EVERYONE ON THE BUSoppo {quick and welcoming approval for 4 90,000-acre development near Salt Lake City may very well hecome the benchmark for com ‘munity Keanecett Land’s extraardinary effec tiveness in involving citizens, planning commissioners from adjacent jurisdictions, and community leaders is the result ofits compeling communications eampaien for ts West Bench project ‘outreach for the next www.bigbullderontine.com ‘Our approach to planning has always been involvingcommunity often and early” says Jim Senulte, vice president of long- range planning for Kennecott Land in Mur ray, Utah. His simple explanation for why the West Bench project may be the new standard for community outreach: “Is easter 10 get it right when you think about it first than to fix itwhen ifs gone wrong” Schulte explains further, “If the only ‘hin ‘4 municipality has to respond to is | 12 neighbors on the bordering land of the project then that’s what the municipality ill respondta. You have to broaden the peo: ple weho will ave a sayin the development? ‘Many builders and developers are tum. ing to development consultants-expests with backgrounds in law, land planning, or development-who instruct their clients on ‘creating elective communication eam: paigns. These campaigns yield several ad ‘vantages before a project even goes wo public hearings, plus they give selEappointed Big Bullder{ nent, ‘community eaders, project proponents, and potential opponents a beter feeling. In the fend, campaigns prevent time delays and keep projet plans intact By using a holistic communications ccarapaign from the very bezinning ofa pro} ‘ect-startng well before the project pls are lunveiled-builders and developers are farmed with a stopgap measure needed to thwart costly concessions and_ numerous ‘other hassles that deley projects. ‘Once a project ie is formed, builders and developers must consider the ramitiea tions and anticipate potential headaches. ‘They then can proceed and perhaps prevent ‘not uncomman reactive public reations campaign by taking a more proaetive ap pracy the communications sttezy must ethecuigot the life of the projec In the end, they witness how those who cence said“ in my backyard” change into “It’s easier to get it right when you think about it first than to fix itwhen it's gone wrong” fn St Hos nd tose who recognize the developments Denefit to the community. ‘They're also see ts process gives: municipalities mo Vole the way they wantrather ‘tan votung by Way of the loudest commun ty mombers. ler implementing the process just ‘nce, builders and developers have seen the successes gleaned from i, noticed their wi ‘win-win situations, and continued to irmpe we iG Ae Se iment the process to later projects resulting ‘again in well-received developments. THE HIRED GUNS “Too often developers feus solely on trying to.convert opponents into Mag-waving sup- porters,” says Debra Stein, president af San Francisco-based GCA Strategies, a public affairs company specializing, in building ‘and development Builders should plan on using two outreach campaigns: one aumned Atpotential opponents and another that ra ies supporters. “What you need to do Is ‘minimize opposition, But you also need a separate campaign to mobilize supporters e the messages that motivate ally are ineflective when d ing with oppancnts” Stein explains “Making concessions will only resolve lone kind of opposition, Bor instance, if Mis. Jones i self designated community leader ‘who needs to justify her leadership rote, the fact that the developers eliminated 10 tite per 10.000 square feet will not meet her ‘emotional needs for validation,” says Stein, who worked with Kennecott Land on the West Bench project, whieh market rescareh ig showing has « 61 perent jproval rating. “But siuingon the sot lettnggher eat shed on your lap while listen ng to her express her ears ana concerns is much less expensive and alten more effec tive tran maicing concessions” Ar the nect level, when spesking with & group oflikely opponents, she says develop fers and builders “often give the wrong vers to the right questions” Rather than. isrexarding the community's concems ‘over talc, for example, builders should discuss how their planned improvements will keep traffic moving. Usually, they'll skict over the subject, eschewing. tralfie problems fo talk about what mow jobs th project will create. Compelling communications campaigns also recognize the municipality’ role and likely way of voting. “Electod officials are more concemed with making popular dest sions than making the right decisions. I is ‘hese politicians {who overly empower just Jghbors.” says