Public Participation Procedures

Engaging Our Citizens
To ensure a rich and diverse public participation process, interested parties must be informed and educated on regional issues, projects underway, and projects planned. The following strategies are utilized by DVRPC to ensure that interested parties receive timely information in a variety of formats:

Website
DVRPC's extensive website, www.dvrpc.org, is a continuously updated source for information on nearly every aspect of the regional and transportation planning process. A wide scope of resource material, covering all of DVRPC's planning areas is available, as well as an event calendar, meeting notices and agendas, information on public involvement, staff contact information and links to related agencies and municipalities.

The DVRPC website is also now accessible to non-English speaking visitors who wish to translate online documents into Spanish, Russian, and Traditional Chinese. These languages were chosen as a result of a demographic study of the 2000 Census conducted by DVRPC. Information regarding planning and transportation issues in the region and public involvement and outreach (including the Regional Citizens Committee and other public meetings) is available for translation on the DVRPC website.

Resource Center and Library
The DVRPC Resource Center, located in DVRPC's office in Philadelphia, is a clearinghouse for planning and transportation-related information, as well as regional and demographic data. The Resource Center also has copies of all DVRPC-generated studies and publications available for public use.

The Resource Center is open during regular business hours. Alternately, one may contact our resource librarian by phone at 215-238-2817 or e-mail (egallagher@dvrpc.org) to make an appointment. The research librarian can assist with a specific research question or to obtain a print copy of a DVRPC publication. The use of the library is free; some fees may pertain to purchasing some publications or photocopies of documents.

Publications
DVRPC publishes a variety of newsletters, studies, and assorted transportation, data and planning related documents throughout the year, both online at our website, www.dvrpc.org and in print, available through our Resource Center.

DVRPC can translate Commission documents into any language or format, if requested. For more information, see Appendix 4: DVRPC Policy for Engaging Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in the DVRPC Title VI Compliance Plan.

The Commission also provides an annual report that summarizes the activities of the agency for the prior fiscal year and encompasses environmental, transportation, regional planning and public outreach issues.

Special brochures such as A Citizen's Guide to the Regional Planning Process and The TIP Handbook: A Guide For Municipal Officials and Citizens are available. To receive a copy of these publications, please contact the Office of Communications and Public Affairs at 215-238-2871.

Newsletters
DVRPC News is the Commission's newsletter and is published at least three (3) times per year. The newsletter provides information about the Commission's projects, programs and actions, and information on how to reach the Commission and its staff. The newsletter is mailed to all individuals and organizations on DVRPC's mailing list, as well as posted online at www.dvrpc.org in PDF format. To receive this newsletter by mail or e-mail, please call 215-238-2871.

New at DVRPC is an eNewsletter produced by the Office of Information Technology to highlight recent additions to the DVRPC website. This eNewsletter is published eight (8) times per year and is available on the DVRPC website.

The newly launched FOCUS eNewsletter is packed with news and events for local governments within the DVRPC region. This newsletter gives us a chance to FOCUS on news that you can use to manage your borough, township or city, and perhaps keep you informed and connected to issues and events across the region. To be added to the FOCUS eNewsletter email list, please contact elinkous@dvrpc.org.

Media Communications
DVRPC regularly releases, as deemed appropriate, press advisories to the region's 350-plus electronic and print media outlets. In addition to DVRPC programs and activities, media releases are provided for upcoming events and actions.

Speakers Bureau
DVRPC maintains a Speakers Bureau to promote presentations to organizations and municipalities. DVRPC's staff, which is composed of professionals in a variety of planning and transportation specialities, is available to speak at your organization's meeting on a variety of topics, including bicycle and transit planning, environmental planning, and long-range planning for the region. For more information, please contact DVRPC's Office of Communications and Public Affairs at 215-238-2871.

