Nice Bridge Improvement Project Public Involvement Plan

Slide 1:

Nice Bridge Improvement Project Public Involvement Plan
DRAFT
Charles County, Maryland
King George County, Virginia
December 11, 2006

Slide 2:

Overview

This Public Involvement Plan for the Nice Bridge Project Improvement Project serves as a guideline for distributing public information and engaging the public in this project. This plan outlines the process that the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) will implement to identify public concerns, public outreach strategies, public comment opportunities, and potential stakeholders in this project.

The public involvement process for this project will focus on all parties potentially affected by this project as well as those who have a vested interest. MdTA assumes that nearby neighborhood associations, local residents and boaters; state, local, and regional authorities; major employers, and community facilities/services fit into this criteria.

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Public Involvement Plan Summary

MdTA will perform the following tasks as part of implementing the Public Involvement Plan for the Nice Bridge Improvement Project:

• Prepare and continue to update a project mailing list of individuals and groups that have interest or could potentially be affected by the project.
• Prepare fact sheets, brochures, and/or newsletters about the status of the project that will include information on upcoming meetings, milestones, and project deadlines and distribute to project mailing list.
• Maintain up-to-date project webpage.
• Establish a Focus Group made up of stakeholders, which would include community and business representatives, special interest groups and other stakeholders.
• Place environmental documents in local repositories for public review and comment.
• Initiate and facilitate meetings with interested parties, if necessary.
• Initiate and facilitate public meetings (in both Maryland and Virginia) at significant project milestones/decision points and provide written information on the project at these meetings.
• Respond thoroughly and appropriately to concerns, questions, and issues raised by any of the interested parties.
• Monitor and evaluate the public involvement process to ensure that all questions of interested parties or groups have been adequately answered.

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Public Involvement Objectives

• Provide public with effective, consistent opportunities for potentially affected and interested parties to voice their concerns and ideas.
• Provide public with information on the project status, including timeframes, design issues, environmental impacts, and social impacts.
• Build lasting relationships with the community and interested parties and provide reasonable opportunity for their involvement.
• Coordinate with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) throughout the course of the project for their input on public involvement.
• Where applicable, adhere to public involvement provisions included in SAFETEA-LU and other federal and state laws.
• Include outreach efforts that are targeted toward minority, low-income and bilingual communities who may not be reached by ordinary outreach strategies (i.e., speakers of other languages).

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Slide 8:

Key Milestones

• Project Initiation Announcement
• Alternatives Public Workshop
• Draft Environmental Document Published for Public Review and Comment
• Location/Design Public Hearing
• Final Environmental Document Published for Public Review and Comment

Ongoing Activities

• Maintaining Project Mailing List
• Nice Bridge Improvement Project webpage
• Project Newsletters
• Receiving/Addressing Comments on Project
• Community Requested Meetings
• Focus Group Meetings
• Outreach to environmental justice and bilingual communities

Slide 9:

Project Newsletters

Objective
To inform the public of the latest project activities and recent developments. Newsletters will be circulated prior to public workshops and the public hearing, as well as posted on the project website. The purpose of circulating a newsletter prior to the workshop helps to encourage involvement and participation from the public. Distributing a newsletter following the workshop is a way of showing the public their thoughts and concerns were heard.

Anticipated Newsletters and Purpose

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Stakeholders
Local Business Representatives
Major Employers
Local Community Associations/Organizations
Elected Officials
Local Government Entities/MPO (Tri-County Council)
Residents (and boaters)/Property Owners within the study area
Travelers Using Facility (automobiles and trucks)
Utility Companies
Boating, Fishing and Camping Associations
Shipping vessel associations

The initial list of interested parties, however, may be expanded upon if other organizations, groups, or community members perceive that they may be affected by this project.

