It's Your Backyard: Engaging Public Officials to Produce Optimal Outcomes

It’s Your

Backyard...

Engaging Public Officials to Produce Optimal Outcomes

Dan Holmes and George Ohrstrom

The Piedmont Environmental Council

2017 Annual Meeting

Planet Earth

Living Room

Citizen Advocacy 101 – Getting Involved

Cone of Public Interest and Participation

Planet Earth

Living Room

County

Virginia

U.S.

Citizen Advocacy 101 – Getting Involved

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Planet Earth

Living Room

Specific Area

Citizen Advocacy 101 – Getting Involved

County

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Planet Earth

Living Room

Specific Area

Proposal on specific

parcel

Citizen Advocacy 101 – Getting Involved

County

Yes

Planet Earth

Living Room

County

Specific Proposal

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Citizen Advocacy 101 – Getting Involved

Specific Area

Planet Earth

Living Room

County

Specific Proposal

Citizen Advocacy 101 – Getting Involved

Yes

County and Municipal Government

StructureElected and Appointed Officials

Planning Commission - Advisory Body

Board of Supervisors - Decision Makers

Board of Zoning Appeals

Governmental Departments

Administration

Planning and Zoning

Attorney

Public Policy Arenas

Comprehensive Plan

Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances

Overlay Districts

Specific Proposals - Rezonings- Special Exceptions and Special Use Permits

County Budget and Capital Improvements Plan

Covering the Costs of Growth - Proffers and Impact Fees

Comprehensive Plan

The Vision - Usually covers a 20 year period- Best plans are citizen driven

The most important document...and least

Reviewed every 5 years

Updates

Public Process

“It is just a guide…”

Zoning & Subdivision Ordinances

Zoning Ordinance

Laws and regulations that define how property in a locality can be used

Breaks land into specific categories- Agricultural- Commercial- Residential - Industrial - Other

Subdivision Ordinance

Regulates and controls the division of land

Related to zoning categories and establishes byright (not requiring rezoning) division rights

Overlay Districts

Defined area designating special resource

Underlying zoning still applies

Additional rules or regulations applied through the overlay

Could include specific guidance and rules for architecture, signage, parking, lighting, etc.

Specific Proposals

Relies upon the guidance of the Comprehensive Plan

Rezonings - Usually involves a specific proposal

Upzoning and Downzoning

Special Exceptions and Special Use Permits

Activities not allowed byright in the zoning classification

Broad latitude - denials and conditions

Rezonings

The Pretty Pictures

Budget and Capital Improvements Plan

(CIP)BudgetPutting your money where your mouth is…

One year of expenditures

Influences tax rates

CIP

Outlines needs and desires for the county related to new school buildings, parks, libraries, police, fire and rescue, etc.

Tied to proffers

Getting Informed

Public Notices

Planning and Zoning Department

Your representative

Word of mouth

Other Committees

County Website

Facts Matter…