Yorba Linda Town Center Blue Ribbon Committee

BACKGROUND

The Yorba Linda Town Center Blue Ribbon Committee was established in the wake of unfavorable community reaction to the Town Center Planned Development Zoning Regulations that were adopted - and subsequently rescinded - by the City Council in late 2005 and early 2006.

The Council recognized there was a need to go beyond the methods that had been used thus far to gather public input regarding Town Center and provide an even greater opportunity for residents to discuss and shape the future development of the community’s downtown core. The result was the establishment of a citizen’s advisory committee to be known as the Town Center Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC).

THE COMMITTEE

The Town Center Blue Ribbon Committee was a citizen’s advisory group charged with gathering and assembling ideas on what the community would like to see included in the Town Center.

To help ensure the Committee was inclusive enough to provide a wide variety of community viewpoints, the group included one member from each of the City’s four commissions, representatives from local groups and organizations, and 2 residents selected as “at large” members. As a way to provide a level of independence from the City, the commission/group members of the Committee were selected directly by their respective groups, not the city council or staff members. This group of Committee members then selected the two at large members based on applications received from interested residents.

THE WORK PLAN

Aside from laying out some very general guidelines, the City Council left many of the details as to how the Committee would carry out its task to the Committee members themselves, including selection of a committee chair and details about how best to collect the public’s ideas and suggestions.

Specifically, the Committee looked at the area identified as the “Community Core” and “Old Town” in the City’s current General Plan (see map), the same area covered by the 2003 Downtown Master Plan.

The Committee began meeting in July 2005. Among the tasks accomplished the group were learning the basics of planning and redevelopment, reviewing previous Town Center plans and documents, gathering public input, soliciting and selecting a contract facilitator, and conducting field trips to 11 “town centers” throughout Southern California to get an idea of what works – and what doesn’t. THE FINAL REPORT The Committee officially presented its Final Report to the City Council on February 5, 2008. Per the City Council's original direction when it established the BRC, the Committee has been dissolved now that its Report is done.

NEXT STEP

The City Council has announced it will hold a special Study Session workshop on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 starting at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the Blue Ribbon Committee's Final Report as well as how to proceed with the Town Center implementation process. It will be held in the City Council chamber at City Hall.