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Major Employers and Local Businesses

Major Employers

• TASCO (Waldorf)
• Chopp & Company (Waldorf)
• Applied Ordnance Technology, Inc. (Waldorf)
• Genesis Elder Care Network (Waldorf)
• Maryland Independent (Waldorf)
• Verizon
• Besche Oil - (Waldorf)
• Chaney enterprises (Waldorf)
• Automated Graphics Systems, Inc. (White Plains)
• Southern Maryland Oil (La Plata)
• Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (Hughesville)
• American Community Properties Trust (St. Charles)
• Facchina Construction Co.(La Plata)
• College of Southern MD (La Plata)
• Civista Medical Center (La Plata)
• Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head (Indian Head)
• Naval Surface Warfare Center (Dahlgren)
• King George County Public Schools (King George)
• Vitro Corporation
• White Packing Co., Inc.
• EG & G (Gaithersburg, MD)
• Computer Science Corporation (King George)
• MCSI Technologies, Inc.(King George)
• Syscon Corporation
• Heritage Hall (King George)
• McDonalds Restaurant of VA (Dahlgren)
• Tate Facilities Service, Inc.
• Food Lion, Inc.
• Chemical Waste Management
• Solite Corporate
• Northern Neck Transfer, Inc. (King George)
• Integrated Microcomputer Systems
• FMC Corporation
• King George Word Processing
• System Maintenance & Technology

Local Businesses

• Bel Alton Motel (Bel Alton, MD)
• Lafayette Inn (Bel Alton, MD)
• Town 'N Country Motel (Faulkner, MD)
• Robertson's Crab House (Newburg, MD)
• White House Motel (Newburg, MD)
• Captain Billy's Crab House (Newburg, MD)
• Gilligan's Pier Seafood & Steakhouse (Pier III) (Newburg, MD)
• Tims II at Fairview Beach (King George, VA)
• Morgantown Generating Station (Morgantown, MD)
• Aqualand Marina Owner (Newburg MD)
• Dan's Equipment, Inc. (MD)
• G&M Auto Service (MD)
• General Dynamics Information Technology (VA)
• Oscar Lease Services (MD)
• Somerset Homes (MD)

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Local Organizations/Government Entities, Community Associations/ Special Interest Groups, and Other Interested Parties

Local Organizations/Government Entities

Maryland

• Tri-County Council of Southern Maryland
• Charles County Chamber of Commerce
• Charles County Economic Development Department
• Conservancy for Charles County (MD)
• Charles County Office of Tourism
• Charles County Planning Commission

Virginia

• King George County Planning Commission
• Rappahannock Area Development Commission (RADCO)
• King George Park and Recreation Department &, Advisory Council
• King George County Historical Society

Community Associations/ Special Interest Groups

• Banks O'Dee Citizens Association, Inc. (Newburg, MD)
• Cobb Neck Citizens Alliance (Cobb Neck, MD)
• Citizens for a Better Charles County (Bryans Road, MD)
• Sierra Club (La Plata, MD)
• King George Bicyclist Association (King George County, VA)
• Southern Maryland Audobon Society (MD)
• Oxon Hill Bicycle & Trail Club (MD)

Other Interested Parties

• Cliffton on the Potomac (MD)
• King George on the Potomac (VA)
• Hoes Ferry (VA)
• Liberty Plantation (VA)
• Parkbridge on the Potomac (VA)
• Monmouth Village (VA)
• Chatham Village (VA)
• Ferry Dock Landing Homeowners Association (VA)
• Meadows of Dahlgren (VA)
• Culpeper Commons (VA)
• Peppermill (VA)
• Scenic Ridge (VA)
• Kitchen Point (VA)
• Swan Point Property Owners Associations (MD)
• Homeowners along Roseland Road (VA)
• Barnesfield Park (VA)
• Wayside Park (VA)
• Aqua-Land Marina &, Boat Ramp (MD)
• Dahlgren Marine Works/Marina (VA)
• Hayden & Love Ramp (MD)
• Jimmy & Ann's Store/Ramp (MD)
• Colonial Beach Yacht Center (VA)
• Potomac Rivers Charters (VA)
• Monroe Bay Marian (VA)

Slide 13:

Engaging Stakeholders

Determine the Appropriate Public Involvement Techniques:
After identifying key stakeholders in this project, it is also necessary to determine the appropriate public involvement techniques that meet the expectations of each stakeholder group. The matching of expectations and appropriate techniques can include:

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Media Resource List