Planning Universe Archives

PCJ Articles

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Holding Public Hearings or Meetings

by Jim Segedy, FAICP, and Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, AICP

With our apologies to David Letterman, and in the spirit of helping you avoid the holes in the rocky road of being a planning commissioner, we present the Top Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Holding Public Hearings or Meetings.

Bright Ideas

A Look at Urban Interactive Studio’s “Engaging Plans” Web Tool

Della Rucker interviews Chris Haller of Urban Interactive Studio

PlannersWeb columnist Della Rucker’s first video cast is a conversation with Chris Haller of Urban Interactive Studio about the new world of planning project web site development — and a look at his firm’s “Engaging Plans” web site tool.

Editor's Notes & Interviews

Bridging the Digital Divide … in Our Libraries

by PlannersWeb Editor Wayne Senville

Planners are increasingly relying on the web and online tools to gather public input. But there are concerns about the “digital divide” and whether all segments of the community can participate. A look at how public libraries are helping reduce the digital divide.

PCJ Articles

When Communication Goes One-Way

by Della Rucker, AICP, CEcD

We claim in local government to want to have the community involved — we call it “public engagement” or “public feedback” or “stakeholder involvement” — but the fact is, most of the time we’re paying lip service to the idea, at best if we want to find solutions to the complex, tangled issues we face — whether it’s the impact of a new development or revisions to a sign code — we need dialogue, we need collaborators.

PCJ Articles

Don’t (just) Ask; Don’t (just) Tell

by Della Rucker, AICP, CEcD

Collaboration should be the ultimate goal of our planning efforts. If we design our public engagement strategies to build Collaboration, we can do more than what our planning commissions can do alone. We can strengthen the full set of muscles we need to make the entire community better.

Editor's Notes & Interviews

What Really Counts in a Community

PlannersWeb Editor Wayne Senville, reporting from Bath, Maine

We all know that the bottom line in what really counts in building strong communities is … the people. Committed citizens can pull together and make just about any place better. That’s just what I saw on a windy Saturday in the small city of Bath, Maine.

Insights

Our New Public Hearings Resource Guide — Now Available on the PlannersWeb

Take a look at the latest addition to the PlannersWeb. Our 12-part Resource Guide will provide you tips and ideas on how to better manage public hearings. The Resource Guide also points you to other relevant online information and documents.

Bright Ideas

New Online Resource: RLUIPA-Defense Blog

from PlannersWeb Editor Wayne Senville

We were excited to learn that one of the top land use lawyers in America, Dwight Merriam, and his colleague, Evan Seeman, have just started a blog dealing with RLUIPA, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. As Seeman describes it: “It’s all about how municipalities may defend against claims taken under RLUIPA.” If your community faces RLUIPA issues, we’re sure this will be a valuable resource.

Editor's Notes & Interviews

Swinging through Topsham

PlannersWeb Editor Wayne Senville, reporting from Topsham, Maine (Oct. 5, 2012)

Ten of us piled into a mini-van for a tour of Topsham, Maine (population about 9,100) — Brunswick’s suburb to the north. Stops included the historic Bowdoin Mill; a remarkable active-adult housing development; and the famous John A. Roebling-designed Swinging Bridge across the Androscoggin River.

Editor's Notes & Interviews

Taking a Hit … and Bouncing Back

PlannersWeb Editor Wayne Senville, reporting from Brunswick, Maine (Oct. 4, 2012)

In 2005, the Brunswick (Maine) Naval Air Station was designated for closure — one of more than 350 military installations ordered closed between 1989 and 2005. A look at progress on redevelopment plans for this sprawling, 3300 acre facility.

Editor's Notes & Interviews

Building a New Downtown – Part II

In part II of this posting, we take a closer look at how the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut worked with UConn and and a private developer to move forward on its new downtown, Storrs Center. Including some tips from some of the project participants.

Editor's Notes & Interviews

We Don’t Let Planning Get in the Way: Pt. I

Rob Rowlson, the Town of West Hartford’s Director of Community Services, makes no bones about it: too often planning can be an obstacle to private investment and development. In Part I of this post, Rowlson talks about efforts to strengthen the core of the town’s downtown: West Hartford Center.