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Envision Victor

Final Summary

March 25, 2011

Envision Victor Final Summary Report March 25, 2011

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Table of Contents: ENVISION VICTOR MISSION .............................................................................................................................. 3 ENVISION VICTOR VISION ................................................................................................................................. 3 ENVISION VICTOR PROJECT PARTNERS ....................................................................................................... 3 PROJECT BACKGROUND: ................................................................................................................................... 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: .................................................................................................................................... 4 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................... 5 PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CHRONOLOGY .................................................................................. 7 2009 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 2010 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2011 ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ................................................................................................................................. 11 PROJECT RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................. 12 ENVISION VICTOR PRODUCTS: ............................................................................................................................................. 12 ENVISION VICTOR BEST PRACTICES: .................................................................................................................................. 13 ENVISION VICTOR PROJECT ACHIEVEMENTS: ................................................................................................................... 14

NEXT STEPS: INTEGRATING ENVISION VICTOR PRODUCTS, PROCESSES, AND SPIRIT INTO CITY FUNCTION .................................................................................................................................................. 15 APPENDIX 1 – EV BRAND USE MEMO .......................................................................................................... 24 APPENDIX 2 – MAIN STREET DESIGN PART I SCREEN SHOTS AND RESULTS ................................ 25 APPENDIX 3 – MAIN STREET DESIGN PART II SCREEN SHOTS AND RESULTS ............................... 28 APPENDIX 4 – GROWTH PRINCIPLES RESULTS ....................................................................................... 32 APPENDIX 5 – “MIND MAP” TOOL ................................................................................................................ 33 APPENDIX 6 – FINAL PUBLIC COMMENTS ON EV .................................................................................... 34


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Envision Victor Mission

Envision Victor seeks to implement a new kind of planning in our City, a process that is focused on engaging our citizens, bridging our divisions, and honoring our shared values, in order to realize a vibrant and enduring Victor for years to come.

Envision Victor Vision We envision a community we can all call home, a community in which all residents can live and work in harmony and respect for each other. This community will offer healthy economies, strong businesses, vital and cohesive neighborhoods, and extensive recreational and cultural opportunities. It will preserve our City’s friendly, hometown atmosphere, and its powerful history.

Envision Victor Project Partners

City of Victor -‐ Cari Golden City of Victor -‐ Mike O'Neill

Teton Valley Trails and Pathways -‐ Tim Adams Valley Advocates for Responsible Development -‐ Sandy Mason Valley Advocates for Responsible Development -‐ Chris Lundberg

Citizen-‐At-‐Large -‐ Janine Jolley Citizen-‐At-‐Large -‐ David Kearsley

Project Coordinator – Dahvi Wilson Project Background:

Victor remains a quirky, unassuming community, but citizens are struggling to forge a distinct identity and manage growth in a rapidly changing region. Victor is often confused with Driggs, its neighbor to the north, and overshadowed by Jackson, Wyoming on the other side of Teton Pass. While economic development and tourist dollars are welcome, growth pressures from Jackson are changing Victor faster than most residents would like, threatening to swallow up the City’s rural lands and unique character.

Many citizens of Victor have viewed land-‐use planning as unfair and intrusive, but many now recognize that they no longer have the option of sitting back and letting change happen. The Orton Family Foundation selected Victor for its Heart & Soul Community Planning process in 2008 and worked with the City, Teton Valley Trails and Pathways (TVTAP) and Valley Advocates for Responsible Development (VARD) on a values-‐based effort designed to improve the nature and amount of public participation in land-‐use decisions, to help build local capacity, and


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ultimately, to strengthen public decision processes and help citizens influence their town’s future.

Project Description:

Envision Victor was guided by a wide variety of interested citizens, elected officials and local groups as well as three partner organizations: the City of Victor, Valley Associates for Responsible Development (VARD) and Teton Valley Trails and Pathways (TVAP). An Advisory Committee made up of a diverse group of at-‐large citizens and representatives from the three partner organizations oversaw Envision Victor with the assistance of a part-‐time project coordinator.

Envision Victor partners created a dynamic public outreach program and engaged a wide cross-‐section of the community, including citizens, local interest groups, and local organizations. The engagement process was designed to explore Victor’s “heart and soul,” which the community defined as Family Friendliness, Small Town Feel, Connection to Nature, Sustainability, and Cultural History. We led over 37 public events and meetings, involving over 550 local residents. This level of participation verified that Envision Victor had identified a set of these unique features which, if lost, would fundamentally diminish the quality of community and sense of place. Project partners listened carefully to everyone in the community, especially those who were traditionally not involved in planning processes—among them seniors, youth, "old-‐timers," "new-‐comers," and local business owners.

Envision Victor used innovative outreach methods to discover community values and to assist the community in prioritizing actions. The project began with storytelling, which, in its broadest sense, brought to life residents’ experiences and their values including shared heritage, sense of place, motivations and goals.

The project then used the themes and attributes that emerged from stories and discussions to articulate a shared community vision, which will be used to manage growth and navigate change. By devising innovative and interactive methods to link core values to on-‐the-‐ground planning decisions, Envision Victor gathered input from residents, community groups and local businesses, informed a concept for Main Street design, a Transportation Plan and a Capital Improvements Plan.


