Engaging Your Community in Code-Writing Processes

A community's code of ordinances or unified development code is foundational to planning and development, affecting everything from processes to the built environment and providing rules and regulations to support zoning districts. It can be extensive, complex, and sometimes difficult for planners to decipher and administer, making it particularly mystifying for community members.

So how do you engage community members in updating or writing your code? It takes a spectrum of engagement tactics and facilitation tools to obtain meaningful involvement. It begins with project websites to host information and project notification lists to ensure that those interested are kept up-to-date. A mixture of digital tools, including surveys and polls, can garner engagement from a wider array of people. Steering committees and stakeholder meetings can facilitate deeper discussions. Open-house style meetings can bring people into a process and build confidence, while Q&A sessions provide supportive, one-on-one opportunities to discuss specific concerns.

You may have used some or all of these tools in planning processes. The key is to use them as a package to set a foundation and then build trust through iterative development of a final product that represents community needs.
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