Tag: Oakridge Oregon

“Water” You Doing?

Engaging the Community on Water Quality Issues

Middle Fork Willametter River, Oakridge, Oregon

On hot summer days what sounds more tempting than tubing down the river or fishing along babbling brooks as you soak your feet in chilled water?  Protecting water quality! Often times we forget cities work hard to lessen their impact on the rivers so we can enjoy them.  Oakridge is a small city the Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is currently helping, so they can take an innovative non-regulatory approach to meet the requirements for protecting and enhancing water quality along the Middle Fork Willamette. The result will be a surface water management program where results hinge on engaging and involving the community.

So “water” we doing to engage the community? On Tuesday, July 30, CPW organized a community outreach event to meet with homeowners primarily along the river. The purpose was to give residents information to address surface water issues on their own property, like managing storm water on site and identifying invasive species. We also wanted to hear their opinions and perceptions about the river, but what makes an event that sounds bureaucratic and formal successful?

That was the same question we had. Our strategy was to advertise a fun, informal, and festive event right off the bat through a general news release and customized letters to our target audience. We invited regional partners to engage with the residents while letting the residents enjoy live music, eat food, win door prizes, play invasive species bingo, and participate in children’s activities. All in all, it worked! The event was a great success – we had about fifty people attend, which met our expectations. Meeting with residents in small groups gave us the opportunity to clear up any misconceptions about regulations and hear what they want to see the city do in terms of managing water quality.

As we move forward we are incorporating our discussions with the community into the management program to make a product that represents the community’s needs and gathers its support. So on the next hot day when water is calling your name, remember “water” you doing?

About the Author: Casey Hanson is a MCRP student and enjoys playing soccer, discovering new recipes in the kitchen, and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Meet our Students: Alex Page / Community and Regional Planning

Meet our Students: Alex Page

Community and Regional Planning

What city, region, state do you call home?

The Bay Area, California

In which graduate program are you enrolled?

Community and Regional Planning

What is your area of concentration?

I’m interested in bicycle transportation, accessibility, and infrastructure. I want to empower communities to become both environmentally and economically sustainable.

What will you be doing for the Community Service Center?

My team is working with the cities of Gold Hill and Oakridge to draft and implement a surface water management plan. The EPA and DEQ have provided funding to help these cities improve the water quality on the Rogue and Willamette rivers, respectively. As components of this large endeavor, we hope to create an outreach and education plan, draft riparian ordinances, recommend low impact development practices, and provide a framework for evaluation and monitoring into the future.

How does your involvement with the Community Service Center relate to or inform your graduate studies?

My passion for bicycle transportation is rooted in environmentalism and conservation. I think a healthy environment makes happy and healthy people. My hope with promoting bicycle transportation is to improve air and water quality. The education and outreach plan is something I hope will be adaptable in advocating for bicycle infrastructure. Much of the problems facing environmental protection efforts are the lack of awareness, and the correlation between our natural environment and our future.

What can you say about the value of your Community Service Center experience?

There’s nothing more valuable than applying your learning experience to a real situation.

What outcome are you hoping for when your project ends?

I would love to see the Gold Hill and Oakridge take pride and ownership in the protection of their watershed and implement our recommendations.

More about the Community Planning Workshop(CPW)