In an ideal situation, municipal government officials work in consultation with organizations, community members and others in land-use planning that balances environmental, economic and social concerns.<\/p>\n
But a number of obstacles, including \u201can increasingly activist provincial government,\u201d may be impacting civil society involvement in such a process, says a new policy brief produced by Brock University\u2019s Niagara Community Observatory (NCO).<\/p>\n
Land-use Planning in Niagara: A Study in Multilevel Governance and Smart Growth<\/em>, co-authored by recent Political Science graduate Sean Giverin (BA \u201918, MA \u201920) and NCO Director Charles Conteh, examines how multiple tiers of government work together to take a \u2018smart-growth\u2019 approach to land-use planning.<\/p>\n The approach is based on 10 environmental, economic and social principles in the areas of housing, building design, neighbourhood design and atmosphere, farmland, natural resources, transportation, urban development and civil society participation, among others.<\/p>\n The policy brief describes how smart-growth principles in Niagara\u2019s land-use planning system is governed by multiple tiers of government, explores the role of non-governmental actors, identifies components in this system that can be improved upon and suggests solutions to address these weaknesses.<\/p>\n What: <\/strong>Virtual presentation of NCO\u2019s Land-Use Planning in Niagara: A Study in Multilevel Governance and Smart Growth <\/em><\/p>\n When:<\/strong> Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1 to 2 p.m.<\/p>\n Where:<\/strong> Microsoft Teams<\/p>\n Who:<\/strong> Sean Giverin (BA \u201918, MA \u201920); Charles Conteh, NCO Director; Diana Huson, Pelham Regional Councillor and board member of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority; Doug Giles, Acting Commissioner of Planning and Development for the Niagara Region; and Catherine Longboat, Assistant Professor,\u00a0Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education, Faculty of Education, Brock University<\/p>\n