What is community and stakeholder collaboration?
A key component of smart growth is making sure that all groups in a community are represented in decisions about how the community grows. These groups, or stakeholders, include developers, community development organizations, environmental organizations, historic preservation organizations, environmental justice advocates, recreation organizations, senior citizen organizations, neighborhood organizations, and civic organizations.
Why is community and stakeholder collaboration important?
Collaboration helps ensure that the interests of each group in the community are considered and that these interests help shape future growth. This can be a necessary first step in gaining widespread support for new directions for growth and for new development projects. Collaboration is also important because each community group can contribute a piece of the puzzle of making growth fit into the community.
Development decisions may be highly contentious in a community. Some have led to referenda to repeal rezonings or to recall community elected officials. Conflicts can arise due to poorly conceived master plans and zoning ordinances, developments that are destructive to the environment, density changes, and other issues. Many of these conflicts can be avoided or the consequences minimized through a collaborative effort of the groups potentially affected by a development proposal.
How do you encourage community and stakeholder collaboration?
Elected and appointed officials need to have input from members of the community in order to make informed decisions. Unfortunately, in many communities, input may be limited to that of highly vocal citizens and stakeholder groups that are opposed to a new approach or a proposed development that will alter the community. Local officials should work with community members and interest groups at the earliest stages of growth decisions. Early collaboration can often result in more practical and acceptable approaches for dealing with growth than those that officials may have chosen. Early collaboration can help build buy-in by community members and stakeholder groups.
Collaboration can take many forms. These can include methods in which the views of the community are measured, such as community opinion surveys, focus groups, or futuring town meetings. Other approaches can be more hands-on, such as design workshops and charrettes in which solutions are sought for growth issues in specific places in the community. Youth involvement, staff training, and professional facilitation can also help elevate the level of collaboration and the quality of plans for the future of the community.
