HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-19-096 - Development Services Review UpdateREPORT TO:Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee
DATE OF MEETING:May 13, 2019
SUBMITTED BY:Justin Readman, General Manager,519-741-2200 ext. 7646
PREPARED BY:Margaret Love, Manager of Service Coordination & Improvement,519-
741-2200 ext. 7042
WARD (S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:April 25, 2019
REPORT NO.:DSD-19-096
SUBJECT:Development Services Review Update
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION: That the proposed shared vision for the development services
review be approved; and further,
That the site plan and public engagement processes be prioritized for review, as outlined
in Report DSD-19-096.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Detailed Planning phase for the Development Services review began in October 2018 and
will conclude at the end ofMay 2019 at which point, the Collaborative Delivery phase will
commence.
The Collaborative Deliveryphase(June 2019 May 2020)will include a detailed review of (i)
the full site planprocessand (ii) public engagement processes, the development of a process
improvement strategy,and a recommendation report to Council.
The purpose of this report is to present Council with the results from the Detailed Planning phase:
Establishment of a Shared Vision for Economic Growth, City Building, Sustainability and
Development Interests
The scope for the first-year detailed review period(June 2019 May 2020)
Environmental Scanresults
A summary of engagement activitiesto-date
BACKGROUND:
In September 2017, Dan Chapman shared five priorities that he would be pursuing in his first
hief Administrative Officer (CAO). One of those priorities involved
undertaking an organizational review toensure that organizational structure supports
strategies and vision. As a result of this review, like-functions were aligned strategically
and the Development Services Department was created and includes five divisions: Building,
Economic Development, Engineering, Planning,andTransportation Services.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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In parallelto the organizational review,preliminary workbeganon developing a high-level scope
for thedevelopment servicesreview. The purpose of the development services reviewis to look
at how development functionsinteract and are coordinated, and to identify if that coordination
can be improvedin a way that results in clearer accountability, stronger collaboration, and
ultimately an even better customer experience.Five objectives were identified for thereview:
1.Establish a Shared Vision for Economic Growth, City Building, Sustainability, and
Development Interests
2.Align Work Processes to Support the Development Services Vision
3.Enhance Team Building, Collaboration and Creative Problem Solving
4.Take a Coordinated Approach to Development
5.Communicate Clearly and Effectively
The development services review is currently nearing the end of the Detailed Planningphase,
as identified in the project timeline that is depicted in Figure 1, and will be entering the
Collaborative Deliveryphase in June 2019.
Figure 1.Project Life Cycle for the Development Services Review
REPORT:
outcomes of the development services review and/or those with the ability to influence
the outcomes
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Using this definition, key stakeholdergroupsinclude: staff, the development community, the
broader Kitchener community and Council. An overview of all stakeholder engagement activities
completed to-date for the development services reviewisprovidedin the Community
Engagement section of this report.
Establishing a Shared Vision
In November 2018, stakeholderswere engagedthrough the process ofcreating a shared vision.
This staff report summarizes details from this process, while the full summary report is included
as Attachment A.
One of thefirst priorities for the new Development Services Department was to undertake a
more detailed review of selected development functions to bring a greater focus, coordination
and accountability to the delivery of development-related services.
It is essential that stakeholders are working towards common goals and understand how their
contributions support the delivery of development services, as there are a number of
disciplines involvedwho may represent functions with competing interests at times.
This report delivers on one of the first objectives of the development services review by
proposing a shared vision between all stakeholder groups --Council, staff, the broader
Kitchener community,and development community --for economic growth, city building,
sustainability, and development interests.
The goal in establishing a shared vision is to achieve broad alignment across all stakeholder
groups. Once established, all future process improvement recommendations in development
services will be aligned to, and reviewed against, the shared vision. The shared visioning
framework proposed in this report has six components: a vision statement, a mission, values,
commitments, goals, and stakeholder actions.
The vision statementis intended to provide a description of where we want the community
to be as a result of our contributions in development services. The goal of a vision
statement is to be inspiring, purpose-driven, future-focused, and memorable.
The missionis intended to be a short statement that describes our goals and philosophies.
The valuesrepresent our core, shared values that are foundational to delivering on our
vision.
The shared commitmentsare aligned to each value and are intended to describe how we
as stakeholders in development services processes commit to working together.
The goalsrepresent key areas within each commitment that each stakeholder group will
work to implement.
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Finally, the stakeholder actionsrepresent specific steps that will be taken by each
stakeholder group to implement their goals. These actions will be identified through a
detailed review of selected development services processes, beginning in June 2019.
Figure 2 depicts the stakeholders who were involved in establishing the shared vision, while the
attached report detailsthe key themes that emerged from each stakeholder group, as well as
the final recommendations for the vision.
It is important to note that the Project Steering Committee identifiedearly in the Detailed Planning
phasethat the objective of establishing a shared vision was not about rewriting/redefining
existing policies or plansfor how the City will grow/develop. Rather, the purposeof establishing
a sharedvision is to articulate how stakeholders will collectively work togetherto build a great
citywithinthe existing policy framework.
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Figure 2: Stakeholder groups who participated indeveloping a shared vision
With existing strategies, plans and policiesin mind, staff drafted a shared vision as the first step
in this process.Both a Corporate Leadership Team(CLT)half-day Strategy Session (January
2019) and aCouncil Strategy Session (March 2019) were used to fine-tunethis body of work
prior tosharing with the community and development community for their feedback.
A total of three community focus groups and two developer drop-in sessions(March/April 2019)
were hosted by staff and Councillors across the City of Kitchener to collect feedback on
development services, present and obtain feedback on the
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draft vision as well as discuss priorities for the first year of the review.The final vision is
presented in Figure 3, below, while the evolution of the shared visionisdescribedindetail in
Attachment A.
Figure 3: Final Shared Vision
Moving forward, all future process improvement recommendations willbe aligned to, and
reviewed against, the shared vision.
Scope of Development Services Reviewfirst-year review period
In October and November 2018, various stakeholders including the Mayor, Councillors, staff,
community members, local businesses, architects, builders, consultants, developers, agencies,
utilities, neighbourhood associations, and advisory committee members were engaged through
surveys and interviews to:
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Understand their expectations of the review;
Identify what they needed from the review; and
Identify how the City may bring the greatest impact and improvements to development
services processes.
We heard from stakeholders that processes are too long, complicated, duplicative, difficult to
navigate, and paper-intensive, with too much energy being spent on trying to navigate the
process/parties involved.We also heard that confused and frustrated customers can be atime
drain on staff resources,as they need to triagecalls, emails and in-person visitsto assist them.
