The Politics of Zoning Reform: Know Your Audience

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."