The 2011 Oakland Community Plan: Broad-based Involvement for a Bold New Vision Introduction Pittsburgh’s greatest asset is the collective strength of its ninety neighborhoods. Oakland has long held the status as the most dynamic of them all. In terms of its diversity – of uses, demographics and urban fabric - Oakland surpasses even Downtown in its vitality as a 24-hour urban hub. The powerful mix of institutions, commercial activity, residential districts and parks are blended together in a way that provides unique experiences for its vast number of workers, long-time residents and thousands of students, many of whom are just becoming acquainted with the city. While Oakland is rich with resources, opportunities and success stories, its very nature brings many complex challenges as well. Large medical, educational and civic institutions exert great influence on the neighborhood. A largely transient population is not ideally suited to organize and address long-term quality of life issues. As an employment center the character of the neighborhood changes continually throughout each day. In no small measure, Oakland’s success can be attributed to two essential, symbiotic characteristics. The first is the strength of its institutions – individually as organizations and collectively as the Oakland Task Force (OTF). Second is its thirty-year commitment to community planning. The story of present-day Oakland begins with the Oakland Plan, completed in 1980. As a counterforce to the rapidly expanding University of Pittsburgh, this comprehensive planning process engaged stakeholders in every subneighborhood of Oakland to envision a future that would be harmonious and prosperous for all of its diverse interests. The impacts of this effort are numerous, and include the development of over 320 housing units; the creation of a successful workforce development program; and the establishment of a Business Improvement District, to name a few.
OPDC is embracing this challenge by inviting a new generation of community partners to become invaluable contributors to a new community plan.
Perhaps most important was the building of a solid community development infrastructure that is manifested in organizations such as Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC), Oakland Transportation Management Association (OTMA), Oakland Community Council (OCC), and many others. Amidst all of its accomplishments, Oakland is now in full stride and ready to take on the challenges of decades ahead. While continuing to provide its current services, OPDC is
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embracing this challenge by inviting a new generation of community partners to become invaluable contributors to a new community plan. Imagining Oakland’s Future Imagine Oakland at the end of the decade. Pedestrians stroll along tree-lined avenues of Fifth and Forbes, while cyclists cruise down dedicated bike lanes that connect to existing parks and trail networks. The residential sectors are spotted with an abundance of verdant community gardens, and reveal dramatic increases in homeownership and private investment. Oakland boasts the highest number of energy-efficient houses and businesses in the region. The major portals into Oakland are unmistakably defined by their innovative architecture and infrastructure, including an enhanced Boulevard of the Allies that possesses the attributes of a true boulevard. The City’s most captivating murals and public art adorn building facades and public spaces. For many communities it is not uncommon to find their visions to be so close and yet, year after year, just beyond their grasp. Progress, impeded by uncertainty as to what to do first or from where the funding will come, is slow and frustrating. A proven remedy for this dilemma is the creation of a community plan that will prioritize goals, measure successes, attain high levels of cooperation amongst community partners and earn the confidence of investors. The 2011 Oakland Community Plan OPDC Convenes its Community Partners To implement an electrifying vision such as this, Oakland will need the full cooperation of its stakeholders in the creation of a plan that will enable the neighborhood to navigate an increasingly competitive funding terrain. At the present, Oakland is well positioned to carry on its fruitful tradition of community planning, with the requisite leadership provided by OPDC. OPDC’s Executive Director, Wanda Wilson, is an accomplished professional planner, with more than a decade of experience working as a planner at the Department of City Planning and as program officer at the Pittsburgh Partnership of Neighborhood Development. OPDC is one of the highest achieving community organizations in the City with extensive experience in housing development and workforce development, and has actively participated in many citywide initiatives essential to community planning.
Oakland is well positioned to carry on its fruitful tradition of community planning, with the requisite leadership provided by OPDC.
Oakland’s new plan will, first and foremost, aim to: Establish a vision for how Oakland will evolve over time; Develop principles that are shared community-wide and will guide the neighborhood’s development; Create effective strategies to realize that vision; and Identify the best uses of resources already available within the community as well as resources to address the needs that remain.
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The plan will lead Oakland to the heart of its greatest challenges and produce the tools needed to remedy them. Specifically, it will enable Oakland to: Evaluate its residential market and develop appropriate public/private development strategies; Craft a green vision or ‘green print’ that will map a greener Oakland and help to engage partners such as the Western PA Conservancy and GTECH; Further existing ideas pertaining to multi-modal transportation, including bike access as a major component; and Explore the potential for integrating public education as a community development strategy that enhances Oakland as a long-term option for families with children. Resources It wasn’t long ago that community planning required cumbersome (and expensive) work on the front end for data collection, mapping and old-fashioned outreach. Fortunately, Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning, University of Pittsburgh and others have made great leaps forward over recent years to assemble relevant information and have made it readily accessible for community organizations and individuals. Some of these new tools include:
PGHSNAP (Sector Neighborhood Asset Profile/Action Plan): a centralized data source that provides information and maps for every neighborhood; demographic and housing indicators; and Oakland can development and planning strategies. expect to complete PGHGIS (Geographic Information System): an interactive mapping resource for all neighborhoods. a community PNCIS (Pittsburgh Neighborhood and Community planning process Information System): an interactive property information in a year’s time system available to community organizations and hosted by Pitt.
