At the Planning & Development Committee meeting on Monday evening, there was a discussion about changing the way that the community is notified of development proposals or zoning changes that require a public hearing. The discussion took place at the request of Alderman Ray Rogina, who suggested further steps were necessary as a result of comments that he heard from constituents regarding the Illinois Central School Bus proposal.

City staff and legal counsel provided information regarding the City’s current practices and those of other area communities. This information can be found here and demonstrates that the St. Charles requirements are similar too, or more stringent than, most other communities in the area.

At the present time, there are many ways that interested parties can learn about proposals being considered by the City:

1. a sign posted on the property that is the subject of the public hearing. The sign is posted by the City and includes a phone number to call for more information.
2. a notice mailed to the registered owner of property located within 250 feet of the subject property
3. a notice published in local newspaper of general circulation
4. notices/meeting materials posted to the City’s website and distributed to local news media
5. contact with the city staff or officials

Traditionally, there has not been outcry from residents that they did not know about, or cannot find information regarding, what is occurring in St. Charles or their neighborhood.

In the City’s 2009 survey of residents, the number of respondents that rated the City’s communication as “poor” or “very poor” was 3.5%, a decrease of .5% from the 2007 survey. This means that over 96% of city residents believe we are doing an adequate job of communicating with them. That survey also revealed that the three most frequently utilized sources of information about things going on in the city were:

• the city newsletter
• a public hearing/meeting
• word of mouth

In addition, the City is a recognized leader in communicating with constituents. Over the past few years, technology has rapidly changed and new methods of communication have been implemented by forward-thinking organizations. St. Charles has changed the way that we communicate with stakeholders, including the deployment of Facebook, Twitter, e-mail list serves, blogs, and RSS feeds. All have been well-received by constituents who have also adopted new ways to communicate with their co-workers, family, and friends.

Ultimately, the members of the City Council elected to ask staff to consider installing a larger sign on the properties that are the subject of public hearings. They elected to maintain all other current standards for providing public notice at this time.

What do you think about the City’s efforts to communicate regarding development proposals or public hearings? What methods would you suggest the City employ to communicate with you about these projects or proposals? 

Your feedback is welcomed.