Community Engagement Plan

Transcription

1 Preliminary Draft Community Engagement Plan for the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan August 1, 2016

2 Draft Prepared for: Tulare County Association of Governments Benjamin Kimball, Deputy Executive Director 210 N. Church Street, Suite B Visalia, CA Phone: (559) Fax: (559) Prepared by: Mott MacDonald Eric Banghart, AICP, Senior Planning Manager 5757 Century Blvd., Suite 810 Los Angeles, CA Phone: (310) VRPA Technologies, Inc. Georgiena Vivian, President 4630 W. Jennifer, Suite 105 Fresno, CA August 1, 2016

3 Contents Introduction Description... 2 Purpose... 3 Goals... 3 Working Planning Team... 5 Target Audiences: Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations... 6 Stakeholder Advisory Committee... 6 Elected Officials, Key Community Members, and Informed Parties... 7 General Public... 7 Recommended Activities... 7 Stakeholder Database... 8 SAC Working Sessions... 9 Stakeholder Meetings... 9 Regional Workshops Noticing Newsletters Webpages Presentations and Updates to TCAG and Visalia City Council Expected Outcomes Materials Coordination Page i

4 INTRODUCTION In 2014, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) examined and environmentally cleared a high-speed rail (HSR) station for future construction in the Kings and Tulare Counties (Kings/Tulare) region. The planned HSR station will be located near the intersection of State Routes (SR) 198 and 43. The location is just east of the City of Hanford and about 20 miles west of the City of Visalia. Bus transit systems, centers, and the existing Cross Valley Railroad Corridor will potentially serve as multimodal connectors to the Kings/Tulare regional highspeed train (HST) station and other HSR destinations throughout the State. The communities along the Cross Valley Railroad corridor will serve as transit hubs to the statewide HSR services for the surrounding communities and their residents which include Lemoore, Visalia, Tulare, Dinuba, Porterville and Hanford. Currently the Authority is working with the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) to develop the, a regional vision identifying how the Kings/Tulare Regional HST Station will serve as a transit hub for the two counties and how the Cross Valley Passenger Rail Corridor may act as a connector to surrounding communities and their residents. As the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Tulare County, TCAG is responsible for comprehensive transportation planning in Tulare County. The goal of the vision will be to provide surrounding communities with transit connections convenient access to the HST station. The Cross Valley Passenger Rail Corridor and associated transit centers will not be the only consideration when looking at connectivity of the HST station. Planning efforts will also take into consideration planning for various other modes of transportation such as walking, cycling, and automobiles to ensure that the planned Cross Valley Rail Corridor and HST stations are equally accessible for all communities and their residents. In addition to supporting planning efforts for the HSR system and the Cross Valley Rail Corridor, this effort will enable communities and cities in the planning area to promote Transit Oriented Development (TOD), encourage revitalization and economic development, and facilitate growth in support of the HSR investment. The end result of the will be to identify how the HST station will be accessed by surrounding communities using a variety of multimodal transportation options. The will be completed in three phases: Page 1

5 Phase I Develop the Vision Extensive community engagement will be completed to develop a vision for the Cross Valley Rail Corridor. Discussion items will include the potential increase in ridership for existing transit services, potential improvements to areas surrounding current transit centers, and the potential for additional housing, businesses, and services with the proximity to HSR services. Phase II Identify Three Vision Options Including Land Use, Economic, and Transportation Recommendations Recommended visions will identify land use and economic development strategies that will attract growth to existing city centers and promote development of other communities within the region. Regional transit and transportation facilities and services will be evaluated with recommendations to not only facilitate access to the planned regional HST station, but to also include active transportation alternatives. Future improvements such as Bus Rapid Transit and light-rail passenger services will also be evaluated. Phase III Provide an Implementation Strategy for Recommended Vision Options Provide a detail report of the findings, recommendations and strategies for implementation. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN Description Community engagement is a problem-solving approach, which brings together community members and planners to discuss complex issues facing the communities and their residents. Working together to achieve a common goal, this partnership encourages affected parties to bring forward unique ideas and solutions to potential issues. As each community member is different, so too are their hopes and aspirations and the ways to implement them. By listening to each other, the decisions generated will reflect the greater community at large. The process of community engagement is most successful when the process is transparent with access to decisions, services, and information for all interested stakeholders and community members. The active participation of the community ensures that the outcomes are better tuned to meeting the community s needs today and into the future. The Work Planning Team (WPT), composed of TCAG staff, key local agency staff and members of the consultant team, is committed to being responsive to the members of the community, to provide clear and concise informational materials, and to address the ideas and concerns raised by the community. The public engagement activities for this decision-making process will be documented and will be considered during development of the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan. Page 2