Stein, author of jaking Community Meetings Work. Tom Kopt, principal of Boulder, Coo based DTI Design, ¢ multidiscipline design firm, agrees. While most (see page 70) MASTER PLAN: Nemes ants elective canmuniains camain fis 9000-2 Wat Benck pie! ie el Lak Gy reat in ack apperl www.bigbuilderontine.com an an sehey operat witout an ofc, wth no ‘roti traning no publ lations Ccanaitant ae no buds. Plus, thoy ant operate ram the perpecive of « busi ress traneabion Luton an emotional eva, an they ean present tho biggest veat toa bale’ project. Project oppenents come i mr calers butthere are tuo meshed redune the fcivanecs accomting 0 Patick Slevin, founder andl CEO of he Talaasane FFabase Slevin Group, wie develops pu Te-talatinrs stages for major builds. He is alo he formar mayor ef Safey Haro, a, whi he sayscitan shutdown projects box ‘cause of oppenenis oud vices, “HIM voters understand hat when hy pack hal ts ging to be imimidatg te he ost ficial. Tyre counting wots, ec the pope know tae fouloes] ae ees ‘who noid te gue tho slecid fre ple! ‘over When youre dong a campagn youhave ‘have a good command of cdadge bout ‘who your auslensa srl Who your nen [Before unnoling th uly precuced pst pan, Slew advises tat buldars dent the tour type of posable projct oppensntain tho ‘communiythe quarden, th crusader, the Mactiayelin, andthe mebstt Gach ene reqies a dflorent kind ol toatment. ‘A. The auadan fears an "600 pound gol thats goig titan top of thon” ane accounts fr almost 0 percent cf ese Opponents seen by bulers and eveloners Big Bullder lected officials understand their communi tis need to have some growth and ome improvement, they often let the communi- Iy's naysayers sway their opinion, he says. “Pye seen it quite bt. a butider stands Up ad objeets the nninute # council starts to Listen to the citizens, the city eouncil can't change thelr anind because then they're seen se ifthey're in the [builder's] pockets?” ‘Acoordingsto Kopts book, Building Com “munity, there arethree main components t0 {potent communications campaiz (COMMUNITY COLLABORATION: renesat Land wacked hey wh tae paaig oaanisin- rs fm afaret juste, rd conmonty ar te aoe its Wat Besc prot eS Lake Cy. A The cusade-ussaly an eweenmentalit= ion a mol campaign "Thy pln toto thehigh gwund and thatsa hoe diferert kineof tact Slevin aye ‘A The Mashavolians usualy secre who nonin fr publ fse and ot "Thayro [colin for alocd sue to at back in en Thee’ ore in evry communiy! ‘A. Mabsters ao a bend of homeowrer socinlone ane special terest gues. “They came togster ence before to folt a projec ke abi residential development ‘andy defeated t, en they say, Lets protoct our commaniy by goina afer ether ‘doveeproents!* “Another metho to aien the postion Ista davon poste reatons with obcted cia eine tha hosel ta vee for he IOP need of voting out of fear fer he ‘opponerte whe traten ther positon, Thess fick can prove ifermaton about which ‘commnty member might tration «prajact ‘and that leads, nthe proxmity ote Prop. Resist the urge to become defensive Inotoad Slo recommends teatng fom proxcively and nina“ your not ‘ing thom enindionson thet eye going to be involved, tater stuaton, Tho when the varous groupe got together and bocome a bia rable you do teal the concessions are vainly minal Ses cays. 1. Speaka common language. This helps pprovent misundesstandings. Successful builders andl evelopers wil give tours and tse photos and ilustrations of projects sim- ilar to their proposal 1 create a common reference point “Tour projects with the city council guy or neighborhood groups. Ithey don't Tike something, such as the way the house is acl back or the narrowness of the streets, you can know that up front and include those consierstions into project plans” Kopf says. 2, Control the conversation. To ease foar fof change and anxiety of the unknonn, ‘express shared values by creating com pelling anticipation, Kopf sugges. Focus on pars ofthe project that make change goo! ‘Tolling a consistent story will not only hep ‘wilh the current project but future projects ‘aswell. Describing the alazes in which the project Will unfold over Die course of he plan also alleviates fears. 