General Plan meet draws small, vocal crowd
Town hall meetings are usually the most effective when they are well attended but unfortunately, the joint City Council/Planning Commission klatch on the General Plan last night drew just two dozen or so. Gwyn Frost, the city's first first lady, pointed out that the first General Plan meetings during incorporation took place at Alta Loma High School and drew so many participants that the venue was standing-room only.
"This room is not as full as it should be," Frost said at Celebration Hall.
One reason last night's meet was subdued is because the Planning Department has already been through a pretty aggressive public outreach effort to bring the meeting to the people. They've conducted 40 or so meetings about the General Plan's draft guiding principles prior to last night's meeting.
There weren't a lot of people but the ones who came were sassy and outspoken. Frost said she was disappointed that the Founder's Day Parade has been commercialized by the Victoria Gardens venue. Some wanted a better recycling program. Others wanted stricter language on hillside development.
It wasn't the last opportunity to share ideas on the General Plan. A community workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m., May 16 at Central Park.
Might I suggest some bribing techniques to bolster civic engagment?
"This room is not as full as it should be," Frost said at Celebration Hall.
One reason last night's meet was subdued is because the Planning Department has already been through a pretty aggressive public outreach effort to bring the meeting to the people. They've conducted 40 or so meetings about the General Plan's draft guiding principles prior to last night's meeting.
There weren't a lot of people but the ones who came were sassy and outspoken. Frost said she was disappointed that the Founder's Day Parade has been commercialized by the Victoria Gardens venue. Some wanted a better recycling program. Others wanted stricter language on hillside development.
It wasn't the last opportunity to share ideas on the General Plan. A community workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m., May 16 at Central Park.
Might I suggest some bribing techniques to bolster civic engagment?
Food -- Ontario is known for its cookies offered during City Council meetings and so is dinky Montclair, which boasts three, count 'em, three kinds of cookies, coffee and two, count 'em, two kinds of creamer. Ahem, Rancho.I don't know, it's just a thought.
Drinks -- Wine guru Gino Filippi attended the meeting last night. Maybe he could have hosted a wine tasting. And since the topic of the evening was "Spirit of RC," why not some spirits?
Dinky Montclair?