In additionto these concerns, this engagement was instrumental in identifying the two priority
areas for the first-year review period: the site plan process and broader, public engagement
processes within development services.These two focus areaswere confirmed with Council
through a strategy session in March 2019. Subsequent to the strategy session, stakeholders
were invited to share their ideas for how to improve site plan and public engagement through
Engage Kitchener, focus-groups and drop-in sessions(March/April 2019). Ideas will continue to
besolicited on Engage Kitchener until May 31, 2019 and will be carried forward for consideration
as part of the detailed review, as appropriate.
The opportunities for improvement within site plan and public engagementwere also reinforced
through the results of theCustomer Service Review (2019) and the CommunityEngagement
Review (2017), respectively.This will be discussed further in the following report sections.
SITE PLAN PROCESS
Review methodology: Lean
Lean methodologies focus oncreating more value for customerswhile
existing processes. Aleanorganization understands customervalue and focuses its key
processes to continuously increase it. The ultimate goal is to provide perfect value to the
customerthrough a perfect value creationprocessthat has zero waste.
Leanmethodologies are rooted in creating effective and efficient processes. Methodologies use
-up approach (stakeholders identify
challenges and solutions) so that time/effort can be focused on value-added tasks.
There are 3 types of site plan applications:
Full Site Plan:Projects such as a new building or structure, major additions or building
renovations or a commercial parking facility.
Stamp Plan A:Projects such as minor additions to an existing building, street fronting
townhouses and temporary sales centres fall under this category.
Stamp Plan B:Projects that either already have an approved site plan, or include lands
covered by a development/site plan agreement that's already registered against title.
At a minimum, the FullSite Plan Processwill be reviewed using Lean methodologies.
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Strongalignment exists between theengagement feedback received for the development
services reviewandthe themes/focus areas resulting from theCustomer ServiceReview(e.g.
service-first culture, easy processes, convenient tools, clear standards, empathetic staff). In
priorityfor delivering on process improvements.Theproject team willendeavor to address the
following within the full site plan process review:
Table 2. Opportunities to Streamline the Customer Experience in the Site Plan Process
Shared ValuesPotential OpportunitiesDesiredOutcomes
Leadershipand
Review overall file management (e.g.Seamless processes
Accountability
queueing, liaison, hand-offs, issues
resolution, etc.)perspective
Explore opportunities to encourageNumber of
accurate/complete submissionsresubmissions
reduced
Review the appropriateness / justification
forrequirements at various stagesReduction in
throughout the application processunnecessary
paperwork,
Review the appropriateness of
documents
requirements based on the scale and
complexity of a projectReduction in number
of trips to City Hall, or
-
locations within City
Review checklists and templates to ensure
Hall
/
identify those that should be created
Review opportunities to expand remote
access to services (e.g. online application
submissions, drawing reviews, payments,
etc.)
Evaluate the merit of developing a different
process model for different types of
applicants (e.g. less experienced vs.
experienced)
Evaluate the merit of developing a different
process based on the scale and complexity
of an application
Evaluate the merit of a file concierge
service model
Communication
Create and share process mapsInformed customers
Establish and sharetimelines for keyProcess clarity
process milestones (macro-level)
Predictability:
Provide regular status updatesCustomers better
able to properly
Well-communicated standards
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Shared ValuesPotential OpportunitiesDesiredOutcomes
schedule their
Coordinate departmental / agency
projects
comments(resolving inconsistencies, as
needed, and prior to meeting with theFewer submissions;
applicant)quicker approvals
Consistent acknowledgement of receipt of
submissions
applicant
Communication received from one staff
member (e.g. file liaison), with consistent
messaging (i.e. avoid introducing new
nd
requirements on 2and subsequent
resubmissionsdue to multiple staff
reviewing a file)
Commitmenton review timeframes
Returnemail/phone calls in alignment with
Corporate standards
Collaboration
Ensure processes are solutions-orientedOpen, thoughtful,
and collaborativesolutions-oriented
approach to problem
Review alignment of priorities/policies
solving
across development servicesfunctions
Ensuring meetings
Be forthcoming with alternative solutions
are appropriately
that the City is willing to consider
timed and meaningful
Review/clarify roles and responsibilities
for participants
Review the purpose/objectives of existing
Clarity with respect to
meeting formats/requirements to ensure
how individual
they are meeting their intended need/
stakeholders can
identify those that should be created
contribute to the
Respect
Review the waywe deliver services to theProcesses developed
customer:
o Attitudeexperiencein mind
o Judgement/Flexibility
Customer may not
o Professionalism
always be right, but
o Convenience
they are always
o Empathy / Understanding
important
Help the customer
navigate processes
and compliance with
standards
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Out of scope for the site plan review:
Zoning by-law, Minor Variance and Official Plan amendment processes:establishing the
land use is a precursor for site plan application approval. These amendments will be
identified as a possibility in the site plan value stream mapping, however, the process will
not be mapped in detail.
Appeal process by applicant:site plans have not historically been appealed by the
applicant; therefore, the value of mapping this process is not justified at this time. The
opportunity for an applicant to file an appeal as part of the site plan process will be
identified in the site plan value stream mapping, however, the process will not be mapped
in detail.
Building Permit process:this process wasidentified as an area of strength within the
-related services and, as such, isnot identified as a priority area for
the first year review period.While some building-related processeswill be identified in the
site plan value stream mapping, the process will not be mapped in its entirety.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Review methodology: A combination of Lean methodologies, customer satisfaction,and end-
user analysis
Public engagement processeswill be reviewedbroadly across Development Services to
encourage innovative approaches to engagement while ensuring consistency and
alignment in theapproach.
As discussed earlier in this report, the process improvement opportunities identified through
consultation with stakeholders as part of the development services review Detailed Planning
phase were confirmed and reinforced through the results of two recent City-led reviews: the
Customer Service Review (2019) and the Community Engagement Review (2017).This
consistency is reassuring and solidifies the importance of the identified focus areas for the
development services review (site plan and public engagement).In January 2017, Council
resolved thatthe recommendations contained in the Community Engagement Review be
approved by Council(refer to Report # CAO-17-001). Potential opportunities to align to, and
deliver on, the Community Engagement Review recommendations are identified below.