6 State and federal transportation laws, regulations, policies, and guidance require and encourage public involvement throughout the planning process, particularly in regard to environmental justice populations and underserved communities, including low-income and minority populations. This Community Engagement Plan (CEP) establishes consistent guidelines to ensure people have meaningful opportunities to be involved in the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail planning process. The CEP includes examples of the tools and techniques that the WPT may use to communicate with and receive input from the public. Purpose The purpose of conducting public involvement is to involve people and to incorporate their input into decisions related to the. A comprehensive CEP is crucial to the success of the public involvement process. Thorough and well-thought out plans simplify the engagement process by providing a systematic approach, maximizing the use of available resources, and minimizing delays by ensuring that public engagement activities are coordinated with other Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan tasks and milestones. There are three specific purposes for this outreach effort: To provide the public multiple opportunities to learn about the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan, to review the proposed options, and to understand the implications that may result with all options To create and distribute public information that is user-friendly and culturally sensitive to communities that may be potentially affected To provide policy makers with information about the public s opinions and values regarding the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan Goals The ultimate goal of this CEP is to allow the public and other community Page 3

7 members opportunities throughout the process to influence the development of the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan. The CEP reflects ways to identify and contact the community, inform them of the need for the, and involve them in the decision-making process. The CEP includes tasks that will identify the affected public, creating an inventory of neighborhoods and school organizations, businesses, church groups, ethnic organizations, homeowners associations, environmental or cultural organizations, special interest groups and civil rights groups; educate the identified stakeholders on the planned Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan and regional coordination with the planned Kings/Tulare HST station; and provide opportunities for participation and feedback. The goal of the CEP is to actively seek the participation of communities and their stakeholders, agencies, individual interest groups, and the general public throughout the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan development process. The CEP provides the framework for achieving consensus and communicating the decision-making process between the general public, public agencies, and governmental officials to identify solutions for the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan. Public involvement provides the public and agencies with continuing opportunities to be involved. Input from affected agencies and the public also lends credibility to key decisions made during the development process. Making timely, accurate, and useful information available to the general public and other community members will help to achieve the following objectives of the engagement process: Conduct an open and transparent public process that: provides up-to-date public information and opportunities for interested members of the public and other community members to comment; and identifies critical issues and problems in need of resolution Create and implement a meaningful public involvement process, and evaluate the public involvement process on a regular basis Provide accurate, timely, and comprehensive documentation on the community engagement process Form the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) including community leaders and key community groups to assist with development of the Keep elected officials informed of the development process through WPT meetings and notices of upcoming SAC meetings and public workshops Create public forums and collateral materials that provide clear, concise, and easy-to-understand information to enable the public to make informed decisions Page 4

8 Seek opportunities to involve a broad range of community members, including non-traditional groups, to ensure that the partnering agencies understand the issues from all those who may be impacted by the Address social equity and environmental justice issues, to provide information to comply with relevant regulations, Title VI, Executive Order on Environmental Justice, and Executive Order on Limited English Proficiency and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Educate the public by using language that is easily understood by laypersons Reach out to minority and low-income populations by producing materials in English and Spanish Build awareness about the and its importance to regional mobility among the public, including those the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan will serve (transit riders, residents, students, and businesses), and the general public Develop a strong list of public and regional benefits that the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan will generate Develop a partnership with the media to ensure accurate reporting of information Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan Working Planning Team As part of the overall work plan to ensure success in development of the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan, a Work Planning Team (WPT) has been established to manage work plan issues, provide oversight for the work plan, and coordinate planning for the Cross Valley Passenger Rail Corridor with multimodal connectivity to the planned Kings/Tulare HST station area with current and future planning projects in the vicinity of the Project. WPT meetings and/or conference calls will occur on a monthly basis. Members of the WPT include: Benjamin Kimball, Deputy Executive Director, TCAG, BKimball@tularecog.org, Phone: (559) Ted Smalley, Executive Director, TCAG, TSmalley@tularecog.org, Phone: (559) Diana Gomez, Regional Director, California High-Speed Rail Authority, diana.gomez@hsr.ca.gov, Phone: (559) Stuart Mori, Senior Transportation Planner, California High-Speed Rail Authority, stuart.mori@hsr.ca.gov, Phone: (916) Melissa DuMond, Director of Planning and Integration, California High-Speed Rail Authority, melissa.dumond@hsr.ca.gov, Phone: (916) Eric Banghart, AICP, Planning Manager, Mott MacDonald, Eric.Banghart@mottmac.com, Phone (310) Mike Knopf, President, QK, Inc., Mike.Knopf@qkinc.com, (559) Page 5

