Drums, Batons, and Sousaphones: Conducting Strategic Planning in the Oak Grove Community
Presented by: Clintel Betts, Oak Grove Community Group; Sherick Andri Jovan, U.S. EPA Region 7; Carolyn Mitchell, Dennis Vanderpool, Associated Youth Services; LaBarbara James Wigfall, Kansas State University; and Belinda Young

The redevelopment process in urban communities is complex and unpredictable. Too often, community input is forgotten in the process of evaluating technical, economic and political requirements. Establishing a strategic planning process that values input from all stakeholders is critical to project continuity and realization. Community visioning is one of the most important activities in which a community can engage. This process involves all stakeholders in exploring community development options through community meetings, small group discussions, charettes, workshops, case studies, community history fairs and conference presentations. Stakeholders participate in two-hour drawing sessions with design professionals to visualize their development options. Through this creative process, communities are empowered and inspired to move forward in partnership with government, businesses, developers and other stakeholders.
This panel presentation will provide examples of a successful collaboration between residents of the Oak Grove neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas; Associated Youth Services, a local nonprofit organization; local governments; and the U.S. EPA. Panelists will discuss the planning process for the redevelopment of John Garland Park—a neighborhood park built over a model landfill in Kansas City, Kansas. Panelists also will discuss the consensus building process utilized for community-based, long-term planning of the John Garland Park landfill site. Multimedia technologies will be used to introduce participants to the community visioning process used at the Oak Grove neighborhood.