In 2017, the City of Garden Grove was awarded a Caltrans Sustainable Communities Grant to address the needs of disadvantaged communities by providing a platform to identify challenges and necessary improvements. In February 2018, the City Council adopted a Resolution to approve an agreement with Caltrans and accept grant funds in the amount of $340,000.  Following a comprehensive RFP process in September 2018, KOA Corporation (“Consultant”) was awarded the contract to prepare the GGADP while taking into consideration community feedback from the earlier RE:Imagine Initiative.

The GGADP stems from the policies set forth in the City’s 2030 General Plan and 2018 Active Streets Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan.  An extensive community outreach component, as well as, the formation of an Advisory Committee offered a unique opportunity for downtown stakeholders to contribute, but encouraged participation of all Garden Grove residents and community members who wished to help guide the project team through the GGADP development process.

To provide additional outreach and to create a contact list of other members in the community, City staff and KOA set-up an outreach booth at the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival.  The booth allowed the project team to reach out to interested residents and visitors that are either unable to commit to the advisory duties, or would like to remain updated with the project development.  The project development contact list and a project factsheet were available at every outreach event to ensure public participation in the GGADP was ongoing with opportunities to sign up, receive project updates, and have knowledge regarding the goals and objectives for the Plan.

The table attached depicts the milestones associated with the preparation of the GGADP.  At each event, preliminary concepts included both major bicycle and pedestrian improvements within the Downtown area concentrated along four (4) focus corridors: Acacia Parkway, Nelson Street, Stanford Avenue (east), and 9th Street.  Overall, 210 responses were collected at each Summer Concert, and 150 at the Summer Movie Night. In response to the online communication tool and survey, the project received over 100 responses across all four corridor questions, which totaled over 400 responses.  The website was promoted through a series of social media campaigns, postcard flyers, and email list serves. 

The study is the first comprehensive plan focusing on infrastructure and non-infrastructure active transportation programming. The recommendations identified address the “6 E’s”: Evaluation, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Engineering, and Equity. They are developed to improve safety, health, decrease pedestrian and bike collision, and encourage an active lifestyle.  The GGADP would serve as a tool box and a guiding document that will assist the City in identifying the existing conditions and explore potential improvements when additional funding opportunities arise.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Receive and file the Garden Grove Active Downtown Plan, which includes key project objectives to improve safety, mobility, and connectivity for the Downtown area.

By:  Alana Cheng, Senior Administrative Analyst