9 Steve Brandt, Senior Planner, QK, Inc., (559) Ginger White, Senior Planner and Senior Associate Biologist, QK, Inc., (559) Yohans Makmur, Senior Civil Engineer and Traffic Engineer, QK, Inc., (559) Georgiena Vivian, President, VRPA Technologies, Inc., Community Engagement Program Lead, Phone: (559) Richard Lee, Director of Innovation and Sustainability, VRPA Technologies, Inc., Community Engagement Program Support, Phone: (510) Dena Graham, Outreach Specialist, VRPA Technologies, Inc., Community Engagement Program Support, Phone: (707) Steven Castaneda, P.E., Vice President, Jakes Associates, Inc., Phone: (559) An expanded WPT including local agency staff of cooperating cities and other identified key elected officials will be developed and will meet as needed. Input from the expanded WPT will ensure that the planned Cross Valley Passenger Rail Corridor addresses multimodal connectivity with the planned HST station, will be incorporated into the region as whole, and will provide benefits to individual cities and communities. Target Audiences: Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations The targeted audiences for the Project are listed below. Stakeholder Advisory Committee A Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) will be formed to assist the WPT with community engagement activities. Members for the SAC will be identified as being part of a community with a strong interest in the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan or as agencies and community groups with specific interests and constituencies that will be important to engage in the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan development process. Other SAC members will be identified based on their roles and responsibilities in the study area and their ability to provide critical input, data, and other information to the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan planning process. SAC members will be identified from organizations and agencies within the planned rail corridor area and will include, but not be limited to the following: Page 6

10 Accessibility Challenged Agricultural and Farm Bureau Representatives Bike and Pedestrian Groups Business Organizations Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) Community Planning Groups Community Services Education Employers/Business Environmental Justice Groups and Organizations Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) Health Industry Peers and Associations Neighborhoods/Residential Resource Agencies Service Organizations Transit Agencies and Operators Transportation Advocates SAC members will be invited to participate in a series of quarterly working sessions. SAC members will be provided with summarized versions of technical documents at least one (1) week in advance of working sessions for review and comment. A list of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) members is included at the end of this document as Appendix A. Elected Officials, Key Community Members, and Informed Parties A full list of elected officials, key community members, and other informed parties will be created and maintained throughout the development process. Elected officials, key community members, and informed parties are located within the study area or have an interest in the outcome of the planning process. These groups are generally defined as people that need to be kept up-to-date on the project status and meetings. Elected officials, key community members, and other informed parties will be informed of major project milestones and advised when SAC and public workshops are to be held. Key community members and other informed parties will be encouraged to monitor project process as materials are posted online. They will also receive project information through meeting materials and presentations that they attend. If members of this group attend SAC working sessions, they will do so as observers and will be invited to speak during a designated public comment period. General Public The general public will be invited to attend community workshops and/or events. These meetings will be open house style meetings. Recommended Activities The following section identifies proposed stakeholder and public engagement activities designed to support development of the. Page 7

