I was quoted in this morning’s Midtown Raleigh News on the new Public Participation Process for Raleigh Parks.
After a string of park projects beset by opposition battles and lengthy delays, the city’s parks and rec department will soon overhaul the way it works with the public during planning for future parks, ballfields and gyms.
The proposed guidelines, laid out in exhaustive detail in three documents totaling 89 pages, are intended to pinpoint areas of disagreement and bring together citizens groups to give suggestions, particularly when controversial projects are involved.
The idea is to resolve disputes early and not let them fester, said City Manager Russell Allen.
“The hope is that if you take time up front, you don’t get snagged later in the development of the project and run into an element of the public that never bought in,” Allen said.
via Raleigh to involve public sooner in parks planning – Raleigh – MidtownRaleighNews.com.