Lolo Area Regional Plan
Overview of a Public Involvement Plan for a Phased Lolo Regional Plan Update
Click here to download a PDF of the Public Involvement Plan
The Planning Approach: Collaborative, Focused and Fiscally Responsible
The purpose of a public involvement (PI) plan is to provide a
framework for coordination and communication of information and equal
access to the planning process, while also incorporating community
feedback as a project or a process evolves. The existing Lolo plan
provides a strong base of knowledge and a good structure from which to
work, but there are new circumstances to consider and a wide variety of
opinion about how the area should or shouldn’t change. Moreover, the
county is resolved that this plan update be accompanied, or shortly
followed, by a zoning proposal if it is to succeed in ways that prior
plans for the area have fallen short.
The complexity and sensitivity of this planning dilemma calls for a
collaborative, focused approach that offers successive opportunities for
meaningful input by all citizens at key deliberating and decision-making
points. This PI plan operates on the premise that the Lolo plan update
must occur within 12 to 18 months. It must be protective of the existing
environment, but also responsive to the current economic challenges,
budgetary constraints, and stewardship opportunities within the Lolo
planning region. The plan update process has to consider the following
components of the existing plan but the established scope for the
project is limited:
- Policy – affirmation or modification of existing policies/addition of new policies
- Information - updates/new questions
- Issues - site specific, systemic and stakeholder
- Map and land use designations – confirmation in some areas, appropriate changes in others
- Zoning proposal – direct implementation
The Planning Area
Project Resources
This project has been funded through a $125,000 allocation from the Rural Initiatives budget of FY 2008-09. Additional funds may be needed from the FY 2009-10 budget if the project progresses through all phases. The collaborative planning firm of Soapbox Enterprises has been engaged to support and guide the planning process, which is being managed by staff from the Rural Initiatives office. The Technical Advisory Group will be comprised of an existing interagency team that was recently formed around issues pertaining to natural resource considerations and proposed development in the Lolo region. The Community Advisory Group will consist of Commission appointees who represent the interests of the entire planning area.
The Time Frame and Work Plan
This plan is organized into four phases of work and related community engagement that will take approximately 18 months to complete if all phases are executed consecutively. It begins in January of 2009 and is projected to conclude in approximately July of 2010. While it may not be possible to address all of the concerns and issues that arise through this process, they will be noted by the planning team and conveyed to the Commission at key junctures. All project updates and deliverables related to the project will be posted on the County’s Rural Initiatives website. They will also be made available upon request, in hard copy or electronic form. The Lolo Plan Update Process Diagram (below) also provides an overview of the proposed planning process.
Work Plan Outline:
| Project Phase | Task | Description | Approximate Timeframe: |
| Phase I: Listening & Learning | 1 | Scoping & Issues Identification | Dec 08 - Jan 09 |
| 2 | Data Collection & Situation Analysis: Site Specific, Systemic, Stakeholder interviews | Feb - March 09 | |
| Phase II: Update Formulation & Feedback Iterations | 1 | Form Community Advisory Group (CAG) & Technical Advisory Group (TAG) | April 09 |
| 2 | Vision Check (community meeting 1 & 2) | April 09 | |
| 3 | Growth & Land Use Scenarios Review (community meetings 3 & 4) | May - Sept 09 | |
| 4 | Proposed Text & Map Revisions/Updates (community meetings 5 & 6) | Oct - Nov 09 | |
| 5 | Refined Plan Update Proposal (community meetings 7 & 8) | Jan 2010 | |
| Phase III: Recommendations, Hearings & Plan Update Adoption | 1 | Community Recommendation | Feb 2010 |
| 2 | Technical Recommendation | ||
| 3 | Planning Team Synthesis of CAG, TAG recommendations | ||
| 4 | Planning Board & Commission Deliberation & Adoption Phase (public hearings 2 to 4) | March 2010 | |
| Phase IV: Zoning Proposal & Plan Implementation | 1 | Zoning Proposal Development | Commencement of this phase to follow the completion Phase III |
| 2 | Community Recommendation | ||
| 3 | Technical Recommendation | ||
| 4 | Planning Team Synthesis of CAG, TAG recommendations | ||
| 5 | Planning Board & Commission Deliberation & Adoption Phase (public hearings 2 to 4) |
The Public Involvement Tools
The project is anticipated to make use of a variety of tools to share information, involve the public, and invite or synthesize broad community participation. The following is a menu of typical public involvement tools that are appropriate for a project of this kind. The project team will continue to look for new ways to reach the community throughout the project. Some or all of these tools may be used during the planning process and others may be added into the mix.
- E-Newsletters
- Project Website
- Stakeholder Meetings and Interviews
- Advisory Groups
- Presentations at Community Meetings
- Facilitated Public Discussions
- Consensus-building Techniques
- Open Houses
- Posters & Displays
- Maps & Charts
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Media Presence
- Polls & Surveys