Through alignment of theengagement resultsto the Community Engagement Review(2017),
the project team willendeavor to address the following within the review of public engagement
processesin development services:
Table 3. Opportunities to Streamline the CustomerExperience in Public Engagement Processes
Shared ValuesPotential OpportunitiesDesired Outcomes
Leadership and
Identifyopportunities to engage in moreMeaningful,
Accountability
meaningful waysand begin to develop ainclusive
1
toolkitfor stakeholders to successfullyengagement
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Shared ValuesPotential OpportunitiesDesired Outcomes
implement community engagement
Outcomes of
initiatives.
engagement are
Look for opportunities to engageshared
using new models
Identifythe objectives of
engagement in consistent and
understandable ways
Explore new ways to follow-upafter
engagement (e.g. what was heard,
how it is being used, next steps)
Review the timing of engagement
Communication
Create a guide for communityCreate a
2
engagementspecific to developmentdevelopment
servicesservices approach
to public
Articulateand shareinformation about
engagement
active development applicationsin
consistentand visual waysUnderstandroles /
responsibilities in
Improve access to information on the
engagement
(e.g. navigation content)
Enhanced access
Review the merits of expanding the
to information
legislated buffer distance for public
noticesEliminatetechnical
jargon
Develop new formats and styles of
sharing informationin presentations,Develop a brand for
reportsand public notices, for example:development
o Remove technical jargon, increaseservices signage/
visuals, ensure the informationnotices
being shared is easy to understand
Use story-telling
o Develop a City of Kitchener
methods to help
development services brand in
stakeholders
collaboration with the Ci
understand
3
Corporate Communications Team
Look for new opportunities for sharing
information and story-telling
Collaboration
Identify opportunities forgreaterBuild bridges
connectivity and information sharingbetween
between neighbourhood/communitystakeholders and
4
groups, council, staff,and developersincrease
opportunities for
Identify opportunities to leverage
information-sharing
community engagement expertisecross-
5
departmentally(e.g. explore cross-Capitalize on
departmental engagement teams)existing expertise /
strengths
5 - 10
Shared ValuesPotential OpportunitiesDesired Outcomes
Respect
Identify staff training needs, asEquip staff
6
appropriate
1
existing Community Engagement Toolkit, to provide a resource for staff and other stakeholders
who lead community engagement activities.
2
Developing a guide forcommunity engagement is recommendation #14 from the Community
Engagement Review.
3
Engage Kitchener brand. The work proposed as part of the development services review would
align toand build on this current body of work.
4
Recommendations #4 and #6from the Community Engagement Review propose developing
a strategy to create partnershipswith the community and Councilto broaden community
engagement.
5
Recommendation #2 from the Community Engagement Review supports the creation of an
internal community engagement working group to build expertise, foster collaboration, assist in
the development of tools, templates and training and share lessons to fostercontinuous
improvement.
6
Recommendation #5 from the Community Engagement Review proposes the development of
a staff training program to support community engagement.
Schedule for Development Services Review first-year review period:
Two priority areashave been identified for the first-year review period of the development
services review: (i) site planprocessand (ii) public engagementprocesses across development
services. The anticipated macro-level schedule is shown below:
Site Plan Review:June 2019 December 2019(Lean methodologies)
Public Engagement Review:June 2019 December 2019 (Lean methodologies) and January
2020 May 2020 (Customer satisfaction and end-user analysis)
The public engagement review start-date is subject to change and may partially overlap with the
Site Plan review.
Environmental Scan
An environmental scan is a review of current and anticipated internal and external factors that
o
minimize threats.
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As part of the Detailed Planning phase, the project team completedseveral environmental
scanning exercises.In a March 2019 report to Council (Report # DSD-19-048),staff committed
to providing an overview of a variety of Environmental Scanning exercises.A summary is
providedbelow.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT)
Project team members
strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats(S-W-O-T) analysis. Key outcomes from the
analysis are highlighted in Figure 4, below. Overall, CLT identified that the development services
department isentering the review from a position of strength in terms of people. While there
was recognition that staff have developed good processes(e.g. two-stage site plan approval
process), opportunities to improve were also identified. A desirefor staffto be creative, innovate,
and leadwas evident to CLT, and the development services review is an opportunity to engage
in positive change.
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Our peopleProactiveNew organizationalOn-going Provincial
communicationstructurechanges to legislation
Staff expertise
(quick roll-out;
Story-telling / bigAccountability from
Strong policy
workflow
picture branding / PRCLT
acumen
disruptions)
Citizen-focusedEstablishing a shared
Positive
Increasing
engagementvision
development
construction costs v.
interactionsClarity around theCollaborative /
affordable housing
purpose of, and rolessolutions-oriented
Quality design
Gentrification of the
in, engagementapproach to
Desire to innovate
downtown
problem-solving
Access to online
(break-down silos)Greenfield land
information / tools
supply
Engaged industry
Moving goal posts
and public
File management
Embedding
Lack of agile work
sustainability
environment
principles
throughout workflow
Applying Lean
methodoogies /
process
improvement
Figure 4. Summary of Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats(SWOT)Analysis
Previous review of the site plan process (2010)
Several meetingswere coordinated withproject leaders from a previous site plan review (2010)
to discuss what should/couldbe leveraged from the previous project and key lessons learned.
The following points represent several highlights from these discussions.
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Leverage:process maps;revisit the recommendations from the previous project
Barriers to implementing the recommendations: cost of implementation, ownership of
processes, resource and training supports; and,
Lessons learned from the project: ensure staff are engaged early and that they lead the
change, including final recommendations andimplementation; ensure there are sufficient
implementation supports (training, resources, etc.); ensure the project team shadows
existing processes; share key messages more than once; create a communication
network for sharing information; look at processesthrough multiple stakeholder lenses;
communicate what will defines project success.
The knowledge gained from these meetings will help to orient and position the development
services review project team to achieve successful outcomesfrom the current review. The
development services review will differ from the previous review in several key ways:
The 2017 Organizational review led to the creationof the development services
department, grouping like development functionsunder the leadership of one general
manager;
Leadership Team (CLT);
There is support and accountability for the success of this project in the development
services senior management team(SMT);
A continuous improvement culture has been developed across all City departments;
The development services review is internally-led and supported by subject matter
experts where necessary, resulting in accountability and follow-through;
Clear roles/accountabilities will be established throughout the term of the project; and
A change management plan will be developed and implemented.
