Transcript REGIONAL GOVERNANCE FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE George R. Grasser Partners for a Livable Western New York.

REGIONAL GOVERNANCE
FROM A LAND USE
PERSPECTIVE
George R. Grasser
Partners for a Livable Western New York
Why regional land use planning?
Why regional land use planning?
1. Land uses impact beyond
municipal boundaries
Why regional land use planning?
2. Many local municipalities lack
land use planning expertise.
Why regional land use planning?
3. Global and regional competition
Why regional land use planning?
4. To overcome legacy of sprawl
Major articles on sprawl and its effect:
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Time
Newsweek
National Geographic
Builder
Segregated Uses
Clarence, NY
Five-Acre Zoning
Clarence, NY
“We have made massive
investment in an infrastructure for
a daily life that has no future.”
James Howard Kunstler, author of “The
Geography of Nowhere” and “The Long
Emergency.”
We are lazy.
We will drive rather than
walk short distances.
Williamsville, NY
“25% of all meals eaten out of
the home by Americans are
purchased at a drive-thru
window.”
CBS Sunday Morning
Livable neighborhoods
create social capital.
Why regional land use planning?
5. Reduce reliance on oil-sourced
energy.
Popular modern Arabian
proverb:
“My father rode a camel, I drive
a Rolls Royce, my son flies a
jet airplane, his son will ride a
camel.”
Why regional land use planning?
6. Changing demographics
Why regional land use planning?
7. To create better places.
Cheektowaga, NY
Orchard Park, NY
Clarence, NY
“Create places of great beauty
and value and you are
improving the lives of
generations to come.”
Andres Duany
When someone proposed a
new building in my city,
I would ask: “Would you put
it on a postcard?”
– John Norquist,
former Mayor, Milwaukee, WI
Convention Center, Buffalo, NY
Would you put this on a postcard?
Village of Hamburg, NY
Would you put this on a postcard?
Village of Hamburg, NY
Village of Hamburg, NY
Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY
Cary, NC
Cary, NC
Kentlands, MD
Victor, NY
Kentlands, Gaithersburg, MD
Carpenter Village, Morrisville, NC
Birkdale Village,
Huntersville, NC
Birkdale Village,
Huntersville, NC
Regional Planning in the U.S.
Regional Planning
in New York State
Regional Planning
in New York State
- “Home rule” ensures local
control over land use.
Regional Planning
in New York State
- 58 of 62 counties participate in
county or regional planning
Regional Planning
in New York State
- County planning boards
• have limited powers
• General Municipal Law Section 239 reviews
• Often ineffective because of:
Political interference
Members are not well-informed
Members are not diverse
Regional Planning
in New York State
- 9 multi-county regional planning
commissions
Regional Land Use Planning
in Erie County
Regional Land Use Planning
in Erie County
- The Erie-Niagara Framework
for Regional Growth
Regional Land Use Planning
in Erie County
- Proposed law to form Erie
County Planning Board
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
1. Educate local officials
“We have legislators who think it
is their duty only to listen to the
people, instead of becoming
experts on the subjects which
they must decide upon.”
Andres Duany
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
1. Educate local officials
2. Provide a forum for discussion of
regional land use issues.
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
1. Educate local officials
2. Provide a forum for discussion of
regional land use issues.
3. Assist in the strategic location of
new developments.
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
4. Help minimize zoning disputes.
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
4. Help minimize zoning disputes.
5. Serve as a clearing house for
Federal funding.
What can a Regional
Planning Board do?
4. Help minimize zoning disputes.
5. Serve as a clearing house for
Federal funding.
6. Serve as a regional data bank and
information center.
What determines the
effectiveness of a
regional planning
entity?
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
1.Community-supported
mission.
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
1.Community-supported
mission.
2.Representative of the
community.
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
1. Community-supported mission.
2. Representative of the community.
3. Members knowledgeable on land
use issues.
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
4. Ability of staff to engage
municipal officials, developers
and the public.
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
4. Ability of staff to engage
municipal officials, developers
and the public.
5. Opportunity for public
participation.
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
6. Ability to work with county staff
members.
What determines the
effectiveness of a regional
planning entity?
6. Ability to work with county staff
members.
7. Adequate funding and staffing.
Obstacles to
Regional Planning
Obstacles to
Regional Planning
1. Uninformed elected officials
and an uninformed public.
Obstacles to
Regional Planning
1. Uninformed elected officials
and an uninformed public.
2. People in the region are
isolated from current planning
strategies occurring
elsewhere.
Obstacles to
Regional Planning
3. Fear of change; satisfaction
with the status quo.
Obstacles to
Regional Planning
3. Fear of change; satisfaction
with the status quo.
4. Community leaders unwilling to
give public support.
Obstacles to
Regional Planning
3. Fear of change; satisfaction
with the status quo.
4. Community leaders unwilling to
give public support.
5. “Politics-first” mentality of
elected officials.