Projects' exceptional community engagement recognized

Oregon’s Community Involvement Advisory Committee has honored three land use planning projects with 2024 Achievement in Community Engagement (ACE) awards.

The city of Bend received the Most Outstanding Project award for large jurisdictions for its Climate Friendly Area designation. To engage vulnerable communities, the project team focused on language-specific events, translated materials, and offered stipends, child care and food at certain events. Significant coordination with Central Oregon Community College’s Latino leadership program and with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs resulted in a city memorandum of understanding with the tribe and a promise of continued engagement.

Morrow County won the Most Outstanding Project award for small jurisdictions for its Rural Transit Equity Initiative. To better engage the Latino and Spanish-speaking population in transit use, the county partnered with two regional community-based organizations, REV and Euvalcree. The outreach began with a survey designed and analyzed by a professor and students at Eastern Oregon University. Then one-on-one engagement took place. Morrow County is planning to update its Goal 1 plan to better implement the recommendations.

Washington County received a Project of Special Significance award for its Council Creek Regional Trail project. This shared community vision grew from the Council Creek Regional Trail Master Plan. With a consultant team, the county undertook multi-jurisdictional engagement with almost 40 community-based organizations involved. Demographics analysis and targeted outreach led to the engagement of under-represented and difficult-to-reach populations.

The OAIC is staffed by the Department of Land Conservation and Development . ACE awards recognize organizations and individuals that have actively promoted and implemented the values of Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goal 1 through an outstanding community engagement strategy.

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