Continuous Improvement initiatives currently underway that will improve the site plan process
In additionto the development services review, there are a number of continuous improvement
initiatives that are currently underway to improve city processes, which will result in improvement
to the site plan process:
Staff are working with industry representativesto streamline financial processes (e.g.
letter of credit and plan review fees);
Staff are working to increase the usage and functionality of AMANDA (e.g. integrate
Region and GRCA; launch a public portal);
Staff have started to scope a project for digitalplan review;
Staff are evaluating online payment options at a corporate level;and,
Staff are undertaking a comprehensive update to the Urban Design Manual which will
clarify expectations for site development.
Interviews with General Managers of development-related servicesin othermunicipalities
Beginning in December 2018, project team members began contactingthe General Managers
(or equivalent position) of 17 municipalities across Ontario to ask about their vision for building
a future-ready city, what they are doing well, and what their top priorities are for improving their
development-related services.While only fourmunicipalities have responded to the request for
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an interview (Burlington, Oakville, Cambridge,and Milton),and information was obtainedonline
for another (Brampton),the project team gleaned valuable insight from this exercise.Highlights
are identified below:
Afuture-ready cityincludes:a mix of housing choices;atransit strategy;access to jobs;
aplan to address climate change; digital transformation; and,and enhanced services.
Recent service improvement success storiesinclude:escalating files to a manager
after 2+ reviews;consolidating securities (used to have to go to different departments);
one point of contact;implementing
joint-agency working meetings to resolve issues prior to providing comments to
developers;creating an urban design review panel; and,introducing a multi-stream
approach to site plansbased on complexity.
Actions that applicants can taketo make processes as smooth as possible, include:
pre-consultingearly in the process; following-through on requirements resulting from the
pre-consultation process to ensure complete, quality submissions; keeping an open line
s point-person; providingwritten responses for how
comments have been addressed;andidentifying revisions in resubmissions.
In terms of top priorities for streamlining development processes,municipalities
identified: creating service delivery teams for projects; providing more services online;
creating strong terms of reference for studies/reports; ensuring there is good break-out
spaces for agile, collaborative problem-solving;and, implementing new processes better
tailored to the complexity of an application (e.g. site plan).
Recent changes to community engagement include: assigning a dedicated planner to
evening walks with citizens
where they identify what they like and value in a neighbourhood/city; shifting engagement
to where people are (e.g. malls, hockey games, streets, parks); creating user-friendly,
clickable maps with all project-related info from pre-approval to approval; requiring
developers to hold neighbourhood meetings as part of the pre-consultation process
(applicant runs the meeting, staff attend); developing a 3-stage meeting approach (a
neighbourhood meeting before application is submitted, a staff-led statutory meeting, then
a recommendation meeting);hosting periodic meetings with neighbourhood associations
platforms for real-time comments and engagement; mailing notices to all property owners
within 240 metres of a subject property; and, developing more visual, user-friendly written
notices, property signs and report formats.
The project team will continue to explore how other municipalities are adapting and changingto
resolve commondevelopment serviceschallenges, while recognizing thatsomeprocess
improvements inother municipalities may not be appropriate for the City of Kitchener (i.e. it is
rarelyanapples-to-applescomparison).
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Theme:Effective and Efficient Government
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Strategy: 5.2 Improve the design and delivery of city services so that they provide what
citizens want in the most reliable, convenient and cost efficient way.
StrategicProject:CS74 Development Services Review
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital budget has been allocated to this project in both 2018 and 2019 for the purpose of
undertaking the review.Any unused budget in 2019 will carry over into 2020.There is no
additional funding requested at this time.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
During the detailed planning process for the development services review, over 250
stakeholders were engaged through a variety of methods, including:
Mayor and Council through group or individual interviews, a Council strategy session, and
community workshops
Over 100 staff through one-on-one interviews, an online survey and staff workshops
30 citizens through one-on-one interviews and an online survey
26citizens through three community workshops
34 members of the development community through one-on-one interviews and an online
survey
15 members of the development community through two drop-in sessions
Eightorganizations (e.g. Region of Waterloo, utilities, government organizations)through
interviews and an online survey
Sevencommittees(Economic Development Advisory Committee, Committee of
Adjustment, Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee, Downtown Action and Advisory
Committee, Environmental Committee, Heritage Kitchener, Arts & Culture Advisory
Committee)
25people engaged on Engage Kitchener through surveys, general comments and ideas
boards
A timeline of key engagement activities is shown in Figure 5, below.The primary goal in
engaging stakeholders was to ensure quality of data, not quantity.
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Figure 5: Snapshot of key engagement activities
Additional internal and external stakeholder engagement will take place when reviewing the site
plan process and public engagement processes (part of the Collaborative Delivery phase).
The Engage Kitchener platform has been used to engage internal and external stakeholders in
the following ways:
o Share project updates
o Provide information on upcoming workshops
o Providestakeholders with an opportunity to provide general comments on the
development services review
o Provide stakeholders with an opportunity to post ideason the priority areas for the
development services review
o Obtain feedback from stakeholders on engagement initiatives
The platform will be used throughout the life cycle of the project to engage stakeholders and
share project information.
INFORM
This staff
council / committee meeting.
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Internal and external stakeholders were informed of opportunities to engage in the
website, Engage Kitchener, print form (cards at the front counters of engineering,
planning, building, transportation, economic development), Council-supported outreach,
targeted invitations, emails to neighbourhood associations, and advisory committee
meetings.
A stakeholder Engagement Reportwasshared with internal and external stakeholders
(February/March 2019)
Project informationwasshared through the launch of a public-facing Engage Kitchener
project page (March 2019)
An engagement report waspreparedand distributed, summarizing the outcomes of the
March/April 2019 Community and Development Community engagement sessions (April
2019)
CONSULT
Consulted withthe City of Kitchener Corporate Management, Corporate Leadership
Team and Senior Management Team
Internal and external stakeholders were consulted through one-on-one interviews and an
online survey.
COLLABORATE
Three staff workshops were held to draft a shared vision for all development services
stakeholders
Sixpublic engagement sessions were plannedin both the community (based on ward
groupings) and development community.The purpose of these sessions was to obtain
feedback on the draft,shared vision for all development services stakeholders and to
receive input on the priority areas for the development services review (site plan and
public engagement). In total, five sessionswere delivered, as there was no attendance at
one of the community sessions.
PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER:
th
DSD-19-048March 4Council Strategy Session
Description: Council input on the Development Services Review was obtained during astrategy
sessionon March 4, 2019. Specifically, Council was asked to provide input ona draftshared
visioning framework for all development services stakeholders as well asthe priority areas for
the first year review period(site plan and public engagement).
CONCLUSION:
Processes that do not form part of the first-year review period will be considered as part of an
on-going body of continuous improvement work.
