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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Consensusinc <br />Interact. Innovate. Influence. <br />the California Environmental Quality Act and National Environmental Policy Act. Please also refer to <br />the qualifications provided in the next section for greater detail about our experience in successfully <br />preparing and executing outreach programs for complex transit studies. <br />Situation Analysis <br />Santa Ana is the fourth-most densely populated city in the U.S., preceded only by New York City, San <br />Francisco and Chicago. Its residents are heavily dependent on transit, and while existing bus service <br />provides good geographic coverage, the buses do not run frequently enough to adequately serve the <br />area. With recent bus service cutbacks, nighttime service on many routes has been reduced or <br />eliminated. And with a looming population growth of approximately 10 percent over the next 20 to 25 <br />years, it is even more important that Santa Ana further develop its transportation infrastructure to <br />accommodate that growth. <br />In keeping with those needs, the City of Santa Ana is working with the City of Garden Grove to design <br />a new public transportation solution for residents, employees, and visitors to important destinations in <br />Santa Ana and connecting to the future transportation center in Garden Grove. <br />The vision of Santa Ana's leadership is to increase livability in the city through proper land use <br />decisions and increasing quality public transportation options, and they have developed a strategy for <br />f fostering new economic development through improving these qualities. <br />With this proposal, Consensus Inc. is recommending a plan that not only fulfills, but exceeds the <br />requirements of the environmental review process. It has been designed to engage the public with <br />the end goal of building consensus for an alternative, and then cultivating community advocates to lay <br />the groundwork for future funding phases (Go Local Step Three). This process is not, however, <br />without inherent challenges. <br />Issues and Challenges <br />The City's vision has sometimes been misunderstood and/or mischaracterized by certain vocal <br />stakeholders-creating a politically charged environment that has attracted the attention of local <br />media. Accusations about not adequately involving the public and backroom dealing have <br />compromised perceptions about this being a public process, thereby reducing trust in government <br />and city staff and affecting the integrity of the project. <br />What's the solution? The public plays an important role in helping to shape this vision. And only <br />through frequent communication-with a keen eye to neighborhood demographics and <br />K communicating with the key publics in the manner in which they are most accustomed to <br />communicating-can a successful outreach program be implemented. Santa Ana is known to be a <br />low-income, disengaged community. By giving the public options for participation and making it <br />convenient for them to participate, the City can bolster the integrity of the process while improving <br />l <br />public perception of the project and building trust in city leaders. Implementing social media tools and <br />delivering them to the public where they currently gather-activity centers, church and neighborhood <br />Santa Ana Transit Vision Public Outreach-City of Santa Ana