Process and Roles Generally, respected and accomplished community-based organizations are best suited to spearhead a community planning effort. OPDC fits that bill, as it is well poised to engage residents, business owners, government agencies, elected officials, and institutional and civic leaders in a timely and effective manner. The primary role of OPDC will be to convene and facilitate the planning process, delegate responsibilities and raise funds for the plan and its implementation. For its community partners, OPDC will maximize their participation while minimizing the burdens of orchestrating a planning effort. To be most effective, an advisory committee that is representative of the community will guide the process. Members will not only have ample opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the content of the plan, but to the structure of the process itself. Often, some institutions may exert greater influence over others in a planning process, due to
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their size or experience. A healthy committee will ensure that all represented organizations are on an equal footing. This can be achieved by, for example, adhering to the practice of one vote per organization, regardless of how many individuals represent any given organization. This method increases levels of participation and expertise by allowing organizations to be represented by multiple individuals without diminishing the voice of others. The roles of the participating constituents vary based on the nature of the planning process. Most importantly, representatives must be individuals who are knowledgeable of broad community issues as well as the priorities, abilities and limitations of the entity they represent. From the outset they must be made aware of the amount of time that is required and frequency of meetings to which they are expected to attend. Planning is an iterative process in which members are routinely provided with new information and given opportunities to discuss and test new ideas. In short, the process can be described in the following sequence: education, discussion, idea generation, refinement, and action planning. While the methods may vary, it would be reasonable to expect the early stages to include small group discussions, presentations from other neighborhoods, focus groups and surveys. This work would be initiated in the fall of 2010 and carry into the winter along with the bulk of data collection and mapping. In the spring of 2011, the committee will participate in activities designed to generate ideas and stimulate creativity, such as design charettes. The summer will provide time to critique and refine the best ideas. Once consensus is established, participants will begin work on an action plan. The partnerships amongst Oakland institutions are already strong (due in large part to the success of Oakland’s past planning efforts), whereas some communities need to create those partnerships from scratch. Because of this, as well as many new tools at OPDC’s disposal, Oakland can expect to complete and community planning process in a year’s time - roughly half the time needed just a few years ago. Why Plan? Nearly all communities arrive at crossroads at which they consider embarking on community plan, and discover a great number of factors that will influence their decision. Above all, those involved want to understand the benefits, both immediate and long-term, as well as requisite expenditures of time, money and energy. To do this means to first examine the broader context in which Oakland sits. Oakland often seems less like a traditional neighborhood and more like its own city. Because Oakland has so many prominent institutions, outsiders often perceive it as being extremely well resourced and thus entirely self-sufficient. In reality, Oakland is, in fact, a neighborhood and must compete with other neighborhoods for resources available through the Urban Redevelopment Authority, City Planning and local foundations; and, on the state and federal levels as well. In some ways, because of Oakland’s assets, it loses some competitive advantage.
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To regain that edge, a community plan can clearly illustrate the resources that Oakland institutions can provide alongside of the needs that remain. It can showcase the opportunities where public or private investments can be met halfway to achieve extraordinary things while relieving outside funders from shouldering the full costs. The most prominent argument in favor of community planning is that a community that speaks with one voice is better positioned to access funds and resources from governmental and philanthropic sources, and can achieve its goals in a more cooperative and efficient manner. Over the past decade, competition for these resources has become more severe than ever. As government agencies and foundations have adopted more business-like operating models, they demand higher levels of accountability and measurable outcomes. In short, the days of need-based funding and charitable giving are waning, and today’s financial support is seen more as investments – investments that demand a return. Thus, neighborhoods with consensus around a clear vision are commonly viewed as less risky than those with varying and sometimes conflicting agendas. Beyond monetary investments, a community plan can give Oakland the power to raise invaluable social capital through sustained community engagement and volunteerism. Successful community development creates improved markets that make it easier for private property owners to invest their own money into the betterment of the community. A plan will begin to answer questions about what commitments private property owners are able and willing to make. Conclusion It is an exciting time to live or work in Oakland. The grandeur of Schenley Plaza has made it a remarkable public gathering space. Improvements made through the Hometown Streets program have enhanced pedestrian safety and overall walkability throughout the business district. Newly constructed houses are welcoming new families that have chosen to call Oakland home. These, along with many other developments, are merely the first chapter to be written about the future of Oakland. Because the rest of the story has yet to be scripted, OPDC is inviting all of its community partners to help author this future. OPDC is fully prepared to lead this effort, through which Oakland will improve its ability to prioritize development opportunities, create a stronger investment market, build a stronger social infrastructure and map out a cleaner, greener and safer community. The 2011 Oakland Community Plan will bring clarity to the capacity and responsibilities of all those who comprise the foundation of one of Pittsburgh premier neighborhoods. The opportunities and incentives for investment will be evident, as will the standards and guidelines for quality development. Equally important, Oakland will gain a better understanding of its relationship to its neighbors, and how its success will catalyze revitalization beyond its borders.
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The costs are modest and the benefits numerous. Above all, a successful planning effort will have a marked impact on how Oakland is perceived from inside and out as it asserts itself as the greatest neighborhood in a city of great neighborhoods.
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