The Effective Planning Commissioner columns by Elaine Cogan Elaine Cogan, partner in the Portland, Oregon, planning and communications firm of Cogan Owens Cogan, has worked for more than thirty years with communities undertaking strategic planning and visioning processes. Since 1991, Ms. Cogan's "The Effective Planning Commissioner" column in the Planning Commissioners Journal has helped citizen planners across the country find ways of most effectively serving their communities. Ms. Cogan has been honored for her work on a variety of citizen involvement projects, including "Complete Communities for Clackamas County," a comprehensive public outreach effort that received the American Planning Association's 2002 Public Education Award. In addition to her work for Cogan Owens Cogan, Ms. Cogan has served as an editorial columnist for the Oregon Journal and the Oregonian newspaper, while also providing radio and television commentary on a variety of public issues. She is the author of Successful Public Meetings: A Practical Guide, now in its second edition, published by the American Planning Association. In her newest release from the Planning Commissioners Journal -- Now that You're on Board: How to Survive ... and Thrive ... as a Planning Commissioner -- Elaine Cogan provides insights on the valuable role planning board members play, and how they can use their skills most effectively. Through a series of 25 practical tips, Cogan shows planning commissioners -- new and old -- how they can not just survive, but thrive, on their board. [50 pages; illustrated by cartoonist Marc Hughes]

click article titles below for summary of each article or for download information

means article is available to order & download

means article can be viewed online in html format

Consider the Needs of Generation Xers in Your Public Involvement Strategies -- Issue 70, Spring 2008
--- Ways of involving younger people in the planning process.

... In the Beginning -- Issue 68, Fall 2007
--- Why the first few minutes of your planning commission meeting are especially important.

When Major Players Come to Bat -- Issue 67, Summer 2007
--- How do you deal with the "major players" in your community when land use issues are at stake?

Variety on the Planning Commission is a Virtue -- Issue 66, Spring 2007
--- How wide a net does your commission cast in seeking out new members?

Lighten Up -- Issue 65, Winter 2007
--- Being a planning commissioner is a serious job, with serious responsibilities. However, if you take the opportunity to engage your community in stimulating and enjoyable planning exercises, you will find a receptive audience.

When Labels Can Be Counter-Productive -- Issue 64, Fall 2006
--- Elaine Cogan considers the wisdom of “labeling” planning board members by their “characteristics.” With responses from our online reviewers.

Enticements Needed to Woo the Public -- Issue 63, Summer 2006
--- People are friendlier, to their fellow citizens and to the conveners of meetings, if their stomachs aren’t grumbling. How food can make a difference.

Lessons from the Oregon Experience -- Issue 60, Fall 2005
--- Oregon voters in November 2004 approved Measure 37 -- perhaps the most drastic approach to limiting government "takings" in the nation. Long-time Oregon resident and PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan offers her insights on why voters supported this measure.

On Gauging Public Opinion -- Issue 58, Spring 2005
--- An overview of ways by which planning commissions can gauge public opinion.

Careful Attention to Older Citizens Benefits All -- Issue 57, Winter 2005
--- On the valuable role seniors can play in community planning.

Breach the Wall of Separation -- Issue 56, Fall 2004
--- On how to breach the wall of separation that too often separates planning and school boards.

How Effective Is Your Planning Board? -- Issue 55, Summer 2004
--- Ways of evaluating a planning board's effectiveness.

And the Consensus Is ... -- Issue 53, Winter 2004
--- How do you build consensus on your planning board? Elaine Cogan offers some suggestions.

Is Planning a Household Word in Your Community? -- Issue 50, Spring 2003
--- How you can strengthen community involvement in planning after you've completed work on updating your comprehensive plan, when there's no "hot issue" on the table.

First on the Agenda is the Agenda! -- Issue 49, Winter 2003
--- How much thought goes into your planning board’s agenda?

Does Your Planning Board Reflect Your Community? -- Issue 48, Fall 2002
--- Elaine discusses the value of diversity in planning board composition, and ways to help achieve it.

Is it Glitz? Is it Real? -- Issue 46, Spring 2002
--- Why it's important for planning commissioners to look behind the pretty pictures, and beyond the enticing words, of polished presentations.

¿Habla Usted Español? -- Issue 45, Winter 2002
--- A look at several ways of reaching out to the citizens of your community for whom English is not their first language.

Planning Boards Survive a Decade of Change -- Issue 44, Fall 2001
--- Elaine Cogan reflects on ways in which planning has changed over the past ten years.

What Counts Most as a Planning Commissioner? -- Issue 43, Summer 2001
--- Elaine Cogan takes a second look at three valuable traits of an effective planning commissioner: patience, persistence, and passion.