11 Project Branding Project branding will allow the WPT to establish a clear project identity, to present and convey consistent messaging, and to associate a positive image for the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan. One (1) graphical design comps and one (1) final design comp of the following graphical items will be developed for use in all community engagement materials: Project Logo PowerPoint Presentation slide templates Print Material Theme Graphics (postcards, posters, newsletters) Deliverables: Project Logo (three (3) draft design comps, one (1) final design comp PowerPoint Presentation Slide Templates (three (3) draft design comps, one (1) final design comp Print Materials Theme Graphics (three (3) draft design comps, one (1) final design comp Source files Schedule: July 2016 August 2016 Stakeholder Database Stakeholders are persons or groups who are directly or indirectly affected by a project, as well as those who may have interests in a project. Stakeholders also have the ability to influence the outcome of a project either positively or negatively. Stakeholders may include locally affected communities or individuals and their formal or informal representatives, local government authorities, politicians, religious leaders, civil society organizations, special interest groups, the academic community, and businesses. The WPT will research and create one (1) stakeholder database. Existing databases will be compiled and augmented with additional interested community members. The database will contain the name of the agency or individual, their physical and addresses, telephone number(s), notes regarding attendance at workshops or events, and comments received. This task will be an on-going task with the database updated throughout the development process including SAC and workshop attendees, webpage commenters, and other community members or individuals requesting notification of upcoming SAC meetings and public workshops. Page 8

12 Deliverables: Stakeholder Database Schedule: July 2016 December 2017 SAC Working Sessions SAC working sessions will be held at strategic intervals (not more often than on a quarterly basis) during the Project to review interim documents. Meeting topics may include, but are not limited to: Review project purpose and goals, scope, schedule, work products, existing conditions assessment, data collection and mapping, and planned community engagement activities Review and discuss the existing conditions report, and alternative regional station visions, and selected recommended regional station area visions Review and discuss the draft final recommendations report including community values and support, plans and policies, economics, sustainability actions, proposed parking arrangements, road network changes Deliverables: SAC Working Sessions (no more than quarterly) and Materials (Working session materials to include: invitations with distribution via , agendas, sign-in sheets, name tags, PowerPoint Presentations, refreshment, session summary synopsis including action items, comments, and input for WPT and expanded WPT review) Schedule: August 2016 October 2017 Stakeholder Meetings With the goal of connecting communities in the Kings/Tulare region and providing those communities with multimodal connectivity to the planned HST station and HSR system, Cross Valley Rail Corridor transit agencies will play a large role in the development process of the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan. Up to nine (9) one-on-one meetings with key transit agencies will be completed during the initial stage of the community engagement process. These one-on-one meetings will provide a means of outlining the development process while also providing an opportunity to garner the agencies support. Issues, concerns, and interests expressed will be summarized and presented to the WPT and the expanded WPT for use in developing next steps and suggestions. Additional meetings with key stakeholders may be identified by the WPT and conducted as needed. Deliverables: One-on-one meetings with affected transit agencies; session summary Schedule: August 2016 December 2017 Page 9

13 Regional Workshops Regional workshops will allow for organized group discussions with the goal of exchanging and gathering information. The workshops will give the WPT the opportunity to share information with a large number of diverse stakeholders who can ask questions and explore issues in detail while also encouraging stakeholders to network and share experiences. Regional workshops will follow an open house format and will include an introductory PowerPoint presentation. TurningPoint polling software will be used to ensure that all workshop participants can provide input, not just those who are vocal. TurningPoint is a tool used to solicit answers, selections, and priorities using a real-time response key pad. Interactive stations will be designed to engage and receive feedback from workshop participants. To further ensure broad participation of all community stakeholders and meet environmental justice requirements, all workshops will include Spanish translation services. Interactive exhibits will be presented with WPT and technical team members available to discuss questions and concerns. Small group discussions may also be facilitated. Comment cards will be available for comments and feedback. The WPT will provide stations for registration, comments, and refreshments. Regional workshops will be a method of listening to the needs and opportunities expressed by city and county residents, business owners, and other key stakeholders so that the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan reflects their experience. The workshops will be stand-alone meetings conducted throughout the Cross Valley Rail Corridor. Workshops will be scheduled in coordination with the WPT and local agency staff in the following areas: Lemoore, Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore Hanford Visalia, Dinuba, Tulare Farmersville, Exeter, Woodlake Porterville, Lindsay In order to maximize attendance, workshop venues will be ADA accessible, located near transit if appropriate, and held at times convenient for public stakeholders. Workshops will be held at two (2) key points in the community engagement process. Page 10

