Participation in Planning and Land Use Chapter 6 Presentation Tina Nabatchi & Matt Leighninger

Participation in Planning and Land Use  Issues relating to planning, land use, and the “built environment” are hot topics for participation:  People care about where they live and want to influence decisions and plans that impact their communities  Buying a home and protecting property values is a motivator for involvement in public life  Land use decisions often have highly visible impacts  Community attachment impacts community health and success  Technology is impacting the demand and capacity for participation  Numerous institutions and groups deal with land use, but often fail to host effective participation opportunities

The Development of Participation in Planning and Land Use  Participation in planning and land use has been more contentious than in other areas, and has centered on four main areas:  Major Zoning Decisions  Community and Neighborhood Visioning  Community Development Planning  Reporting Problems and Prioritizing Improvements  Different aspects of an adult-adult relationship are critical in each of these issue areas

The Development of Participation in Planning and Land Use  Major Zoning Decisions  In the “urban renewal” era, residents had little say in zoning decisions and there were devastating impacts on low-income communities  Since then, arguments for resident control over zoning and the built have become more forceful and extensive, and led to a variety of participation opportunities  Community and Neighborhood Visioning  People’s desire to envision and build the community they want has driven participation  These efforts usually involve thick participation

The Development of Participation in Planning and Land Use  Community Development Planning  Planning for the development (or redevelopment) of “distressed,” “underserved,” and “at risk” communities is an important area of participation  These efforts involve decisions pertaining to funding allocations, safety, resident attachment, and economic growth  Reporting Problems and Prioritizing Improvements  Technology has aided people’s ability to raise concerns, gather data, and suggest improvements to their physical surroundings  New online platforms for assistance have emerged See Box 6.1 for examples of online assistance platforms

Aspects of an Adult-Adult Relationship in Participation in Planning & Land Use Issues Common Planning & Land Use Issues Characteristics of an Adult-Adult Relationship Provide Info Give Chance to Tell Stories Provide Choices Sense of Political Legitimacy Support People to Take Action Major Zoning Decisions XXX Community / Neighborhood Visioning XXXXX Community Development Planning XXXXX Reporting Problems & Prioritizing Improvements XX

Official Settings for Participation in Planning and Land Use Community Level Planning, Zoning, or Land Use Commissions Development Authorities Neighborhood Level Neighborhood Associations Homeowner Associations Neighborhood Councils Neighborhood Online Networks

Official Settings for Participation in Planning and Land Use  Numerous official settings for participation in land use and planning already exist  Within these officials settings are numerous participation leaders: government planners, commissioners, public officials, developers, residents  In the vast majority of settings, opportunities for participation are conventional and often contentious  We need to strengthen the infrastructure for participation in planning and land use

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Leaders and Networks  Numerous networks are common to planning and land use  The most active networks are “official;” more should be done to involve other kinds of networks See Box 6.2 a set of questions readers can use to assess the state of participation in their community

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  6 Building Blocks  Many of the settings and tools within each block already exist to some extent, but need to be strengthened  Others may need to be built over time

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  There are many ways to disseminate information, but communication lags are still common  This is because people and platforms are disconnected and messages are poorly transmitted See Box 6.3 for a case study on “Detroit 24/7”

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  There is potential for a “civic upsell” strategy to connect information dissemination and input gathering  The possibilities for online participation are proliferating

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  There are more ways of belonging to community and more potential communities to join than ever before  Connections to those closest to us will always be critical See Box 6.4 for a case study on “Create Buckhannon” in West Virginia

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  This is where top-down governmental efforts meet bottom-up grassroots organizing and mobilization  This area can be rife with both conflict and innovation See Box 6.5 for information on Revitalizing a Neighborhood Group

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  This is the category where citizens move from the most immediate, visible problems they face to broader questions about what kind of place they want to live in  Realizing the potential of participation in this category requires that it be built into the regular functioning of government See Box 6.6 for information on Revamping the Public Meeting

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Building Blocks for Participation  Public work can have positive impacts on neighborhoods, communities, and residents  Coordinate these efforts is often done by neighborhood and homeowner associations  Tracking and quantifying such efforts can help neighborhood leaders connect and negotiate with public officials

Strengthening the Infrastructure: Systemic Supports  Systemic supports are needed to enable people to take on new roles, connect the different building blocks to one another, and institutionalize participation  Training and Skill Development  Professional Incentives for Planners and other Participation Leaders  Policies and Procedures  Funding and Budgeting