Steven Ames Community visioning expert from Bend, Oregon - this is part one of a three part masterclass: Part One: Building Local Vision Part Two: Accelerating Envisioned Change Part Three: Stewarding Civic Engagement

1. Vision, Change &
Local Engagement
Whole-of-Community
Planning in a
Fast-Moving World
© 2014 Steven Ames Planning • All Rights Reserved
A Master Class with Steven Ames
NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure
APRIL 2014

2. Your presenter
 STEVEN AMES
Principal
Steven Ames Planning | NXT Consulting Group
Portland | Bend, Oregon
 Sponsored by Engage2

3. Greetings from Portland

4. Shaped by its natural environment
Photos: Walker • Macy; • www.KenDietz.com

5. Celebrated for its liveability
www.portlandground.com

6. Leader in urban sustainability
www.portlandground.com

7. Recognised for great planning

8. Guided by strategic vision

9. And yes…Portlandia, too.

10. Today‟s agenda and key themes
 Learning objectives, agenda, context, caveats
 Theme 1 – Building local vision
 Theme 2 – Accelerating envisioned change
 Theme 3 – Stewarding civic engagement
 Open dialogue, questions & learning objectives

11. Group introductions…
 Who are you?
 What is your job?
 One reason you are here today?

12. Learning objectives
 What one idea or questions would you like to explore?

13. American context for planning
 Strong local governments (cities, counties)
 Direct citizen participation in local governance
 Non-partisan local political tradition
 Strong grassroots community involvement
 Local political activism

14. Australian context for planning
 Strong state government involvement in localities
 Corporate-style local governance structures
 More limited grassroots community involvement
 Strong tradition of local “consultation”
 Rapid evolution toward local “engagement”

15. Some caveats
 All planning is place and culture specific
 Planning and engagement continually evolve
 Flexibility/adaptability are essential
 Best practice involves risk and creativity
 High tech does not replace high touch

16. Building Local Vision
“If you don‟t know where you‟re going, you
might end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra

17.  Societal change and the need for strategic vision
 What is strategic vision? (Oregon Model)
 Best practice visioning (U.S. and Australia)
 Case study in community visioning (Bend 2030)
 Lessons and tools
What I‟d like to talk about…

18. Our world is changing
 Population growth, demographic shifts, migration
 Environmental stresses and resource depletion
 Economic globalisation and restructuring
 Scientific and technological advances
 Information and telecommunication
 Social and cultural shifts

19. Local communities need vision
 All global trends have local impacts
 Local communities are front line of change
 Local authorities often caught in reactive mode
 Strategic vision is indicated
 Most powerful vision grounded in community

20. What is strategic vision?
 Tracking emerging trends & issues
 Exploring alternative scenarios or strategies
 Charting a preferred scenario (vision)
 Putting vision into action
 Measuring progress over time

21. What is visioning?
 A process through which a local council and community
creates a strategic vision – and begin to make it happen.
 A strategic framework for other municipal
plans, policies, decisions and investments.

22. Vision = preferred „destination‟
 Long-term
 Comprehensive
 Value-based
 Direction oriented
 Motivational

23. Plan = road map to get „there‟
 Near-term
 Specific
 Information-based
 Action oriented
 Instructional

24. Vision builds…confidence.
The Oregon Model

25. Visioning in Oregon
 Strong statewide community-based planning system
 Focus on land use, growth and development
 Planning for growth – but not for change
 Wanted: more comprehensive view of planning
 ‘Visioning’ was the response

26. The Oregon Model

27. Five driving questions
 Where are we now?
 Where are we going?
 Where do we want to be?
 How do we get there?
 Are we getting there?

28. Five key activities
 Where are we now? 4 Community Profile
 Where are we going? 4 Trends Analysis
 Where do we want to be? 4 Vision Statement
 How do we get there? 4 Action Plan
 Are we getting there? 4 Targets, Measures

29. Blue Mountains, New South Wales

30. Wyndham, Victoria

31. South Perth, Western Australia

32. Visioning benefits…
 Brings community together in positive context
 Facilitates deeper understanding of change
 Creates sense of direction
 Develops concrete goals & strategies
 Promotes plan of action

33. Second order benefits…
 Enriches citizen engagement
 Strengthens community cohesion
 Promotes community partnerships
 Catalyses community change
 Fosters relationship and leadership

34. Q&A – Change, Vision, Oregon Model

35. Visioning Case Study

36. Welcome to Bend, Oregon…

37. Where mountains and desert meet…

38. A big town becoming a small city…

39. Vibrant local culture…

40. Healthy, active lifestyles…

41. A great place to grow and learn…

42. Short history of Bend
 Explorers, trappers, white settlement (1800s)
 Railroads, lumber mills, wood products (1900s)
 Recreation and tourism (1950s)
 Lifestyle-driven real estate boom (1990-2000s)
 Economic collapse (2006-07)

43. 2005 – a city at the precipice

44. Bend 2030 visioning process (2005-06)

45. Bend‟s biggest conversation ever

46. Engagement „bending‟ the rules
 Council-led, community-owned process
 Public-private sponsors
 Incorporation of survey research & QDA
 Sophisticated branding and marketing
 Website and internet access

47. Vision validation and endorsement

48. A „whole-of-community‟ vision (2006)
 Well-planned city
 Vibrant economy
 Quality environment
 Safe, healthy people
 Strong community
 Creative, learning culture

49. Detailed plan of action (2007)

50. 63 partner groups implement plan

51. Q&A – visioning case study

52. Building local vision – lessons & tools