Over the years, I’ve heard lots of testimony. If you want to make your testimony effective, here’s my recommendation:
1. Be prepared, review the plans so you at least know what information the plan commissioners are looking at, refer to their materials if it is relevant. There is a lot in there, scroll down the documents until you find some that are dated 3-10 or later, and at least browse through the documents.
2. Review the Staff Report and point out inconsistencies or differences of opinion.
3. When reading the staff report, pay close attention to the standards that the plan commission has to find to vote for the project, direct your comments at those standards.
4. Also, when reading the staff report, pay attention to the recommendations, particularly the shaded boxes. If you want something to change, ask for an additional recommendations to be added.
5. At Plan Commission, nothing is too specific to ask for, this is the last stop before the council on the building and site.
6. If they say things will be approved by staff later, you might want to request Council approval or Plan Commission approval to keep it in the public eye.
7. If you are concerned about TIF or other issues, its ok to note them, but don’t dwell on them, that is not what is before them at the moment.
8. Bring some food, water, a laptop (they have free internet) or something to read, you could be sitting there for a while.
I’m sure there are more, but those are the basics.
