Archived News Release from 2004

For Immediate Release

Monthly "Forum at Redwood City" Continues: Geoffrey Ferrell, on the Public Participation Tool of “Design Charrettes” - March 3, 2004

Redwood City, CA - February 24, 2004 - The City of Redwood City and the non-profit "Communities by Design" announced today that the speaker for the March 3rd, 2004 session of the Forum at Redwood City will be Mr. Geoffrey Ferrell, of Geoffrey Ferrell Associates in Washington, DC. Mr. Ferrell will speak on the concept of “Design Charrettes – A Public Participation Tool for Integrating Community Values into Design.” NOTE: this presentation begins at 6:30 pm instead of the Forum’s usual start time.

The “Design Charrette” is a community-based planning forum which brings together local residents, government officials, and private developers to collectively craft a vision for their neighborhood, town, or county. This format encourages individual involvement in a constructive, meaningful, and non-threatening manner. The resulting citizen input is folded into a comprehensive master plan that provides a clear physical framework for the future. The input is then incorporated into the final plan. Public participation charrettes have unequaled, proven effectiveness at identifying and focusing the political will of citizens.

Mr. Ferrell has produced urban design projects across the United States for almost twenty years. As one of the country’s leading New Urbanists, Mr. Ferrell’s work has an emphasis on form-based coding and community planning charrettes for both urban infill/redevelopment projects and new development.

The Forum will take place at the Little Fox Theater, 2209 Broadway, in downtown Redwood City. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the cost is $10 per person, payable at the door. An optional no-host dinner with the presenter and other participants will be held following the Forum for those wishing to continue the discussion.

On the first Wednesday of each month, the Forum at Redwood City will bring nationally-known speakers and presenters to Downtown Redwood City for in-depth dialogues on city design issues. By bringing together local government officials from throughout the Bay Area, as well as planners, urban designers, architects, and other professionals in the urban design field, these forums are intended to educate and foster discussion on new and emerging concepts in city planning and design. Interested members of the public are welcome to attend. The Forum at Redwood City is co-sponsored by the Association of Bay Area Governments (www.abag.org).

Visit Redwood City’s website at www.redwoodcity.org for information about the City and its services, the community, recreation programs, education, and City government.

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Contact:
Tom Passanisi
Principal Planner
650-780-7234