Planner's Methodology
DVRPC has developed a Planner's Methodology, which is designed to provide guidance to staff in meeting Title VI and EJ mandates and structuring a public participation plan at the project or study level. How meaningful public participation is gathered and implemented into a planning process may differ widely, depending on the type and scope of a project. The Planner's Methodology sets a framework for developing individual public participation plans for specific projects, offers a “tool kit” of public participation strategies to meet the goals for public participation cited in this Public Participation Plan, and builds upon DVRPC's philosophy and intent to place public participation at the forefront of the Commission's priorities.

Notification of Meetings and Events
The scheduled meeting dates of the DVRPC Board are published annually in newspapers of general circulation in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Notice of additional meetings will be sent to newspapers of general circulation in both states at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. All DVRPC sponsored meetings are also posted on an events calendar at www.dvrpc.org.

DVRPC Board meetings will include a time for public comments concerning agenda and non-agenda items during the consideration of business; however, the Board Chair may limit the length of comments or provide other options for public comments as he or she deems fit.

Public meetings will be held prior to the adoption of DVRPC's Long-Range Plan, TIP and other major amendments. Authorization to proceed with public distribution of pertinent materials and to hold public meetings must be sought from DVRPC's Board.

Notification via legal advertisements in newspapers of general circulation as well as minority and alternative language newspapers is required for DVRPC Long Range Plan public meetings, adoption and amendment, as well as for TIP public meetings and adoption.

The initial public meeting or activity used to kick off a major public involvement effort or project, plan or the TIP will be announced broadly to the news media, as well as to state, county and municipalities involved most directly by the event. Announcement should be early enough in the process to allow public input on initial decisions such as project definition and goals.

Advance notice will depend upon the project and its timeline, but a minimum of fifteen (15) days notice should be given for public involvement and participation events. As much notice as possible should be given to community and special interest organizations. Mailing and e-mail lists will be updated regularly to ensure proper notification to as many audiences as possible.

Public Meetings and Other Events
Public meetings, open houses, workshops, charrettes, and information sessions will be scheduled, when deemed appropriate, to allow the greatest opportunity for attendance by the general public and interested groups (i.e., evening or lunch meetings) based upon available staff and resources.

Meetings will be conducted in locations that are always ADA accessible and convenient to public transit, when possible. Sign language interpreters or other auxiliary aid requests can be accommodated if requested in advance.

Draft documents for public review will be placed in regional libraries, DVRPC's Resource Center, and other community locations as determined by staff. DVRPC's website, www.dvrpc.org, contains draft documents for review, as well as other pertinent public notices and information.

Below are a variety of public participation tools that can be utilized by the Commission

Advertisements > Paid advertisements in newspapers and magazines that reach a broad public

Newspaper Inserts > A "fact sheet" within the local newspaper that provides community-wide distribution

Feature Stories > Focused stories on general project-related issues that can heighten the perceived importance of a project

Media Release > A concise review of the project/issue that is released to electronic and print media in the region; useful in announcing milestones

News Conference > An opportunity to reach the media in one setting that should be limited to newsworthy events

Television > Cable or network television programming that presents information and elicits a response

Web Sites > Links which contain project information, announcements and documents that are capable of reaching very large audiences at a low cost

Briefings > Utilization of existing meetings of civic or special interest organizations to inform and educate

Newsletter > A study, project, plan or program newsletter developed at the beginning, during and at the end of the work to inform and solicit input from stakeholders.

Information Hot Line > A separate line for public access to prerecorded project information or to reach project team members

Simulation Games > Exercises that simulate project decisions for effective education or training

Information Centers > Sites established to distribute information and respond to questions

Field Trips > Tours for stakeholders, elected officials, advisory group members and the media to develop rapport and build consensus

Open Houses > Facilities set aside to allow the public to tour and interact at its own pace; fosters one-on-one communications and builds credibility

Community Fairs > Central event with multiple activities to provide information and raise awareness

Interviews > One-on-one meetings with stakeholders to gain information about public concerns for refining public involvement