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Project Goals and Objectives I) Identify, engage, and connect all segments of the Victor community, including newcomers

and long-‐time residents. Provide opportunities to get to know each other, describe and articulate Victor’s Heart & Soul, and enhance a sense of belonging to this place. a) Work with project partners and the broader Victor community to identify and reach out

to a wide cross-‐section of Victor's residents through their informal groups, and/or through their formal institutional affiliations.

b) Use stories to help residents share their values and visions about Victor’s past, present, and future and to discover what residents value most about living in Victor today.

c) Use storytelling to bring the residents of Victor together to get to know each other and

reveal areas of common ground.

d) Use storytelling to provide residents opportunities to discover and develop their sense of responsibility for the Victor community.

e) Use the stories we share to help guide the planning of Victor, articulate actionable steps

forward, and activate our new connections to each other and this place. II) Enact a new model of planning and decision-‐making that is inclusive, values-‐based, and

focused on engaging all of the City’s residents. a) Identify existing decision-‐makers and encourage them to integrate Envision Victor

planning processes into their efforts as a way to help them achieve citizen-‐participation goals with greater success.

b) Create various new community-‐planning committees and identify and revitalize former committees, such as the ‘Main Street Advisory Committee,’ to engage residents with different interests in the planning process.

c) Work closely with the City of Victor staff and elected officials to ensure that project

products are integrated into their planning efforts.

d) Work with the Orton Foundation and other Heart & Soul Community Planning projects to share best practices and model this type of planning nationally.

III) Develop a land use plan for the City that incorporates the visions and values of its citizens,

incorporating past planning efforts, and using new technologies to look toward the future. a) Compile and digest results from past and pertinent planning efforts.


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b) Track ongoing planning initiatives and reconcile them with the Envision Victor process.

c) Hire a GIS/ Community Viz consulting firm to help Victor residents visualize the impacts

of various downtown planning scenarios and make planning decisions that reflect their values.

d) Help ensure that Heart & Soul attributes are central to all downtown planning and

development. IV) Strengthen the ability of the City to integrate the ideas and values of its citizens into

tangible products, such as a transportation plan, Capital Improvements plan, and Main Street plan. a) Help the City of Victor integrate the citizen input generated through the Envision Victor

process into the Transportation Plan for Downtown Victor.

b) Help the City of Victor integrate the citizen input generated through the Envision Victor process into a Capital Improvements Plan.

c) Help the City of Victor integrate the citizen input generated through the Envision Victor

process into new design review guidelines and standards for downtown.

d) Work with the City of Victor to hire a grant-‐writer to assist in the implementation of project products.

e) Work with ITD to help the City find state and federal funding to assist in the

implementation of Main Street Design.


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Project Accomplishments and Chronology 2009 January:

• Envision Victor (EV) Project partners hire Project Coordinator (PC)

February: • PC and Advisory Council draft Work Plan • PC produces communications tools (EV email address, website, Facebook account)

March:

• Digital Expressions Storytelling introduction to Project Partners, Advisory Committee and general public

• Project Partners perform ‘network analysis’ • Partners produce outreach plan

April: • Digital Expression Storytelling training workshop for Project Partners, project volunteers • Transportation Plan public meeting • EV forms subcommittees (youth, big picture, action teams, outreach, storytelling) • Action teams formed:

o Neighborhood Block Emergency Preparedness Program o Gateway, street banners, and traffic calming (art) o Pierre’s Playhouse o Postcard Contest o Victor City Civic Parcel Design (Pioneer Park) o Farmers Directory o Landscaping Team

• Pioneer Park Public Meetings and Design Charette

May: • EV public meetings introducing subcommittees

June:

• Digital Expressions provides Storytelling training to elementary school teachers • Mitch Golden produces Pierre’s Playhouse video • Victor Business owners meeting regarding public parking ordinance meetings • EV logo competition and selection • Slogan bumper stickers and logo round stickers printed and distributed • Pierre’s Playhouse announces intentions to re-‐open • EV post card competition • EV vinyl banners ordered and printed


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• EV baseline survey distributed • Story kiosk placed in front of Victor Emporium • Story collecting computer set up at Public Library

July:

• EV finalizes master timeline for project • Digital Expressions conducts ‘Kids’ storytelling camp, conducts teacher trainings • Storytelling Booth at 4th of July Parade • LDS relief society and local/slow food Storytelling circle • Community Almanac site established • Post card winners announced, and postcards created • Interview videos posted on Community Almanac and EV website • EV applies for FLIP video cameras, and receives six cameras Orton Family Foundation

Trustees meeting with EV project partners August:

• Envision Victor T-‐shirts designed and ordered • Digital Expressions and Project Coordinator create videos from story interviews • Landscaping Action Team work on city parcels near entrances to town • EV stories turned into podcasts on iTunes

September:

• Storytelling Fellow hiring process begins • Meeting w/ Envision Utah Executive Director • Victor Community Partnership idea begins to takes shape • Boy Scout Troop volunteers for door-‐to-‐door publicity/invitations to “Stories of Victor”

Event, one Boy Scout makes story movie his Eagle Project October:

• Story Fellow hired and begins work • Tree Planting (30 trees planted in Victor by close of 2010 in partnership with

InterConnections 21, 1% for the Tetons, the City of Victor, the Ponds tree farm, Kearsley tree farm, and Victor Elementary School)

• Story Shorts on local radio station Q102 • ‘Envision Victor is Here’ decals offered to local businesses • “Story Circle How-‐To” Post Card produced and distributed • “Stories of Victor” event at Pierre’s Playhouse • Series of Decades appears in Valley Citizen newspaper • Envision Victor, the City of Victor, the Teton Valley Economic Development Council,

and several local business owners announce the creation of the Victor Community Partnership


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November: • Transportation Plan meeting w/ Landsman consulting • Story Fellow organizes and hosts story circles

December: • Wave Day and Story Sharing event at Pierre’s

2010 January:

• Final Storytelling event at Victor Elementary School (introduction to keypads and 7 Values of Victor)

• Confirm nomenclature for 7 Values using word clouds • 7 Values of Victor survey issued to prioritize top 5 values and come up with title for

“Sustainability” word cloud • “Big Box” project of the Big Picture Committee completed – a file with notes and results

from former citizen planning efforts, compiled and indexed February:

• Virtual Tour of Victor meetings to demonstrate CViz and demonstrate transportation plan roadway classification and designs (Knotty, Elementary School, LDS church)

• Channel 3 television interviews Project Coordinator • EV/ITD meeting regarding Main Street design and funding to coordinate efforts • Values Survey results analyzed and shared, values list narrowed down to six

March:

• Kids story circle activity with Mayor and students from Journeys School

April: • Series of values workshops use story circles to define values more clearly and develop

drivers and indicators for mind map and CViz model • Values list narrowed down to final five: Small Town Feel, Family Friendly, Connection to

Nature, Sustainability, and Cultural History

August: • Partners and Council Retreat Facilitated by Rainmaker Coaching. Developed first draft of

ideas for continuing EV beyond formal project period • Three Main Street Workshops (Victor Elementary, LDS Church, Pierre’s Playhouse)

October:

• Hire Placeways to develop CIP CViz model, and create strategy for collaboration between Sunrise and Placeways


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November: • Main Street Workshops (Victor Elementary and Pierre’s Playhouse) • Online poll to allow others to vote on Main Street designs

December:

• Present Main Street Results to City Council • Doug Walker conducts daylong update and training on CViz model, transfers data and

model to Sunrise Engineering • VARD awarded grant to purchase keypad polling system (inspired, in part, by EV’s work

with this tool) 2011 January:

• Host 3 public meetings, using CViz model, to identify principles of future growth in Victor.

• Project Partners retreat to evaluate project and develop next steps for continuing EV beyond formal project period

February: • Present Envision Victor project at New Partners for Smart Growth Conference • Host additional meeting to allow for more participation on growth principles • Present results of growth principle meetings to City Council • City Council work meeting with Project Partners to determine next steps for EV beyond

grant period • Final EV community celebration at local Ice Rink • Thank you lunch for Project Partners • Final project report produced


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Public Participation Over 550 unique individuals participated in Envision Victor efforts over the course of the project. We increased engagement by hosting nearly 40 public events and meetings. We gathered contact information via sign-‐in sheets at events, several competitions (like the logo contest and the postcard contest), and by conducting projects that were inspiring to local residents. Public events and meetings included working groups, celebrations, story circles, and presentations. We developed an email list of 486 individuals, and a phone/mailing address database of another 64 people. Most of these individuals live in the Victor Impact Area, and many live within the Victor City limits. With an estimated population of 1,899 in City limits, and an estimated 3,240 in the Impact Area, it is clear that a significant number of individuals were involved with the EV process. Though not all participants lived within the Impact Area or the City, we have demonstrated participation numbers totaling about 29% of City population, or 17% of Impact Area population. See Appendix 6 for some examples of public comments about the project, requested at project’s end.


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Project Results Envision Victor had ambitious goals and launched many different efforts and projects. Because EV was part of the first generation of Heart & Soul initiatives, we took an experimental approach to our work. We thought of ourselves as “planting many seeds,” with the knowledge that not all of them would flourish and bloom. On January 28, 2011, the Project Partners came together to evaluate EV’s successes and challenges. In this evaluation, Partners considered the concrete products created through EV, the processes used throughout the process, as well as the overall achievements of the project. The following lists were generated during that retreat: Envision Victor Products: Through Envision Victor, the City has gained access to: I) Mind Map/Schematic showing EV Values, Value Drivers, and Value indicators (attached in

Appendix 5). The five core values identified through EV have been defined and mapped, with the help of both the public and a team of experts, to clarify how planning decisions may affect H&S Values on the ground.

II) Visualization Tools

a. A CommunityViz model was generated using Victor’s Values and corresponding drivers and indicators. Sunrise Engineering helped develop the model and is prepared to work with the model in future applications.

i. This model allows the City to calculate how different planning decisions affect Victor’s five H&S values

ii. Model also has capability to help run sophisticated calculations related to capital projects, public works, and large scale land use

iii. 3D model of Downtown Victor (Sunrise Engineering is prepared to work with this model in future applications)

iv. This model focuses on Main Street, but also contains information about surrounding streets

v. Useful for conducting realistic “fly-‐throughs” or “walk-‐throughs” of potential street designs, this tool was primarily applied for EV’s Main Street work in Victor, but it was also used to consider Transportation Plan street design layouts

III) EV brand a. The EV brand has come to be identified with constructive public outreach and

collaborative decision-‐making (described in more detail in Appendix 1) b. The EV logo and tagline may be useful in future applications


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Envision Victor Best Practices:

1) Use storytelling when and where appropriate 2) Extensive and intentional transparency in decision-‐making helps build trust in the

community and support for decisions 3) Make leadership goals and intentions clear, and return to those as often as possible in

communication with the public 4) Maintain a persistent and continuous presence in the community 5) Apply strong facilitation skills in interactions and meetings with the public 6) Create numerous opportunities for the public to express their views constructively 7) Host events and create opportunities to celebrate Victor 8) Practice active, patient, and non-‐judgmental listening at all times 9) Develop relationships with a diverse group of messengers to communicate across

community divides 10) Practice constant relationship maintenance to ensure that alliances and partnerships are

not lost 11) Make work with public iterative so that people can see how their input has been

incorporated and that processes remain adaptable 12) Work hard to ensure that there is outreach to all, via different channels including

mailers, online surveys, phone calls, posters, etc. 13) Be “reasonable” with the public and be vigilant in seeking out opportunities for

productive compromise 14) Demonstrate integrity 15) Make public conversations apolitical 16) Always provide clear descriptions of how public input will be used 17) Maintain a direct line of communication between public input and decision-‐makers 18) Ensure that participants can track how their ideas have been integrated into ongoing

processes 19) Check back often to confirm with the public that results are accurate 20) Utilize keypad polling wherever appropriate 21) Offer alternative ways for the public to give input, and extend an open invitation to the

public to give input 22) Be sure to engage “technologically-‐challenged” people (i.e. people without access to the

internet or those uncomfortable using email and internet) 23) Hold meetings in a variety of “neutral and comfortable” spaces – go to the people


