To: Mayor Skeels and Council From: Emma Chow, Island Community Planner, Planning Date: March 16, 2018 Meeting Date: March 26, 2018 Subject: Draft Transportation Plan RECOMMENDATION That the Committee of the Whole recommend to Council that the draft Transportation Plan be referred to the Transportation Advisory Committee, the Parks, Trails & Greenways Advisory Committee, the Recreation Commission, TransLink, BC Ferries, the Islands Trust, Vancouver Coastal Health, District of West Vancouver, Sunshine Coast Regional District, School District No 45, and ICBC. PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to present the draft Transportation Plan to Council. BACKGROUND On November 9, 2015, Council authorized staff to commence work on the ITMP: RES #15-329: That Council approve the Terms of Reference and Work Plan for the Integrated Transportation Master Plan; and That Council authorize staff to carry out the tasks as detailed in the Work Plan. On January 25, 2016, Council approved the ITMP Public Engagement Plan (PEP): RES#16-053: That Council approve the Public Engagement Plan (PEP) for the Integrated Transportation Master Plan (ITMP). PROJECT SUMMARY The ITMP project had five phases to 1) review inventory, 2) gather information, 3) engage stakeholders, 4) create alternatives, and 5) finalize the plan. The first four phases were completed on schedule, culminating in a public open house in May 2017. However, due to limited staff resources, the final phase of the project was delayed by about six months. Phase 5 involved preparing the Public Engagement Report, drafting the plan, and bringing it before Council for adoption. The Public Engagement Report and draft Transportation Plan are attached for Council consideration.
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To: Mayor Skeels and Council From: Emma Chow, Island Community Planner, Planning Date: March 16, 2018 Meeting Date: March 26, 2018 Subject: Draft Transportation Plan RECOMMENDATION That the Committee of the Whole recommend to Council that the draft Transportation Plan be referred to the Transportation Advisory Committee, the Parks, Trails & Greenways Advisory Committee, the Recreation Commission, TransLink, BC Ferries, the Islands Trust, Vancouver Coastal Health, District of West Vancouver, Sunshine Coast Regional District, School District No 45, and ICBC. PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to present the draft Transportation Plan to Council. BACKGROUND On November 9, 2015, Council authorized staff to commence work on the ITMP:
RES #15-329: That Council approve the Terms of Reference and Work Plan for the Integrated Transportation Master Plan; and That Council authorize staff to carry out the tasks as detailed in the Work Plan.
On January 25, 2016, Council approved the ITMP Public Engagement Plan (PEP):
RES#16-053: That Council approve the Public Engagement Plan (PEP) for the Integrated Transportation Master Plan (ITMP).
PROJECT SUMMARY The ITMP project had five phases to 1) review inventory, 2) gather information, 3) engage stakeholders, 4) create alternatives, and 5) finalize the plan. The first four phases were completed on schedule, culminating in a public open house in May 2017. However, due to limited staff resources, the final phase of the project was delayed by about six months. Phase 5 involved preparing the Public Engagement Report, drafting the plan, and bringing it before Council for adoption. The Public Engagement Report and draft Transportation Plan are attached for Council consideration.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT REPORT The ITMP project included a comprehensive Public Engagement Plan (PEP) as part of the Municipality’s commitment to provide engaged, accountable and effective government, as well as to develop a transportation plan that is truly reflective of the community’s vision and needs. The PEP was carried out on schedule and within budget, including eight different engagement initiatives. The Public Engagement Report evaluates and summarizes the outcomes of the PEP, which was considered effective in achieving project awareness and meaningful community involvement. TRANSPORTATION PLAN The Terms of Reference for the ITMP project asked for a plan that addressed:
• Regional connections improvement • TransLink bus service optimization • Cardena Rd pedestrian safety • Snug Cove parking management • Active transportation facilitation • Alternative modes opportunities • Multi-modal integration • Priority projects identification • Implementation strategies • Monitoring plan
These key objectives are addressed in the draft Transportation Plan using elements that were developed with community involvement, data collection and research. The elements are organized strategically to first develop infrastructure, establish more options, and then promote more sustainable travel behavior. Community engagement and technical review showed that one of the top transportation gaps for the island is lack of safe and efficient active transportation infrastructure. Priority projects over the next 20 years will be a cross-island multi-use path, pedestrian improvements to Cardena Dr, and coordinated schedules between BC Ferries, TransLink, and other service providers. The Plan also includes many elements to build pedestrian and cycling networks, improve road safety, optimize and expand transit service, encourage alternative options, streamline access to regional destinations, and advocate for better accessibility on- and off-island. A number of plan elements are already underway, such as Phase 1 of the multi-use path, a bike & scooter parking facility, a school active transportation plan, and pedestrian safety improvements for Cardena. Council adoption of the Transportation Plan will be integral to the timely and coordinated implementation of the plan elements, especially to meet the eligibility criteria for available funding, which usually require proposed projects to be a part of an adopted plan. NEXT STEPS Once the draft Transportation Plan has received comments from internal referrals, the draft will be revised to incorporate feedback and then laid out in the branding template. This revision will be sent for external referrals. Feedback will be incorporated in a third revision, which will be brought back to Council for adoption.