Minor Irritants Can Become Major Problems -- Issue 42, Spring 2001
--- PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan on what to do to prevent minor irritants at meetings from becoming major problems.

How Can We Harness Our Passion for Planning -- Issue 41, Winter 2001
--- Ways in which you can tap the passion and enthusiasm of your constituents for the planning process.

Getting Out to Where the People Are -- Issue 40, Fall 2000
--- Elaine Cogan looks at how a shopping mall became the location for a creative planning event.

New Ways to Reach New (and Old) Audiences -- Issue 39, Summer 2000
--- Ways in which planning boards can obtain public feedback besides through a formal public hearing process.

Who Hires Your Planning Director? -- Issue 37, Winter 2000
--- What attributes should you look for in a new planning director? Elaine Cogan describes what she learned from facilitating a series community forums as part of Portland, Oregon's search for a new planning chief.

When Is Enough Enough? -- Issue 36, Fall 1999
--- How long have you served on your planning board? How long should you serve? Elaine Cogan on how you can tell when enough is enough.

Meeting Formats Should Follow their Functions -- Issue 35, Summer 1999
--- Advice on organizing your meeting agendas.

Homogenous Commissions in Heterogeneous Communities -- Issue 34, Spring 1999
--- In increasingly diverse communities, it is essential that all planning board members reach out beyond their ordinary circles of relationships. Elaine Cogan discusses several ways in which commissioners can do this.

Teaching "New Dogs" New Tricks -- Issue 33, Winter 1999
--- How to deal with newcomers to your board who either hold up meetings with question after question or are too nervous to jump into the discussion.

Do You Have the "Write" Stuff? -- Issue 32, Fall 1998
--- The importance of clear written communications in public notices and postings.

What's Your PMQ (Public Meeting Quotient)? -- Issue 31, Summer 1998
--- Elaine Cogan offers some guidelines for designing and carrying out effective public meetings.

Another Meeting? -- Issue 30, Spring 1998
--- What do you do when a member of your commission does not fully participate in meetings or commission business?

Just What Is Your Planning Commission's Role -- Issue 29, Winter 1998
--- Some thoughts on three basic variations in the role planning commissions and commissioners can take.

Consider the Committee -- Issue 28, Fall 1997
--- A closer look at how committees can assist commissioners in their work.

Controversial Issues Natural in Planning -- Issue 27, Summer 1997
--- As a planning commissioner, how do you deal with controversial projects. Elaine Cogan offers some ideas on how to be more proactive, and less reactive.

Retreat? Advance? -- Issue 26, Spring 1997
--- Has your commission been looking for a way to get beyond the regular meeting routine? Some suggestions on how to organize for a successful retreat.

You, Too, Can Speak So People Will Listen! -- Issue 25, Winter 1997
--- When you're asked to speak to a community group, do you get a knot in your stomach? Tips on how to make public speaking a less stressful, and more rewarding, experience.

How to Recognize and Relieve Burnout -- Issue 24, Fall 1996
--- Advice for commissioners on ways of avoiding burnout.

Is Your Community Being Invaded by NIMBYs? -- Issue 23, Summer 1996
--- Strategies for dealing with NIMBYs when they show up at your meetings.

Ask Questions Well and You May Even Receive Worthwhile Answers! -- Issue 22, Spring 1996
--- If you know how to ask questions well, you might even receive worthwhile answers.

Why Don't Planning Commissioners Get the Respect They Deserve? -- Issue 21, Winter 1996
--- You have to give respect to get respect, says Elaine Cogan, in her look at ways in which commissioners can gain respect from the public they serve.

Working Effectively With Elected Officials -- Issue 20, Fall 1995
--- How planning commissioners can build bridges to local elected officials.

Young Visionaries Make Good Planners -- Issue 19, Summer 1995
--- Ways of involving kids in the community planning process.

How Broad Is Your Planning Horizon? -- [Issue 18, Spring 1995
--- Why it's important as a planning commissioner to draw on your own experiences and insights, but also take the time to learn from people outside your own circle.

There's Help for Dysfunctional Meetings -- [Issue 17, Winter 1995
--- "First aid" for meetings that don't seem to work includes: controlling the agenda; avoiding "discussion" by monologue; and clarifying how decisions are reached.

When They Speak, Do You Listen? -- Issue 2, Jan/Feb. 1992
--- Do you listen to what members of the public say at your planning commission meetings? Do people know that you're listening? Why this may be the most important part of your job as a commissioner.

Things We Often Overlook: An Overview -- [Issue 1, Nov/Dec. 1991
--- Have you given any thought to how you organize and run your Commission meetings? Elaine Cogan goes over some basic considerations in her first column.

---