Not in My Backyard (NIMBY): Overcoming Development Resistance

• Overview
• Agenda
• Faculty
• Credits

Benefits

Not long ago, few places ever said ‘no' to new real estate development. Then came environmental movements, smart growth, anti-sprawl and people who said 'not in my backyard.' Because a politician who annoys enough people will be voted out of office, public officials started listening to them - and the process of deciding who gets to build what, where, was politicized. Today, land use decisions are political decisions. If a contentious development plan is to overcome opposition and win the approval of political decision makers, the proponents must first understand the local politics. This teleconference will explain why citizens oppose projects and how to overcome resistance to development.

Learning Objectives

• You will be able to discuss common approaches to influencing land use decisions.
• You will be able to identify why citizens oppose projects and how to overcome resistance to development.
• You will be able to explain why good projects do not necessarily get approved.
• You will be able to review why land use decisions are often times also political decisions.