VII. 1. 2023 Public Engagement Plan Discussion
CITY OF HOPKINS
Memorandum
To: Planning and Zoning Commission Chair and Members of the Commission
From: Ryan Krzos, City Planner
Date: February 28, 2023
Subject: Public Engagement Plan Discussion
_____________________________________________________________________
Purpose
To discuss a public engagement plan.
Background
This years’ Planning and Zoning Commission work plan includes development of a public
engagement plan. The primary purpose of the plan was to engage with and educate the
community specifically on the Commission’s activities and function. This memorandum
summarizes a general framework to develop public engagement efforts and offers
discussion items to help organize and manage activities. An appropriate start at this
meeting is to identify the targeted quantity and the possible events that Commissioners
have interest in participating in; and the messages/dialog for these events. Given staff
capacity, the events are largely to be organized and executed by Commissioners, with
support and assistance from the liaison, and other staff. For example, help with creating
and print any posters, handouts, etc. The Commission could establish a working group to
specifically work on this initiative if members so choose.
Outreach Opportunities
An achievable goal for the Commission would be to engage around general community-
wide ideas or topics. This would lessen the necessity to discuss specific development
proposals or applications outside of the regular meeting setting in keeping with open
meeting laws. Additionally, the City has policy that establishes an existing engagement
process for each specific development proposal. As a point of reference a summary of
these outreach efforts is attached to this memorandum. Below, are a few suggested areas
outreach that would advance and highlight the Commission’s work:
Planning and Zoning in General – i.e. Zoning 101.
The New Development Code
The Comprehensive Plan
Specific policies enacted in the new Development Code (Accessory Dwelling Units,
Parking reform, Sustainability, etc.)
A New Interactive Zoning and Development Map (A preview will be demonstrated at the
meeting)
Planning & Development
Event Opportunities
During discussion of engagement as a part of the work plan development, the consensus
of the Commission was to aim for 2-4 events for the year. The events noted below are
specifically outlined as options with potential opportunities to utilize a table or display
since they are community wide events. However, the Commission should also consider
that some of these event have a wider draw than just Hopkins, which would make
engagement more difficult.
Spring
• Mainstreet Days - Saturday, May 20th
• Garden Plot Kick-Off - May 13th
Summer
• Farmers' Market - Saturdays in June through October, 7:30 a.m. to Noon
• National Night Out - Tuesday, August 1st
• Raspberry Festival - July 12-16, 2023
Fall
• Fire Department Open House – Fire Prevention Week (2023: Oct 8 – Oct 14)
Winter
• State of the City - 2024 Date TBA
The City’s events calendar is located on the City website
Although Commission members expressed interest in collaboration on events held by the
City’s Park Board; their events are specific in nature and thus would not be conducive to
direct engagement. The Park Board’s main event is Arbor Day on April 28, where
Commissioners are free to participate as a community member. Additionally, City Staff,
the Parks Board, and consultants are in the process of preparing a Parks System Master
Plan. If the Commission is interested in hearing more about the plan, the Park’s Board
liaison would be able to present as the draft is finalized.
Event Organization
For each event, responses to the following questions will inform the content, organization,
and execution of the effort.
• What is the specific goal, issue or problem to address and how is it related to the
P&Z Commission’s purview and role as an advisory body to the City Council?
• Why do you need or want people to get involved? What do you want to accomplish
by getting the community involved (i.e. education and general awareness, or
consultation)?
• Who will be involved in organizing/staffing the effort?
• What face-to-face and what digital tools will you use?
• Who is the target audience?
• What information, resources, processes, or accommodations do you need to plan
for to make this a successful event or effort?
• How will you measure if it has been successful? What constitutes success for both
the project team and participants? What do you need to do carry-out this
evaluation?
• What do you anticipate your participants will expect beyond the event in terms of
follow-up?
To help organize the commission’s thoughts and establish a process, staff created the
attached form. By completing the form, staff will better understand what the Commission
needs to carry out the engagement.
No vote is needed for this discussion item; the Commission should discuss and offer any
questions related to this process. At future meetings, the Commission can use the
framework to execute outreach efforts and/or events.
Next Steps
Tonight, the Commission should discuss and being preparing the public engagement
plan. As noted, the Commission could also establish a working group, who would then
bring their work back to the full Commission, and would also be communicated to the City
Council
Current Engagement Practices
Practices for Development Proposals
This section describes the engagement practices that are carried out for more routine development
proposals.
Project Webpage on City Website
Upon submittal of a zoning application needing review by the PZ&C staff creates a page on the City
Website alongside other active and recent projects. The page contains a summary of the project, the
steps in the review process, the submittal plans and documents, and the contact information for the
staff member responsible for the project and often the developer/applicant.
Example: Ovation Apartments - https://www.hopkinsmn.com/1070/Ovation-Apartments
Neighborhood meetings
Applicants for conditional use permits, zoning map amendments, and other significant zoning
requests are responsible for arranging and holding a neighborhood meeting. Required
neighborhood meetings are separate from the public hearing that is required pursuant to state law.
The meeting is a chance for neighbors to hear directly from the applicant, provide feedback, and
asks any questions they may have about the project. The meeting is to occur at least one week
before the statutorily required public hearing on the application.
At the meeting, the applicant must provide a sign-in sheet at the meeting to be signed at the option
of those in attendance. The applicant must also take minutes at the meeting. A copy of this
information must be provided to city staff following the meeting, which is then included with the
agenda packet materials.