It is important to note that, where appropriate, process improvements identified as a result of
these reviews could potentially be transferred to other similar processes (as an example there
5 - 17
are hand-off procedures in subdivision planning that are the sameas site plan, so an
improvement in one area would translate to the other).
A foundation for a continuous improvement culture in development services will be built
throughout this project. The development services review will create a framework, knowledge
base (i.e. through trained, Lean Green Belt-designated staff), and build momentum for an on-
going body of continuous improvement workin development services.
NEXT STEPS:
Initiate first-year detailed review (June 2019 May 2020)
Implementation/Sustainment (Aug 2019 onward)
Project Closure (Aug 2020); Implementation may be on-going
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Consultant Report on Final Recommendations for Shared Vision
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Attachment A
Consultant Report on Final Recommendations for Shared Vision
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City of Kitchener
Development Services
Review
Establishing a Shared Vision:
Summary and Recommendations
Prepared jointly by LURA Consulting and the
City of Kitchener
April 2019
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Our Shared Vision
Vision Statement: A city for everyone
Mission: Working together • Growing thoughtfully • Building Community
Values: Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Accountability, and Respect
Commitments:
Leadership - We will commit to shaping a great community that is
caring, vibrant and innovative
Collaboration - We will foster a helpful, flexible, solutions-oriented
approach to working together
Communication - We will communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and
transparently with each other
Accountability - We will follow-up, follow-through and make
decisions with the best interests of the broader community in mind
Respect - We will respect each other’s knowledge, experience and
perspectives
-Council, Staff, Community, Development Community
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Introduction
Following a comprehensive organizational review in 2017, the Development Services
Department was created in April 2018, bringing together Planning, Engineering,
Building, Transportation and Economic Development in order to facilitate better
coordination in the delivery of development services to the community.
One of the first priorities for the new Development Services Department was to
undertake a more detailed review of selected development functions to bring a greater
focus, coordination and accountability to the delivery of development-related services.
It is essential that stakeholders are working towards common goals and understand
how their contributions support what we are trying to achieve within the city – especially
since there are a number of disciplines involved in the delivery of development services
who may represent functions with competing interests at times.
This report delivers on one of the first objectives of the development services review by
proposing a shared vision between all stakeholder groups -- Council, staff, the
community and development community -- for economic growth, city building,
sustainability, and development interests.
The goal in establishing a shared vision is to achieve broad alignment across all
stakeholder groups. Once established, all future process improvement
recommendations in development services will be aligned to, and reviewed against, the
shared vision. The shared visioning framework proposed in this report has six
components: a vision statement, a mission, values, commitments, goals, and
stakeholder actions.
The vision statement is intended to provide a description of where we want the
community to be as a result of our contributions in development services. The goal
of avision statement is to be inspiring, purpose-driven, future-focused,and
memorable.
“Establishing a shared vision is
The mission is intended to be a short
important because, in the end, we
statement that describes our goals and
allwant a community that we are
philosophies.
proud to say we helped shape and
The values represent our core, shared
develop.”
values that are foundational to delivering
-Development Community Member
on our vision.
The shared commitments are aligned to
each value and are intended to describe how we as stakeholders in development
services processes commit to working together.
The goals represent key areas within each commitment that each stakeholder group
will work to implement.
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Finally, the stakeholder actions represent specific steps that will be taken by each
stakeholder group to implement their goals. These actions will be identified through
a detailed review of selected development services processes, beginning in June
2019. Actions will serve as a “living list” and may be amended as needed to deliver
on the vision.
This report will detail who was involved throughout the visioning process; how they
contributed to the shared vision; as well as present the final recommendations based on
feedback from all stakeholders involved.
Our Process
Between October 2018 andApril 2019, the City undertook a variety of engagement
activities with staff, City Council, and external stakeholders through interviews, surveys,
workshops, strategic sessions, focus groups and drop-in sessions to hear what people
had to say about what is working well in development services, what needs to be
improved and how to work together to achieve positive change.
Stakeholder Surveys and Interviews
In October and November 2018, over 180
stakeholders including the Mayor,
Councillors, staff, community members,
local businesses, architects, builders,
consultants, developers, agencies, utilities,
neighbourhood associations,and advisory
committee members were engaged
through surveys and interviews to:
Understand their expectations of the
review;
Identify what they needed from the
review; and
Identify how the City may bring the greatest impact and improvements to
development services processes.
Staff Workshops
As a new department coming together, over 70 Development Services staff were
engaged early in the review in order to reflect and define their new identity as a team. A
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total of three workshops engaged staff from Planning, Engineering, Building,
Transportation, Economic Development, and Parks Design and Development teamsto:
Reflect on each division’s purpose and value to the City;
Identify the City’s current reality;
Identify shared values and principles; and
Develop draft shared vision statements and commitments.
Council Strategy Session
Following the staff workshops, consultation expanded outwards. At a strategy session,
City Council and the Mayor were presented with the draft shared vision, values, and
commitments for feedback in advance of external stakeholder consultation.
External StakeholderEngagement
Both community members and the development community were engaged in the project
planning phase for the Development Services Review.
Community Focus Groups
A total of three community focus groups were hosted by staff and Councillors across
the City of Kitchener to collect feedback on participants’ past experience with
Development Services, present the draftshared vision statements, values and
commitments for feedback, identify actions in support of the commitments, as well
as discuss priorities for the first year of the review. Feedback was collected through
facilitator note-taking and optional participant workbooks.
Development Community Drop-In Sessions
Two drop-in sessions were hosted to give members of the development community
an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft shared vision statements, valuesand
commitments, identify actions in support of the commitments, as well as discuss
priorities for the first year of the review.Feedback was collected throughpublic
engagement boards and optional participant workbooks.
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What We Heard
The vision statements and commitmentshave undergone consultation with City staff,
Councillors, the Mayor,members of the community, and members of the development
community. Thesections below outlinethe key themes emerging from the feedback
from each stakeholder group. This feedback hasinformed the final recommendations
for the shared vision.
Vision Statement
Staff Contributions
At the January 2019 workshop, staff were asked to draft vision statements by
answering the question “What will we promise to contribute so that our community
benefits?” They reflected on quality and consistency of services, stakeholder
engagement, timelines, and the benefits of sustainability, innovation, integration and
providing great quality of life.
The activity resulted in 10 draft vision statements. Keyingredients from the draft
vision statements included:
High-quality service“Articulating a shared vision will help
us keep our eye on the big picture and
Community
hold us accountable to one another.”
