Newsletter - Featured Articles
FPZA Captures a Vision for the Next 50 Years What Counts Most as a Planning Commissioner? What Counts Most as a Planning Commissioner?
By Elaine Cogan
Recently, I was asked by a group of planning board members from different parts of the country to name the three most important attributes of a commissioner. We had been talking about the need to understand planning terms; to be neutral and fair; to pay attention at meetings; and other such important matters. But when pressed to name the three most important aspects of their jobs, I surprised at least some of them by answering, "patience, persistence and passion." Here are my reasons. Iwill be interested in hearing whether these attributes seem reasonable to our readers. Patience is an essential attribute if you are to be an effective decision maker, especially in the contentious situations that often confront the planning board. You need to exercise patience over your own desire to rush to judgment after a cursory review of the "facts" as they are presented by staff, or seem to be borne out by your own experience.You also need to be patient with other board members who may have a different perspective or be slower to grasp complicated concepts. Most importantly,you must be patient with the public at that inevitable public hearing or meeting. Though citizens often care deeply about a subject, they may become excited and emotional or express themselves in less than perfect grammar or syntax. This is not to excuse rude or disruptive behavior, which must, of course, be controlled. However, do not exhibit your impatience. Tapping a pencil on the desk, whispering to a neighbor, interrupting or answering rudely are common habits that should be avoided. Each citizen deserves to be heard with patience, no matter how misguided you may think they are. Have patience with the planning process, and with the citizens to whom it is important, and you may be surprised how often the quality of your final product is improved. Persistence is the second of these important traits of a planning commissioner. In some ways, this may seem to be the reverse of patience, because it infers a certain amount of willingness to keep espousing a point of view in light of opposition. But, whereas patience is a commodity that cannot be overused, persistence should be used sparingly. A commissioner who is stubborn and entrenched can quickly become ineffective. "We all know Joe. He never has an open mind on anything." Thus, the board may hear you but not listen, because they know you are not really listening to them. However, there may be times when you have weighed all the information, listened patiently to the public, and come to a conclusion that still is not popular or supported by the majority. If your colleagues respect you, they will respect your persistence. You may even win them over. In your striving to be dispassionate, that is, fair and open, it is easy to dismiss passion, but they are not the same. Yes, you must always be an active listener to different points of view, but this should not mitigate having a real passion for planning as a vital contribution to your community's livability and future. Planning commissioners should be advocates for an orderly process that has the best interests of the community as its overriding goal. They should be passionate about the values that make their community a special place and vigorously oppose the forces that would seem to undermine it. If you are not passionate about your willingness to devote many hours to a non-paid, often thankless job, why do it? This triad of traits can be the basis of a truly effective planning board member. What are yours?
Special thanks to Elaine Cogan. Elaine is a partner in the Portland, Oregon, planning and communications firm of Cogan Owens Cogan, a consultant to many communities undertaking strategic planning or visioning processes. Archives
March 2006
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