ACIP Citizen Participation and Plan Making

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Question

Answer

Which is the best way to solicit citzen input in plan making?

Neighborhood group leaders and citizen committees

Which generates the most effective adequate citizen participation?

Developing a multi-faceted public information program

Common citizen surveys

mailed-inexpensive but slow, telephone-fast,cheaper but some no phone & must have interviewers, in-person-works well but very expensive & could be bias.

Charrette

Intensive interactive problem-solving process convened around development of specific plans. Experts within & outside community.

Task Force

agency-sponsored committee with a specific task related to a single problem.

Citizen Advisory Committee

Citizens groups presumed to represent the ideas and attitudes of local residents. Purpose to advise planning agency.

Citizen referendum

Citizens vote their approval or disapproval of a public measure by official ballot.

Delphi technique

used to develop consensus between two or more groups that are in conflict. Develop goals & objectives. Group facilitation skills.

Focus Groups

Representative sample of a community. Facilitated in an informal setting directed toward a specific subject.

Alinsky's Org: Paul Alinsky

Funding guarantee; paid organizer to neighborhood or community;Organizer identifies problem, develop citizen awareness with them & action; power is basis for successfully negotiating for economic and political gains.

Advocacy Planning: Paul Davidoff

Planner takes into account interests of those affected by plan; planners involved in political process as advocates for interests of gov and groups-mostly low income & minority.

Ladder of Citizen Participation: Sherry R. Arnstein

Defines citizen participation in terms of amount of control citizens have over policy decision. without distribution of power citizen participation is "empty ritual".

Citizen Participation & Code of Ethics

Continuing responsibility of professional planners; include disadvantaged citizens; special efforts required to reach disadvantaged; "Planners primary obligation is to serve the public interest".