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3 <br />INTRODUCTION <br />Project Background <br />The Downtown & Central Redwood City Plan (DCRC or “the Plan”) is a comprehensive initiative <br />to shape the future of Downtown Redwood City and adjacent neighborhoods, focusing on <br />sustainable growth, cultural preservation, and community equity. The City is employing a two- <br />phase planning framework prioritizing public engagement to guide policy decisions and <br />development goals: <br />Phase One will establish a foundation by engaging diverse community voices to identify <br />community needs and priorities and inform plan alternatives. <br />Phase Two will further refine these insights into actionable strategies aligned with the <br />City’s vision for inclusive and sustainable urban development. <br />Approach to Engagement <br />Given Downtown’s role as the civic hub Redwood City, community engagement for the DCRC <br />will foster an inclusive dialogue to capture a broad spectrum of perspectives and feedback from <br />residents, business owners, and other community stakeholders. At the same time, engagement <br />will include targeted, deep outreach to specific neighborhoods and community groups with <br />geographic, economic, and/or cultural roots in Downtown and the broader Plan Area. Outreach <br />will employ a mix of online and in-person activities to effectively reach and engage diverse <br />audiences. Engagement will generally take place in three stages: <br />1)Listening and Learning: This stage focuses on understanding existing conditions and <br />gathering additional input on community experiences, needs, and priorities. <br />2)Exploration: Building on the initial findings, this stage involves deeper community <br />engagement to explore potential solutions. The team will work collaboratively with the <br />community to develop and refine preferred concepts. <br />3)Visioning: In the final stage, the refined concepts are synthesized into a cohesive Vision <br />Plan that reflects the community priorities and provides a roadmap for implementation. <br />The overall approach to the Community Engagement Strategy throughout all stages is built <br />around four pillars: <br />1)Equity. Recognizing that certain groups have historically been underrepresented in <br />urban planning processes, the engagement strategy will prioritize outreach to those who <br />may face language, economic, or cultural barriers to ensure that their voices are <br />thoughtfully considered and integrated into the decision-making process for the Plan. <br />Nuestra Casa, a community-based organization with a long history of working with <br />immigrant Latino families in Redwood City, North Fair Oaks, and East Palo Alto is a <br />valued member of the consultant team. Nuestra Casa will employ grassroots <br />engagement methods such as door-to-door outreach and their tried and tested <br />Promotoras Program will facilitate informed conversations on project-relevant topics <br />within the Spanish-speaking community. Nuestra Casa will partner with Redwood City <br />Together for a broader and deeper reach in the community. The project team will also <br />work closely with other local community-based organizations (CBOs) and trusted <br />community leaders, identified in collaboration with City staff, to ensure the Plan reflects <br />the diversity and needs of all residents. <br />8.A. - Page 9 of 17 <br />72