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS The draft Transportation Plan has an estimated budget of $3.29 million over 20 years. Potential funding is estimated at $1.58 million, which equals a Municipal cost share of $1.7 million, or roughly $85,000 per year. This is a fraction of the current road maintenance cost, but the Plan will provide infrastructure and an integrated system that addresses major transportation gaps and substantially advances climate change mitigation. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY Project updates are communicated mainly through the newspaper, email, social media and the project webpage. Monthly updates are provided to the Transportation Advisory Committee and included as part of the meeting minutes that are forwarded to Council. These minutes are available to the public via the Municipal website and at Municipal Hall. SUMMARY / CONCLUSION The ITMP project has amassed a great deal of information and analyses through extensive public engagement and research work. The resulting plan strategies improve transportation connections and choices while balancing health of people and the environment. Public support is strong for the plan elements and strategies, with a focus on addressing active transportation deficiencies. Staff recommend that Council refer the draft Transportation Plan for comment and proceed with adoption to facilitate timely implementation. Attachments and References: Attachment 1 - ITMP Public Engagement Report Attachment 2 - Draft Transportation Plan SUBMITTED BY: _______________________________ Emma Chow Island Community Planner REVIEWED/APPROVED BY: _______________________________ Kathy Lalonde Chief Administrative Officer
Integrated Transportation Master Plan
Integrated Transportation Master Plan: Public Engagement Report
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................................1
COMMUNICATION TOOLS ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Public Project Launch ........................................................................................................................................................8
Public Information Session #1 ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Public Information Session #2 ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Public Information Session #3 ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Transit Review Open House ......................................................................................................................................... 18
Council Workshop ............................................................................................................................................................ 19
ITMP Project Open House ........................................................................................................................................... 20
Integrated Transportation Master Plan: Public Engagement Report
INTRODUCTION One of the first tasks of the Integrated Transportation Master Plan (ITMP) project was developing
a Public Engagement Plan (PEP), a comprehensive engagement strategy. This PEP is part of the
as to develop a transportation
The goal of the PEP is to facilitate meaningful community involvement. This was done by creating
project awareness, providing useful information, enabling participation, and communicating how
the engagement influences decisions. This report is the final public update, presenting a summary
and evaluation of all the engagement undertaken for this project.
A number of communication tools and engagement techniques were strategically employed to
engage a variety of stakeholder groups and facilitate involvement opportunities. These tools and
techniques were selected based on stakeholder needs, including the digital divide, accessibility,
and learning style.
Engagement was incorporated into every phase of the project. Over 1,000 people have been
engaged throughout this project, including citizens, service providers, businesses, and
government agencies (Appendix A). Participants include a good representation of key
stakeholders, especially the main users of Bowen transportation. Engagement results have helped
to identify key issues and opportunities, as well as develop innovative solutions and suitable
methods of implementation for Bowen Island.
Approximately $20,000 was spent on engagement for this project, plus a $5,000 grant from PlanH.
This is well within the budgeted amount of $22,220 and represents just under half of total project
expenditures. All engagement tasks and materials were completed in-house, which realized
thousands of dollars in savings.
The first part of this report will present an overview of the communication tools. The second part
will present an evaluation of each engagement initiative in chronological order.