Leadership
Innovation
-City Staff Member
Communication/engagement
The 10 vision statements were narrowed down to three by staff, and refined to
produce the following working draft vision statements:
1.Working together to build a community we share
2.Growing today to benefit tomorrow
3.Together we will bring our best to make Kitchener the best
Mayorand Councillor Contributions
At the Council Strategy Session in March 2019, Councillors and the Mayor were
asked to reflect on the draft vision statements developed through the staff workshop.
Their initial responses to the draft vision statements are summarized in Figure 1
below. Over half of the participants indicated that Vision Statement 2 did not
resonate with them (63%). A total of half of the participants indicated that they like
Vision Statement 3, but Vision Statement 1 was also a favorite, with over 50% of
participants ranking it as good or better (51%).
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Mayor and Councillor Rating of Draft Vision Statements
100%
I like it!
13%13%
90%
13%
80%
Good, but missing
50%
70%
something.
38%13%
60%
On the right track.
50%
13%
40%
25%
Has potential, but
63%
30%
needs a lot of work.
Percentage of Participants
20%
38%
25%
Does not resonate
10%
with me.
0%
Vision Statement 1Vision Statement 2Vision Statement 3
Figure 1: Mayor and Councillor Rating of Draft Vision Statements
Feedback on the first and third draft statements was positive, and the second
statement was revised based on Council’s recommendations. Table 1 below
summarizes key points from the discussion.
Comment Vision Statement 1: Vision Statement 3:
Category Working together Vision Statement 2:Together we will
to build a Growing today to bring our best to
community we benefit tomorrow make Kitchener the
share best
Likes
“Community”
“Together”
“Tomorrow” is Aspirational
“Community”
future-focused
Proposed
Remove “Benefit” –
Changes
unclear who benefitsRemove repetition
Change “working
of “best”
Propose: “through a
together” to
thoughtful,Clarify “the best” of
“collaborative”
collaborativewhat?
process”
Table 1: Mayor and Councillor Comments on the Draft Vision Statements
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After consulting Council, the draft vision statements that were thenpresented for public
feedback were as follows:
1.Working together to build a community we share
2.Building community through a thoughtful, collaborative process
3.Together we will bring our best to make Kitchener the best
Community Contributions
At the community focus groups in March and April 2019, participants were asked to
rate the draft vision statements on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing “it does not
resonate with me”, and 5 representing “I like it!”. The graph below summarizes the
response from community members on their reaction to the vision statements. Most
participants liked the second vision statement (39%), but both vision statements 1
and 2 had 61% of participants rating the statement as good or better. Vision
statement 3 was the least popular, with 39% of participants indicating it did not
resonate with them.
Community Rating of Draft Vision Statements
100%
6%
I like it!
17%6%
90%
39%
80%
22%
Good, but missing
70%
something.
44%
60%
On the right track.
28%
50%
22%
40%
Has potential, but
30%
needs a lot of work.
22%
28%
20%
39%
Percentage of Participants
Does not resonate
11%
10%
with me.
11%
6%
0%
Vision Statement 1Vision Statement 2Vision Statement 3
Figure 2: Community Rating of the Draft Vision Statements
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Participants were also asked what they liked, and what they would change about each
vision statement. Their feedback is summarized in Table 2.
Comment Vision Statement 3:
Vision Statement 1: Vision Statement 2:
Category Together we will
Working together to Building community
bring our best to
build a community through a thoughtful,
make Kitchener the
we share collaborative process
best
Process-based
Descriptive and
“Share” implies
process-based
Likes*
sharing
“Thoughtful” implies
responsibility
Includes name of
involving
the City
“Working
community
together”
Strong elements
Good use of key
Resonates
words
Missing “together”
Proposed
Best is subjective –
Explore otherCombination of
Changes
unclear what it
words for “build”statements 1 & 2?
means
Describe theAdd growing
Outcome-based -
community wethoughtfully
does not resonate
are building
Balance needs
with community
Table 2: Community feedback on the Draft Vision Statements
Community members expressed strong opinions that, while there were elements about
the proposed statements that they like,a vision statement needs to be less about city
processes and more about “creating a city for everyone by everyone”. As author Jane
Jacobs famously stated “Cities have the capability of providing something for
everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
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Development Community Contributions
At thedrop-in sessionsin March 2019, attendeeswere also asked to rate the draft
vision statements. Figure 3 summarizes the response from developers on their
reaction to the vision statements. Most participants liked the third vision statement
(36%), but vision statement 1 was the most popular, with 92% of participants rating
the statement as good or better. Vision statement 2 was the least popular of the
three.
Development Community Rating of Draft Vision Statements
100%
I like it!
17%
90%
33%
36%
80%
Good, but missing
70%
something.
60%
18%
50%
On the right
75%
track.
40%
58%
30%
Has potential, but
45%
20%
needs a lot of
Percentage of Participants
work.
10%
8%8%
0%
Vision Statement 1Vision Statement 2Vision Statement 3
Figure 3: Development Community rating of the Draft Vision Statements
Participants were also asked what they liked, and what they would change about
each vision statement. Their feedback is summarized in Table 3.
Comment Vision Statement 3:
Vision Statement 1: Vision Statement 2:
Category Together we will
Working together to Building community
bring our best to
build a community through a thoughtful,
make Kitchener the
we sharecollaborative process
best
Likes
ToneTone
Tone
Working together“Together”
Proposed
Changes
What kind of
Building what kind of
community?
community?
No feedback
Share for what
Be descriptive
purposes?
Table 3: Development Community comments on the Draft Vision Statements
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The Final Vision Statement
After reviewing the contributions of all stakeholders, it was determined that it would
be more appropriate to develop both a vision and mission statement.
Vision statements should be unique, memorable, future-focused, specific and clear,
and relevant to all stakeholders. With this in mind, and taking into account the
feedback that we heard from our diverse stakeholder groups, we saw one common,
overarching theme emerge: to build a city that is for everyone. This is in alignment
with feedback obtained through the development of the City’s new strategic plan. As
the City continues to grow and develop, it’s important that it does so for all of our
residents. As such, the final vision statement for development services is:
Vision Statement: A city for everyone
The Final Mission Statement
The missionis intended to be a memorable statement that describes our goals and
philosophies – what we aspire to become.
We started by reviewing elements from“Working together to build a community
we share”, which was viewed most positively by all stakeholder groups.
This statement was used as a foundation for the mission, and was adapted in
response to comments provided by stakeholders throughout the consultation
process. Three elements were included in the mission statement:
Maintained “working together” because it implies a shared responsibility,
collaboration, and inclusion.
