Do the groundwork first
Some groundwork is essential before you start to consult the community, or to design a strategy to help create a liveable urban environment. Think about:
- what you want to achieve
- the urban environment you’ll work with
- the kind of community that lives there.
What do you want to achieve?
Checklist
To run an effective consultation exercise:
- decide who to talk to, and what you need to learn
- choose the best consultation method (or methods) for the community
- create a plan that covers all the essentials.
Whether you call your strategy a ‘Plan’, a ‘Programme’, a ‘Project’, or indeed a ‘Strategy’, you need to identify what you want to achieve. This might be very broad – a better town centre – or it might be very specific – better night-time safety in the Business One Zone.
The Urban Amenity Project developed this broad objective for an urban amenity strategy: liveable built environments in which people live, work, play, and visit. This objective may be right for you, or you may develop one that is more specific. The level of detail can vary greatly, as these examples from case studies show.
Reference material
Christchurch
City Council and Housing New Zealand developed a Community Renewal Programme
with members of the community. It aimed to ‘enhance Aranui as a good
place to live’.
Case
study: Christchurch Community Renewal Programme
Palmerston
North City Council developed an Assessment Project that aimed to ‘determine
the effectiveness and suitability of the package of monitors that are used
to address the adverse effects on amenity from non-residential development
in a defined Inner Business Zone.’
What urban environment will you work with?
Think about the size and characteristics of the urban environment you’ll work with.
- Is it a city, a town, a suburb, or a specific street? Identify the boundaries – draw lines on a map.
- Are you working with different types of environment in one area? For example, Whakarewarewa and Ohinemutu are villages within Rotorua city.
- What’s significant about the environment? Think about the distinctive landforms, natural hazards, planned zoning changes, or historical connections.
- Is the environment residential, commercial, or a mixture of both?
Reference material
Template
one: The urban environment [Word doc 12kb]
Be flexible. The boundaries or significant features of the environment may change as you work through the process.
What kind of community will you work with?
The last ‘groundwork’ step is to learn about the community living in the urban environment – the people you will consult with. The timing, method, and venue for your consultation will depend on the age, ethnicity, literacy, and income levels within the community.
Use Census data, local newspapers and radio, the local library, and the knowledge of community groups, councillors, and council staff to learn about the make up of the community.
Reference material
Template
two: The community [Word doc 12kb]
Don’t rely on old information – communities change over time. Make sure you have up-to-date information on the community.
Groundwork review
- Are you clear on what you want to achieve – even if it’s very broad?
- Have you clearly defined the urban environment you’ll work with?
- Have you learned enough about the community to create a successful consultation exercise?
- How will your work fit in with other council projects? Is it possibly part of a bigger project?
