Public Participation in Regional Planning

Public participation is an important part of government decisions affecting many aspects of our lives. The Regional Planning Commission believes that having people participate in its work can help to accomplish positive things and give people a voice.

The Commission updated its Public Participation Plan in 2016 including two plan appendices described below. The plan outlines how the Commission plans to achieve public participation in its regional planning and programming efforts. The Commission also prepared a brochure to help simplify and condense the contents of the Public Participation Plan.

Appendix A focuses specifically on the public participation activities to be used in the Commission's transportation planning and programming. As the regional planning agency and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation planning for Southeastern Wisconsin, the Commission has the responsibility to undertake continuing public participation and outreach efforts, with specific Federal requirements pertaining to public participation for transportation planning and programming. This appendix provides further detail on those activities, including public meetings and comment periods, and contains measures to be used in the evaluation of the Public Participation Plan.

Appendix B describes the Commission's regional transportation consultation process. This appendix summarizes how the Commission proposes to coordinate with governmental agencies and officials and others in its transportation planning and programming efforts. This valuable consultation is conducted primarily through Commission advisory committees, task forces on key issues, work with community partners, and consulting with numerous minority and low-income groups.

The plan is based on the Commission's three-part goal to:

Ensure early and continuous public notification about regional planning
Provide meaningful information concerning regional planning; and
Obtain participation and input to regional planning

Public Comment Opportunities

The 45-day comment period on the draft Public Participation Plan ended on November 28, 2016. A public informational meeting on the draft Public Participation Plan (held jointly with the draft Transportation Improvement Program for 2017-2020) was held October 26, 2016. Staff was available in an "open house" format from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to individually answer questions and provide information. Oral and written comments were accepted at the meeting.

Public Involvement and Outreach

The Division of Public Involvement and Outreach works with other SEWRPC divisions, and directly with the public.

Some of the outreach techniques used in public participation include study newsletters and fact sheets, brochures with condensed content, presentations and briefings whenever and wherever convenient for groups, ongoing comment opportunities, and public meetings scheduled early in the planning process and at multiple junctures. Announcements to the general public and interested parties occur by newsletters and other direct mailings, email notices, news releases, paid advertisements, and SEWRPC website postings.

Most of these products and events also contain a component particularly intended to benefit minority populations and low-income populations, for example, scheduling public meetings at minority neighborhood centers and in central city locations accessible by public transit. As well, Public Involvement and Outreach staff personally contact minority, low-income, and central city neighborhood organizations to provide tailored messages and alternatives for individual meetings. Important suggestions for these processes are provided by the Commission's Environmental Justice Task Force and the advisory committees that help to guide each planning effort.