Forward 2040 Chapter 9: Equitable and Inclusive Community
Comprehensive plans are made with the desire to build better communities - those with a clean environment, housing that is affordable, opportunities for recreation, and convenient access to transportation. While comprehensive plans have helped to create these conditions in many communities, in many others, certain groups have been systematically excluded. Systemic barriers that have been endemic to the field of urban planning and have generated disparities in health, income, mobility and other disproportionate inequities are discussed further in the Forces, Trends, and Impacts Report. Policies in this chapter, as well as integrated throughout the plan, strive to set a foundation for more equitable decision making and outcomes.
Goal 9.1. Promote mutual respect, and the value and development of every person’s potential
The success of the community can be measured by the success of those in greatest need. Education, job training, opportunities for engagement, and connection are at the core of setting people up for success.
Policy 9.1.1.
Support programs to reduce gaps in achievement in schools.
Policy 9.1.2.
Support workforce reentry efforts for formerly incarcerated residents.
Policy 9.1.3.
Create pathways to employment by fostering partnerships among local schools, trade schools, colleges, and employers.
Policy 9.1.4.
Support the creation of business incubator facilities, training opportunities, and technical assistance for small, minority, and women-owned businesses.
Policy 9.1.5.
Facilitate volunteer opportunities, mentorship programs, and apprenticeships to introduce new skills and professional networks.
Goal 9.2. Engage the community in a way that increases participation in civic life
Successful communities are the product of planning that reflects the diversity of voices in the community. The City needs to commit to transparency, expanding the accessibility of public engagement in the planning process, and listening to voices that reflect the diversity of the City.
Policy 9.2.1.
Conduct inclusive public engagement as a first step to long-range planning, studies, and City programs.
Policy 9.2.2.
Provide transparent and timely responses to community concerns.
Policy 9.2.3.
Create accessible engagement sessions that are convenient and respectful of participants’ time. Prioritize public engagement opportunities for people to participate in their neighborhoods, workplaces, and where they spend time.
Policy 9.2.4.
Actively pursue outreach opportunities to reduce barriers for all, including those that typically do not participate, such as children and teenagers, non-English speakers, people with disabilities, and people with busy work schedules.
Policy 9.2.5.
Encourage participation from women, historically underrepresented groups, and people with disabilities on City boards and commissions.
Goal 9.3. Integrate equity considerations into City policies, plans, and processes
An equitable and inclusive community is one where residents and visitors feel welcomed, safe and valued in the community, and where a person’s identity does not negatively impact their ability to participate. Evaluating the City’s policies, plans and processes is an important step toward identifying and reducing barriers and unintended inequities.
Policy 9.3.1.
Ensure equitable investment of resources across neighborhoods City-wide.
Equity Action 1:
Create a tool to assess the impacts of budget requests on neighborhoods. Track and report capital investments using geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic data.
Policy 9.3.2.
Incorporate historically marginalized and disadvantaged communities in City-wide investment strategies.
Policy 9.3.3.
Improve the transparency and accessibility of the City’s budget. Create platforms for community members to voice their ideas prior to the budget process.
Equity Action 2:
Create a survey mechanism to assess community needs on a regular basis.
Policy 9.3.4.
Recognize that the community evolves over time, and create regular forums for community members to voice their ideas.
Three Questions for Better Planning
Published by the American Planning Association, a Planning Advisory Service Memo by Kyle Ezell, EDD, FAICP CUD, listed three essential questions planning professionals, elected officials and the public can use for improving planning processes, policies and decisions. “The essence of planning for and with people is simple: we want our work to benefit as many people as possible, to negatively impact as few people as possible, and to include as many people as possible.”
Who is helped?
At its core, the field of planning is about helping people and to make great communities a reality for everyone. Asking who is helped should be an essential question answered.
Who is harmed?
Purposefully asking who is harmed by a planning idea - directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally - forces a proactive assessment of its potential negative impacts on real people. Planners should consider people who may be financially, physically, culturally, psychologically harmed, or harmed by neglect.
Who is missing?
Any variety of barriers can keep someone from participating in a planning process. Planners should consider who is missing by thinking of those who are interested in the subject matter; live in the greater area; have different abilities or needs; are diverse in a variety of ways; and live in communities that are underrepresented. Asking who is missing can help identify both those who are helped and those who might be harmed.