Citizen Participation

It’s Tuesday evening, you are completely exhausted and you are just getting in from work. You plop on your couch only to remember you haven’t checked your mail in three weeks. You contemplate do you really need to check the mail today and you try to come up with numerous excuses such as it will only be bills or advertisements in your mailbox so why even bother. You begin to close your eyes, but something keeps nudging you to get up and check the mail. So you begrudgingly slither from the couch to go check the mail. As you rummage through your mail you say to yourself, “I knew it only junk!” but before you begin to toss out all the mail you notice one piece that looks different. 

It is from some law firm and it has a City sticker on it as well. You tear it open and you begin to read the letter. It is a neighborhood notification letter that tells you about a development proposal that is abutting your property. The development is for a carwash and it says there will be a neighborhood meeting. You think, “Not in my community, not right behind my house!” You start to formulate all sorts of thoughts and responses you have to offer the law firm and city. You reach for your phone so you can place the date of the meeting on your calendar. You look back at the letter only to realize that the neighborhood meeting occurred last week! You gasps as your opportunity to voice your concerns has been missed or has it?

What is Citizen Participation

Citizen participation also known as public participation is a process that allows private individuals, private entities and/or other public municipalities an opportunity to voice their concerns, comments, opposition, and/or agreement to decision making bodies in the hopes of having influence over a proposed project. 

Depending on the jurisdiction, the type of planning application, project complexity or sensitivity citizen participation can take the form of a neighborhood notification letter or a neighborhood meeting. Additionally, depending on the jurisdiction the provisions of who, what, when, and how a citizen is notified of a project proposal can be at the discretion of the assigned planner or it can be written in the zoning ordinance that notification will be sent to all properties located within 300± feet of the proposed project site. To get specifics on this contact your local planning department.

Difference Between Public Engagement and Public Participation 

I know that both may appear to be the same on the surface, it is important to understand that both are drastically different when it relates to the role that citizens play in influencing public decisions.  As stated above, citizen participation is initiated because of a proposed development proposal, and its sole purpose is to get your input on that proposal whether it be negative or positive because your input will be included in a staff report which will be provided to a decision making body. Your input will hopefully influence or persuade the decision making body in your favor. Nowhere during this process are civil servants supposed to persuade you in any direction they are supposed to be unbiased and their main objective is to report your input. 

Whereas Citizen engagement requires an active, intentional dialogue between citizens and public decision makers. Meaning both the citizens, public decision makers, and civil servants come together to bring resolution and methods that benefit all. But, it’s important to note that citizen engagement and participation have the same goal: improving public service delivery and policy projects.

Nonetheless, both are not initiated by the same persons. Citizen engagement is a top-down initiative and is in-stated by a governmental body such as a city or a town. The city officials are the ones encouraging citizens to discuss, assess policies and contribute to projects. By contrast, citizen participation stems from citizens themselves (developers and/or private citizens) due to planning applications, and is thus is a bottom-up initiative.

Why is Citizen Participation Important 

Citizen Participation is very important because it allows you the citizen to have an active role on what is to occur or not occur in your community when it relates to development projects. Development projects can include something as small as a variance application submitted by a neighbor for a reduction in setbacks, to a conditional use permit for a drive-thru restaurant located down the street from you, to a rezoning application to change the zoning of an abutting property from rural residential to commercial, all the way to a petition for an annexation of 400 acres from county jurisdiction into the city’s jurisdiction. 

You do have a voice, your voice matters, but you have to know that it does, and you have to be a willing advocate for not only yourself, your family, your community, but for future generations that are not even here yet. You must not only think about the present but the future. How will your influence impact everyone here today and those that will be here tomorrow. As a citizen who participates you must not be selfish in your advocacy but instead selfless. It is bigger than just you and your family. Remember you are doing this for those who do not have a voice as well. 

Those who do not have a voice equates to the sick and shut in, children, animals, elderly, and those who are handicapped. 

Where can you find it

Citizen participation can be sent via neighborhood notification letter, an announcement of a neighborhood meeting, a town hall meeting listed in the public newspaper, posted on the project site, and it can even be posted at city hall. As a result, it is important to be an active member of your community by checking all the areas listed above. Further, you can have your local planning department have you listed as an interested party. This will ensure that you are always notified when a development proposal that requires citizen participation is formally submitted. It is your responsibility to keep track of what is going on in your community. Therefore, keep your eyes and ears open. 

Conclusion

Citizen participation is important and It is your responsibility to be engaged in your community. So please do not go weeks without checking your mail because you never know when a development proposal will pop up in your vicinity and you want to make sure that your voice is heard during the decision making process. The last thing you want to think is that you could have done something, but you missed the deadline to do so. 

If you found this blog helpful please let me know. Further, if you have any additional comments, concerns, or questions please do not hesitate to contact the Friendly Neighborhood Planner.