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    Prospect Park – Minneapolis, Minnesota

PROSPECT PARK nrp phase II Preparation Steps and Action Plan Primer

(This Policy will replace the NRP Management Review Team Policy adopted April 3, 1995.)
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Preparation and Processing of Neighborhood Action Plans, Plan Modifications, and Early Access Requests Policy (4/26/05 Draft)

Background

Article VII of the By-laws of the NRP Policy Board allows the Board to “establish such standing or special committees as it may deem necessary and appropriate”. Section 2 of this same Article further states that “The purpose, number of members, and selection criteria for officers and members of all committees of the Board shall be determined by the Board”. Pursuant to these authorities, the Policy Board has eliminated the Management Review Team and rescinded the NRP Management Review Team Policy adopted April 3, 1995. This change has been communicated to each of the jurisdictions that are members of the Policy Board for action as needed by that jurisdiction.

Process for Neighborhood Action Plans

Process Goals

Improved coordination and collaboration between neighborhood and department/agency activities is one of the goals of the NRP. Timely involvement with neighborhood Early Access Requests, Plan Modifications, and Action Plan development can help neighborhoods and jurisdiction staff identify:

  • Opportunities for coordination with existing public or private sector plans, programs or activities
  • Potential conflicts with existing public or private sector programs, plans and policies
  • Opportunities to share or reduce costs, and to identify additional sources of financing or institutional partners to support implementation of Neighborhood Action Plans
  • Opportunities to align the capital and operating budgets of the jurisdictions with the priorities and initiatives identified in Neighborhood Action Plans
  • Alternative solutions or strategies to help address neighborhood priorities
  • Opportunities to coordinate the scheduling of public or private-sector activities with related Neighborhood Action Plan activities

To maximize the potential benefits that can result from the participation of government staff, the NRP Policy Board establishes the following process and expectations for the Preparation and Processing of Neighborhood Action Plans, Plan Modifications and Early Access Requests.

As the Neighborhood Begins the Planning Process

Jurisdictional Notification

After the neighborhood completes and receives approval of its Phase II Participation Agreement the NRP staff will inform the following individuals that the neighborhood is entering the Phase II Neighborhood Action Plan Development process:

  • City Council Member for the Ward of the Neighborhoo
  • Minneapolis City Coordinator
  • Superintendent of Parks
  • Superintendent of Schools
  • Hennepin County Administrator
  • Executive Director of the Minneapolis Library Board
  • Minneapolis Chief of Police
  • Director Minneapolis Public Works Department
  • Director Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department

The notification will include the name of the NRP Neighborhood Specialist serving as a liaison to that neighborhood and a contact person in the neighborhood with their phone/email address.

Information, Orientation and Education Meeting

NRP staff will organize a meeting between neighborhood members and jurisdiction staff to ensure that neighborhoods develop their NAPs based on the best information and expertise available. NRP will schedule this meeting so that it is held in the neighborhood within 90 days of the date the Participation Agreement is approved by the NRP Director. As part of their presentation, jurisdictions will have the opportunity to present their priorities to the neighborhood. NRP staff will notify the executive director if efforts to organize the necessary meetings are unsuccessful for any reason and the executive director shall report any concerns regarding cooperation from other jurisdictions to the Policy Board.

Individual jurisdictions should consider presenting a profile for the entering neighborhood that can be used to inform, educate and assist them with their Neighborhood Action Plan (NAP) development activities. The items provided to the neighborhood should include:

  • Demographic (census and trend) information on the neighborhood
  • Organizations willing to provide assistance to the neighborhood and their contact information
  • Jurisdiction staff names, areas of expertise/responsibility, and contact information
  • Inventories of current jurisdiction programs and initiatives already happening in, or affecting, the neighborhood
  • Capital and public infrastructure projects planned for the neighborhood during the next five years
  • Existing small area and other plans that affect the neighborhood or that should influence strategies included in the NAP
  • Jurisdiction goals and objectives that should inform development of the NAP

NRP staff will continue to be available to assist the neighborhood or the jurisdictions with making contacts or meeting arrangements throughout the Phase II NAP development process.

When the Neighborhood has Identified its Priorities.

