How You Can Use Public Participation to Improve Your World

You can shape the world around you by participating in public processes -- zoning, planning, wetlands, and conservation commission permit application hearings.

Get Involved

Local and state agencies make decisions that impact the health of your environment and can degrade the quality of life you lead. Many urban/suburban ills that collectively contribute to climate change, sprawl, habitat loss, flooding, loss of character, sense of place and history trace their roots to activities which are perfectly legal under existing environmental laws, but which are poorly regulated because the public trust is not represented. Many times clients hire me at the last minute or after the fact lamenting the ________(insert: cell tower, McMansion, mall, marina, subdivision, dock, condominium…) in their backyard. It need not be so.

Be Part of the Process

It isn’t a sordid conspiracy that drives the cumulative insults to our common spaces. Administrative agencies are designed to allow public participation through public comment, the submission of scientific materials or testimony and even through intervention as a party. The earlier you get involved and the more you arm yourself with information, the better. Most agencies are staffed by volunteers with varying expertise and limited time to investigate applications. Most applicants are well represented by engineers, consultants and attorneys. By intervening you can re-balance the equities of information to foster better decisions and shape outcomes.

Organize

Tap the resources around you. Many people enjoy being able to give back to their community using their expertise. Form a voluntary association or group and give it a dignified name like “The Shoreline Environmental Trust” or “The Westville Historical Preservation Group”.

Designate & Delegate

Choose a leader or co-leaders. Break up the issues into smaller assignments (neighborhood photos, resident species, historic resources, flooding, percentage of asthma/cancer incidents, architectural patterns).

Get Free Help

Enlist the help of elected officials and organizations like Soil & Water Conservation Districts (US Dept. of Agriculture), Audubon, Trout Unlimited, historical societies, The Nature Conservancy.