Planning Commissioners Journal

Booming Trends

 We came across this quite interesting information from the Lincoln Institute, which reports on research being done by Professor Dowell Myers. 

Booming Trends (use link for full article)

The crystal balls are out on the housing market, and Dowell Myers sees a dark age ahead. The big problem is all the housing stock owned by aging baby boomers, says Myers, professor at the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development, and not enough homebuyers to soak up the supply once they try to sell in vast numbers. A saving grace would be immigrants, but tightened policies on immigration are diminishing their role. ... “We need to bulk up the future generation of homebuyers,” by investing in education, particularly for neglected minority populations, and recognizing the economic power of the foreign-born, whose homeownership rates continue to grow. ...

---------------------------

An article by Professor Myers is also available on The Planning Report web site; here is a brief excerpt. 

Immigrant Contributions In An Aging America (use link for full article)

... The upward mobility of immigrants is not visible until they have been here awhile. My analysis of Latino immigrants, generally among the least advantaged immigrants, shows tremendous rates of upward mobility. When they are newcomers, most speak English poorly and have few economic assets. In new destinations of immigrant settlement, that is what the locals see. They often assume that immigrants will remain like newcomers their whole lives. Not so, according to data from California, where immigrants have been settling since the 1970s. Ability to speak English well advances from 33.4 percent among those who recently arrived to 73.5 percent among immigrants residing in the United States for more than 30 years. In the same time period, poverty rates decline from 28.7 percent to 11.8 percent. Most important may be Latino immigrants’ progress into homeownership. Few start out as homeowners, but in California, 64.6 percent of immigrants who have stayed more than 30 years are homeowners. Immigrants’ upward mobility is likely to make a vital economic contribution when the multitudes of baby boomers start selling off homes. ...

Myers is also the author of Immigrants and Boomers: Forging a New Social Contract for the Future of America.

Map of the Future

Thought you'd enjoy this very creative map we came across. Best to use + for close ups and then drag the hand icon within the map. Or go to From Umapper.com and enlarge map to full screen size (you'll see a full screen button on upper right corner of the map).

We Didn't Realize the Magic Kingdom Looked Like This!

As this is Thanksgiving weekend, and it's a good time to relax, we thought we'd post a video that really doesn't have a direct planning connection (unless you can think of one!). It makes uses of a photographic technique called "tilt-shift" -- if you're intrigued you can find several groups on Flickr where thousands of tilt-shift photos have been posted. For more about the Disney video.

American Attitudes on Development

 Since 2005, the Saint Index© has tracked attitudes toward real estate development projects in the U.S., Canada, and United Kingdom. The 2009 U.S. survey involved interviews with 1,000 randomly selected Americans, and was conducted during the last quarter of 2008. 

American Attitudes on Development [use link for Executive Summary of Survey]

Excerpts from Summary of Survey:

-- America’s opposition to local real estate development remains strong, with 74 percent of adults opposed to new development in their community.

-- Americans are cynical about the relationship between developers and politicians. Nearly seven out of 10 Americans (69%) believe the relationship between developers and elected officials makes the land use approval process unfair.

-- The most active NIMBYs are age 46-55, college or post-grad educated, own their home, and have an annual household income of $75,000 to $99,000.

-- Nationwide, the level of anti-development activism is nearly identical among urban, suburban, and rural residents. Key reasons for opposition to a project are protecting the environment (22%) and protecting the value of a home or real estate (21%). Other reasons for opposition include fear of too much new traffic (19%) and protecting community character (18%).

-- 87% of Americans say that a candidate’s position on development and growth is important when deciding for whom to vote.

Tragedy, a New Sidewalk, & Persistence in St. Louis

 Great example of why we need sidewalks in all parts of our cites -- and how engaged citizens (and bloggers) can make a difference. 

One pedestrian route complete, more needed (from Urban Review STL blog; Nov. 25, 2009; use link for full story)

In early November 2005 Elizabeth “Lisi” Bansen died a few days after being struck by an SUV as she was traveling the two blocks from the nearest store to her apartment.  Lisi Bansen was disabled and using a manual wheelchair.  She was in the roadway because what sidewalks existed were impassable and curb cuts non-existent.