Telephone Surveys / Polls > Random sampling of population by telephone to gain specific information for statistical validation

Response Sheets > Mail-in forms to gain information on public preferences

Internet Surveys > Web-based response polls that often provide a higher response rate

Public Hearings > Formal meetings with scheduled presentations and with public comments recorded for legal purposes

Public Meeting > Informal gatherings with or without presentations that do not tape record proceedings

Charrettes > Intensive session where participants share in problem-solving, create partnerships or brainstorm on issues

Community Facilitator > A qualified individual to conduct public outreach and/or resolve issues

Consensus Building Techniques > Techniques that encourage compromise among different interests and provide structured and trackable decision-making

In-Person Surveys > Focus groups with standardized questionnaires or methodology

Focus Group > Message-testing forum with randomly selected members of a target audience to obtain input for planning decisions

Advisory Committee > A group of representative stakeholders assembled to provide public input

Task Force > A group of experts or stakeholders formed to develop a specific product or policy recommendation

Panel > A group assembled to debate or provide input on specific issues

Workshop > An informal public meeting that may include presentations and exhibits

Visualization Techniques
Where appropriate, visualization techniques will be employed throughout DVRPC's public participation activities, to aid the public in understanding proposed plans. Examples of visualization techniques include sketches, drawings, artist renderings, physical models and maps, simulated photos, videos, computer modeled images, GIS based scenario planning tools, and computer simulation.

Notification of Public Comment Periods
DVRPC will provide adequate time for public review of draft documents and staff recommendations prior to opportunities for public comment. The length of review and comment periods may vary depending on the nature of the plan or project but generally should be at least thirty (30) days. Major Commission actions are advertised as legal notices in a variety of regional newspapers, including a Spanish language newspaper.

Use of Public Comments
All public input should be derived from as diverse a range of sources as possible. As appropriate and whenever possible, public comments should be used to revise work scopes, plans and programs.

DVRPC staff is responsible for responding to comments received during a public review period in a timely manner and/or for forwarding these comments to appropriate regional agencies for their response.

Comments submitted to DVRPC are considered part of the record. Summaries of comments received will be updated, made available to the public and forwarded to policy makers considering action. Public comments are reviewed and forwarded to the appropriate agency, and are also provided to the various DVRPC advisory committees including the Regional Transportation Committee (RTC), Regional Citizens Committee (RCC) and the DVRPC Board for consideration before final action of the Board.

If a final document, plan or TIP varies substantially from the one which was made available for public comment and review, an updated copy will be made available for public comment.

Promoting Open and Accessible Involvement
Several additional laws affect the environment in which DVRPC plans-the Right-to-Know Law of 1957, the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, adopted in 1986, and the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, adopted in 1975.

• The Right-to-Know Law requires that every public record of a state agency or a division of a state agency, shall, at reasonable times, be open for examination and inspection by any citizen.
• The Sunshine Law outlines the right of the public to be present at meetings and to witness the deliberations of agencies vital to the enhancement of the democratic process. It further states that secrecy in public affairs undermines the faith of the public in government and the public's effectiveness in fulfilling its role. The New Jersey Public Meetings Act, adopted in 1975, also provides for open access and citizen accessibility to government.
• DVRPC and its legal counsel have determined that any pre-arranged meeting, which is participated in by a quorum of members and held for the purpose of deliberating agency business, shall be open to the public. However, exceptions to this rule include executive sessions involving employment; conferences in which the agency is authorized to participate but which do not include agency business; and working sessions held for the purpose of examining, analyzing and discussing various records, as long as official board action is not taken.
• DVRPC also gives reasonable notice of meetings and provides opportunities at each meeting for the public to comment on matters before the Board.

Use of DVRPC's Name and Identity
No individual, organization, committee or entity may use DVRPC's name and/or logo without the written consent of the DVRPC Executive Director. Any use deemed inappropriate or unauthorized will be reason for further action as deemed by DVRPC Counsel.