Contentious, non-productive public hearings; need help

[kmgrimes]

Here's an interesting solution to more civil public hearings that I ran across today.

http://design.asu.edu/apa/proceedings99/FULK/FULK.HTM

[Kepple55]

A scheduled neighborhood meeting can be helpful but usually the neighbors flip thier decision on you when it comes time for a formal meeting. Sometimes there is nothing a developer could do to make this people happy, its sad. Our neighborhood meetings do have a representative from the munciplaity but in some instances the planner assigned is not present at the meeting and your word as the represenative are against the word of 25 angry people (Most instances the commisioner will side with his residents).

The commisioner (or whoever has final say) who's district the project is incorporated in should be present at the meeting. Then the commisioner can see first hand what the applicant and the neighbors have suggested to make the project whole.

[maxxoccupancy]

Can you're town switch to FBC's? Part of the point of that is that the townsfolk look at each parcel and section of town and set forms (or limits) for each section ahead of time. Developers can then look at those forms and either build to it or go home.

[Chet]

My experience pretty much mirrors Gedunker's. We did have some success with pre-applicartion meetings, but they were entirely discretionary and never a staff recommendation. I like the meeting chair explaining the process in advance of an ugly meeting. I do NOT like limiting "all in favor" or "all oppossed" time limits. You need to let people speak thier minds even if the commission or board "tunes out".