Two years later, in December 2007, the City of St. Louis lost a lawsuit with the jury finding them negligent in Bansen’s death.  ... by the time this case went to the jury a part of the route between the store and the apartments where Bansen lived had improved.  The state of Missouri constructed sidewalks and curb cuts adjacent to land it owns across the street from the Scott Joplin House museum.  City officials in statements to the press said they thought all was fixed. ...

Earlier this month on the four-year anniversary of Bansen being struck I showed that the route still remained impassable from end to end. ... After getting the city to finally complete the route between the apartments and the store I decided a celebratory walk was in order. So last Saturday a few readers joined me as I walked from the store to the apartments and back.

Minor Irritants Can Become Major Problems

Tip 19 of 25
from Elaine Cogan

view all Tips posted to date

Members of planning boards and commissions should be chosen for their particular talents or backgrounds rather than their compatibility or congeniality. Still, it is important that you all work together, even though you may disagree on issues of substance. It may take concerted efforts to ensure that minor irritants do not become major problems and impede the smooth functioning of the  planning board.

Members themselves may, sometimes unwittingly, trigger the problems by:
-- regularly arriving late.
-- holding side conversations during the meeting.
-- talking to each other and/or the public in rude or patronizing tones.
-- expounding on every issue with a long-winded tirade.
-- demanding excessive amounts of information before rendering an opinion.
-- purporting to speak for the board when no official vote or stand has been taken.

 
Through this and similar behavior, individuals show disrespect for the other commissioners, the public, and for the planning process itself. Possibly, they may not understand the norms of behavior expected of them. More likely, by being chronically late arrivers -- or chatting or disrupting the meeting -- they   send the message that their business is more important than the board’s.

Always start your meetings on time and all but the worst offenders will soon mend their ways when they realize they miss important information or discussion if they arrive late.

Those who speak out of turn, are rude or condescending, or incorrectly speak on behalf of the commission, send the message that they need the limelight, no matter how much trouble it may cause. Be willing to interrupt them politely but firmly so that the public realizes they do not represent the rest of you.

It is important that each new set of commission officers make it clear to the media and to the public  that the chair (or sometimes vice chair) is the designated spokesperson. Even that individual should not speak for the commission until you have taken official action.

How do you deal with commissioners who have tedious opinions on every subject or who ask for additional information incessantly?

If the chair is not taking charge firmly, members have to take the initiative. After a reasonable time enduring this monologue or endless questioning, look at your watch and say you think you have heard enough to move on, asking for the agreement of the others. Paraphrase what has been said already, or ask the recorder to read the  record. Then, be willing to suggest that the board to take action, if only to defer the matter to a later time. The individual who caused the problem may complain or even abstain, but if you have the majority on your side, you can move on.

While it is important to have rules of conduct, they should not be so onerous nor rigid that they stifle discussion or so lax that they permit unbridled misbehavior. Be reasonable and fair, but willing to discipline members who consistently impede the work you are expected to accomplish. Sometimes, the chair or another volunteer must take the responsibility to talk frankly with the troublemaker “off line.”

Commission business is jeopardized when board members consistently put themselves and their whims above those of the public or their fellow commissioners. Difficult situations can be assuaged if the board has generally agreed on standards of conduct beforehand, and if members are willing to stand firm and united when they are abused.

This is one of the last few weekly installments of PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan's 25 tips for planning commissioners from her excellent Now That You're on Board publication.

The complete attractively-designed, spiral-bound, Now That You're on Board publication is available for purchase and delivery by mail.

Critics Say Roads Safer, But Danger Still Lurks

 Excellent report by Brian Naylor on National Public Radio this morning; see excerpts below. For more on roadway safety, see also Hannah Twaddell's article in our Spring 2009 issue, Growing Safer: Improving Roadways for Everyone (view excerpts; article available to order & download).

Critics Say Roads Safer, But Danger Still Lurks [use link for full story]

More than 4,000 people were killed in crashes with trucks last year, 1 out of every 9 traffic fatalities.

Jacqueline Gillian [with Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety] warns that number could increase if the truck industry gets its way. It's lobbying Congress to increase the maximum weight for trucks on federal highways from 80,000 pounds to 97,000.

Bigger trucks can be more dangerous, Gillian says.

"In fact, in … fatal crashes involving a truck and a car, 98 percent of the fatalities are the occupants of the car. That's not rocket science. That's just pure physics. Big is always going to win," she says.

The trucking industry doesn't see it that way. It argues that bigger trucks means there will be fewer needed to haul freight, especially once the economy picks up. 

When Developers Engage in "Greenwashing"

 [good reflections on an important topic by columnist Neil Peirce; take a look also at our blog posting on DestiNY, "What's Syracuse's Destiny," from almost exactly two years ago]

Energy-Frugal Recovery: Why Settle for Less? [click link for full article]

 ... the impulses of some developers to go hog-wild with new, outsized, distantly located, energy-chomping, greenhouse-gas generating development, have scarcely abated.

Consider the plans of developer Robert Congel, super-wealthy CEO/owner of the Pyramid Management Group that’s created 19 shopping malls. Congel is pushing hard to bless his home town of Syracuse, N.Y., with “DestiNY USA,” the mega-mall of all mega-malls–a multi-billion-dollar combination shop-store-restaurant-theater-tourist-hotel center, complete with such features as a 65-acre enclosed park, a 15,000 seat amphitheater, an aquarium, a six-story “climbing wall,” and a re-creation of the Erie Canal.

Seven years ago I found myself writing with partial sympathy about Congel’s plans. ... Today I’d be far more skeptical ... The fact is, we have a new global reality. Our post-recession future almost surely holds gasoline at $4 a gallon, maybe a lot more. The prospective car travel of DestiNY visitors would total billions of miles, generating formidable greenhouse gas emissions. ... Buildings contribute some 40 percent of America’s yearly carbon emissions. ... Renovating structures in Syracuse’s downtown would be a dramatically “greener” choice than DestiNY ...

Indeed, "greenwashing” has become a tactic de jour for controversial projects.

10,000 People Line up for Chance to Live in Public Housing High-Rise

MELVINDALE: 10,000 people line up for chance to live in public housing high-rise [click link for full story]

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 From the News-Herald (Detroit area)

"Ten thousand people lined up outside the city’s low-income public housing high-rise this week after notification that the facility was accepting resident applications for its waiting list.

Coogan Terrace, 3501 Oakwood Blvd., was in a state of “chaos” Tuesday because so many people were lined up outside the building, according to a letter written by employees that was read at the City Council meeting Wednesday."

Which Side are You On?

 Choosing Sides | Seven Days [use this link to read full story]

Note: this is a fascinating report in this week's Seven Days (Vermont) newspaper on how homeland security is coming between two small sister towns straddling the U.S. / Canada border.

Excerpt from story: Balancing the country’s security goals with the rights of Derby Line residents to live in peace and protect their heritage is hard work. Citizens recognize that life in the village will never return to “normal,” and the Mayberryesque days are long gone. But no one wants to live in a paramilitary state that is walled off from its nearest neighbors.

“We’re supposed to be your closest, friendliest neighbor and ally,” Stone says. “But we don’t have the same feeling that we used to have. Now there’s that much more between us.”

Village trustee Beadle squints at the gates dividing his community from its sister town, and a wistful look comes over his face. He knows there’s nothing to be done about this most recent incursion.

“It’s unfortunate,” he says, “that we’ve come to this juncture where we have to put up gates.”

"A Laptop in Every House"

 Should there be a laptop in every house? That's what a Resolution of the Burlington, Vermont, City Council -- adopted on November 12th -- calls for. Here's part of what the Resolution says:

"WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes that broadband access is becoming an essential household need in the 21st century ...

WHEREAS, there are many in the City of Burlington who cannot afford broadband access in their homes because of the expense of hardware and provider costs; and

WHEREAS, without broadband access, it is becoming more and more difficult for individuals their rights of free speech guaranteed under the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Council requests the Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization Committee work with the Community & Economic Development Office to: ... develop a plan to place 'a laptop in every house' ..."

The Resolution then goes on the address the need for a wi-fi zone downtown, and also adds an important caveat that none of this come at the expense of Burlington taxpayers -- but be funded by grants (OK, so that's a big caveat!).

You can download the text of the Resolution (it's a .jpg file).

But my question to readers is this: does this make sense -- and, if it does, how could something like this be funded and implemented. btw, the City of Burlington has its own municipal telecommunication company.

The Remarkable Johnson Wax Building

I'm a bit of a Frank Lloyd Wright junkie, and have visited at least a dozen of the homes he built. But I was especially struck by a visit two years ago to the Johnson Wax Building in Racine, Wisconsin, designed by Wright. It's a remarkable office space, still in active use. It includes many innovative features, and conveys a dramatic but surprisingly tranquil feel.  

So much of the focus in our thinking about architecture is about residential design -- and Wright was, of course, a master of that as well. But I think you'll enjoy and learn from this three part video series providing a tour of the Johnson Wax building. If you're ever in Racine, it's well worth a stop -- though I believe tours are only given on Fridays.

These three videos -- to be viewed in sequence -- provide a good overview of this special building in American architectural history.

For information on visiting the Johnson Wax Building.

NAHB: Housing Affordability Record-High Level for Third Consecutive Quarter

 NAHB: Housing Affordability Record-High Level for Third Consecutive Quarter [use this link for full story]

November 19, 2009 - Nationwide housing affordability, bolstered by affordable interest rates and low house prices, hovered for the third consecutive quarter near its highest level since the series was first compiled 18 years ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) released today.

 

The HOI showed that 70.1 percent of all new and existing homes sold in the third quarter of 2009 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,000, down slightly from a near-record 72.3 percent during the previous quarter and up from 56.1 percent during the third quarter of 2008. 

Voting Is Not Always Necessary

Tip 18 of 25
from Elaine Cogan

view all Tips posted to date

How often does the planning board engage in an informal but productive discussion when a member interrupts by making a motion?

Most likely, someone will offer a second, and you soon can be down a formal path, following rules of order you may not have needed at all. A motion made prematurely or in the middle of a free and open conversation can stifle the very debate you need. Know when to cut off discussion, when to call for a vote and when  you can reach a decision by consensus, or general agreement. The goal should be to give everyone the fullest opportunity to contribute to the smooth running and decision-making process of your planning board.

 
First, it is important to acknowledge that most, if not all, decisions on legal matters require a recorded vote. Many other issues, however, are best resolved by reaching consensus. Voting yea or nay can polarize board members by creating a winner/loser environment. While striving for consensus may be a longer and time-consuming process, it also encourages the group to come to general agreement without forcing individuals to take sides.

The consensus-builder is often not the chair. The role can be played by anyone who has the patience, aptitude, and interest. She relies on her ability to listen carefully to what people say or mean when they may appear to be rambling, and also on interpreting non-verbal behavior or  body language.

If you aspire to be the consensus-builder, you probably have to listen more than you participate in the  discussion, all the while watching participants’ actions. Be alert for a momentary lull in the discussion, when it seems that all the points have been raised and the conversation is becoming repetitive. Head off a formal motion by using summary language such as “Now that it appears we have discussed all the options, it seems we generally agree on …” or “It is pretty clear that we want to …” or “We seem to have consensus on … .” Most times, members will nod in agreement and be relieved that someone is so perceptive. Thus, you can move on to another topic with impunity. If you have misread the situation, board members will most certainly tell you and the conversation can continue.

A consensus does not necessarily imply agreement. It can be reached when you are at an impasse  and have exhausted the points to talk about. In this situation, the consensus builder can say, “It seems we will have to agree to disagree at this time; why don’t we move on?”

Though most people find a consensus format very comfortable and preferable to constant voting, it may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable to some board members. Obviously, it can be used only if there is consensus to do so. Voting is a clear and direct method of reaching a decision. The consensus model is more intuitive and collaborative. Each has a proper place in the decision-making process of a well-functioning planning board.

We're pleased to be posting over the next half-year, on a weekly basis every Wednesday, PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan's 25 tips for planning commissioners from her excellent Now That You're on Board publication.

We hope this will provide a convenient opportunity for planning commissioners and other "citizen planners" to benefit from Cogan's years' of experience in working with communities. The complete attractively-designed, spiral-bound, Now That You're on Board publication is also available for purchase and delivery by mail.

Control the Meeting by Controlling the Agenda

Tip 17 of 25
from Elaine Cogan

view all Tips posted to date

Is this a description of your typical planning commission meeting? You start ten or more minutes late; go through the items prepared by staff in no priority order, often getting to the most important ones several hours later; leave the public comment to the end when everyone is tired and grumpy; and adjourn much later than anyone wants, with important business held over to next time when you follow the same bad habits. There are many ways to rein in runaway meetings. A good place to start is with the agenda.

Consider the items in order of their importance, not in the tiresome and non-productive usual sequence of  “minutes, old business, new business.” It makes sense to tackle business that requires your full attention when you are all at your freshest, and that is usually at the beginning of the meeting.

Allow ample and early time for issues that most concern the public. Too often, planners still put them last or next to last on the agenda even though they are well aware that one or more matters are certain to attract a  large, opinionated  crowd. It should be no surprise  when  people get restless and  angry if they have to sit through several hours of deliberations that do not concern them. Put the contentious or controversial issues on the agenda early, and give them the time they deserve. Do not be offended if most of the crowd leaves as soon as you turn to other matters.

 
Place together routine items that require little or no discussion and consider them in a group. Some bodies call this the “consent agenda” and require one motion and one vote to approve them all. But be careful that they are, indeed, routine items and not anything controversial you can be accused of “sneaking through.”

Do everything possible to help the public follow along what may appear to be technical or difficult procedures. Print sufficient agendas for all to  pick up as they arrive. Also, make sure there are sufficient copies of any graphics or explanatory material. Provide another handout with a  simple explanation of the board's processes. ... What general rules of procedure do you follow? What is the purpose of a first reading? Second? On what issues do you require simple majorities and/or unanimous votes? What is your appeals process? What are the names of all the planning commissioners? Contact information about key staff?

All planning boards and commissions have some form of agenda. Examine yours closely to see if it is the best you can have as a way of contributing to orderly and productive meetings.

We're pleased to be posting over the next half-year, on a weekly basis every Wednesday, PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan's 25 tips for planning commissioners from her excellent Now That You're on Board publication.

We hope this will provide a convenient opportunity for planning commissioners and other "citizen planners" to benefit from Cogan's years' of experience in working with communities. The complete attractively-designed, spiral-bound, Now That You're on Board publication is also available for purchase and delivery by mail.

Individual Article Downloads From Our Fall Issue Now Available

Subscribe to the Planning Commissioners Journal, and start with our Fall issue. Order online, or call our office: 802-864-9083. Note: government orders can call and request to be invoiced. OR order a print copy of the issue for $17.75 -- delivered by first-class mail OR download a copy of this issue for $16.75 (or $75.00 for license to print up to 20 copies) OR download individual articles from our Fall issue -- click on article titles below, and then use the download article button
Contents of our Fall 2009 issue
	Zoning for Religious Institutions by Eric Damian Kelly, Esq., FAICP The impact of zoning regulations on religious institutions is a complex and evolving area of law. A primer on key issues citizen and professional planners should be familiar with.
Planning for Public Transportation in Rural Communities by Hannah Twaddell There's a strong need for public transportation in rural communities -- with benefits both for individuals and local economies.
	Stand by Your Plan by Jim Segedy, FAICP, and Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, AICP Ten tips to help you better prepare and implement your community's long-range plan.
The Role for Planning in Sustainable Communities by Elaine Cogan Communities throughout the country are see growing interest in sustainable development. Some ideas on how to take sustainability into account.
	Where's Art in Planning? (free download; use link to download article as pdf file) by Ric Stephens It's rare that art is considered relevant to planning -- and that's unfortunate.
Considering the Regional Impacts of Local Actions by C. Gregory Dale, FAICP Do we have an ethical responsibility to take into account the regional impacts of local land use decisions?
	CircleTheUSA Three reports from PCJ Editor Wayne Senville's travels: -- are Cleveland, Ohio, planners' new strategies for the reuse of vacant land realistic? -- how a Detroit, Michigan, suburb is seeking to reshape its future. -- why regional planners in northwest Indiana are focusing on 46 miles of lakeshore.

