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Citizen Involvement in Land Use Decisions - Issue for Emphasis


Leagues Complete Survey in Jackson County by Jean Milgram

In teams of three, Rogue Valley and Ashland Leaguers have interviewed officials of each of the eleven municipalities in Jackson County, plus the county itself, on their implementation of Goal One in the Oregon Land Use Comprehensive Plan.

Goal One requires that cities and counties set up a Committee for Citizen Involvement (CCI) to monitor citizen involvement and adopt a Citizen Involvement Program providing for "involvement in all phases of the planning process". The goals in the land use comprehensive plan are stated to have the force of law, but no enforcement mechanism has ever been established.

Since the mission of the League of Women Voters is to encourage the informed participation of citizens in government, our support of statewide implementation of Goal One in land use planning is a given. This year the two Leagues in Jackson County decided to find out how widely Goal One is being followed in their area.

A committee drew up a detailed list of 27 questions to ask city planners and other officials such as city managers and mayors. The questions dealt with both Citizen Involvement Committees (CICs) and Citizen Advisory Committees (CACs), as well as some general questions about land use
planning. Examples of questions:

Is the Citizen Involvement Program or Policy in your Comprehensive Plan currently active?
 
What procedures do you provide to generate local citizen input on land use issues and/or applications?
 
What specific types of land use issues and/or applications are routinely considered by ad hoc citizen groups?

There is some interest by DLCD – CIAC and private groups in passing legislation that will create enforcement mechanisms for Goal One.  Do you think that Citizen Involvement in Land-use planning should be legally mandated with enforcement mechanisms?

The League committee first sent individual members to each jurisdiction¹s planning department to get a copy of their Citizen Involvement Policy/Program. Then calls were made asking for appointments for an interview. During the ensuing three months all the interviews were completed.

 

Read the full survey on Citizen Involvement in Land Use Planning by the Rogue Valley and Ashland Leagues HERE.

 

Learn more from other resources on

Oregon Land Use Planning...

 

LWVOR Study on Oregon’s unique Land Use Planning System, 2002

The League of Women Voters of Oregon first studied land use over forty years ago; its 1959 report examined the state’s role in managing urban growth. In 1973, based on that study and other League work, the League supported Senate Bill 100, which created the statewide land use planning program.  This 2002 report looks at the history of Oregon’s land use program, documents its accomplishments, and recognizes the challenges it continues to face.

Read more on Oregon's Land Use Planning System (PDF file)

 

State of Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals & Guidelines

Goal 1: CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT

To develop a citizen involvement program that insures the opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the planning process.

1. Citizen Involvement – to  provide widespread citizen involvement of a cross-section of affected citizen in all phases of the planning process.

2. Communication – to assure effective two-way communication with citizens, providing effective communication between citizens and officials.

3. Citizen Influence – to provide the opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the planning process.

4. Technical Information – to assure that technical information is available in an understandable form.

5. Feedback Mechanisms – to assure that citizens will receive a response from policy-makers.

6. Financial Support – to insure funding for the citizen involvement program.

Read a summary of all 19 Land Use Planning Goals (PDF file)...
For detailed planning goals please visit the website of Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development 

 

Overview of the history and structure of Oregon’s Land Use Planning Program -

Senate Bills 100 and 101 by 1000 Friends of Oregon

The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) and the Oregon planning program was created in 1973 by Senate Bill 100, with support from both parties and Republican Governor Tom McCall. The law created LCDC and directed it to adopt statewide planning goals which addressed a range of topics specified by the legislature. After conducting hearings around the state, LCDC adopted the following 19 state planning goals:

Goal 1

Citizen Involvement

Goal 11

Public Facilities and Services

Goal 2

Land Use Planning—Exceptions

Goal 12

Transportation

Goal 3

Agricultural Lands

Goal 13

Energy Conservation

Goal 4

Forest Lands

Goal 14

Urbanization

Goal 5

Open Spaces, Scenic and Historic Areas and Natural Resources

Goal 15

Willamette Greenway

Goal 6

Air, Water and Land Resources Quality

Goal 16

Estuarine Resources

Goal 7

Areas Subject to Natural Disasters and Hazards

Goal 17

Coastal Shorelands

Goal 8

Recreational Needs

Goal 18

Beaches and Dunes

Goal 9

Economic Development

Goal 19

Ocean Resources

Goal 10

Housing

 

 

 

League of Women Voters of Rogue Valley

P.O. Box 8555

Medford, OR 97501

541-245-6920

 


  Last revised: December 9, 2007

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