PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Question 1

History

Answer 1

1926 Standard State Zoning Enabling Act: Recommended public hearing process to see zoning changes. Focuses on educating public on process, minimal engagement.

1928 Standard City Planning Enabling Act:
Importance of bringing the public into process of deciding city’s plan. Focuses on educating public on process, minimal engagement.

1930 Saul Alinsky - Back of the Yards Movement: Focuses on engaging under-represented groups in decision making process.

1964 Economic Opportunity Act:
First legislation which specifically mentions engaging public in decision-making. Component of economic development programs aimed at reducing poverty.

1965 Paul Davidoff - Advocacy Planning:
Rather than focusing on public as whole, instead participation of those in subgroups (stakeholders).

1969 Sherry Arnstein - Ladder of Participation:
Can organize into three categories.
8. Citizen Control (citizen power)
7. Delegated Power (citizen power)
6. Partnership (citizen power)
5. Placation (tokenism)
4. Consultation (tokenism)
3. Informing (tokenism)
2. Therapy (non-participation)
1. Manipulation (non-participation)

Question 2

Public Involvement Planning

Answer 2

Who needs to be involved?
Who is the decision maker?
Identify the decision to be made.
Specify the stages in the decision making process.
Set the schedule.

Question 3

Public Participation Techniques

Answer 3

James Crichton’s book on public participation techniques. Have an idea of the processes and know which is the best one for the circumstances.

Public hearing (final decision making process, decisions often already made, public doesn’t have voice in determining outcome, not negotiation stage), small groups (focus, delphi - iterative process ask questions which leads to solutions, charette, stakholder), interviews, educational (info display, presentation, fact sheets), participatory land use mapping, open house, town hall meeting, tours, visual preference survey, web-based (online forum, blogs, surveys, websites, social networking), workshops, youth outreach.

Question 4

Identifying, engaging, and serving underserved groups

Answer 4

How to reach out to these groups?

How to design participatory processes that are engaging?

Question 5

Social Justice

Answer 5

Emerged in planner’s vocabulary in the 60s and 70s

Fair and equal rights for all.

Spatial issues are directly tied to social access. (ie food deserts)

Question 6

Working with diverse communities

Answer 6

Identifying communities.

Finding the best techniques for communicating with these communities.

Question 7

Three C’s

Answer 7

Coalition Building: Finding people supportive of a certain position. Building large enough group to directly advocate for a cause.

Consensus Building: Have diverse group of stakeholders with varying positions. Getting them to work together to reach a solution. Usually leads to compromise.

Conflict Resolution: When disagreements become intractable and people can’t compromise. Must have facilitator or mediator.