Added “growing thoughtfully" as stakeholders acknowledged that the City
is growing and changing. It brought to mind the physical, structural elements
of what makes a community, and while that is a core aspect of development,
it is also much more than that – growing a great city requires a thoughtful
process (e.g. good design, regard for sustainability and climate change,
consideration of neighbourhoods, affordable housing, a vibrant and diverse
economy, etc.)
Changed “build a community we share” to “building community”as a
pillar of our mission. Building community is about people. Stakeholders
identified that they would be proud to live in a communitywhere our focus
was on our citizens. This may be reflected through inclusive engagement,
great urban design, fostering strong relationshipsthrough formal/informal
opportunities to engage with one another, and working together to care for the
environment and our neighbours, to name a few.
As such, the final mission statement for development services is:
Mission: Working together • Growing thoughtfully • Building Community
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Shared Values and Commitments
StaffContributions
At the December 2018 workshop, staff were asked to draft shared commitments by
reflecting on what makes a great city; what they value; what they love about working,
living and playing in the City of Kitchener; what outcomes they want to achieve
through their work; and their work environment. Some of the key themes emerging
from staff discussions included:
Diversity
Collaboration
Transparency Culture of innovation
Sustainability Providing great services
An engaged community Economic opportunities
Trust
The results of their discussions led to the development of five shared values –
Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Accountability, and Trust/Respect
– and corresponding commitments:
Leadership – Together we commit to building a great community
Collaboration – Foster a flexible, solutions-oriented approach
Communication – Be clear, open and transparent with each other
Accountability – We will act with the best interest of the community in mind
Trust/Respect – Build a foundation of trust by respecting each other’s expertise,
experience and perspectives.
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Mayorand Councillor Contributions
At the Council Strategy Session in March 2019, Councillors werepresented with the
draft shared values and commitment statementsand asked to provide feedback.
Their comments are summarized in Table 4.
Mayor and Councillor Rating of Draft Shared Commitments
100%
90%
I like it!
38%38%38%
80%
50%
70%
Good, but missing
something.
60%
13%88%13%
On the right track.
50%
25%
40%
25%
Has potential, but
38%
30%
needs a lot of work.
50%
Percentage of Participants
20%
38%
Does not resonate
25%
with me.
10%
13%13%
0%
Commitment 1 -Commitment 2 -Commitment 3 -Commitment 4 -Commitment 5 -
LeadershipCollaborationCommunicationAccountabilityRespect
Figure 4: Mayor and Councillor rating of the draft Shared Commitments
Proposed Changes
Likes
Draft Shared Commitments
Leadership:
Leaders of what?
Together we commit to building a
Leadership is good
Explain.
great community
Collaboration:
Foster a flexible, solutions-
Flexibility is good Add “helpful”
oriented approach
Communication:
No proposed
Be clear, open and transparent
Liked it
changes
with each other
Accountability:
Missing action
We will act with the best interest
Liked it
language
of the community in mind
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Proposed Changes
Likes
Draft Shared Commitments
Liked the
Trust/Respect:
acknowledgement of Remove the word
Build a foundation of trust by
what various trust and focus on
respecting each other’s expertise,
stakeholders bring respect
experience and perspectives.
to the conversation
Table 4: Mayor and Councillor comments on the draft Shared Commitments
Council’s feedback was incorporated and the following draft values and commitment
statements were focus-grouped externally for public feedback:
Together, we will…Together, we will…
LeadershipLeadership – – CCommit to building a great community that is caring, vibrant and ommit to building a great community that is caring, vibrant and
innovative.innovative.
CollaborationCollaboration – – FFoster a flexible, helpful, solutionsoster a flexible, helpful, solutions--oriented approach.oriented approach.
CommunicationCommunication – – CCommunicate clearly, openly and transparently with each ommunicate clearly, openly and transparently with each
other.other.
AccountabilityAccountabilityAccountability – – AAct with the best interest of the community in mind.ct with the best interest of the community in mind.
RespectRespect – – RRespect eachespect each other’s expertise, experience and perspectives.other’s expertise, experience and perspectives.
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Community Contributions
Community members were asked to rate each of the five shared values and
commitment statements. The graph below summarizes the responses from
community members. All commitments resonated with community members to
varying degrees, with Respectbeingthe most well-likedvalue/commitmentamongst
the community.
Community Rating of Draft Shared Commitments
100%
90%
I like it!
33%
80%
44%
Good, but missing
56%
70%
61%
67%
something.
60%
On the right track.
28%
50%
28%
40%
Has potential, but
needs a lot of
25%
30%
22%
work.
28%17%
Percentage of Participants
Does not resonate
20%
17%
with me.
11%
10%
19%
17%
11%11%
6%
0%
Commitment 1 -Commitment 2 -Commitment 3 -Commitment 4 -Commitment 5 -
LeadershipCollaborationCommunicationAccountabilityRespect
Figure 5: Community rating of the draft Shared Commitments
Participants were also asked to provide more detail about what they liked or would
change about each statement. Table 5 below provides a summary of the key themes
from their feedback.
Proposed Changes
Likes
Draft Shared
Commitments
Currently very city-focused
Leadership:
Commit to building a Consider “creative” instead
Happy to see this
great community that is of “innovative”
commitment to
caring, vibrant and
leadership
Replace the word “build”
innovative.
Add inclusion piece
Collaboration:
Add “working together”
Important principle
Foster a flexible, helpful,
to help break silosAdd inclusion piece
solutions-oriented
at the City
Change “flexible”
approach
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Proposed Changes
Likes
Draft Shared
Commitments
Mention multi-channel
communication
Communication:
Add “thoughtful” – want to
Communicate clearly,
Important and
feel heard by City and
openly and transparently
critical principle
developers
with each other.
Choose one of “open” or
“transparent”
Accountability:
“Community in Focus on perspectives
Act with the best interest
mind”
Statement does not currently
of the community in
Important principle reflect being accountable
mind
Respect:
Well written
Respect each other’s
Consider changing
Experience is
expertise, experience
“expertise” to “knowledge”
acknowledged
and perspectives
Table 5: Community comments on the draft Shared Commitments
“We want to be informed and involved early on in development processes, have
time to thoughtfully reflect and re-engage to provide meaningful feedback.”
-Community Member
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Development Community Contributions
Participantswere asked to rate each commitment. The graph below summarizes the
response from the development community. Collaboration was the most well-liked
commitment, followed by communication.