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Envision Victor Project Achievements: I) Envision Victor strengthened community engagement in planning and helped create more

civil dialogue: a) Civil conversations are easier through EV than through conventional public meetings b) Civic discussions are more civil because they are initiated from the common ground of

agreed upon values c) Conversations about challenging questions have begun to replace statements d) Shared stories and experiences can build bridges between factions e) EV developed community tools to help the public ensure that City decisions support

public values (CViz, “Mind Map”, and values list) f) EV catalyzed community expectation that City will do things differently (root planning

in values and engage the community) g) EV has increased younger generation’s awareness of planning issues h) EV demonstrated that the public has an important voice in decision-‐making i) EV allowed community to see how their decisions can physically change the landscape j) “Early adopters” in community are seeing more common ground between community

factions k) EV created a new forum where people can go to have their voices heard l) EV helped develop a spirit of cooperation/ compromise in the community m) EV provided opportunities for more face-‐time together, which helps to break

stereotypes n) EV demonstrated new ways for the public to be engaged in planning and to see their

values at work on the ground o) EV revealed a set of five agreed upon VALUES p) EV demonstrated far more agreement among groups than anticipated

II) Envision Victor has offered tools to enhance City’s ability to maximize constructive

community engagement in planning decisions: a) City has a suite of new tools to inform their decisions with public values including

CommunityViz 3D model and value slider model, and Mind Map showing Values-‐Drivers-‐Indicators

b) City is beginning to seek different ways to gather input – they are now going to the people

c) City understands the benefits and challenges of public’s increased expectations that City will incorporate Victor’s Heart & Soul Values into decisions

d) City recognizes that values are useful in its planning decisions e) City Council expects community input and engagement to continue f) City has experienced new form of public/private partnership for City work, and a

powerful sense of cooperation


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Next Steps: Integrating Envision Victor Products, Processes, and Spirit into City Function

Concept Description Next Steps

Incorporate values, drivers, and indicators into City Comprehensive Plan

Most Comprehensive Plans include community values as the foundation for their recommendations, but few plans have concrete values-‐based information from their communities. Victor’s Heart & Soul values, the Mind Map generated by EV, and the results from our growth patterns public meetings reveal our town’s guiding values and actions that can protect or enhance these values. It therefore makes sense to include the results of these efforts in the forthcoming Comp Plan update.

Incorporate values, drivers, and indicators, as appropriate, throughout the Comprehensive Plan during the current update process

City Council must attend EV final party

Parties are fun! This party is a chance to celebrate Envision Victor and the partnerships that created it. It will also represent the ceremonial passing of the torch from the Envision Victor project partners to the City of Victor. It will be our first significant public opportunity to let the community know how EV's work will continue. In order to indicate the Council's excitement for and acceptance of this responsibility, it is important that ALL council members be present.

Send reminder to Council members

Apply EV’s public input on Main Street and the CIP

Heart and Soul Community Planning engages more local people in planning and roots this planning in the community’s core values. EV’s work on Main Street and the CIP engaged a large portion of the community and revealed a high level of agreement about Victor’s H&S values. The community has invested substantial time and energy into generating the results that EV has presented on these topics. The results represent the community’s best efforts to identify and preserve Victor’s core values, produced through civil conversations that crossed social divides. Through Envision Victor, the community has come together to inform City decision-‐making. Implementing their recommendations will both strengthen trust and cooperation between the City and Victor residents, and allow the City to take advantage of this values-‐based information to guide their decisions.

Dahvi will work with Scott to set up further conversations about this topic, and will present at City Council meeting in March


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Use the EV brand to identify products that were created by EV (values list, mind map, CViz, etc.)

The EV Project Partners believe that the best way to extend the spirit, atmosphere, and results of EV is to integrate successful EV products and processes into existing City processes. Placing and/or associating the EV logo with new tools, information, and approaches will help people remember and embrace EV products. The EV brand can serve as a powerful reminder that these products were created by the community. Examples include the values list, the Mind Map, the CViz models, and any “best practices” EV has created. Whenever the City wishes to utilize an EV product, this product could be labeled with the EV brand. For example, if the CViz model is going to be used to evaluate a developer’s proposal for a new project, the developer might be asked to create a GIS-‐based model to fit into “Envision Victor’s Community Viz model.” Or, if a list of community values is to be posted on the wall, the EV logo could be featured on the page.

Dahvi will draft a memo that describes how the EV brand should be used moving forward (see Appendix 1)

Create a web page on the City’s website for EV that records and memorializes the project

When EV’s formal project period ends, there will no longer be someone to maintain the Envision Victor web site. We anticipate the need for a page that describes what Envision Victor was, how it worked, and what it produced. This page should also describe how EV products and best practices have been integrated into City decision-‐making and practice. We would like to see this page incorporated on the City’s website to emphasize that EV’s legacy is alive and under the stewardship of the City of Victor.

