When there is a lack of leadership- we look to building consensus. Nothing wrong with collective hand-holding- as long as it’s in church, but when it comes to politics and policy- generally, what you get when you get a crowd together is mediocrity.
In church- you have an ultimate leader. One who clearly states what’s wrong and what’s right. In urban planning- not only do we lack a clear leader, we’ve put an impotent committee together- Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission- who then wants to hold a popularity contest- to set our course.
I’ve resisted writing about this- because, I generally like the people who work at MVRPC now. They are bright, they know what’s wrong, but, in general are powerless to really make anyone do anything.
They even reached out to bloggers like me – asking to promote their community group think.
I am contacting you to ask for your assistance in publicizing a community-based workshop for Phase II of Going Places – An Integrated Land Use Vision for the Miami Valley Region (please visit www.mvrpc.org/rlu for more information). We are hoping for support and publicity from bloggers like you.
Since I’ve delayed talking about it- there are only 3 left- including one at Kettering Fairmount HS tonight (you can stay after and see Thurgood Marshall kick butt in basketball at 8pm).
a brief overview, the second phase of the Going Places Initiative will explore the future landscape options of the Region. More specifically, Phase II will build future land use scenarios and will evaluate land use scenario impacts. In order to identify and build collective regional land use scenarios, MVRPC will host 17 community-based workshops throughout the region to engage the general public in the future land use themes and scenarios development process. The workshop is designed to last approximately 90 minutes.
- Thursday, March 18, 2010 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Fairmont High School, commons area 3301 Shroyer Road Kettering OH 45429
- Wednesday, March 31, 2010 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Center for Regional Cooperation 1100 West 3rd Street Dayton OH 45407
- Wednesday, April 7, 2010 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Friendship Village, Convocation Room 5790 Denlinger Road Trotwood OH 45426-1898
A few posts ago, we covered Martin Kim of MVRPC analysis of the land use in the region. And it’s funny- we mentioned him in the post on committee forming as well (first link in this post).
After that- I got a follow up note from someone at MVRPC “Um, Thanks, I think. 
”
I’m going to keep the contents of most of that note private- since if they wanted it public- they could have commented on the post itself. But here is the reason I’m pumping the last three meetings:
We’re hoping to go to each of the 78 jurisdictions at the conclusion and tell them, “X number of people — voters — attended these workshops. Maybe you should listen to what your constituents say.” If developers show up, then our results will reflect that. If environmentalists show up, our results will reflect that. All we can do as an agency is to beg folks to come and voice their opinion.
Heaven help us if the “developers” show up- we’re already over developed. The key thing to note- why the hell do we have 78 jurisdictions? Can we please move into the modern day- instead of sticking with a structure devised with the Northwest Ordinance of 1784 and the Land Ordinance of 1785.
And, oh, yeah- how about a leader? One whom we can hold accountable?
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Those two ordnances specfied land subdivision process and state formation. The townships established by the land ordnance were survey townships, a unit of land subdivision, not civil townships. The establishment of local government units was up to the states, and you will find civil townships to have varying degrees of authority across ‘The Old Northwest’, or what we know today as the Midwest. It would probably require legislation or a state constitutional amendment to do a wholesale reorganization of local government.
As for these MVRPC forums I will try to make the 31 March one, even it is in Dayton. The day prior I will be attending this confab, which looks like an interesting bit of grass roots organizing by the Louisville independent scene…a local blogger and the local alternative weekly teamed up to host it:
http://www.livablelouisville.org/
…reminds me a bit of the old Cityscape/Cityshape forums the Miami Valley Arts Council used to sponsor.
Brilliant or Bozo?
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It was an interesting meeting and as always I learned a great deal by listening to the information as well as the participants. In my days of yore I would have been more vocal about the apparent craziness of the process as in my heart of hearts it means absolutely nothing to participate. The deals were long since done and the politicians of the jurisdictions have been “hired” by developers along time ago. Maybe that will change as the sheer stupidity of or planning is becoming as evident as the greed of Wall Street.
Let’s start with a few tidbits.
I was involved in a supposed similar process for Centerville and Washington Township about the development in the southern part of the city called Create the Vision . As I was intimately involved in the land around that area. Intimately, as I knew all of the land owners around Nutt Road and the push was on to ensure Austin Road was developed. So the politicians co opted some local well respected individuals to push this pig down the throats of citizens of this area, while covering up negative aspects of the development. If you, as a reader, clicked on the link for Create the Vision you will find that this Web Site is for sale. But I have a memory and I armed with the Way Back Machine, so take a look at the data for Create the Vision. Nice! I mean the data speaks and the citizens do not. So I have great trepidation in participating in these “events” as they are just part of the sales process for business as usual. So shooting the messengers is not the problem as the lurking politicians are the problem as they are waging war with each other to fight over the last chicken leg. I know we cannot survive by shooting the messengers but maybe the politicians….hmm just kidding.
I could drone on about connecting the dots between elected officials and the developers, Transportation Improvement Districts and it’s dismantling of the teeth of the MVRPC as well as the take down of Mike Robinette because he had cojones. But the sheeple do not get it and the messengers are not paid enough to stand up to (inserted moneyed interest here).
Brilliant or Bozo?
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I vaguely recall that Washington Township process, but I wasn’t that interested in planning stuff back then.
Mike Robinette is, I think, a planning or development official for Middletown now, so he didn’t go too far. I’d like to hear about this takedown, though. What percipitated it and who did the taking down? In your opinion.
Brilliant or Bozo?
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