[Ailist] Inclusive, participatory official community planning

[Neils Christiansen]

Hi Everyone,

I live  in a small town in British Columbia, pop.15,000, which has, a 
Provincially mandated Official Community Plan (OCP) complete  with 
vision, policies, and procedures.  Recently, a developer (Smart!Centres, 
which I believe is an arm of WalMart) submitted a development proposal 
for a large commercial development  on the edge of town with a big box 
store orientation.  The proposal required amendments in the OCP and 
zoning bylaw.  After a year of arguments for and against, which split 
the community into waring camps, the matter came to a public hearing, 
held over four nights with hundreds of passionate presentations, at 
which the city council narrowly voted against the amendments.  The 
developer can reapply in six months and will almost certainly do so.  

 From the presentations at the hearing, I distilled 31 different, though 
often related, social, economic, and environmental goals held by various 
community members.  It happens that a review of the OCP is required and 
so, since the hearing, I have been advocating a change from the win-lose 
of a yes or no on the specific proposal to an inclusive, participatory, 
win-win revision of the OCP in which all 31 goals, and others, could be 
built into the OCP. 

I would very much appreciate any references or examples of the 
application of AI to community planning where the final element of the 
delivery phase is something like an OCP.

Many thanks,
Neils Christiansen
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