Comprehensive Planning

[Ken Medlin <dev-plan@moscow.com>]

Bill London's note certainly raises the right questions about the future 
physical and social landscapes of this area which, in terms of its 
contiguity with eastern Whitman Co., ought also to formulate positions 
both within its own political jurisdictions and in collaboration with the 
Pullman-Colfax region, so it would seem. But leaving that variable aside 
for the moment, we should ask if it's possible to address a 
"comprehensive land-use plan" without addressing a priori the social and 
economic constituents that in fact shape land-use configurations?  I 
think there should be some discussion about this relationship, for 
without its consideration, the ways "we want to have our landscape" 
develop may be unattainable without influencing those constituents, and 
public policies will probably reflect only certain development interests. 
Such outcomes in fact clutter the American landscape, from impoverished 
downtowns in the cities, to abandoned rural communites, both shorn of 
economic resources to sustain human life. Recovery, if it ever comes, 
does so at great financial and social costs.
     As of possible interest to this group, allow me to suggest some 
criteria for governing what I would call the "validity" of a 
comprehensive planning activity in which it might engage.  These points 
could serve as ones around which to organize discussion groups and 
information gathering work. 
    Planning criteria should include:
    1) Representativeness:   Community participation needs to be 
holistic, fair, and equitable; it ought to include persons knowledgeable 
about economic resources, organization and alternatives for regional 
development
    2)  Goal-setting:  Definition of goal-setting methods should be laid 
out so that procedures can lead to clear identification of the character 
and dimensions of the region's future and its quality of life. This 
process might be seen as the ":steering mechanism" for the entire 
enterprise.
    3)  Information base:  A search for data bases and inventories of 
resources readily available,  including  attitudinal profiles of the 
community, should precede goal- and decision-making activities, in order 
to nourish planning work in feasible and functional directions.
    4)  Institutional support:  Involvement of civic, political, economic 
and cultural (incl. moral-spiritual) resources should be encouraged -- 
support which should be correlated with representativeness (item 1).
     5)  Functionality:  We need to ask, how will planning goals and 
objectives, welded into a strategic plan, promote functional 
(cost-effective, productive) investments  and socially acceptable 
development of the region's phyusical and human resources?
     If these criterion-based propositions were to be accepted by Vision 
2020, I would recommend creating a series of task forces accordingly, 
which would lay out a planning framework and establish a time frame with 
realistic targets. These groups would also collectively develop 
evaluation instruments for measuring progress toward the larger group's 
goals and objectives as well as those of each task force. To facilitate 
communications in and between groups, a steering committee, both to 
network and to coordinate, would seem highly relevant. Both the city and 
county planning agencies would be likely partners, but not governors, in 
the entire effort.

     It seems that this kind of "organization" (a nexus of communication 
activities) faces three options in regard to its stated interests:
                          (1) Function as a major citizen interest group, 
to interface with govt., business-farming,  and education -- sort of 
"going it alone" and flexing muscles based on numbers alone
                          (2)  Form coalitions with other organizations 
to influence development policies and investments that affect land-use;  
having joint meetings, representation on public bodies, etc. 
                           (3)  Serve primarily as a community education 
forum, with some public policy pronouncements disseminated on the web and 
through local media

    Whichever course may be chosen by this group of people, it ought to 
be guided by criteria which will assure a high level of credibility and 
reality-related activities.  Relying on any other level of participation, 
such as "shooting from the hip" or going by the "seat of the pants" 
(broadly conceived), will not serve much useful purpose. Hopefully  these 
ideas will be useful for discussion.
                          


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William K. Medlin
dev-plan associates
930 Kenneth Street
Moscow ID 83843
208/892-0148