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Around two-dozen counties have used
<br />,it, says Nancy Irish, pxogram manager
<br />of the association's Einancial services
<br />center.
<br />Vox Po�uL�
<br />:,ome observers even claim ehat a
<br />well-designed planning Web site, espe-
<br />cially one bolstered wzth ehe data and
<br />visu�t information of GIS, can bring
<br />civiliey and rationality to public dis-
<br />caurse, serving as a sort of virtual medi-
<br />ator in contentious land-use projects.
<br />"The Internet can enable fuller, more
<br />informed participation in planning deci-
<br />sions by citizens and public officials
<br />alike," wri€es Jonathan Cohen, AIA,
<br />owner of the Jonathan Cohen &T Associ-
<br />ates architectural firm in Berkeley, CA,
<br />in his book, Comm�mication and Design
<br />with the Internet (W.W. Norton � Co.,
<br />2000). Cohen cites the Web site of the
<br />Blacksburg (VA) Z046 Comprehensive
<br />Pian, and its popular sister site, the
<br />Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV), as
<br />models of how to use the Web to involve
<br />and inform the public.
<br />< �'�e Biacksburg sites actually com-
<br />nt existing processes by helping
<br />citizens to better pregare for traditianal
<br />pubtic hearings, asserts Darren Coffey, a
<br />Blacksburg town planner. "They're try-
<br />ing very hard ta ground thezr arguments
<br />in Che Cown's planning document," Cof-
<br />fey says. "The�re not just saying `nat irt
<br />my backyard."'
<br />Despite its technical cache, the Web
<br />might best be treated as just another
<br />communicaeion tool, "You can't use the
<br />Web in isolation," Cohen cautions. "It
<br />has to be part of a larger participation
<br />strategy. It doesn't substitute for the
<br />other things you do." ♦
<br />Dnvid Essex of Antrim,
<br />New Hampshire, is a fi�ee- ~� �
<br />lance writer and former � �
<br />newspn�er reporter spetiat- p '��`
<br />izittg in tttformntton technoI- � �'- � ,� �
<br />ogy. He is aIso one of ttie ��x '� �<�
<br />z'� r��
<br />Tvwn of Aittrim's two �•epre- £ s�
<br />se��fatives on the Southwest '��
<br />p� ��' P�Q1171I71g C01"Yq71L5510ri. ES52X5 IJYCVi0ll5
<br />or tYie Ptnnning Cornmissianers Jo��niat,
<br />"i ���r�h Like a Reporter," ttppenred in PCJ #47,
<br />Sztmmer 2002.
<br />�an�a�' t��i#�1�
<br />� �le'° P�le� Ig
<br />�� ����������5
<br />Perhaps one of the best exarnples of how
<br />small cities and counties can build a viable
<br />e-governmen[ and planning presence on the
<br />Web is Ivlanhattan, K5, a small ciry of
<br />44,831 and ceneer of a tri-county region of
<br />108,999 people. Calling itself the "Litde
<br />Apple," Manhattan — despite modest
<br />resources — seexns to have much of the
<br />chutzpah of its Northeast taazrzesake when it
<br />comes to teiling its story on the Web.
<br />Besides running its main site
<br /><ww�,v.ci.manhattan.ks.us>, the city partners
<br />with Riley Counry on a site dedicated to the
<br />Manhattan i7rban Area Comprehensive Plan
<br />Update. It provides maps, plan documents,
<br />newslettezs, e-mail routed direcely to staff
<br />and the advisory committee, a community
<br />forum, a feedbaclt Eorm, and a special link
<br />to the cit}�s InTouch software for requesting
<br />e-mail n.otification of important events.
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<br />Blilletin Board on the Manhattan, Knnsas,
<br />Cotnprehensive PIan Web Site
<br />Eric Catcell, assiseant directoz for plan-
<br />ning, says he likes the ease with which the .
<br />system, deveioped by VPl Technoiogies, a..
<br />Manhaetan-based Web software vendor, lets
<br />staff quickty canvert existing Microsoft
<br />Office documents for publishing on the site.
<br />Another usefui featare is simultaneous
<br />posting of ineeting notices on the ciry's
<br />cable-TV access channeL Nearly 200 peopie
<br />have signed up to receive notices of the
<br />Planning Board's meetings, and 141 asked to
<br />get e-mail on the comprehensive plan. Cat-
<br />tell says the e-znails aze efEective in keeping
<br />die public inEormed. And since the site is
<br />"self serve," it has led to a reduccion in
<br />phone calis requesting information.
<br />Since January, the Manhattan Chamber
<br />of Commerce has used CivicPlus for a sepa-
<br />ra[e site with a somewhat unusual feature:
<br />a searchable database of available properties.
<br />Local realtors who have been issued elec-
<br />tronic idenrities and passwords can post
<br />properties themselves, though chamber
<br />staff checks the information before publish-
<br />ing it, according to economic developmen[
<br />director Stacy ICohlmeier. She soon hopes
<br />to save on phone time and mailing expens-
<br />es by roucing through the site special notifi- .
<br />cations and oeher information targeiing
<br />high-value investors. "A lot of the things we
<br />want to send to this group of people are
<br />things we want to put an our Web site,"
<br />Kohlmeiez says. .�;?
<br />If all this weren't enough, Riley County
<br />runs still another glanning-related site
<br />(<www.gis,cico.org>), which provides inter-
<br />active GIS maps.
<br />COl'�f'�t�IC11�9��
<br />O� ��t¢�¢5�
<br />Visit these sites ta see some
<br />exciting examples of how local officials are
<br />using the Web to broaden public pazticipa-
<br />tion and make land-use planning a richer,
<br />more user-friendly experience.
<br />Abite�ie {TX) Compiehensive Plan
<br /><www. abilenecar�lpplan.com
<br />/abilene_comp>
<br />Biachsburg (VA) 2046 Comprehens'tve Plnr1
<br /><<,wv w.blacicsburg.gov/comp_plan>
<br />Biachsbati�Electrot�ic Viiiage
<br /><w�n,v be�net>
<br />City of Santc� Monicn Comm�nication Center '
<br /><http://pen, ci.santa-monica.ea.us/
<br />communicarion> -
<br />Imngine NY.
<br /><wwFV.imaginenewyork.org>
<br />Imngine Manatee
<br /><www.imaginemanatee. org>
<br />Lenexa (K5} Comprehensive Ptc�n
<br /><www.ci.lenexa.ks.us/plannin�/compplan>
<br />Manhaftan (KS) Econorriic Development
<br /><ww-w manhattaned.org>
<br />Ivia��hattan (KS) Ur1�nn Area Coinyrehensive
<br />Plan Updnte
<br /><t,vwv�� manhattanareaplan. com>
<br />Myregion.org (Centrnl Plaridn)
<br /><ww�v myregion.org>
<br />Neighbo�•hooc� Knawledge Los A�lgeles
<br /><htep://nkla sppsr.ucla.eda>
<br />PLANNING COMMISSiONERS JOURNAL _/ NUMB�R.51 / SUMMER 2003
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