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Frequently Asked Questions for Shared Vision Web Site
Q: What is this project all about?
A: The Shared Vision for the Port Washington Peninsula is a community-based visioning process, centered around the participation of everyone who lives and works on the Port Washington Peninsula. The goal of the process is to develop coordinated responses to issues that affect the entire Port Washington Peninsula: traffic, parking, water quality, community services, public safety, future commercial, residential and recreational development, the waterfront, and open space conservation.
Q: Why do we need a special process to discuss these things?
A: Community visioning brings people together and involves them in the decisions that affect their lives. Through A Shared Vision for the Port Washington Peninsula, the government entities, residents, businesspeople, civic groups, clergy, youth and seniors will have a forum to exchange ideas and put priorities for the community down on paper. The result will be a coordinated plan for the short, medium, and long-term future of the peninsula.
Q: I’m thinking of getting involved now or in the weeks ahead. Have I missed anything important?
A: The process has been launched, but all of the most important events are still to come. The process is designed to include anyone who wants to participate, whether they’ve been involved from the beginning or are just getting involved now.
Q: Great! When is my next opportunity to participate?
A: Three Open Forums will be held in March to gather community input on specific topics. Discussions will take place in small groups, and all discussions will be moderated by community members. The views gathered in these sessions will help shape the rest of the visioning process, so come make your voice heard! All three Open Forums will be held at 8 p.m. at Weber Middle School. Come to one, two, or all three!
On March 16, we’ll be talking about traffic, parking, community services, public safety and code enforcement in the Support Services Open Forum.
On March 31, come and discuss the downtown, commercial corridors, housing, land use and redevelopment in the Development Open Forum.
Q: What other events will be taking place?
A: The whole process will culminate in the Design Event Weekend (April 14-18), a series of sessions at which the people who live and work on the Port Washington Peninsula will create a vision of how the community should look.
On Thursday, April 14, the Community Presentation will unveil the findings from the Open Forums and set the stage for the weekend events. On Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17, the vision for the community will be created. Participate in a walking tour of the community, brainstorm design ideas for the Port Washington Peninsula in small groups, and present your ideas to all attendees.
Q: What is the purpose of the Design Event Weekend?
A: The Design Event Weekend is when the community will set priorities for future development. These priorities will be put on paper in the form of a Shared Vision Plan, a document to help guide future planning on the Port Washington Peninsula.
Q: I can’t attend one of the weekend Design Days. Can I still participate?
A: The program for both days will be the same, to enable as much community participation as possible. You can even attend the morning activities on Saturday and the afternoon activities on Sunday, or vice versa!
Q: I can’t attend either of the Design Days. How can I share my input and contribute to the Shared Vision?
A: An condensed version of the weekend schedule will be held during the evening on Monday, April 18, for those who can’t attend over the weekend. The Design Evening will include the small group brainstorming sessions and group presentations.
Q: I have a family. Can my children participate?
A: Youth are encouraged to participate in all of the visioning events. A special Youth Summit will also be held over the Design Event Weekend to gather the input of Port’s youngest stakeholders. Community visioning is a family occasion!
Q: I am unable to attend any of the events, but I still want to contribute to the Shared Vision. Is this possible?
A: Yes it is! Go to www.NorthHempstead.com, and follow the link to the Shared Vision for the Port Washington Peninsula. Here you can submit comments, ask questions, and learn more about this historic process.
Q: Who can I contact for more information?
A: If you have additional questions, email pwvisioning@northhempstead.com or call April Brown Lake at (516) 627-4062.
Q: I’m a senior citizen, and it’s difficult for me to attend evening events. Will there be any morning events where I can contribute to the visioning process?
A: On March 24th at 10:00 a.m. an additional meeting will be held at the Port Washington Senior Citizens located at 80 Manorhaven Blvd. This meeting will give Port Washington’s senior community an opportunity to provide their input about the same topics discussed at all of the open forum meeting; just at a more convenient time and location.
Q: Are there any other alternatives for Spanish-speaking or Korean-speaking neighbors to use for expression of their ideas if they find the English-based emailing system too difficult?
A: The goal of the Port Washington Shared Vision Process is to gather the input of as many residents as possible within the Port Washington peninsula. At the public meetings there will be facilitators who can assist participants who might be more comfortable expressing themselves in languages other than English.
Q: How are the youth going to be brought into the visioning process?
A: All ages are encouraged to participate in all of the meetings. However, the visioning process will include events designed especially for Port’s younger residents. The youth will have the opportunity to participate in a Youth Art Exhibition called “Visions of Port Washington 2020.” Youth will be invited to contribute their own ideas through the form of a poem, essay, collage, drawing or painting. All submissions will be part of a display for the community during the Design Event Weekend. Youth will also have the opportunity to participate in the activities scheduled during the Design Event Weekend.
Q: Is recycling going to be discussed in more detail?
A: The issues and opportunities that participants bring up in the process drive the Port Washington Shared Vision Process. There will be plenty of opportunities to discuss issues in greater detail during the Open Forums in March, as well as the Design Event Weekend in April.
Q: What will happen to recommendations that are emailed?
A: Recommendations received by email will be incorporated into the summary of the appropriate open forum. These summaries will be posted on the website.
Q: Would it be possible to provide a more complete briefing on key issues to forum participants prior to allowing the participants to meet to discuss matters of tremendous importance (i.e. dredging)?
A: Briefing packets with in-depth information on specific topic areas are available online at www.northhempstead.com prior to the Open Forums in March. In April there will be additional opportunities at the Design Event Weekend to further explore these ideas.
Q: Who will make the decisions about what ideas will be captured? How will the ideas discussed at the public meetings be captured?
A: At each open forum meeting, the residents of Port Washington will prioritize their concerns and recommendations. Each discussion group will present to everyone attending their top ideas and recommendations. These ideas will be summarized for further discussion during the Design Event Weekend. The vision plan will capture all of the concerns, ideas and recommendations that the residents of Port Washington agree need to be addressed.
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