Citizen participation in urban renewal: a case study of the decision-making process in developing renewal plans for Knoxville's Morningside Area

The subject of this investigation is the decision-making process during the survey and planning period for Knoxville's fourth urban renewal project. The Morningside Project was conceived as part of the Mountain View General Neighborhood Renewal Plan and was Knoxville's first attempt at coming to grips with citizen participation in urban renewal planning. Background data for this study was gathered from general literature in the fields of political science, sociology and planning along with relevant reports describing Knoxville's history in connection with prior urban renewal projects. Specific information concerning the Morningside· Project was gathered from Knoxville Community Development Commission documents and records, minutes of citizen participation meetings, Community Action Council reports, newspaper articles and a series of interviews with those considered most knowledgeable of the events in Morningside. The analysis and recommendations contained in this thesis are based on an application of David E. Booher's thesis, accepted by the Graduate Council in August, 1974, entitled, "A Theory of Participatory Planning." This research led to the conclusion that prior urban renewal activities in Knoxville had a direct effect on the Morningside Renewal Project in two dimensions: at the project level, the citizen participation structure had difficulty in becoming a cohesive unit in order to contribute to planning activities; and at the level of the overall community power structure, resistance to including new interests in decision making was observed· and documented. The Project Area Committee was able to form a limited partnership with the local public agency responsible for the project, but in its relationship to City Council, it was only able to achieve an advisory role. Suggestions for future urban renewal projects in Knoxville were made so that the difficulties experienced by the Morningside Project Area Committee in organizing, maintaining, and producing positive contributions to the overall community decision-making process can be overcome by other citizen participation groups.