 OP Twitter and Facebook
 Community Partners:
 Advisory Groups for Plan development
consisting of neighborhood leaders.
 31 elected Advisory Neighborhood
Commissioners across the City; focus on
neighborhood-level concerns and weigh in on
larger development issues affecting the
community.
OP’s Neighborhood Engagement

11. Review Boards
all include public input opportunities
 Historic Preservation Review Board
 Zoning Commission
 Board of Zoning Adjustment
 Commemorative Works Committee
 Public Space Committee

12. Citywide/Systems Level Engagement

13. District of Columbia
Comprehensive Plan
Guides development of the city – a
20 year blueprint
Establishes official policies for land
use, transportation, housing,
environment, preservation, design,
economic growth
Provides framework for zoning,
capital budget, and other city
programs
Contains District Elements (OP) &
Federal Elements (NCPC)

14. Future amendment cycles to occur every four
years
 Policies & Action Items
 Future Land Use Map
 Generalized Policy Map
Major revisions to occur every 12 years
First amendment cycle: 2009-2011
 Technical corrections & significant policy
changes since 2006
Comp Plan Amendment Process
Launching next amendment cycle in 2015

15. Residents
• All 8 wards
• Advisory
Neighborhood
Commissioners
• Targeted
strategies for:
• Low-income
• Youth
• Limited
English
speakers
Businesses
• Small & other
businesses
• BIDs
• Associations
• Chambers of
Commerce
• Private
property
owners
Institutions
• Higher
Education
• Medical
• Houses of
Worship
• Etc.
Commuters
• Public sector
• Private sector
• Non-profit
Public Engagement Audience for
Comp Plan Amendment Process

16.  OP will engage residents and stakeholders that are based within all
eight wards of the District and 100 percent of the Advisory
Neighborhood Commissions.
 Communication methods in the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle
Communications and Engagement Strategy will be used to reach a
minimum of 25 percent (164,723) of District residents at least three
times.
 A minimum of 8,000 residents will participate in the Comp Plan
Amendment Process.
 There will be particular focus on ensuring that the total number of
participants is representative of the demographics of the District of
Columbia resident and stakeholder populations.
 The Engagement Strategy will employ three broad substrategies to
specifically target these populations: residents; business owners; and
commuters.
Public Engagement Metrics for upcoming Comp Plan
Amendment Process

17. Data Analysis Approach

18. Policy Approach - Public Engagement

19. Eric Shaw, Director
D.C. Office of Planning
202-442-7600
www.planning.dc.gov
@OPinDC
For More Information