Required Public Hearings
State statute requires when the Planning Commission holds a public hearing the City must provide
notice to surrounding property owners. The development code procedures go beyond the minimum
requirements, specifically with a greater radius distance around the property (500 ft as opposed to 350
ft.) and includes occupants in addition to the property owner.
Mailed Notice: When the procedures of the development code require that mailed notice be
provided, such notices must be sent to all owners and occupants of property within 500 ft of the
subject property via mail; postmarked at least 10 days before the day of the public hearing. The
zoning administrator is authorized to increase the otherwise applicable 500 foot notification
radius based on project size, geographic considerations, or other relevant factors aimed at
providing adequate notice to affected properties.
Published Notice: Certain procedures of the development code require that published notice be
provided, the notice must be published in the city's official newspaper. Required newspaper
notices must be published at least 10 days before the day of the public hearing.
Social Media
Although not currently a consistent practice, the
Administration has indicated an interest in
posting development project information to the
City’s social media accounts. This is likely to be
in the form of information posting following
approval of projects.
Informational Signage
When a zoning application is submitted, one of
a number of city-owned signs are placed on the
subject property. The sign contains a contact
number and a prompt to visit the City website for more information. The signs typically remain in
place following approval.
Practices for City-Wide or Large-Scale Projects
Significant planning projects/processes have extraordinary, extensive and uniquely tailored
approaches to outreach and engagement. A few examples are highlighted below.
2040 Comprehensive Plan
An extensive engagement plan was pursued for the City’s chief long-range planning effort, the
Comprehensive Plan. The Tools and Strategies section of the introduction chapter summarizes the
types of activities that were undertaken during planning process.
Advisory committee meetings. The City convened a standing advisory committee to meet
throughout the planning process, and provide input on plan development. This group met from
Summer 2017 to Spring 2018. Members were chosen to reflect a diversity of backgrounds and
perspectives.
Take it To Them meetings. Identified as a priority through the citywide goal-setting process,
these meetings reflect a proactive approach to reaching out to the community, rather than
waiting for the community to show up. Meetings focused on groups that have been traditionally
under-represented. Venues included a senior center, a bar (“Planning and a Pint”), apartment
buildings, cultural celebrations, the farmers market, and community festivals.
Online comment mapping. The Cultivate Hopkins website hosted an online comment tool that
allowed people to map issues in the community, coded by type. This helped to pinpoint areas
throughout the city that had concentrations of assets and/or concerns.
Targeted surveys. There were several community surveys used during the process, both on
general and specific topics. Circulating them online - including through social media - broadened
the audience reached by the surveys.
Project website and social media. The Cultivate Hopkins website provided an ongoing resource
for information about plan development and opportunities to provide feedback.
Nontraditional tools. These included a project kick-off video, poetry wagon, chalkboards, and
building blocks exercise.
325 Blake Redevelopment
Prior to the selection of Alatus as the master developer of the site, the City and Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District identified the importance of community engagement in the plan
development process. To this end, they developed a community engagement framework to
inform the development of the 325 Blake Road site. These efforts took place in addition to the
routine engagement practices required by state law and/or City policy.
As part of implementing this framework, the MCWD conducted a series of community listening
sessions in Spring of 2021. These began with virtual meetings with various City, Watershed,
County and regional level planning staff as well as with the Hopkins City Council and MCWD
Board of Managers. A virtual listening session was also conducted with the community, in which
42 residents participated.
In the summer 2021, one virtual meeting and one in-person open house were hosted for the
community to get feedback on design preferences. Seventeen people participated in the virtual
meeting and 65 people attended the open house. Additionally, MCWD’s consultant team led a
design charrette with Alatus and various community stakeholders to further view and refine the
current design concept.
Community engagement then shifted from the MCWD project to Alatus’ development project.
Alatus hosted neighborhood meetings in August and November 2021 to get feedback from the
community on the proposed development. Due to the unique partnership between MCWD, the
City, and Alatus for this project, MCWD and City staff took part in community engagement at
these neighborhood meetings.
The 325 Blake Road development includes a strong public realm with opportunities for public art
and wayfinding to lead people through the site to Minnehaha Creek, the Cedar Lake Regional
Trail and the Blake Road LRT Station. City staff encouraged Alatus to hire an engagement
consultant to do targeted community engagement with the diverse residents who live in the
Blake Road corridor to inform the public realm, public art and wayfinding. Alatus hired Forecast
Public Art, who led an engagement effort focused on reaching renters, people of color, and
youth. City staff worked with Forecast and Alatus to support this engagement.
Planning & Zoning Commission Event Planning Worksheet
Please fill out this form when planning a Planning & Zoning Commission event.
1. Event Information
Event Name Event Date
Event Location
Who is the target audience? How many people might attend?
What is the overall goal of the event?
How does this event further the mission of the Planning & Zoning Commission?
What will the Planning & Zoning Commission need at the event? (Tables, chairs, access electricity, food, etc.)
What support is needed from the staff liaison?
2. Communications
How would you like to advertise the event? (Please fill out Communications Request form)
How will commission members advertise the event? (Handing out flyers, tabling at other events, sharing on social media, etc.)
3. Budget
What is the estimated budget for the event? (Please provide a breakdown of estimated costs)
Was the event budgeted for in the annual budget?
Was the event part of the Planning & Zoning Commission workplan?
City of Hopkins • Planning & Zoning Commission
1010 1st Street South, Hopkins, MN 55343
Ryan Krzos | 952-548-6342 | rkrzos@hopkinsmn.com
Yes No
Yes No
Tasks to be completed Person Responsible Due Date