Development Community Rating of Draft Shared Commitments
100%
9%
17%
90%
I like it!
31%
80%
43%
70%
Good, but missing
8%
55%
something.
60%
85%
On the right track.
50%
75%
40%
46%
Has potential, but
50%
30%
18%needs a lot of work.
Percentage of Participants
20%
Does not resonate
8%
10%
with me.
18%
15%
8%
8%
7%
0%
Commitment 1 -Commitment 2 -Commitment 3 -Commitment 4 -Commitment 5 -
LeadershipCollaborationCommunicationAccountabilityRespect
Figure 6: Development Community rating of the draft Shared Commitments
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Participants were also asked what they liked about each statement and what they
would change, and their responses are summarized below.
Proposed Changes
Likes
Draft Shared
Commitments
Leadership Consider changing
Commit to building a Kitchener is already a“vibrant” to
great community that is leader“prosperous”
caring, vibrant and
Vibrant is a good goalMeet the needs of the
innovative
city
Collaboration
Foster a flexible, helpful,
Add “open” to connect
This is important
solutions-oriented
to communication
approach
Communication
Should incorporate
Communicate clearly,
timing, specifically
Liked it
openly and transparently
quick or prompt
with each other
responses
Accountability
Act with the best interest
No feedback receivedDoesn’t speak to
of the community in
beyond overall ratingactions
mind
Respect
Respect each other’s Values mutual-respect
No feedback received
expertise, experience
Everyone brings value
and perspectives
Table 6: Development Community comments on the draft Shared Commitments
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The Final Shared Values and Commitments
Each draft statement was adapted in response to comments provided by
stakeholders throughout the consultation process. Thefinal statements are
presented below, with the rationale for changes based on stakeholder feedback.
Leadership: We will commit to shaping a great community that is
caring, vibrant and innovative
Build was changed to shape to be consistent with stakeholder feedback. Other
language remained unchanged in aneffort to maintainalignmentwith the City’s
existing community vision: “Together we will build an innovative, caring and
vibrant Kitchener.”
Collaboration: We will foster a helpful, flexible, solutions-oriented
approach to working together
“Working together” was added in response to feedback. The term “flexible” was
kept in response to be able to work “in the grey” and be flexible in our approach
to solving problems. Finally, the word order was changed to emphasize the
importance of being, first and foremost, helpful.
Communication: We will communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and
transparently with each other
Stakeholders felt that “open” and “transparent” were synonymous, and so “open”
was replaced by “thoughtfully”, as suggested.
Accountability: We will follow-up, follow-through and make decisions
with the best interests of the broader community in mind
Language was enhanced to be more action-oriented, as identified by
stakeholders, while maintaining elements that stakeholders felt were important.
The ultimate accountability in all that we do is to the broader community.
Respect: We will respect each other’s knowledge, experience and
perspectives
The word “expertise” was replaced with “knowledge” so that all stakeholders can
see their place in the commitment in order to respect where we are all coming
from.
The request to add inclusive language has been addressed through the vision
statement, as this was a critical aspect for stakeholders to see in the vision. Other
feedback as applicable has been incorporated into the proposed stakeholder goals,
which are described in the following section.
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Goals
All stakeholders were asked to identify potential
“One of the key goals for
goals that they could set for themselves to support
Council isto build bridges
each shared commitment statement and the overall
between stakeholders.”
implementation of the shared vision.
-City Councillor
Community
Be informed about what is happening in the community
Be engaged in the community and share your ideas
Get to know your neighbours and work together to share information
Hold each other accountable
Staff
Foster solutions-oriented and decisive leadership
Focus on the “big picture”
Foster a positive customer experience
Seek out opportunities to streamline the customer experience
Look for opportunities to be flexible in processes
Engage stakeholders in meaningful ways
Explore ways to engage broadly and inclusively
Provide efficient, timely responses when communicating with stakeholders
Take a proactive approach to working with stakeholders
Be purposeful in interactions with stakeholders
Enhance access to information
Develop user-friendly guidelines and policies
Development Community
Consult with staff and residents early in the process
Maintain open lines of communication with staff
mmit to submitting complete and accurate plans and documents
Co
Explore new ways to engage and connect with the community
Council
Be informed/engaged
Build connections between stakeholders
Engage in Council-supported outreach
Explore new ways of sharing information with the public
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Final Vision Framework
The shared visioning frameworkfor development services stakeholdersis comprised of
sixcomponents: the vision statement,mission, values,commitments, goals and
stakeholder actions. What we heard from staff, Council, community members and the
developmentcommunityhaveallbeen taken into consideration to help inform the final
vision framework.
The vision statement is intended to provide a description of where we want the
community to be as a result of our contributions in development services. The goal
of avision statement is to be inspiring, purpose-driven, future-focused, and
memorable.
The mission is intended to be a short statement that describes our goals and
philosophies.
The values represent our core, shared values that are foundational to delivering on
our vision.
The shared commitments are aligned to each value and are intended to describe
how we as stakeholders in development services processes commit to working
together.
The goals represent key areas within each commitment that each stakeholder group
will work to implement.
Finally, the stakeholder actions represent specific steps that will be taken by each
stakeholder group to implement their goals. These actions will be identified through
a detailed review of selected processes, beginning in June 2019. Actions will serve
as a “living list” and may be amended as needed to deliver on the vision.
The final vision framework is illustrated on the following page for reference. Each goal
has been assigned to a commitment; however, goals may overlap with other
commitments as well.
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Next Steps
Final vision Framework
Goals
s
Values / Commitment
ESTABLISHING A SHARED VISION
Vision / Mission
Background
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ESTABLISHING A SHARED VISION
Vision / Values / Final vision
BackgroundGoalsNext Steps
MissionCommitment s Framework
Next Steps
City staff will present a report to Standing Committeeon May 13, 2019on the results
presentedin this report.
All stakeholders were asked to identify ways in which to improve the site plan process
and public engagement processes, which have been identified as the priority areas for
the first year of the Development Services Review. Engagement is currently on-going
on the City’s Engage Kitchener project page until May 31, 2019, at which point all ideas
will be reviewed for further consideration as part of the detailed review project phase.
The next phase of the Development Services Review includes a detailed review of the
site plan process and public engagement processes (June 2019 – May 2020).
For more information:
Visit our Engage Kitchener project page:
https://www.engagewr.ca/development-services-review
Margaret Love
Manager of Service Coordination & Improvement
Development Services Department
City of Kitchener
Phone 519-741-2200 ext. 7042
Email margaret.love@kitchener.ca
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