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MEMO TO: The Elk River City Council • FROM: Bob Minton RE: The updating of the Comprehensive Plan DATE: December 2, 1995 Now that the updating of the Comprehensive Plan has been completed by the Steering Committee and the Planning Commission, I would like to offer a few observations on my part on how this process could be improved the next time around. The vision of the future. Although there w ire some sizable crowds at some of the meetings, they were there mostly to react to the issues being discussed, or to some perceived threat. The reactions of people can give some idea of their view of the future of the city, but it is not the most positive way of constructing a vision. I would suggest that n:xt time, a consultant be retained for the very specific task of visioning, and that this be done befor a committee starts to meet. According to what we have been exposed to at various training me(tings, there are several methods that can be used to determine the attitudes • and views of a popular ion on this subject, ranging from surveys that are scientifically based on a stratified random saml le, to focus groups dealing with architectural design.. There would be seven l advantages to the kind of data obtained: 1. The context for the information could be more positive in nature, and not based on some perceived thi eat, 2. The views would b;reflective of the entire population, and not just of those who come to the meetings. 1 he crowds at a meeting can often be composed of a neighborhood group or of those vho are interested in an issue, and they can often be at odds with the population as a w] ole. 3. The data could be =ocused on the future of the city, which is sometimes difficult to do at a meeting with a.current emotional issue. Specific information. In retrospect, we needed more information on some of the more contentious issues. It is certainly difficult for the staff to know how much information they should load onto volunteer members. As a general rule, and from my point of view, I would say it is better to err on the side of overloading. The information, however, should be focused on issues that are predictably • controversial, and as much as possible it should be geared to specific questions and provided in a digest or summary form.