Take up during Website revision process

Create a form that helps City Council members explain their decisions – form includes areas to explain relation of decision to health and safety, cost, community values, and public input

One of the things Envision Victor has learned is that people are generally far more comfortable with decisions when they understand the rationale behind them and can see if or how their input informed those decisions. In our experience, as long as a person can see that his or her position was considered, he or she is far more supportive of the final results, even when those results do not agree with his or her original preferences. This form could contribute to more transparent decision-‐making and, by extension, lead to more constructive and civil civic dialogue.This proposal suggests that the City Council define a set of considerations it generally uses to make decisions. EV’s Project Partners suggest the following list of considerations: health & safety, cost, community values, and public input. This set of considerations would be integrated into a form that each City Council member could fill out as they consider a particular decision. For example, if the City is reviewing a proposal to design Pioneer Park, each councilor would be prompted to consider how

P&Z to make recommendations to council


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…this proposal would affect public health and safety, the City’s budget, Victor’s Heart & Soul values, and the input received from the public. They would record their thinking on each of these considerations on the form, which can easily be shared with the public. In this way, the public will be able to understand exactly what each councilor considered in reaching a decision, and they will be able to see how their input influenced that decision. This format may also facilitate a highly directed deliberation among councilors that retains the centrality of community values in their decision-‐making.

Incorporate values in the public outreach for upcoming Council decisions – for example, in posting for discussion about raising water rates include, “this decision may affect the community value of sustainability.”

On many occasions, City Councilors have remarked on their surprise that people will turn-‐out in such great numbers for conversations about things like parking angles, but fail to participate in conversations about hundreds of thousands of dollars in bond issues, etc. This idea is a way to try to combat this phenomenon by helping the public understand how more obscure City decisions may powerfully affect the things they care most about. It is also a way to keep values front and center in City dialogues.In its regular public posting for upcoming decisions, the City could incorporate a list of the core values likely to be affected by that particular decision. For example, if the City is considering increasing water rates, their regular advertising would include a line that says, “This decision will affect Victor’s value of ‘Sustainability’.”

Talk to Susan about thisExplore other outreach options for public notices

Require developers to prove that their projects reflect and support core values

Victor has defined its Heart & Soul values for the express purpose of helping decision makers support and enhance these values through community planning. Large new development projects will often have significant impacts on these values. For this reason, it makes sense to ensure that developers consider Victor’s Heart & Soul values and use their development proposals to prove how their projects will support or enhance these values. Require that all development applications include evidence of support for Victor’s Heart & Soul values and that they address any impacts the project will have on these values. This information could easily be incorporated into the developer’s project narrative, which is already required for P&Z and Council’s review of the project.

Staff will draft recommendation to be sent to P&Z. P&Z will review and send to Council


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“Office hours” to be offered by City Manager and elected officials on a rotating basis

By offering the public regular informal “office hours” with elected officials and the City Manager, the City can create an inviting forum for individuals to bring concerns and ideas before their representatives in a proactive way. Rather than only reacting to issues after-‐the-‐fact, this might help citizens engage with their representatives before decisions are made. It might also provide an opportunity for citizens to “get to know” their representatives in a more personal way, which may reduce tension in the future. Finally, by rotating which elected official or staff member is holding office hours, the City can ensure that if a citizen does not feel comfortable addressing one representative, they will soon have a chance to speak with someone else. We hope this might increase the public’s sense of accessibility and trust in their representatives, as well as giving local representatives consistent access to their constituents.At regular intervals, one City representative would visit a local business, institution, or restaurant for a pre-‐scheduled and publicized 2-‐3 hour period, to answer constituent questions or just get to know them. This time would remain consistent for every office hours session, and office hours would be advertised by the City. The frequency of office hours should be decided by City Council (e.g. weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.)

Coaching from Herb on what is legalThink about (and plan to be) more accessibly at public events

Budget item in City budget for use on hosting public meetings and events

By budgeting for public events and meetings, the City can ensure that there are resources to run EV-‐type events or meetings as needed. Furthermore, by solidifying this item in the budget, the City will be able to demonstrate its commitment to continuing both a high level of outreach (as in EV) and celebrations with the public. This would not cost very much. The final amount would depend upon how many meetings or events the City is interested in offering each year.

Identify relevant public events, and discuss this idea during Council budget development retreat


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City staff member appointed to serve as “watchdog” for the best practices included in list of processes above

If the City chooses to adopt EV’s best practices for Heart & Soul decision-‐making, it may need someone on staff to help ensure that these practices are used whenever possible. This staff person could help both Council and P&Z apply these practices, and suggest ways they could be better incorporated. This person could also become a point-‐person for the public, if they have concerns about whether best-‐practices are being sufficiently incorporated.TBD. EV’s Project Partners did not attempt to work out the details of this idea, but we think it could be further defined and accomplished by existing staff or City leaders.

Discuss this at Council Retreat

Resolution to adopt values, drivers, and indicators, as captured in the visual tool called the “Mind Map,” as a tool as an anchor for decision-‐making.

EV’s “Mind Map” tool contains an incredible amount of useful information, generated by the public in partnership with planners and engineers. The Mind Map identifies Victor’s core values and suggests specific drivers and indicators associated with each value. It also helps translate general values into actionable, planning-‐relevant concepts. By resolving to make this tool a guide for future decision-‐making, the City will be implementing the results of EV’s work, incorporating Victor’s values, and realizing an immediate return on its investment in EV.

Dahvi to discuss at City Council meeting in March

City staff member highlights areas in Comp Plans/ ordinances that don’t agree with EV values or are unclear in their relations to values

If the City wishes to preserve Victor’s core values through planning, its implementation should reflect these values. This is a critical step to making EV’s values actionable and giving those values “teeth”. One or two City staff members would be asked to review Victor’s existing Comp Plan and City ordinances to identify places where these regulations are either contradictory to the core values, or where the connection between values and regulations are not clear. Sections of the Comp Plan and any ordinances at odds with Heart & Soul values would be highlighted, updated, and modified to reflect the values of the community.

