Presentation 3.4:Opportunities for Natural Resource Professionals

Outline• Introduction• How to involve stakeholders in land-use

decisions• Professionalism, making a statement• Getting involved in the policy, planning,

and zoning processes• Summary

Introduction

Natural resource professionals have much of the experience and knowledge necessary to understand and explain the risks and benefits associated with land-use changes in the wildland-urban interface (WUI).

Land-use decisions

Land-use decisions in the WUI influence social, environmental, and economic conditions.

Communities must consider all three factors in order to be sustainable

Involving stakeholders

Ideally, land-use decisions are made based on balancing the values, interests, and needs of stakeholders.

Resource professionals have a responsibility to ensure that decision makers have the most useful and reliable natural resource information.

How can you help?

• Provide science-based information for decision makers• Articulate the natural resource consequences of various

land-use options.

You are not responsible for • making regulatory decisions• determining what the “right” decision is• aligning yourself with a particular interest group

Professional vs. personal opinions

Professional opinions should be based on fact and experience. Resource professionals should provide their professional and not personal opinions to decision makers.

Involvement vs. advocacy

There can be a fine line between responsible involvement and advocacy.

What’s an example of a situation where this might be difficult? When is it easier?

Exercise 3.3:Creating a Statement

Exercise 3.3 – map of proposed school site

Exercise 3.3 photos

Exercise 3.3 Stakeholders

Against using the location•Friend of Guana River State Park

•Division of State Lands, Department of Environmental Protection

•Florida Governor

•County residents

For using the location•Ponte Vedra High School Coalition

•St. Johns County School Board

•County residents

Exercise 3.3 Discussion Questions

• Which statements did the best job of presenting a professional opinion? How was this accomplished?

• Which statements, if any, made appeals to emotional views and personal opinions? How could it be improved?

• Which statements made the listener feel more knowledgeable about the subject? How was this accomplished?

• What did you learn?

Opportunities to get involved

• Policy development

• Zoning process

• Land-use planning process

Steps in the Policy Process

1.Problem identification2.Policy agenda setting3.Policy formulation4.Policy adoption5.Policy implementation6.Policy evaluation

Steps in the Policy Process

1. Problem identification

2. Policy agenda setting

3. Policy formulation

4. Policy adoption

5. Policy implementation

6. Policy evaluation

Problem Identification

Natural resource managers are …

•Aware of important issues and short- and long-term consequences

Help policy makers prioritize issues

•May be aware of potential solutions Share ideas about what worked for other communities

Providing consistent, reliable information Providing consistent, reliable information increases a resource professional’s increases a resource professional’s

credibility.credibility.

Agenda Setting

• Increase public awareness about the issue

• Encourage public involvement Distribute flyers Speak at community meetings

• Rally support Connect natural resource issues

with current community priorities

Policy Formulation

Using the best available science, resource professionals can articulate how each particular course of action might affect natural resources.

Policy Evaluation

•Assist decision makers in evaluating the affects of a policy on natural resources

•Example•Policy aims to protect gopher tortoise

•Provide data on tortoise populations and wildlife movement

•Decision makers can determine if the policy is effective

Case Study 6:Improving the Urban Forest

in Roanoke, Virginia

Exercise 3.2: Tracking the Policy Process

Exercise 3.7:Guiding Neighborhood

Policy

Exercise 3.7: Scenario 1

•Large, new residential development in the WUI• One fourth finished and lots are still selling• 286 houses total• Small river runs through the development • Deer, bear, and other wildlife • Human wildlife conflicts• Surrounded by an overgrown, fire-prone pine forest • You know that the developer has just begun creating the neighborhood covenants

Exercise 3.7: Scenario 2

• Five-year-old subdivision in the WUI• 286 houses total• Small river runs through the development• Deer, bear, and other wildlife • Human-wildlife conflicts• Surrounded by a thick, fire-prone pine forest• The neighborhood covenants fail to provide guidance for addressing these

challenges• Some residents are doing things to solve these problems but insist a

neighborhood-wide effort is necessary

Exercise 3.8:Role-Playing Development

Decisions

Exercise 3.8 Discussion Questions

• Who does the project benefit? Who is affected negatively? How are benefits distributed between newcomers and existing residents?

• What financial effect will the project have on the local government in comparison to the previously operating local farm? Does it exert upward pressure on taxes?

• What are the long-term implications for the community of the increasing presence of commuters to Techdale?

• What are the implications for Gilead’s school system of this and other similar projects to come? How would you pay for a new or expanded school(s) in this case?

Exercise 3.8 Discussion Questions (cont.)

• How would you protect water quality in this project?• Given the lack of public transportation in small

towns like Gilead, how should it deal with quickly growing traffic throughout the town and its outskirts over the next 10 years?

• What planning could be done to keep housing affordable as the area booms? As the private market focuses on middle class housing (both ownership and rental) and affluent housing, how could Gilead ensure that less advantaged and lower-waged citizens will be housed? What could be done with this project?

Case Study 12:Mediating for Change in Martin County, Florida

Case Study 18:Stakeholders in the Planning and Zoning

Process

Exercise 3.9:Background and Discussion Questions for Case Study

18

Zoning

Regulations that define appropriate land uses, acceptable building height and setback, minimum lot sizes.

Zoning

• Divides communities into:• Agricultural• Commercial• Industrial• Residential land uses

• Intended to promote compatibility of land uses

Zoning can:

• Promote successful land-use regulation

• Promote natural resource protection

• Promote the goals of the local comprehensive plan

Zoning Success

Zoning ordinances have historically led to development that exacerbated interface issues. They need to be created with care.

Zoning needs your input!

The Zoning Process1. Data Gathering

2. Public Notification

3. Commission Review

4. Commission Vote

5. Public Comment

6. Review for Compatibility with Plan

The Zoning Process1. Data Gathering

2. Public Notification

3. Commission Review

4. Commission Vote

5. Public Comment

6. Review for Compatibility with Plan

Case Study 23: Zoning to Conserve

Greenspace in Davidson, North Carolina

Potential Roles for Resource Professionals

• Serve on the zoning commission

• Provide reliable data about resource conditions and land use impacts for local decision makers

Your chance to help shape development and reduce interface

issues!

Elements of the Planning Process

1. Data gathering

2. Goal formation

3. Land-use decision

4. Public input

5. Action plan

6. Evaluation

Case Study 17:Smart Growth Blossoms in

Flower Mound, Texas

Exercise 3.4: Practicing Land-Use Planning

Exercise 3.4 - Land Conservation Tools & Policies

• Urban growth boundary• Eminent domain• Land acquisition program for public lands• Conservation easement (land preservation agreement)• Agriculture reserve program• Zoning • Conservation subdivision• Floodplain restrictions• Wetlands protection policy• Slope ordinance/mountain ridge protection ordinances• Viewshed preservation

Summary

There are many opportunities to natural resource professionals to get involved in land-use decision making. They bring important information and experience to the table.

Credits

Photos:Slides 6,19,33: Larry KorhnakSlide 10,11: Ponte Vedra High School Coalition, Inc.Slide 20: Krasemann/Peter Arnold, Inc.Slides 40,41: Brett Billings, U.S. FWS, NCTCLiterature:Slides 15-16: Anderson, Brady, Bullock, and Stewart 1984.Slides 40-41: Kelly and Becker 2000.