Two Contrast Planning Theory in Canterbury Waimakariri Red Zone Recovery Plan - Case Study Example

Red recovery plan Student name University name Table of Contents Introduction 3 Objective of the recovery plan 4 Contrasting theories 4 Integrated environmental management planning theory 4 Participatory planning perspective 7 How to apply each theory 10 Application of Integrated environmental management planning theory 10 Transect survey/reconnaissance of the planning region 11 Project design 11 Application of participatory planning perspective 11 Stakeholder identification and analysis 12 Visioning Workshop 12 Baseline Survey/Feasibility Studies 12 Provisions for application of the perspectives 13 Requirements for integrated environmental management planning theory 13 Strategies 13 Provisions of participatory perspective 13 References 14 Introduction The recovery plan identifies the long-term use of the residential red zones aiming at recovering from the effects of Canterbury earthquakes. The plan is expected to offer the necessary changes in the utilization of the land for the residential red zone. It will ensure that the practical steps necessary for implementing the plan that does include funding, ownership, and administration can be determined for the future generation. The plan made need to be reflecting the wellbeing of the communities. The welfare of the communities needs to be concerned regarding the aspirations and needs of the local community. The Waimakariri District taxpayers need their rights as the citizens of New Zealand to be recognized by ensuring that their welfare can be concerned in the process of making policies concerning land use especially the residential areas (McTague and Jakubowski, 2013). The recovery plan will ensure that the natural environment and buildings are integrated especially those areas that do surround residential red zone in Waimakariri. Besides, the heritage values of the community need to be recognized in the process of coming up with the recovery plan. This will involve recognizing the traditions and culture of the ancestral land of the community. The decisions concerning the residential zone are crucial in determining the outcomes that would be enduring and resilient. Therefore, the decisions arrived at in the recovery plan will ensure there are enhancement and restoration of the economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of the community (Lindblom, 1999). The recovery plan will ensure that there is enhancement and restoration of the ecosystems while mitigating and avoiding various natural disasters. Lastly, the recovery plan needs to make sure that there is environmental and financial sustainability across many generations to come. Objective of the recovery plan The recovery plan is aiming at ensuring that the decisions made in the plan can ensure economic growth and development. The decisions should, in particular, ensure that they are relevant, facilitate creativity and innovation in land use aiming at solving the challenges facing the local community. The land management and ownership options need to be revised to include the diverse use aiming at considering the uses of the residential red zone in the future. The residential red zone needs to be mad affordable to the local community (Lane, 2005). Contrasting theories Integrated environmental management planning theory The integrated environmental management planning perspective believes that bargaining is the best way of conducting planning. This point of view is interesting because it entails the participation of the public through giving their opinions. The ideas the public are welcomed in the decision-making process were the people can be welcomed to give their views in the decision process concerning the planning process. The public makes the decisions in the planning process with the planners playing a minor role in the planning process (Duineveld, 2012). Communications when using this perspective is considered critical because the interests of the different stakeholders in the planning process need to be addressed. It is mainly focused on making the various stakeholders understand the opinions of each other when communicating their interests in the planning process. The views and interests of the stakeholders are based on their experiences and knowledge of the stakeholders hence the need of making discussions agree on the simple decision hence making communication crucial. The participation of the various interested parties in the process of making the planning decisions do play a necessary role in making decisions that can ensure that the different stakeholders are okay with the planning decision made. The decision-making process in planning entails negotiations and debating hence providing effective communication in the process can be of great benefits to the decisions made in the planning process (Christine et al. 2013). Therefore, without making effective communications decision-making, the process of planning cannot achieve its set objectives. The participation in the planning process is not only shaped by the opinions and interests of the public but also the attitude of the planners. The involvement of the public is affected by the definition of the planning process as the knowledge needed can be defined by the administrator before the public can give their opinions. Town planning is focused on the top-down processes where the urban planners create the plans that can ensure that the interests of various stakeholders are considered. The planners doing the surveying and architecture need to collect the views of the communities and the other relevant stakeholders to assist in the development of their plans. The increased need to involve the various stakeholders in the planning process has led to various changes in the plan (Hall, 2008). The role of the planners in the planning process is changing due to the increasing democracy in the planning process influenced by the increased need for the participation of the interests of the stakeholders (Duineveld, 2012). The democratization of the planning process has to be crucial in making the public participate in making decisions concerning planning. The community organizers are being involved in the planning process to represent the interests of the local communities. Developers are playing an essential role in integrating the interests of the local community in the planning of urban areas. This perspective is largely advocating for the participation of the inhabitants in the process of designing the urban environment. The concept of integrated environmental management planning theory provides reformer advocates for the greater efficiency as well as proper environmental protection measures. It provides the best a suitable framework for detecting and resolving complex resource issues like biodiversity or estuary protection, which may lead to detection in nonintegrated management approaches. It of great help to management agencies which have limited resources to undertake their functions efficiently and effectively (Fisher, 2001). Numerous environmental planning issues are as a result of conflicting land use needs and policies at a broad scale, or area-specific. This approach recognizes the various and diverse needs and therefore develop a framework to respond to the conflicting needs. Solutions that would arise might require improvements to the management systems and organizations. This environmental perspective takes into account the scarcity of resources for both planning and implementation. This, therefore, emphasizes the need to have a clear prioritization of criteria for proposed