The Politics of Zoning Reform: Know Your Audience

In a blog post for Better! Cities & Towns, Susan Henderson compiles a comprehensive list of the types of personalities that must be brought on board to navigate the politics of zoning reform.

1 minute read

September 7, 2012, 8:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


As Henderson describes, reforming a zoning ordinance engenders a profound change in a community, which inherently causes angst among an area's various stakeholders. And the first step, for her, to navigating the political minefield laid by such unease is to understand the perspectives and concerns of those involved in the decision-making process.  

As she notes: "As in all things political, you're navigating people. People who may
not be able to picture their objectives in the context of yours.
Identifying them is your first step towards building bridges of
understanding." Henderson goes on to describe the various types of audiences and relationships involved in the process. 

"Accurate audience analysis," she concludes, "is crucial to success in adopting new
codes - form-based or otherwise. A thorough analysis helps address the
needs of each audience and helps the team know how to meet those needs."

"Simply put: Know who you're talking to."

 

Thursday, September 6, 2012 in Better! Cities & Towns

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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