Recent Back Issues:	Special Focus Issues:
Summer 2009: Libraries at the Heart of Our Communities | Learn to Speak So People Will Listen | Are We There Yet? | Circle the USA Reports | and more	Winter 2006: Bright Ideas: 21 creative planning-related ideas & programs you should know about
Spring 2009: Getting the Density You Want | Growing Safer: Improving Roadways for Everyone | Dialing for Citizens | Learning to Enjoy Your Service on the Commission | and more	Fall 2005: This Land Is Your Land: on "takings" and property rights, and how planners can respond
Winter 2009: Managing Stormwater Runoff: A Green Infrastructure Approach | Taking Low Impact Development from Research to Regulations | The ABC's of Transit-Oriented Development | and more	Fall 2004: Back to School for Planners: on the impacts of school location, and the relationship between planning and school boards
Fall 2008: Pattern Books: A Planning Tool | GIS & Planning | Where Do We Want to Go? | and more	Spring 2004: Sphere of Influence: water and its impacts
Summer 2008: Greenways | Developing at the Edge | An Introduction to Charrettes | and more	Fall 2003: Planning for Historic Preservation: an introduction to historic preservation planning
Spring 2008: Car Sharing | Revisiting Ex Parte Contacts | Chairing the Commission | and more	Winter 2002: Opening the Door: planning for affordable housing
Winter 2008: Downtown Futures: continuing a series of reports from planners across the U.S., focusing on downtown issues	Spring 2000: The Promise of America: an historical look at 10 successes & 10 failures that having affected America's cities

Art & Soul in Planning

The Orton Family Foundation has done some terrific work in Vermont, Colorado, Maine, and other parts of the country in engaging citizens in local planning. A recent project of theirs in the small town of Starksboro, Vermont, is especially interesting as it uses storytelling and art as key elements in the planning process. Take a look at this short video. For more on the Starksboro project.

For more on the importance of the arts to local planning, see Ric Stephens' short article, "Where's Art in Planning" (free pdf download) from the Fall 2009 issue of the Planning Commissioners Journal.

Take a look also at our new Resource page on Art in Planning. It's a work in progress, and we'd welcome your suggestions for additional links or resources to cite.

Commission Members Can Also Be Leaders

Tip 16 of 25
from Elaine Cogan

view all Tips posted to date

In the previous Tip, I wrote about leadership and the importance of strong chairs. Their keen facilitation skills are vital to the success of each planning board meeting, and to the planning process itself.

But there is only one chair -- there are many members -- and most of us probably never will be or even aspire to that role. Moreover, even the best chair cannot do it alone. Everyone is important to the success and smooth functioning of the planning board. Members do themselves and their community a disservice if they just sit back, speak only when spoken to, or are otherwise passive.

In many ways, the roles of planning board members are more subtle and not as easily defined as that  of the chair. They do not have the title nor, for that matter, the gavel to give them authority. However, if they are willing to be thoughtful and reasoned participants, they will make important contributions to the proceedings. How, then, can planning board members be most effective?

Prepare yourself. Read all the pertinent written material, beforehand, review anything you do not understand with the planning director, and be ready with constructive questions or comments at the meeting.

Arrive on time so you can get your papers and thoughts in order.

Participate actively. Listen carefully to the presentations and comments of others and join in with remarks of substance that advance the discussion.

Help out the chair but don't take over. You need not suffer silently if a weak or indecisive chair impedes discussion or the ability of the board to make decisions. There are several actions you can take that do not usurp the chair's authority but help keep things moving. Remind everyone of the time constraints ("according to our agenda, we have just five more minutes before the next item"), or sum up what has been said, followed by a recommendation or a motion. Finally, at the first opportunity, choose a more capable chair.

Be an expert -- but not a know-it-all. Effective commissioners wisely take time to become more informed than the other members on a select number of subjects. However, even then, do not assume you know everything. Be open, and willing to consider the opinions of others. If you have to disagree with staff, commission members, or the public, be sure you have the correct information.

Watch your body language. Bored by the proceedings? Angry at the chair for cutting you off? Upset with the public for haranguing the commission unfairly? Resorting to facial expressions that show displeasure, drumming your fingers on the table, crossing your arms -- are strong signals you should avoid.

Above all enjoy yourself and show it with humor and goodwill. As a planning commissioner, you are performing a task very important to the well-being of your community.  The occasional slings and arrows should be worth your time and effort.

We're pleased to be posting over the next half-year, on a weekly basis every Wednesday, PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan's 25 tips for planning commissioners from her excellent Now That You're on Board publication.

We hope this will provide a convenient opportunity for planning commissioners and other "citizen planners" to benefit from Cogan's years' of experience in working with communities. The complete attractively-designed, spiral-bound, Now That You're on Board publication is also available for purchase and delivery by mail.