The First Round of Neighborhood Engagements Done

As the feedback and comments are being prepared by city departments, the input from the streets that are "the neighborhoods" is starting to filter in to my desk.

During the past few days reposnses, questions, and concerns are seeping up through the cracks that are being left to be unnoticed, dismissed, or just plain looked-over areas that are starting to create red flags in this "planning" process.

I have been careful how I review the Neighborhood Planning Update process, keeping my immediatists responses to thoughts or off-line conversations with fellow planners, community acitivists, and residents I talk with in Southeast.

Until know I have remained generally quiet and reserved. One, because I am new at this and this committee position is my first. I have taken time to observe, read reports, keep up with the "sides" being taken; new city staff, new residents in identified neighborhoods, city policy pushers, department workers who are trying to figure this out, old residents who are sick of the city and feelings of being tokens in this process, and slews of other stakeholders. Rich, poor, middle class, homeowners, renters, business people, ethnic groups, all trying to figure out what this second round of planning means to them and their respective communities.

I have also remained reserved because I am looking for the balance point, the ethical planner position where the "most equitable and balanced apporach is sought" and finding that this is a good place to be because a lot of people actually want something good to come out of this use of public dollars.

However the specter of hidden meanings, missed or unconsidered opportunities, gaps in planning, disorganized approaches, limited inclusion of the public realm, and plain old administrative sluggishness is starting to cause problems.

I do not know exactly what is wrong with what the city is trying to do, however there is something that is not happening. Part of the problem is a lack of community and neighborhood organization, leaving many of the players to be "the usual suspects" and those who know the game. The "included" groups are identified by their unique language or ethnicity. This is happening under the trusted advocate model developed in Oakland, CA where people from a group act as spokesperson and information gatherer to bring to the city and the plan.

(to be continued)