August 27, 2018
by Strong Towns
Here at Strong Towns, we’ve spotlighted the shortcomings of conventional public participation in the development process before. When the public is asked to weigh in on development and infrastructure decisions, it is often in ways that are, at best, outside their expertise, and at worst, actively corrosive of civic trust because of public engagement’s tenuous or nonexistent connection to real, implementable outcomes.
Yet make no mistake: public participation in government is absolutely crucial. A strong town can and should be shaped from the bottom up by the opinions—and perhaps more importantly, actions—of a broad spectrum of individuals with a stake in the town’s success.