The Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization (GCLMPO) has established a public comment period for amendments to the Public Participation Plan.
The documents will be available for review and written public comments will be received from
July 21 – September 3, 2020.
An analysis of the GCLMPO’s Public Participation Plan has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPO’s public involvement program by surveying its current practices, assessing state and federal requirements, and developing recommendations based upon best practices.
The following revisions to the GCLMPO’s Public Participation Plan are being recommended to strengthen the MPO’s ability to solicit input, communicate, and engage with the public:
• Remove the stipulation that “a minimum of seven (7) days will be
allotted between the close of a public comment period and the TCC
meeting in which a recommendation will be made to the MPO Board
regarding consideration of the public comments”.
• Remove the requirement for the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
to be taken out for a 30-day public comment period with associated
public meetings. Instead, the MPO will solicit input on the draft UPWP
following the posting of the TCC agenda, seven (7) days prior to the
meeting, allowing a minimum of fourteen (14) days for public comment
prior to the adoption by the Board. The same will apply for amendments
to the UPWP.
• Add information regarding minor amendments to the CTP.
• Add Performance Measures to the list of MPO Public Input and Comment
Activities.
• Add the GCLMPO’s Title VI Policy Statement to the PPP and refer to the
GCLMPO Title VI Program Plan.
• Clean up the locations for “Posting of Public Meetings” and meeting
locations for public meetings and add opportunity for virtual meetings due
to extenuating circumstances.
• Add Social Media External Use Policy.
• Rearrange the document for ease of reading.
The draft amended Public Participation Plan can be viewed by clicking here or visiting the website at www.gclmpo.org.
In accordance with the current Public Participation Plan dated July 28, 2016, any recommended updates to the Public Participation Plan shall be available to the public for 45 calendar days before the revised document is adopted by the MPO.
In addition to written comments, the public may also provide comments during the GCLMPO TCC Meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 10:00 am (virtual meeting) and the Board Meeting on Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 6:30 pm (virtual meeting).
Written comments may be sent by mail, email, or fax to the following address:
Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln MPO
Attn: Randi Gates, Principal Transportation Planner
PO Box 1748
Gastonia, NC 28053
randig@cityofgastonia.com
FAX: 704-869-1960
All written comments must be received by September 3, 2020.
The draft amended Public Participation Plan can be viewed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this press release or visiting the website at www.gclmpo.org.
The Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln MPO hereby gives public notice of its policy to uphold and assure full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all related acts and statutes. Title VI and related statutes prohibiting discrimination in Federally assisted programs require that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal assistance.
Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice regarding the Gaston-Cleveland-Lincoln MPO programs has a right to file a formal complaint with the GCLMPO, within one hundred and eighty (180) days following the date of the alleged discrimination occurrence. For instructions on how to file a complaint, or additional information regarding GCLMPO’s nondiscrimination obligations, please contact Randi Gates at 704-854-6604 or randig@cityofgastonia.com.
Individuals requiring special accommodations when attending this public meeting and/or if this information is needed in an alternative format because of a disability, should contact the City of Gastonia Human Resources Department, located in City Hall at 181 S. South Street, telephone (704-866-6786), fax (704-836-0022) or by email: judys@cityofgastonia.com. The Human Resources Department requests at least 72 hours’ notice prior to the meeting to make the appropriate arrangements.