Do it

Professional development/ training required for all decision-‐makers, including training in listening, giving feedback, Envision Victor tools, and how to quickly manifest results that support public interests

One of EV’s most effective attributes has been its commitment to creating opportunities for careful, patient, and active listening. We have heard that this feature alone has helped develop the community’s trust in EV and has encouraged people from a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives to participate. Disciplined listening as well as strong facilitation skills keep public meetings on track, allow for the accurate capture of public input, and produce actionable results. These are learned skills and the City officials and staff would benefit from training in this regard. Trainings could also offer instruction in

Identify who, what, why, when, where


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…how to incorporate some of the successful methodologies used by EV.This kind of training could be incorporated into already existing Council retreats. Or, this kind of training could be offered as part of a more comprehensive introductory briefing for all newly elected Council members.

Create a list of how the public can get involved in City processes

Sometimes the public wants to get involved, but just doesn't know how to. This document will help them understand where their opportunities lie for sharing their thoughts and ideas. It will list and describe the various public processes that are ongoing or upcoming, including City Council meetings, Comp Plan processes, etc. This kind of booklet was created by Heart & Soul town Damariscotta, which can be used as a model. A similar publication was produced by VARD in the recent past, which could also be adapted for this purpose.

See booklet from Damarascotta, ME See existing VARD document

Expectation that the City will use Envision Victor CViz model or 3D model for EVERY municipal decision, with the understanding that if it does not make sense to use them, they don’t have to, but they must explain why.

The CViz model and the 3D tool that EV produced in partnership with the City contain an incredible amount of sophisticated information that link the community’s values to on-‐the-‐ground planning. Use of these tools will provide a powerful opportunity for the City to build on EV’s work. However, EV’s Project Partners have come to the conclusion that if we try to set a threshold for determining when and how these tools should be used in City decision-‐making, we might create undesirable loopholes or burdensome bureaucracy. Thus, we propose a blanket expectation that the tools be used, with the understanding that in decisions where it does not make sense to use these models, the City can simply explain why they do not believe the tools are appropriate for the given situation. This will ensure that, for each decision, the City will consider whether the models should be used before moving forward.The most effective application of the models would be determined on a case-‐by-‐case basis with the assistance of the City engineer and planning team.

Dahvi will bring up at Council meeting in March


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Require that developers of major projects (determined by $ amount) must pay for 3D or CViz analysis of their projects (City will provide guidelines so that their models fit into City’s overall models.

See “Create expectation that the City will use EV’s CViz model or 3D model…” See also “Require that developers prove that their projects reflect and support core values”

Staff will draft recommendation to be sent to P&Z. P&Z will review and send to Council

Host a regular storytelling event (create story book?)

Throughout its work, Envision Victor has found that sharing stories offers a unique opportunity for Victor’s diverse community to get to know each other a bit more, and relate to each other’s common experiences. The resulting understanding and empathy helps bond the community and leads to more civil, respectful dialogue around complicated decisions. For this reason, we believe a regular story event would help keep these qualities vibrant and alive, serving to maintain the strength and function of our community.A story event would require facilitation and planning. The essence is community members sharing stories of Victor’s past, present, and future. A story book is a way to capture some of these stories in print, making them available for community members and visitors alike. (The town of Starksboro produced a story book for their town that has served as an inspiration for us, which we can easily share with Council as a model if requested.)

Find a champion"Champion search email"

Resolution to approve EV “best practices” (made up of the processes identified in list above), and to use them wherever possible

In addition to the concrete products Envision Victor has created (such as the values, “Mind Map”, and CViz model), EV has also experimented with several new processes and strategies for engaging the public. From these experiments, EV’s Project Partners have identified a list of processes that we believe are critical to successful Heart & Soul decision-‐making. By incorporating these processes into existing City processes as much as possible, the City can ensure that its decisions continue the legacy of Envision Victor, and that it truly functions as a Heart & Soul community. The list of “best practices” is described above.

See Golden, CO Vision 2030Council Retreat Topic


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Victor City shares knowledge base with County, Driggs, and Tetonia

The whole Valley will benefit if the Cities and the County are working from a shared foundation. The “best practices” and products created through EV may be helpful to other municipalities in Teton Valley as well. Sharing this information could help build stronger ties between the Valley’s Cities and the County, and maximize the value of EV’s hard work.

P&Z Representative can share this in the County Comp Plan process Send email with final report of EV to other municipalities in TV

Hire new staff employee to run “EV” at City

If the City were to hire a dedicated “EV” employee, the EV project could continue in a form more consistent with what is has been. Rather than requiring existing City staff to take on new roles or to watchdog City processes, a dedicated EV staff member could perform these functions. This person could serve as a facilitator for public meetings, a planner, and a designer of public processes and events. In effect, this person could become the City’s public relations staff.EV’s Project Partners have acknowledged that this idea would require significant funding and effort. Most of the other ideas presented here have been offered under the assumption that no EV staff member will be hired. However, we wanted to present this possibility, in case the City does have an interest in continuing EV in its current form.

Discuss this at Council Retreat

Review EV-‐related policies and values every few years

The products created through EV are powerful, because they have been built around the community’s shared values. However, EV’s Project Partners recognize that these values may change over time. In order to maintain a high-‐level of buy-‐in from the community, and to ensure that EV tools remain relevant, it will be important to figure out a way to keep these values current. There are several ways this could work, and EV’s Project Partners did not come up with a specific proposal for how this would work. One idea would be to re-‐open “Envision Victor” once every 2-‐5 years by hiring a temporary Project Coordinator to run story events, polls, and celebrations over a 2-‐6 month period to revisit and update Victor’s core values. Once updated, these changes could be integrated into City regulatory updates. It was also suggested that this effort could be coordinated with the existing process for updating the Comp Plan.

