The City collected public suggestions through various formats to inform the Guide’s development.  

In December 2021, the Chollas Creek Coalition - an advocacy coalition comprised of community-based organizations and community members in the Chollas Creek Watershed area - shared their proposed community engagement principles and practices with the City. The principles and practices include integrating community members and community-based organizations in public engagement efforts, providing transparency around the purpose of public engagement and building trust and relationships with community members.

In March 2023, the City published a survey for the public to share their preferences for engaging with the City. The survey closed in December 2024 and captured approximately 150 responses. While the survey was not statistically valid (conclusions cannot be drawn about citywide perceptions), those that did participate shared preferences for small in-person public meetings, community cafes, online surveys and virtual meetings. Participants also noted a desire for the City to be open and responsive in communication channels and to create a transparent decision-making process to build trust with community members.

In 2023, the City also established and met with the Inclusive Public Engagement Focused Discussion Group to inform the Guide. Ten Focused Discussion Group members were selected by the City to reflect a range of neighborhoods, public engagement experience, ages, income and living arrangements. Over the course of several discussions, members shared their lived experiences and perspectives on community engagement to inform the content of the Guide. Specifically, group members provided input about topics such as principles of inclusive public engagement, accessible outreach and engagement techniques and ways the City could measure the success of public engagement.

Summaries from the Focused Discussion Group meetings, including key input from members, can be found below:

• Focused Discussion Group Overview
• Meeting 1: Welcome and Project Overview
• Meeting 2: Participation Challenges and Meaningful Engagement
• Meeting 3: Inclusive Engagement and Planning for Participation
• Meeting 4: Engagement Techniques and Pilot Engagement Activities
• Meeting 5: Reporting Back and Identifying Metrics of Success
• Meeting 6: Engagement Feedback and Lessons Learned

Throughout 2023 and 2024, project staff also met with representatives from City departments and several City working groups, boards, committees and commissions – including the Climate Equity Working Group, Accessibility Advisory Board, Community Planner’s Committee and the San Diego Promise Zone – who shared existing challenges and opportunities that they wanted the Guide to address. Specifically, these groups provided input on topics including barriers to participation, who is missing from public participation and effective public participation techniques and approaches.

Through the survey, Focused Discussion Group meetings and stakeholder consultations, project staff identified key themes in the public’s preferences for inclusive public engagement. These themes and input informed all sections of the Guide.