Public participation is powerful and central to the sustainable functioning of our government. Land use planning is dependent on the public being involved in the planning process. With enabling more public participation as our motivating force, we’ve put together a new publication to make participating in the land use realm more accessible.
We know firsthand how challenging it can be to track and understand what is happening when local decision-makers are evaluating land use applications. Information can be difficult to find, the process can be unclear, and providing testimony can feel intimidating. We’ve created this guide to make the process a little more approachable. It walks through several important steps for understanding how to engage with a land use proposal in your community:
(1) Tracking land use applications (where to find more details, how to receive notice)
(2) Understanding the process that the decision-makers will use for evaluating a land use application (including different processes for different types of applications)
(3) Tips for effectively participating in the process through written or oral testimony, and
(4) How and when to appeal a land use decision if necessary.
Oregon’s land use system depends on public participation in the planning process to guide smart and sustainable decision-making. We hope that this guide encourages you to participate in the process if you hear about a potential land use change that you believe is not in the best interest of the community and/or violates the law. Your voice is powerful!
Download the guide for free at https://rogueadvocates.org/publicparticipation/.