Public participation in mandated local-level growth management : a comparison of legislative approaches in Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington

This thesis examines the mandated local-level growth management legislation of Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington and its mechanisms for public participation. The main approach to this investigation was in the form of an inventory and analysis. Mechanisms were inventoried within the legislation and then this information was analyzed to discover the effectiveness of each state's attempt to engage the public in the planning process. It was found that financial assistance is necessary to assist local governments in the process. Additionally, it was determined that public hearings are most effective if the civil society is already organized. Public ownership in the process is essential to meaningful policy making at the local level.