Quantify what "review" means Add language to Comp Plan RE: Update EV with every comp plan revision


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Create EV “Stamp of Approval” to be used by P&Z in their review of project proposals

By requiring that P&Z considers a proposed project’s impact on Victor’s core values in its review of that project, the City will ensure that these values are being integrated into decision-‐making. This will help the City align its future development with Victor’s core values.The P&Z already has several metrics by which it reviews proposals. Under this idea, P&Z would also be required to consider how a potential project would affect Victor’s core values before they pass it on to Council. A proposal that bears the EV stamp of approval will have been deemed supportive of Victor’s core values by the P&Z. This could provide a meaningful badge of honor for a project as it moves through the review process, and, in the case that a project does not earn the stamp, it can indicate to Council that they need to look closely at how the project will impact the City’s Heart & Soul.

THIS RULED OUT AS IDEA FOR SHORT-‐TERM

Evaluate EV-‐related policies and values at Council Retreat (annual check-‐up on success at supporting values)

Make an agenda item for City Council retreat

Create an "EV" tickler laminated card to stay on desk in fron of eembach Council mer (as a compass)

By placing a card that shows the Mind Map and values in front of every Councilman, it will help Council remember to consider these values in every decision.

Craig will make these cards, and place them on Council desks.


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Appendix 1 – EV Brand Use Memo At the City Council Work Meeting, held on February 16, 2011, Council requested some guidance on where and when the EV brand should be used. The following memo was distributed to Council as guidance and was later approved. Memo on where to use the EV Brand: In asking ourselves the difficult question "What is EV?", the Project Partners came to the conclusion that Envision Victor is best described as the 2-‐year project that we have just completed, rather than an ongoing set of processes, meetings, etc. For this reason, we believe that use of the EV "brand," including name, logo, tagline, etc, should be limited to identifying products that were produced during the 2-‐year Envision Victor project. This set of products is limited to:

• The list of Victor's Five Heart & Soul Values -‐ Family Friendly, Small Town Feel, Connection to Nature, Sustainability, and Cultural History

• The Mind Map • The CommunityViz model • The interactive, 3D model of downtown Victor • The list of "Best Practices for Heart & Soul Decision-‐Making" • The specific Main Street design layout selected by the public through Envision Victor • The list of five "Principles for Future Growth", produced by Envision Victor • The Community Almanac Site • The Envision Victor website • The stories (audio, video, and written) generated by Envision Victor

The Project Partners also recommend that the City of Victor initiate a new, likely shorter "Envision Victor" project every 3-‐5 years to refresh the community's values. While we have not recommended specific means for doing so, we believe subsequent EV projects should include successful techniques such as storytelling, online polling, postal polling, events and celebrations, keypad polling, word clouds. We believe this kind of mini-‐EV project could take place over 3-‐5 months, rather than 2 years. If and when future mini-‐EV projects take place, the EV brand may be used to identify them. The EV brand should not be used to identify:

• City meetings or events hosted outside the terms of finite "EV projects," as described above • Full plans developed by the City (such as Transportation Plan, Main Street Plan, or Capital

Improvements Plan), which include a product of Envision Victor, listed above, as a component. (The specific component may be labeled with the EV brand, as described above, but not the entire plan)

• Future stories gathered by the City or an outside party (though they may reference EV's history for similar projects)

• Other outreach efforts taking place outside the terms of finite "EV projects," as described above


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Appendix 2 – Main Street Design Part I Screen Shots and Results In our first round of Main Street meetings, EV presented several designs elements using a 3D, interactive CViz model. The focus of the first round was to determine which elements the public believed would support Victor’s Heart & Soul values. In order to demonstrate a variety of elements, we built visualization models for three, distinct design scenarios. Several of these scenarios were inspired by the work done by the EPA Smart Growth Assistance program in 2006. Below are screen shots for each of the new scenarios presented in this round of meetings, and a summary graph of our survey results for this round.

Local travel lane, center median, stamped concrete crosswalk and corner, street trees, old-‐style street lamps, reverse angle parking (EPA recommendation).


26

Local travel lane, two lanes of highway travel in each direction, center curb, stamped intersections.

Center bike lane, wide center median, two lanes of travel in each direction, parallel parking


27

Main Street Design Voting Tally

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Design Feature

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28

Appendix 3 – Main Street Design Part II Screen Shots and Results In our second round of Main Street meetings, EV integrated the preferred design features, identified through the results of Round I, into two new design scenarios. The first scenario, named “Model 1”, featured a bike lane, separated from traffic with a curb. The second scenario, named “Model 2”, featured extra wide sidewalks. In both models, EV proposed an “upgradable” design with a cheaper “base-‐model” and other features that could be added over time. Along with the visualization, participants in Round II were given information about estimated cost, snow removal, and ITD input. Participants were asked to answer a variety of polling questions on each of these models. Screen shots of each of the models are below, followed by the results of this polling. Model 1: Separated Bike Lane “Base model” of separated bike lane model, center turn lane, one travel lane in each direction, parking maneuver

zone, curb to separate bike lane.


29

Upgrade of separated bike lane model – stamped concrete median.

Upgrade to separated bike lane model – planted center median.


30

Upgrade to separated bike lane model – planted bike lane divider with street trees.

Model 2: Wide Sidewalks “Base model” showing wide sidewalks, center turn lane, single lane of travel in each direction, parking maneuver

zone. This model can also be upgraded to show planted median, planted sections of sidewalk, lamp posts, sidewalk benches, etc.


