Getting to YES
When talking about housing, developers want their plans approved – by Planning Boards and by the public. Planning Boards want zoning changes approved – by Councils and/or Town Meeting. So many decisions are seeking a YES.
In my work around communities and expanding housing options, I have seen how difficult it can be to get that YES. People have their own reasons and viewpoints as to whether or not to support a proposal. And often, this proposal comes out of the blue for community members.
So here is a graphic that outlines how to get to YES, along with the change equation which I have written about before. Starting in the upper right, and working backward:
YES is that approval you are seeking,
But in order to get that, there needs to be both political will and public will- to pass it, and also to get it on the ballot in the first place.
And for that to happen, there has to be understanding and buy-in of the proposal – whether a zoning change, a new concept in development, or what have you. What is it about? Who is it for? What are the intended consequences and/or impacts? Why is it being proposed in the first place? Why should I support it?
And for that understanding and buy-In to be in place, there has to be a broad and deep and common understanding – by community leaders as well as community members - of where it is coming from: What is the situation? Who is being affected? What are the reasons behind the “problem”? How does this proposal address it?
That understanding comes not just from PowerPoint slides and other presentations, but from meaningful conversations among people with different viewpoints. A builder will see things differently than, say, a young family. Or an older adult may have needs and concerns not even on the radar of most of their neighbors.
The purpose of these conversations is first to understand where others are coming from. Once you acknowledge and accept that yours is no the only way of thinking, and that collaboration can work, progress can start to be made.