5. Identify components of a qually ‘community. This step may entail some of ‘the most important work a builder or devel- ‘oper can do: create thoughtful, well. ‘designed neighborhoods and give some ‘thing back tothe community Kopt hod one client who didn’t follow this approach, and it made the youd to approval much rougher “They ended up asking the planning commission lo lable thelr project berause [the commission] was going to vote n0, So ‘we pit together a presentation of how the ‘pent space was actually a park, not just ‘pen space for the neighborhncd, We then sent to the park commission and talked about how it satisted a variety of ifferent recreation neels, In the end, they unan ‘ously voted to accept the project) ‘because they thought was a great park” FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE Charter Homes, a Lancaster, Pabosed builder and developer, put Kops deories into practice with a project called Ml Greek. As @ result ofthe company’s efleaive = communications, municipalities from sur- rounding counties are approaching 1 for fidence and possible projects. In 2005, Charter purchased a 171-acre parcel with an alreody approved land plan {or a typical subdivision of 400 residential ‘units, Mer spending $2 million oa infra structure, however, (Gee page 72) 8 gCGharter’ president Bob Bowman hae the project. He wanted something more p gressive-a mixed-use community with alley loaded homes, open spaces, and a variety of lot sizes and home styles Ta a fortuitous ‘sist of fate, the village took easily to Bowman's ask for ordinance changes, pointing out a new ordinance that Sought just stich creative developments, Un- der the new plan Charter submitted, the to ‘al residential units won rise to 600 and a significant Infrastructural improve ping, public parks (more tian 47 percent of tie parcel Is pow pen space), and neighborhoods with walk ability between live, work, and play areas-srould be included. The entire shit trom original plan to a far more creative and thoughtful one took a mere nine weeks, “How many developers stand up and present themselves ‘on a personal basis?... It's become a great opportunity and has been used by mut Palities to come look at how a different strategy works. Now they come formally and informally to see it?” amount of matic overhaul se of his com- to remain open and honest to the needs ofthe community and lected officals fom beginning to end This was the first time the Charter had worked with Kopt, A resulting in what Roseman ofan ef paige. By now, he , ‘seeaked that original pl use on several other devel- opments Yor Bowman, fecive communications means send ing mailings. calling. people ‘who have concerns, and being honest all the way through the projec, That entails discussing, ‘everything from the amount ‘of open space tothe size of Bowman claims the was s0 well received bec Big Builder IP TAKES A VILLAGE: Cs Homer noted pon ‘nd hes ies of ommncaon vit community nents det fll ng. and abe te camtciat is rand) and rt i tari ‘the lots and feom lie safety issues with fre and police t architecture. It also mes ‘Stein's notion is true: getting eat hair in the Top is ess expensive than shaving, plans of waiting through lengthy delays at ty hal low many developers stand up and present thomselves on a personal basis? Weve met in backyards and leaned up ‘against toes, Weve met with fire safety people and discussed their issues. Weve imct in people's houses. Those are all things that give us the opportunity to have our sue- cesses,” Bowman says “Its become a great ‘opportunity and has been used by muni palities to come look at how a different Strategy works. Now they come formally and informally to see it. “We went tp the junior high sshool and ‘set up a general information meeting attended by several hundred people-that ‘was even before we went tothe government for approval We talked to them about the approval process. We talked about their goals” Bowman continues. “It takes effort, ‘money and time, but subsequently weve had some project opportunities in at least thie other counties” In the end, builders and developers ‘across the country have noticed that effec tive communications campaigns create win-win-win situations for the builder developer, the elected officials, and the vor ing public. The carter the campaign is im- plemented the better Festive ¢ mpaigns raore than just controlling. public meetings and quieting project oppanents It ‘means maninulzing proponents as wel. fore projact plans are completely drawn up and before where are epportunities for rumors to spread, successful builders and developers are taking with poopie from ‘every side of a proposed project They are bringing out their (wo-pronged communt- cations campaigns for those who'll support and those who'll negate project right ott of the gate. They are controling the converse: tion, speaking a common language, and giving back tothe comity. And they're saving money in concessions and court fees in various delays. anid ime spei Nichole I. Reber is a freelance writer base in Sarasa, Fla wwwbigbullderontine.com