31

Survey (228 participants)

Meeting (26 participants) TOTALS

Parking Nose-in 111 18 129Reverse 108 4 112N/A 9 4 13

Residence Alta 1 0 1City of Victor 83 10 93Drictor 31 2 33Driggs 13 0 13None 11 1 12Tetonia 5 0 5Victor Impact Area 72 6 78

N/A 11 7 18

Time in Valley 0-2 years 22 3 25

3-5 years 59 2 616-10 years 53 1 5411-30 years 63 5 68All my life 6 2 8For generations 16 5 21

N/A 9 8 17

Model Preference

Would vote for Model 1 148 13 161 63.39%

Would vote for Model 2 52 9 61 24.02%

Would vote for neither 24 0 24 9.45%

N/A 4 4 8

I love everything about Model 1 (as is)

80 8 88 OVERALL Survey (228 ppl)

Meeting (26 ppl) TOTALS Percentage

Respondants

Like, but concerns (as is)

93 14 107Would support or be ok with Model 1

185 17 202 79.53%

Don't like, but a few things I like (as is)

38 4 42 Would fight Model 1 36 4 40 15.75%

I hate everything about it

11 0 11

N/A 6 0 6

Would support model 1

119 7 126

Would be ok with model 1 66 10 76

Would fight model 1 36 4 40

N/A 7 5 12


61 3 64City of Victor and Victor Impact Area

Survey (155 ppl)


Respondants



126 10 136 79.53%



I hate everything about it

8 0 8

N/A 4 2 6


83 3 86



N/A 4 2 6

Total Opinion of Model 2


22 5 27 Survey (228 ppl)


Respondants



136 13 149 58.66%



I hate everything about it (as is)

33 5 38

N/A 7 3 10


43 7 50



N/A 17 5 22


14 1 15 Survey (155 ppl)


Respondants



86 6 92 53.80%



I hate everything about it (as is)

27 4 31

N/A 5 1 6


26 2 28



N/A 12 1 13

Total Opinion of Model 1

City of Victor and Victor Impact Area Opinions of Model 1

City of Victor and Victor Impact Area Opinions of Model 2

Results


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Appendix 4 – Growth Principles Results


33

Appendix 5 – “Mind Map” Tool


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Appendix 6 – Final Public Comments on EV “EV has crushed it! EV provided the people of Victor a friendly and open channel to voice opinions and effect city decisions (if they choose). Envision Victor has proven to be a powerful way to get the individual’s point of view across (with effectiveness and know that there is actual listening going on). Did I necessarily agree with every decision? Not exactly, but it was pretty evident that it was the majority of the communities opinion which is all I would hope to ask for. Great job on making it easy and accessible by having multiple meetings with different time slots during the day and the online availability was more than huge to get participation.” -‐ David Hudacsko, R.A.D. Recycling Business Director “In my professional dealings I used to refer to the City of Victor as the ‘Twilight Zone’ and fully expect Rod Serling to be standing at the back of the room during public meetings. I have seen significant positive improvement through the Envision Victor process and hope there is a way to maintain those positive aspects into the future as Victor progresses and grows. With a somewhat polarized community you have demonstrated that in reality we are not so far apart that we cannot work together to make a better community for all if we listen and work toward a common good. I appreciate your efforts even though I am not a Victor resident. I enjoy a job well done.” – Rick Baldwin, Architect “I definitely think Envision Victor did nothing but good. You offered the community our first non-‐confrontational opportunity to discuss what we want for Victor's future. And now we have a vision that the Council can use in planning for our future. Thank you!” – A.J. Linnell, Yostmark Lead Guide and Creative Energies Project Manager “Envision Victor has brought together diverse segments of the population to discuss what we all have in common, rather than focusing on the minutia of differences. We may not always agree with each other, but we have created the foundation for constructive and civil conversations about the future of our community.” – Jen Werlin, VARD Communications & Development Manager “I felt that the Envision Victor project was quite an extraordinary vote of community involvement. For such a small town, it was pretty amazing to see the level of participation in the project, as well as the level of sophistication of the software and voting system used in the meetings were. These were the sorts of tools I would expect to see in larger cities—quite surprising in a good way to see them used here in Victor! Thanks again for all the efforts to rally the community for feedback.” – Klaus Baer, WRJ Design Associates, LLC “Envision Victor has offered every person in Victor and the impact area an opportunity to be heard concerning their views on the future of Victor. While revisions to Comprehensive Plans, Zoning Maps etc typically require public input.......the Envision Victor effort really sought out individuals' opinions and made it pretty easy to be heard.. nice program. Thank you....” – Jim Rein, Community Member


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“It has been interesting to be a part of your project. However, it won't mean much to us until the ideas are implemented. Nose-‐in parking for one!! We hate the back-‐in parking, especially in winter.” – Ralph & Meta Sternberg, Community Members “While I don’t live in Victor (we own a home in Victor that is rented) I have been very encouraged by the work Envision Victor has done in making every effort to bring the Victor generations together, get the dialogue going among all residents and identifying and pursuing concrete changes to the town. It has added a vitality to a beautiful little town that has faltered in its recognition of and march into the future. Planning is something that everyone needs to be involved in, but it’s a lot of work. I for one appreciate all the work that has been done and the constant contact/dissemination of information. With a new young mayor and several intelligent, forward thinking members on the town council, I am seeing slow progress toward getting things done that will make a difference to the area and to the people who live there. I hope to see the day when young people will find lots of work possibilities right there in Teton Valley, Idaho, and Victor will become a thriving town. Thanks, Dahvi.” – Jackie Montgomery, Community Member “Hi, this is Verl sending you back a story. You should have seen this town. A way back. It had burned down once. Not all at once, a little bit at a time. You down now about 3 grocery stores, a big hotel and a small one, three garages , a big high school and a grade school. A cheese factory, and they hauled the second one way. The old rock building on the west side of the street was a pool hall and a barbershop (that is where I got my first haircut). After that, it was a post office. Then they moved the post office across the street on the corner, and a store was in with it and a store went in the old place. This just a few things. There are a lot more I could tell you about.” – Verl Bagley, Community Member

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