The Meaning of Charrette
Charrette means "cart" in French. Various architectural school legends hold that at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in 19th Century Paris students were still sketching as carts carried their boards away to be juried. Today, the term is used to describe a high speed, intensive planning session in which the Community Design Team concentrates on specific design problems with citizens and presents solutions.
The Charrette Process
Five to seven days of on-site work are a prerequisite for a public workshop to be defined as a Charrette. The Community Design Team’s Charrettes are usually six days long held Thursday through Tuesday. During this time, residents, staff, elected officials, and other participating agencies work with the Community Design Team to produce a well-illustrated plan for the revitalization and growth of their community. Working on-site and allowing public access for over twelve hours each day fosters public participation and the community’s direct involvement in the decision -making process. This on-site work allows easy access to agencies, stakeholders, and information. Preparation for a Charrette usually begins eight to 12 months before the Charrette date.
Pre- Charrette Planning Phase
Charrette Steering Committee
In the months prior to the Charrette, the Community Design Team will work with the community to create a Charrette Steering Committee. Business and property owners, community leaders, staff, and elected officials should be invited to form this committee. The committee should meet monthly and/or biweekly during the months prior to the Charrette.
The purpose and role of the Charrette Steering Committee during the Pre-Charrette Planning Phase is to:
- Guide the process that will lead to the development of a plan. This includes, but is not limited to, date and location for the Charrette.
- Organize food donations from area businesses and stakeholders.
- Promote active citizen participation in the Charrette process. This includes "word of mouth" and an outreach plan to reach as many businesses and residents as possible. Reach-out formats (designed by steering committee and delivered by Community Design Team staff) may include any combination of the following: press releases, flyers, door hangers, announcements at neighborhood associations and community meetings, reverse 911, TV news, etc.
- Work with Community Design Team staff to prepare a press release describing the event and upcoming activities.
- Interact with the public prior to the Charrette and bring the public's ideas and concerns to the committee for discussion
- Represent interests of the groups and or organizations to which they belong.
- Develop a mission statement.
- Work with the Community Design Team staff to create a list of stakeholders to be interviewed by the Community Design Team before and during the Charrette. This list should include major property/business owners in the study area, community leaders, members involved in previous efforts pertaining the study area, and representatives from different organizations within the study area (school principals, state agencies, local government staff and elected officials, churches, and neighborhood association presidents, etc.). Ensure that property owners, residents, business community and other stakeholders are kept informed of activities of the steering committee and encourage their involvement in the public process.
Community Design Team
The purpose and role of the Community Design Team during the Pre-Charrette Phase is to:
- Begins to collect base data including base maps of the community, base information on the community such as census data, existing codes, past projects and studies, etc.
- Works with Steering Committee on a monthly or biweekly basis.
Charrette
Charrette Steering Committee
The purpose and role of the Charrette Steering Committee during the Charrette is to:
- Attend public presentations and other meetings as needed.
- Serve as resource to the design team
- Serve as greeters at Design Studio to welcome visitors and serve as liaison between citizens and Community Design Team
Community Design Team
The purpose and role of the Community Design Team during the Charrette is to:
- Work around-the-clock at the Design Studio to develop concepts and then a plan
- Conduct public meetings and presentations and facilitate input sessions
- Meet with stakeholders and residents who visit the studio with questions or suggestions
Post-Charrette Phase
Charrette Steering Committee
The purpose and role of the Charrette Steering Committee during the Post-Charrette Phase is to:
- Review the Charrette draft report and work with Community Design Team to include comments and suggested edits.
- Once a final plan and report are accepted by the steering committee, support staff in its presentation of the plan and report to the local government and elected officials for adoption.
- Guide the implementation of the master plan after adoption.
- Prioritize improvements identified in the plan and work with staff in the development of an implementation schedule and work program.
- If or when additional design work needs to be done for projects that stem from the plan (such as creation of new codes, architectural design guidelines, land use amendments, etc.), the steering committee should remain involved through selection and implementation process to ensure the continuity of the concepts that result from the public Charrette.
Community Design Team
The purpose and role of the Community Design Team during the Post-Charrette Phase is to:
- Finalize the plan and report within 6 months of the end of the Charrette
- Hold public meeting to present plan and report
- Continue to work with Steering Committee to move toward implementation of projects
Charrette Design Studio Team
A public Charrette area for use by the Community Design Team as an on-site work space in the community. The Community Design Team will use the Design Studio approximately 12 hours a day for the entire span of the Charrette. Some public meetings and presentations may also be held at the Design Studio, if space allows. The doors to the Design Studio will remain open to the public between 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. The Charrette team needs to have twenty-four hour access to the Charrette work area.
Revised December 21, 2011