Integrated Transportation Master Plan: Public Engagement Report
ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY Initiative Level of
participation* Number of
participants Cost Effectiveness
(1 = not at all, 4 = very much)
Public project launch INFORM 3000 + $2,400 3
Citizen questionnaire CONSULT ~ 750 $3,000 3
Public information session #1
CONSULT ~ 500 $1,200 4
Public information session #2
CONSULT ~ 20 $600 3
Public information session #3
CONSULT ~ 80 $600 4
Multi-stakeholder
workshop INVOLVE 40 $3,200 4
Neighbourhood meet up: Queen Charlotte Heights
CONSULT 20 $900 4
Neighbourhood meet up: Carter
CONSULT 12 $900 4
Neighbourhood meet up:
Cowan Point CONSULT 12 $900 4
Bowfest pop-up booth INFORM ~ 60 $400 3
Neighbourhood meet up: Bluewater
CONSULT 7 $900 4
Transit review open house INFORM 7 $500 3
Council workshop COLLABORATE 7 $2,200 3
ITMP project open house INFORM 6 $1,500 4
*According to the Public Participation Spectrum as defined by the International Association for Public Participation.
Page 3 of 21
COMMUNICATION TOOLS The following is a list of communication tools set out in the PEP. All of these tools were used
throughout the project.
COMMUNICATION TOOL PURPOSE DESCRIPTION
Standards Awareness
A consistent visual identity and messaging will help the public familiarize with the project and build trust.
Key Contact Background information
Feedback
An electronic and physical contact for handling questions and concerns. Having a single contact can ensure consistent sharing of information and help keep feedback organized.
General Information Brochure
Background information
An easy-to-understand and graphically-engaging document that highlights key elements of the project, including purpose, process, timeline, opportunities for participation, and website and contact information. This is a valuable tool for sharing throughout the process and priming public participation.
Press Release Awareness
Event promotion
Updates
A statement or story prepared for media distribution to increase awareness and enthusiasm for the project, as well as maintain process transparency.
Advertising Event Promotion
Paid advertising space from local media, likely the Bowen Island Undercurrent, is used to promote upcoming project events.
Social Media Awareness
Event promotion
Feedback
Bowen Island Municipality has an online presence via a website, Facebook and Twitter. There also exists other accounts related to Bowen Island transportation issues. These channels allow for pushing out notifications, as well as receiving feedback (excluding Twitter).
Mailing List Event promotion
A list of electronic or physical addresses of people that have expressed an interest in receiving notifications. This allows targeted communications that saves time and money, without bothering those not interested.
Mail-Drop Awareness
Event promotion
Paper mailings that can blanket certain geographical areas are effective for reaching those that may not otherwise be aware of the project or events.
PlaceSpeak Background information
Event promotion
Updates
Feedback
PlaceSpeak will host the project website and all project-related digital files. The platform is integrated with mailing lists, common online surveys and social media to allow for easy electronic notifications and feedback.
Neighbourhoods Map
Awareness
An official map of neighbourhood names and boundaries helps to strengthen sense of place and ownership of local decision processes, and supports organization of participation data.
QR Codes Awareness
A 2D bar code that can provide smartphones quick access to information. QR codes should be integrated into the above tools where possible to encourage participation.
Integrated Transportation Master Plan: Public Engagement Report
The tools were effective overall in achieving communication objectives, with email and social
media being the main vehicles for updates and feedback due to low cost, ease of implementation
and quick turnaround.
About half of all email submissions were through the key contact email, followed by the Island
Community Planner email or redirected from a Councillor, as well as a few from the general
municipal email, the transportation advisory committee email, and the Mayor & Council email.
The main challenges encountered stemmed from the use of a third party online engagement
platform, which will be discussed in detail below.
Standards Communications standards were initially established for this project, including logo and usage,
fonts, and colours (see Appendix B). However, the municipality completed a rebranding project
during Phase 4 of this project, which applied to the ITMP project. Subsequent
deliverables and public communications materials have followed the
new municipal branding guidelines. While this has resulted in some
discontinuity in visual identity, the project logo has remain unchanged.
Also, almost all of the project awareness and public outreach efforts
were completed during the first phases of the project using the same
initial communication standards. There has been no feedback to
suggest that the change in standards have caused any negative impacts.
Key Contact The project key contact was the ITMP Project Team and included email address, phone number,
mailing address, and project website address. Sixteen emails providing feedback came through
the key contact email, [email protected]. There were several phone calls and zero
mail feedback submissions. Almost all of the emails were received during the spring of 2016,
mostly within weeks of the public project launch in late February. The feedback received was
mostly concerned with the engagement initiatives themselves, followed by comments around
improving active transportation and transit service.