The City of Summit needed to take a fresh look at their Master Plan but wasn’t ready to undertake a brand new planning effort from scratch. The Planning Board wanted an updated strategy that was community driven, actionable and flexible.
Topology reevaluated community goals and objectives by leveraging the planning work that had already been done and by supercharging the community engagement process using technology and demonstration projects. The Plan was developed as part of a robust public process that reached a broad spectrum of residents, with a priority on ensuring full transparency in all decision making processes.
Taking public engagement beyond the confines of workshops and committee meetings, citizens were engaged to share their community vision with us and each other throughout the process online and on the streets. The team collaborated with an on-line tech platform —CoUrbanize— and gathered over two thousand responses in the form of comments, texts, and survey responses. To bring objectives to life right away, the Topology team worked with the City’s Public Works Department to install a parklet (small park/public space in a parking spot) for the duration of the Master Plan re:Vision process.
Project Partners
Nora G, Radest, Mayor
Michael Rogers, City Administrator
Jeffrey B. Wagenbach, Esq, Board Chair
Amy Cairns, Public Information Officer
Jin Blades, DCS Manager
Summit Public Works Department
Outreach
“Charrette Week” and Master Plan Expo
coUrbanize Online Engagement
Neighborhood Living Room Meetings
Storefront Planning Studio
Location
Project Plan
Role
Planning Consultant
Project Category
Master Plan
Public Engagement