14 Regional Workshops Visioning The first set of five (5) workshops will be held in the initial stages of the community engagement process and will serve as an introduction to the planned Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Rail Corridor, Passenger Rail Plan, and planned Kings/Tulare HST station. The focus will be to work with the communities and participants to develop a vision for a functional Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan that is connected via a multimodal network to regional cities, transit centers, and the planned Kings/Tulare HST station. A PowerPoint Presentation will include virtual tours of example passenger light rail services found in the United States and HSR stations currently found in other countries and TODs. A brief survey (in both English and Spanish) will be prepared and administered to participants using TurningPoint. The survey will request feedback on key issues related to connectivity of the planned Cross Valley Rail Corridor and HST station, existing transit services, and key values to be reflected in the visioning process. Regional Workshops Options The second set of five (5) workshops will be held midway through the community engagement process and will serve to present up to three (3) alternative visions for the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan with multimodal connectivity to the planned HST station. Alternative visions will include TOD development, infill, complete streets and multimodal connectivity aspects. Participants will be able to see how their feedback and suggestions were incorporated into the alternative visions. Graphic material will include a transportation and land use map highlighting planned Cross Valley Passenger Rail stations and TOD at transit centers, and bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicle circulation elements. Guiding principles will be presented including advantages and opportunities as well as disadvantages and impacts. PowerPoint Presentation and TurningPoint tools may also be utilized. It is anticipated that the workshop participants will include residents, workers, business owners, school administrators, school district officials, transit operators, city and county officials, and members of the bicycle and pedestrian community. Key community members and other informed parties will be notified of these workshops/events through postcards, posters, newspapers, and newsletters. For additional noticing information refer to the noticing section below. As noted above, Spanish translation will be provided at all workshops using available translation equipment or participant cell phones using free conference call-in services. In addition, comment sheets and workshop displays will be translated for ease of understanding. Finally, the WPT will coordinate with the expanded WPT and SAC to ensure that members of disadvantaged and disabled communities are engaged, invited and have access to all regional workshops. The WPT may contact CBOs, FBOs, health associations, youth organizations, local partners, key cultural institutions, and the SAC to assist with the identification and noticing of workshop participants. These organizations will also be requested to provide childcare services at the workshops to allow parents to participate and provide feedback and translation equipment, if available. Following each workshop, a written summary of comments, input received, and recommendations will be prepared for WPT review. Deliverables: Materials for Regional Workshop Series #1 Visioning Materials for Regional Workshop Series #2 Options (Workshop materials will include: invitations, agendas, PowerPoint presentations, TurningPoint presentations and data outputs, sign-in Page 11

15 sheets, comment cards in English and Spanish, display boards in English and Spanish, refreshments, and session summaries including public comment logs and recommendation for WPT and expanded WPT review) Schedule: Regional Workshops Series #1 Visioning Late October, Early November 2016 Regional Workshops Series #2 Options Spring 2017 Noticing All noticing will be completed in both English and Spanish and will be posted online and in the Fresno Bee at least one (1) week prior to regional workshops. The Fresno Bee services all affected cities and counties. Noticing strategies will included the following: Invitation letter to community leaders and stakeholders distributed via to the Stakeholder Database. The invitation letter will be a brief letter introducing the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan project and inviting the recipient to participate in the community engagement and project development process. Two (2) graphical postcards will be created, one (1) for each of the regional workshop series. Postcards will contain date, time, and location information for each of the five (5) locations where workshops will be held. Postcards will be distributed via to the Stakeholder Database. Regional workshop postcard notices will be placed in local newspapers noted above in both English and Spanish. Regional workshop postcard notices will be provided to TCAG for posting to the project webpage, and to its social media links such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, NextDoor, and others. Postcard notices will also be available to the WPT, expanded WPT, and SAC for posting to their webpages and social media links. Two (2) graphical posters will be created, one (1) for each of the regional workshop series. Posters will contain date, time, and location information for each of the five (5) areas where workshops will be held. Posters will be distributed to city and county agencies, transit centers, FBOs, CBOs, and local businesses for posting. A total of 20 posters will be printed for each workshop series. Posters will include date, time, and location information for each of the five (5) areas where workshops will be held. All Page 12

