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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRooted in Relationship Presentation to PC 5-21-2025ROOTED IN RELATIONSHIP 5/21/2025 A presentation for the Jefferson County Planning Commission, DCD Staff, and Community Members Welcome EngageJC is a collaborative team composed of members from Usawa Consulting, Community Wellness Project, and Well-Organized. We work to shift how planning happens by ensuring that communities historically excluded from these processes are fully present and shaping the outcomes. The Washington State Department of Commerce funds our work to support inclusive engagement for the Jefferson County and City of Port Townsend Comprehensive Plan updates. We’re here to reflect what people shared, what we experienced, and what needs to change. IGNORE INFORM CONSULT INVOLVE COLLABORATE DEFER TO We facilitated multiple engagement pathways: People First Workgroup: Residents navigating housing insecurity, criminalization, and disability-related barriers Youth Voice: Gathered through participation in the Connectivity Summit Agriculture and Food Systems Conversations: Focusing on land use, food justice, and ecological stewardship Community Workgroups: Grounded in lived experience and mutual support Outreach to Tribal Government and Staff: Encouraging in government-to-government relationship-building andelevating Indigenous-led priorities Ongoing Dialogue with JCIRA and Immigrant Communities: Centering housing, safety, and access needs OUR APPROACH Our engagement process was designed to be accessible, culturally grounded, and rooted in trust. We created spaces where people felt resourced, respected, and empowered to shape the planning process—not just comment on it. We anchored our work in the Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership, shifting the role of community members from passive input toward shared authorship and influence. WHAT WE EXPERIENCED:ENGAGEMENT & STRUCTURAL GAPS Relational Learnings When conditions were accessible, trauma-responsive, and rooted in relationship, people engaged with clarity and vision. When people were resourced to participate, when facilitation was trauma-responsive, and when relationships were prioritized, the conversations were deep and actionable. WHAT WE EXPERIENCED:ENGAGEMENT & STRUCTURAL GAPS Breakdowns in Existing Engagement Structures Across every engagement, we encountered and heard consistent frustration with Jefferson County’s current practices: Short notice windows and unclear timelines Little to no follow-up or communication about how feedback is used Lack of interpretation, translation, or accessibility accommodations Meetings that exclude youth, working families, caregivers, disabled residents, and elders. This lack of accessibility and inclusion occurred in physical and virtual meeting formats. The County website is challenging to navigate. Public records and key documents are buried in Laserfiche, a system that is technically public but structurally unusable for most residents. People often don’t know when decisions are made, how to access draft policies, or who to contact for clarification. It’s not that people aren’t engaged, it’s that they’re being kept out by design. -Anonymous Jefferson County Community Member WHAT WE EXPERIENCED:ENGAGEMENT & STRUCTURAL GAPS The Cumulative Impact When communities are invited only at the end of the process, When decisions are drafted before dialogue begins, When policy documents require professional credentials to interpret, When public input is limited to narrow formats or platforms— The result is mistrust, disconnection, and disengagement. Communities internalize: “This process is not for us.” We lose the collective wisdom, accountability, and trust that make planning meaningful. Community Priorities/Themes Land Use & Ownership Land should serve the community—not displacement or speculation Priorities: Support for community land trusts and cooperative ownership Agroecological zoning and food system protection Prevent rezonings that drive displacement or ecological harm Housing & Safety People First members described living in fear of tickets, eviction, and criminalization Youth expressed not seeing themselves as part of the region’s future Priorities: Legalize tiny homes, RVs, and village-style housing Fund deeply affordable, community-controlled housing Tie land use to anti-displacement outcomes—not developer timelines Community Priorities/Themes Infrastructure & Access Gaps in infrastructure are daily survival barriers Priorities: Invest in sidewalks, street safety, and rural transportation Expand broadband, water, and sewer repairs in existing communities, not just new development areas Governance & Power People want to shape decisions, not just react to them Priorities: Community advisory structures with real influence Long-term accountability beyond one-off meetings Transparency in decision-making and implementation Community Priorities/Themes Infrastructure & Access Gaps in infrastructure are daily survival barriers Priorities: Invest in sidewalks, street safety, and rural transportation Expand broadband, water, and sewer repairs in existing communities, not just new development areas Governance & Power People want to shape decisions, not just react to them Priorities: Community advisory structures with real influence Long-term accountability beyond one-off meetings Transparency in decision-making and implementation DEEPEN ACCESSIBILITY & DISABILITY INCLUSION Go beyond physical ADA compliance to include cognitive and developmental disabilities Involve disabled people in all stages of planning Improve transparency and access for People First communities RECOMMENDATIONS AFFORDABLE, INCLUSIVE, & DIVERSE HOUSING Legalize and support small- footprint housing. Dedicate units for disabled residents and protect those at risk due to benefits or caregiving. Strengthen short-term rental policies to prevent displacement. INVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH, YOUTH, AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE Youth called for more spaces for recreation, job training, andmental health services. Many voiced appreciation for thecommunity's supportive nature and small-town character, butthey want modern amenities and deeper inclusion in socialissues like housing and climate justice. Build youth-friendlyinfrastructure like teen- accessible transit, gatheringspaces, and late-hour businesses. RECOMMENDATIONS CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE JUSTICE Community members repeatedly raised concernsabout pollution (e.g., paper mill), the need for innovativestormwater and sewage solutions, and climateresilience strategies that address equity and localcapacity. Address pollution and climate resilience with an equity lens Invest in innovative, localizedsolutions (stormwater, sewage, air quality) RETHINK ENGAGEMENT: TRANSPARENCY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND TRUST Break down digital barriers:many community members, particularly those withdisabilities, youth, and rural residents, struggled toparticipate due to inaccessible tech platforms, confusingmeeting agendas, and short- notice communication. Emphasize long-term, participatory engagementbeyond “tokenized” or post-hoc feedback. This includes earlyand sustained involvement, transparent incorporation ofinput, and compensating community members for theirtime and insights. RECOMMENDATIONS RETHINK ENGAGEMENT: TRANSPARENCY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND TRUST Critique of the current PlanningCommission process was a strong thread, especiallyregarding its gatekeeping dynamics and the exclusion ofnon-professional or non- technical voices. Shift from extractiveconsultation to participatory governance TRANSPORTATION, MOBILITY, AND INFRASTRUCTURE EQUITY Expand Dial-A-Ride, IncreaseSouth County service, and introduce Sunday service. Improve sidewalk safety,lighting, and signage for those with disabilities. Align infrastructureinvestments with community needs, especially in rural andunderserved areas, to reduce barriers to participation andservices. RECOMMENDATIONS PROCESSRECOMMENDATIONS Resource and institutionalize community-rooted engagement year- round, not just during ComprehensivePlan cycles. Provide translation, stipends, transportation, and access support asbasic infrastructure. Create public feedback loops with clear, reasonable timelines andaccountability. Use evaluation metrics defined by the community: trust, transparency,accessibility, and meaningful influence. Improve online and Hybrid options. Sustained engagement builds a symbiotic relationship, where trust grows and the community and County can better support one another. We see this as a path forward, not just for this plan, but for how we work together long-term. CLOSING...