CHRONOLOGY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. The County has been working with the City, local economic development agencies, and the public to understand the needs of downtown Battle Creek and how they can best revitalize the area. They conducted interviews with local business owners and residents, held design workshops, completed a market analysis, and analyzed extensive data on existing conditions. Those involved noted that the “impression of emptiness” in and around the downtown core was keeping residents and visitors from patronizing the area. This process and the outcomes/goals are summarized in the 2018 Battle Creek Master Plan and the subsequent 2018 Downtown Plan, which include similar goals of promoting investment in the city core and elevating the downtown area as a community focal point and a premier place to work, live, play, and invest. The cleanup and redevelopment of the Site aligns directly with the Land Use Plan included in the 2018 Battle Creek Master Plan that identifies the Site and surrounding area as a production and employment center and neighborhood commercial area. The public and various City organizations (Battle Creek Unlimited, Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce, and others) were involved in the development of the Downtown Plan and the identification of the area of the Site as a key downtown gateway. These interested parties also identified investment in the city core as the first goal in the 2018 Battle Creek Master Plan. Community involvement in the potential cleanup of the Site began in 2019, when the County announced its intent to apply for a Cleanup Grant through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This announcement was made in the two newspapers of record for Calhoun County and included information directing the public to the location where they could review the grant application and draft Analysis of Xxxxxxxxxx Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA). A public meeting was then held to discuss the draft grant application and draft ABCA. No public comments were received either before or during the public meeting; therefore, no changes were made to the grant application or draft ABCA. The Cleanup Grant was awarded in 2020; however, the Covid-19 pandemic delayed work on the project. The County is now in the position to utilize the awarded grant and community involvement activities will begin as described in this CRP. The details of the continuing community involvement from this point forward are discussed in Section 8 and will include a public meeting to “kick-off’ the pr...
CHRONOLOGY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. The City has actively engaged the community in the planning for the Trout Brook Regional Trail and for the Trillium Nature Sanctuary Project since the late 1990s, when a series of meetings was held in conjunction with the planning of the existing trail and production of the Trout Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Small Area Plan. The resulting Trout Brook- Lower Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Plan was incorporated into the Saint Xxxx Xxxx Use Plan in 1999. In early 2000 the city received a planning grant from the MnDNR to prepare a Master Plan for the Trout Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx. In September 2000, the Saint Xxxx Planning Commission established a Task Force to assist in the development of the Master Plan, representing affected parties and community interests. Eleven groups sent a delegate to City of Saint Xxxx – Trillium Central Cleanup Grant Application 14 participate in the Task Force: the Capitol Region Watershed District, the Tri Area Block Club, the District 6 Planning Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx of Swede Hollow, the Dayton’s Bluff District 4 Community Council, the Xxxxx Xxxxxx District 5 Planning Council, Diamond Products, the Lowertown Depot, Xxxxxx County Parks, Saint Xxxx Xxxxx and Recreation Commission, and the DNR Metro Greenways Division. In addition to the Task Force, a Technical Advisory Committee advised this work. A Public Hearing for this plan was held on September 7, 2001. Specific to the Trillium Nature Sanctuary Project, a Community Task Force was created during the Preliminary Design phase of the park. Meetings were held from April 2005 through February 2006. Trout Brook Regional Trail routes, amenities, connections and impacts were a large focus of the Trillium planning process. The 2009 Master Plan for the park resulted from that process. Since that time, the City and CRWD have worked collaboratively on a study to determine which potential water sources are available for the proposed stream channel. A report entitled “Trillium Water Resources Feature Feasibility Study” was completed in January 2011 by CRWD. As a part of the water resource study, a stakeholder task force was convened which included representatives from the City, CRWD, the Tri Area Block Club, Mn/DOT, and Xxxxxx County. The City has designated a spokesperson (see Section 5.0) to inform the community of actions taken and respond to inquiries. The spokesperson will use a wide array of communications methods to keep all segments of the community informed and enable them to ask questions, offer suggestions, and provide co...
CHRONOLOGY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. The Site has been a topic at County meetings. All County board meetings are open to the public. City and County officials and public bodies (Mayor and City Council) will be kept apprised of the status of the project by means of internal progress reports. All reports are public documents and will be provided as requested. Community involvement has been an ongoing element of the City’s/County’s redevelopment efforts and will continue to be a priority. Prior to applying to the IFA for 128(a) federal funding for Site remediation, the County has involved its community members in part because of other state and federal funding it has sought/received. The County has/will inform the public through flyers, news articles, meetings and published meeting notes. The County has/will solicit input through advisory committees/groups, Site visits, and meetings with key community representatives. To comply with U.S. EPA’s 30-day public notice/comment period prior to the anticipated summer field work activities, the County will prepare a legal ad for the RWP to run from mid May 2012 to mid June 2012 (exact dates to be determined). The City legal ad(s) will reference the ABCA and the SHPO response, as well as this CRP, in the designated local public repositories for review. The County plans to compile/address any comments prior to 128(a)-funded remediation activities.
CHRONOLOGY OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. Since 1999, when the WCDC has owned the Site, this non-profit group has been working toward addressing environmental issues for redevelopment in the neighborhood. The WCDC’s mission is to stabilize and revitalize the near west side of the City of Indianapolis via housing and commercial development, property management, and community planning. The WCDC can inform the public through flyers, news articles, local meetings and/or published meeting notes. To comply with U.S. EPA’s public notice/comment period prior to the anticipated summer field work activities at the Site, the WCDC has published a legal ad/public notice in The Indianapolis Star newspaper to run from June to July 2013 regarding Site cleanup documents. The legal ad references the RWP, ABCA and the SHPO responses, in the designated local public repository for review. The WCDC plans to compile/address any comments prior to 128(a)-funded remediation activities. The WCDC also utilized its Web site to post a public notice about the Site at xxxx://xxxxxxxx.xxx/?page_id=203.
