A few weeks ago, CPEHN wrapped up our fall convening series, A Blueprint for Health: Planning Communities that Promote Equity in Los Angeles and San Diego. Over 100 advocates, planners, and local governmental staff engaged the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) on the importance of including health and equity in the newly released draft statewide general plan guidelines. These convenings were space for community advocates to provide direct feedback and comments to OPR staff on how the plan guidelines can be incorporate localized community engagement strategies and fostering more equitable development.
Allison Allbee from our partner organization Changelab Solutions presented in both Los Angeles and San Diego about the context of how important the state’s general plan guidelines can be for local development and how communities can get involved in the process.
Dr. Elizabeth Baca from OPR also presented about what the new draft guidelines currently include. She especially focused on specific sections concerning public engagement, healthy communities and social equity. These chapters can be read by clicking on the links below.
Chapter 3: Public Engagement and Outreach
Chapter 5: Healthy Communities
Chapter 6: Social Equity, Environmental Justice, & Community Resilience
In Los Angeles, Tamika Butler from the LA County Bicycle Coalition, Gwendolyn Flynn from Community Health Councils and Joe Donlin from Strategic Actions for a Just Economy shared their organizations’ local advocacy work on land-use and development. In San Diego, N. Diane Moss from Project New Village and Brian Pollard from the Urban Collaborative Project also shared their insight about localized development projects and priorities.
The discussions in Los Angeles and San Diego led to rich discussions and comments about how the statewide plans were connected to local issues. OPR will be synthesizing the comments from the convenings and a final draft of the guidelines should be released in 2016.
There’s still time to send in your feedback to OPR on the general plan guidelines. Comments will be accepted until December 18. Go to this link for more information.