16 information will be provided in English and Spanish. One (1) poster will be posted at each venue site, two (2) weeks prior to the workshop. Posters will be posted at Lemoore, Hanford, Visalia, Tulare, Dinuba, and Porterville city halls and transit centers. Deliverables: Introductory Invitation Letter One (1) Graphical Postcard Design and One (1) Graphical Poster Design in English and Spanish for Regional Workshop Series #1 Visioning One (1) Graphical Postcard Design and One (1) Graphical Poster Design in English and Spanish for Regional Workshop Series #2 Options 20 Printed Posters for Regional Workshop Series #1 Visioning 20 Printed Posters for Regional Workshop Series #2 - Options Schedule: Regional Workshops Series #1 Visioning Late October, Early November 2016 Regional Workshops Series #2 Options Spring 2017 Newsletters Following the first series of regional workshops, the WPT will create a one (1) page newsletter in both English and Spanish to help educate the public and stakeholders about the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan. As a community engagement tool, the newsletter will ensure that consistent and accurate information is being communicated regardless of the time, place, or person communicating. The initial newsletter will highlight key information concerning the project as well as provided information learned from the first series of workshops will be included as well as next steps in the development process. The newsletter will be updated quarterly and will contain updated project and schedule information. Contact information for the WPT will be included on all newsletters. Newsletters will be available for wide distribution electronically on participating city and county websites and via eblast to the Stakeholder Database. Deliverables: One (1) Newsletter Design Quarterly Newsletters in English and Spanish Schedule: October 2016 December 2017 Page 13

17 Webpages A project webpage will be added TCAG s website to provide user-friendly, easy Internet access to information about the planning process. The WPT will coordinate with TCAG s webmaster regarding webpage design and provide materials for posting. The webpage will be utilized to keep all interested parties including key stakeholders and the public informed, as well as to provide an opportunity for their input through a comment section. The webpage will allow members of the community who might not participate in regional workshops an opportunity to participate in the process. Interested stakeholders will be able to request to be added to the Stakeholder Database through the webpage. Initially, the webpage will provide general information, including the project work plan, schedule, and deliverables. Over the course of the project, draft and final project materials will be posted for review and comment. Additional items that may be posted to the webpage include, but are not limited to: SAC materials Regional workshop materials Graphical postcard (one (1) for each series) PowerPoint Presentation (one (1) for each series) TurningPoint Presentation (one (1) for each series) Session summary including TurningPoint data (one (1) for each series) Newsletters Existing Conditions Report Alternative Regional HST Station Visions Economic, Real Estate, Fiscal, and Financial Overlay Work Products Multimodal Connectivity and Parking Overlay Work Products Final Recommendations Report Final Implementation Framework and Strategy Report Links TCAG s social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, NextDoor, and others Deliverables: Materials for posting to the TCAG project webpage Schedule: October 2016 December 2017 Page 14

18 Presentations and Updates to TCAG and Visalia City Council Presentations and briefing updates will completed as needed throughout the duration of the project. Presentations and briefings to TCAG will be completed by members of the WPT. It is anticipated that TCAG will complete briefings at city council meetings for Lemoore, Hanford, Visalia, Tulare, Dinuba and Porterville. If requested by TCAG, WPT will complete presentations at city council meetings for Lemoore, Hanford, Visalia, Tulare, Dinuba, and Porterville. Deliverables: Presentations and briefings including materials as needed Schedule: October 2016 December 2017 Expected Outcomes The following expected outcomes are presented to highlight the resulting impact of the CEP once implemented. Outreach and educational programs will be developed and implemented to increase awareness and understanding of the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan Underrepresented communities and individuals will be educated about the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan, its purpose, need, and how it benefits them and their communities Underrepresented communities and individuals will have an increased opportunity to participate in the Kings/Tulare Cross Valley Passenger Rail Plan development process Partnerships will be developed with key community members to disseminate education materials and information Coordinated efforts will be forged with CBOs, FBOs, and other local, state, or regional partners to enhance awareness of the in underrepresented communities Partner agency feedback on the and its options More local support for preferred alternatives Documentation of public concerns and opportunity for input Better use of agency resources as evidenced by effective, results-oriented meetings Materials Coordination The WPT, expanded WPT, and other partnering agencies will be asked to review, contribute to, and comment on the development of administrative draft, draft, and final Project materials described above. Page 15

19 Materials will be provided to the SAC for review. Materials will be approved by the WPT before broader distribution. Page 16

20 Appendix A - SAC Members Listing Page 17