HomeMy WebLinkAbout013124_Action Minutes_Outreach SubcomitteeAction Minutes: GPAC Outreach Subcommittee
Meeting Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
Location: Spyglass Meeting Room at City Hall and Teams
GPAC and GPUSC Members in Attendance: Annie Clougherty, Dennis Baker, Debbie Stevens, Jim Carlson,
Susan DeSantis, Phillip Brown, Laird Hayes, Kimberly Carter, Jim Mosher (Public)
City Staff in Attendance: Ben Zdeba, Jenna Tourje-Maldonado (Consultant), Taylor Funderburk (Consultant)
Elizabeth Dickson (Consultant)
Brief Discussion Recap and Action Minutes
City staff initiated the meeting and provided the following basic objectives for the meeting: 1) to determine
the Chairperson of the GPAC Outreach Subcommittee; 2) to hear results of the GPAC Outreach Priority
Survey; and 3) to provide feedback on what should be considered and explored through the outreach.
Identifying the GPAC Outreach Subcommittee Chairperson
After some discussion, GPAC Member Annie Clougherty was named Outreach Subcommittee Chair.
✓ Action: GPAC Member Clougherty will serve as the Chair of the GPAC Outreach Subcommittee.
Discussing GPAC Outreach Priority Survey Results
Jenna Tourje-Maldonado presented the results of the GPAC Outreach Priority Survey. Fourteen GPAC
Members responded to the survey, and ranked arts & entertainment, harbor social events, farmers
markets, and library event categories the highest, with support for library events, youth supports, and
nature/ environmental cleanup. Adult sports was ranked the lowest. Jenna also shared the
opportunities for “Go-to-Meetings” the GPAC highlighted. The pop-up events and go-to-meetings are
intended to get “boots on the ground” about the General Plan Update.
General Input
• Outreach subcommittee members suggested a number of options for pop-ups, including,
Arts Commission Events, the Balboa Island Art Walk, Witte lectures at the Central Library and
Library Foundation events, Battle of the Bay, and Newport Coast HOA Annual Event during
the Summer. Other ideas, like pop-ups at Fashion Island and shopping centers were noted
as well.
• Subcommittee members and staff discussed GPAC or GPUSC members presenting at Go-
to-Meetings where they have relationships, with city staff support to provide “guardrails” and
answer technical questions. The Consultant team could cover meetings GPAC or GPUSC
members could not attend.
Jenna Tourje-Maldonado noted that pop-up events require additional staffing, and are intended to
reach people who would not typically be engaged in a General Plan process. She noted events could
take place over different lengths of time, from a full day at the Farmers Market to the length of a kick-
ball game, with 2-4 hours as the average time. The goal is to talk to a diverse group of people, get input
on the general plan, and share information out.
GPAC Outreach Subcommittee
Action Minutes for January 31, 2024
Brainstorm on Outreach Priorities
Jenna then presented a series of questions for the Outreach Subcomittee to brainstorm for City staff
to take into account. These included:
• What are priorities for pop-up events in Phase I?
• What are our objectives for outreach?
• Where can we attend?
• Brainstorm: What questions to ask the public?
The Subcommittee identified key parameters to prioritize, noting that there are more events available
than are scoped for. Suggestions included identifying event dates and looking at a cross section of
events, including a library series, events with kids, and a farmers’ market. A suggestion included
noting different demographics and identifying events that cross those demographics. Another was to
see a cross section of activities with a variety of people and interests across Newport Beach. The
following types of events were brainstormed, and City staff and the Consultant team will follow-up.
• Library events (Witte lecture series)
• Farmer’s Market
• Water Polo/Sporting event (Battle of the Bay)
• Environmental Nature Center (ENC) event
• Mariner’s Church (outside of Newport, but with a large population)
• Mayor’s Egg Race
The Outreach Subcommittee brainstormed the following questions that can be used as prompts in
the Pop-up events:
• Do you know what the General Plan is? How will it impact you/me personally?
• What would you like to see different in Newport Beach than it is today?
• What would you like to see in Newport Beach that isn’t here today?
• Sell the gathering of information for what they want.
• What is it that you value about Newport Beach?
• What would be tragic if you lost? (e.g., clean water in the bay, losing parks, etc.)
• Comments:
o Use visual graphics to attract attention and make the information easier to
understand.
o Connect people to the website through QR Code.
Online Mapping Tool Preview
Taylor Funderburk shared a mapping exercise the city will use as an online survey tool to direct
people to provide input. The subcommittee expressed excitement about the tool, and encouraged
the City to do broad communication and advertisement, including advertisement in the Daily Pilot
(or Stu News). Jenna shared the team is developing a communications plan that includes placing
ads, press releases, and social media pushes.
GPAC Outreach Subcommittee
Action Minutes for January 31, 2024
Next Steps
✓ Action: The following actions and next steps were identified by the GPAC Outreach Subcommittee:
• Share discussion and alignment on outreach approach at the February 7, 2024 GPAC
meeting;
• City and Consultant to identify and schedule pop-up events after GPAC;
• City to launch engagement activity on website to align with pop-ups and go-to-meetings;
• Kearns & West to continue planning; and
• Jenna Tourje-Maldonado to provide a short, on-demand video training on tips for
presentation/ facilitation for use by the GPAC and GPUSC.