Thurs Oct 17 Navigating Contentious Planning and Policy Decisions: Lessons and Insights on Civic Engagement and Community Consensus Building from Public Policy Mediators and Social Justice Advocates

Hosted by Virginia Tech's School of Public and Intl Affairs, the Metropolitan Institute and its Urban Affairs and Planning Program

Join us as we welcome two nationally known land use and public policy mediators, Donna Silverberg and Don Edwards, for the 2013 Fall MI+SPIA Lecture Series #2: “Navigating Contentious Planning and Policy Decisions: Lessons and Insights on Civic Engagement and Community Consensus Building from Public Policy Mediators and Social Justice Advocates,” on Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 6:30 PM.

Increasingly, local residents, community leaders and public officials must seek consensus-based solutions to often contentious land use and environmental issues. What were once standard actions, such as infrastructure improvements and zoning changes, often get delayed by community opposition. Some residents may resist change while other voices and perspectives may be left out. Larger and more controversial issues, such as how to develop in light of increasing changes to our climate present even more difficulties in building mutual understanding and crafting collaborative solutions that benefit all members of our communities. How can policy makers and planners better deal with confusing, often contradictory civic input within a restrictive regulatory framework and sometimes hostile political climate?What techniques and tools can be harnessed that could lead to sustainable and widely supported public policy decisions?

Donna Silverberg, Portland, Oregon, and DC-based civic engagement and social justice adviser Don Edwards—will offer their thoughts on how the field and practice of dispute resolution and conflict management can help answer these and other important policy challenges. These two practitioners will share some of their dispute resolution tools and techniques when guiding public policy and civic engagement processes related to land use, sustainability, social equity, and smart growth recommendations and decisions.  The session will be moderated by Kathryn McCarty, the Administrative Services Chief with Arlington County Environmental Services and Professor of Practice for VT’s Urban Affairs and Planning Program.

Thursday, October 17th

6:30 to 7:30 pm (presentation); 7:30-8:00 (discussion)

Virginia Tech Research Center

900 N. Glebe Road

East/West Falls Church Room

Arlington, VA

RSVP by 10/15/13 at https://miplusspialectureseries2.eventbrite.com/