After the neighborhood has developed their vision, identified their goals and begun forming the objectives and strategies that will be the heart of their NAP they should try to get the relevant departments or agencies, especially potential partners, involved to share with them the issue being explored or addressed, the options being considered and the possible resources that will be made available. NRP staff will assist with identifying jurisdiction personnel to invite. The purposes will be to:

  • Obtain the reaction of and feedback from jurisdiction professionals to the ideas being considered by the neighborhood. (e.g. What is currently being done with regards to this issue? How will the proposed options fit with other efforts to address the issue that are already being implemented or tried? Are there potential partners for the neighborhood that the neighborhood may not have considered? What results were achieved by similar past efforts and what lessons can be learned from that prior experience? What other resources could be available to help implement the options being explored by the neighborhood and how can they be accessed?)
  • Inform jurisdiction staff of the issues of priority to the neighborhood and the options they are exploring.
  • Provide feedback to jurisdiction staff on neighborhood perception of jurisdictional initiatives to address neighborhood priorities. (e.g. How effective have the present initiatives been? What adjustments to existing programs/projects are needed to make them more responsive to neighborhood concerns and more effective? Will new proposals address the perceived need and, if not, can they be modified?)
  • Develop points of contact and interpersonal relationships that can be used to continue to communicate and inform as the planning process proceeds and strategies are finalized.

When the Draft Plan Has Been Written

After the neighborhood has drafted the strategies that will be considered for inclusion in the NAP, and before the plan has been presented to the neighborhood for review and approval, the NRP Neighborhood Specialist will assist the neighborhood with organizing a final consultation with the jurisdictions that are affected by or will be involved in implementing its NAP. This consultation can identify areas of conflict or potential conflict, points needing clarification, enhancement or additional information or explanation, and areas that may need to be incorporated into jurisdiction business plans or budgets.

At this point, the NRP Neighborhood Specialist will also transmit the draft to NRP’s external counsel for their preliminary review to ensure that the strategies and the way that they are described meet the requirements of the NRP statute.

After the Final Plan Is Written

The neighborhood will submit the NAP approved by the neighborhood to the NRP for its review and the final review by counsel. NRP will give notice of the date of the Policy Board meeting at which the NAP will be considered and distribute the plan, for any final comments, concerns or recommendations, to:

  • City Council Member for the Ward of the Neighborhood
  • Minneapolis City Coordinator
  • Superintendent of Parks
  • Superintendent of Schools
  • Hennepin County Administrator
  • Executive Director of the Minneapolis Library Board
  • Minneapolis Chief of Police
  • Director Minneapolis Public Works Department
  • Director Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department

All comments must be received within 15 working days of the date the NAP is distributed and must include a contact person with whom NRP and the neighborhood can work to resolve raised issues. It is the responsibility of the jurisdiction, department or agency to ensure that its comments are submitted by this deadline.

NRP will discuss any comments received with the commenting jurisdiction to ensure understanding of the concern being raised or the comment being made and discuss the concern or comment with the neighborhood. If a meeting would be helpful, NRP will arrange and facilitate the meeting between the neighborhood and jurisdiction representatives. If these discussions produce a mutually agreeable resolution, any changes needed in the draft NAP will be incorporated before it is presented to the Policy Board. If the issues or concerns are not resolved, the NRP Director will attach, with his letter of transmittal, the unresolved concerns received from the department or agency director and the response of the neighborhood.

In all cases, revisions or comments to be attached must be submitted to the NRP Director one week prior to the date of the Policy Board meeting at which the NAP will be consideredso that the NRP Director can prepare a transmittal letter to the Policy Board and coordinate the presentation of the NAP for review and approval.

Process for Early Access Requests and Plan Modifications

Early Access Requests and Plan Modifications

All Early Access and Plan Modification Requests will be submitted by the neighborhood to the NRP office for review and processing in accordance with the "Changing Approved Neighborhood Action Plans and Early Access Requests" and "Early Access to NRP Funds for Selected Neighborhoods" policies adopted by the Policy Board.

Adoption of this Policy on Preparation and Processing of Neighborhood Action Plans, Plan Modifications, and Early Access Requests removes the MRT as a reviewer of Plan Modification and Early Access requests.

Download an early-access proposal form.

Effective Date

This Policy shall become effective upon adoption by the NRP Policy Board. Neighborhoods in the process of developing their Phase II Neighborhood Action Plans will be expected to satisfy the requirements of this Policy that apply to any of the steps of their plan development process that have not yet been completed.