If public participation is a goal, local government should work harder to make public hearings more user-friendly.
"The vague and lackadaisical way that public meetings are often conducted can frustrate anyone who watches local government at work.
When commissions or councils vote, citizens can be left in the dark as to what the vote was about and why board members voted the way they did.
That is sloppy democracy."
"The City Council in Venice, Florida, to its credit, set aside time at its annual Strategic Planning Session this spring to make a list of ways to improve its meetings.
As mundane as that might sound, many public officials throughout the region -- as well as their constituents -- might benefit if Venice's to-do list became standard operating procedure. Some local boards already observe these practices, but too many of them do not.
Among the common-sense items are:
Explain the issue to the audience: When making land-use decisions, in particular, elected boards frequently rush the issue to a vote with little or no explanation to the public. Again, explain it in clear terms."
FULL STORY: A primer on public meetings

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont