Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration in Development Decisions
Growth can create great places to live, work and play—if it responds to a community's own sense of how and where it wants to grow. Communities have different needs and will emphasize some smart growth principles over others: those with robust economic growth may need to improve housing choices; others that have suffered from disinvestment may emphasize infill development; newer communities with separated uses may be looking for the sense of place provided by mixed-use town centers; and still others with poor air quality may seek relief by offering transportation choices. The common thread, however, is that the needs of every community and the programs to address them are best defined by the people who live and work there.
Citizen participation can be time-consuming, frustrating and expensive. On the other hand, encouraging community and stakeholder collaboration can lead to creative, speedy resolution of development issues and greater community understanding of the importance of good planning and investment. Smart Growth plans and policies developed without strong citizen involvement will lack staying power. Involving the community early and often in the planning process vastly improves public support for smart growth and often leads to innovative strategies that fit the unique needs of a particular community.
Key actions in encouraging collaboration include developing an inclusionary process and a common understanding among diverse stakeholders, using effective and appropriate communication techniques, and working with local authorities.
More information from Smart Growth Network partners:
The Smart Growth Program at The National Association of Realtors
http://www.realtor.org/programs/smart-growth-program
Have I Got a Story for You - A Communications Training Guide for Community Development Corporations
www.lisc.org/content/publications/detail/826
Smart Growth Principles
