APPENDIX X: PUBLIC OUTREACH OVERVIEW The first phase of public outreach efforts for the OneBerkeley Comprehensive Plan Update (2020) commenced in the Fall of 2020 and was comprised of four outreach mechanisms, including: • • • •
a web-based community survey, ten (10) total public meetings, including three (3) virtual and seven (7) in-person meetings held throughout the county, six (6) stakeholder meetings, and an on-going virtual engagement hub on the project’s website.
This multi-faceted approach to obtaining public input created multiple opportunities to meet the varied needs and preferences of the public. The added virtual meetings were offered to reach a broader base of the county’s population, particularly individuals who might otherwise have difficulty attending weeknight meetings, such as parents with young children at home, and as a safe, sociallydistanced alternative in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase of public input was sought at the outset of the project using a web-based1 community survey to identify overarching themes, values, and concerns among survey respondents countywide. A total of 1,071 community surveys were submitted during the 2.5-month period of survey collection. Survey results provided a valuable and an in-depth view of residents’ perspectives on the state of affairs in the county today. In turn, the issues and concerns identified in this early phase of outreach helped to pinpoint the focus areas of One Berkeley 2020. Ultimately, the assets, issues, concerns, and priorities identified in this phase served to steer the scenario planning effort and form the Plan’s Guiding Principles, Recommendations, and Action Items. The second phase of public outreach occurred throughout 2021 and focused on designing and forming a consensus on the preferred development scenario, framing the future land use map, and obtaining public review and comment on the full draft document. This stage sought specific feedback and opinions about the Plan’s content and aimed to identify and resolve any remaining concerns or issues requiring additional consideration.
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The survey was also made available in hard copy at the County office by request.