interventions. This seeks to harness the potentials of the different sub-regions of the planning area all intertwined together into a single operating urban system. Recognizing the various actors and their roles in plan preparation and implementation will form a major strategy of the process (Griffin, 2014). The strategic approach requires the processes, and the plan outputs to be flexible and thus avoid rigidity. For that reason, monitoring and evaluation system will be embedded at the plan preparation and implementation phases to ensure that the plan remains responsive to future changes and needs. Integrated environmental management involves coordinated actions by various agencies that work together environmental issues. Information is consolidated to remove redundancies, improve communication, and promote an all-round understanding of the environment. It benefits resource users and parties interested through stop shopping and consent inquiry that presents the formation of assistance in of planning outcome and manipulation of planning ideas based on planning (Arnstein, 1969). This acts as the best method for data collection and quantifying and monitoring sustainable development. Integrated Environmental Management serves as an indicator or a proxy measure. Thus, if one sees evidence of integration, it is probable evidence that progress is being made in the correct direction toward the long-term goal of sustainable management. The integrated environmental planning approach also requires that the plan takes cognizance of the existence of ideas and strategies that affect the project outputs (Griffin, 2014). The plan will use lessons learned from such programs while also making proposals for adoption in the future. Participatory planning perspective Participatory planning emphasizes the participation of the community in the management and strategic processes of the planning process. Planning that entail urban or at the community level are all considered to be community development; hence, the key stakeholder in such plan is the local community that needs to be engaged in the planning process. The participatory planning is aimed at harmonizing the views of the participants of the planning process (Christine et al. 2013). Harmonizing the views and opinions of the participants assist in preventing the possible conflicts among the parties opposing. The participatory planning perspective has been playing an important role in ensuring that the marginalized groups in the planning process are involved. There has been a gap between the community desires and the programs of government like the renewal of urban centers to accommodate the changes taking place in the society. The gap has been existing due to the lack of participation of the local communities in the development projects. The participatory theory has played an essential role in ensuring that the community is involved in the planning process hence considering the interests of the local community in the development of projects. The community has been enlightened by the perspective concerning the environmental planning making the members of the public provide their opinions concerning the planning processes (Hall, 2010). There has been informed policies made in the process of planning hence leading to the engagement of the necessary stakeholders in the planning process. The access to the planning process has been broadened making it easy for many stakeholders to access the planning information and give their opinions concerning the plans were taken. The contribution of the participatory planning perspective in the process of enhancing the planning of urban areas has been facing some discussions from various stakeholders. For a long duration before the introduction of this planning perspective, the citizens have been feeling excluded in the planning process of different projects. The debate concerning the perspective has concerned the contributions that the stakeholders have been involved in the planning process (Allmendinger, 2002). However, there has been supporting the engagement of the citizens in the process of planning. The support of the involvement of the citizens in the planning process has been as a result of the fact that the citizens are the main target for the development hence involving them in the planning process can be an important step in meeting the interests of the citizens (Wheeler, 2004). Engaging the citizens in the planning process can assist in ensuring that the planning process can achieve its objectives as the citizen are involved hence giving their opinions concerning the plans developed. The participatory perspective has provided that citizens can be in a position to participate in the planning process. The residents have been given some powers in the management of the plans taken for development of projects affecting the community. The residents are said to be the one affected by the projects hence involving them in the planning process can be important in ensuring that the interests of the community are met in the planning process (Peter, 2008). Besides, the engagement of the various stakeholders in the planning process has been said to assist in eliminating confrontations that can affect the quality of the plans adopted. Participatory planning perspective involves the interested parties in presenting collaborative ideas in problem solving which results in problem-solving. This approach enhances empowering for the participants and creates a platform for capacity building. The purpose of this is to improve public-private partnerships, ownership, and sustainability of the project, promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability in the environmental planning process. It also promotes equity, equality, social justice, and protection of the marginalized and the disadvantaged (Wachs, 2004). To make it happen in a successful, coordinated, and efficient way, the recovery plan adopts an approach that brings the efforts and interests of all relevant stakeholders, including the respective key stakeholders among others right from the beginning to the end of the project. An effective communication strategy needs also be developed for efficient communication and networking among the various participants. All participants have kept abreast through efficient information dissemination processes. The plan seeks to retain the participating individuals throughout the process to maximize public participation (McDonald, 1999). The participatory planning understanding of the environmental planning requires crafting a plan that can handle various issues including the contrasting perspectives. Such conceptualization can serve to open the in harmonizing of the society-nature relations are part of an everyday life context. The participatory approach is achieved at the various fora which range from the meetings, the technical committee meetings, the focused group discussions, the thematic group sessions and at the stakeholder workshops. Regular briefings will also be undertaken to obtain consensus on different issues and proposals. In the informal setting regional plans helps to create common understanding whereby people bring together the idea of understanding each of the members opinions in coming up with a multidisciplinary action plan. This opening for deliberation can be influenced by the researcher’s presentation of the local setting of community perspectives at the beginning of the meeting (Mazziotti, 1982). The understanding of nature can be related to either environmental or economic interests was thus harmonized by local perspectives of nature as a reasonable life-embedded recreational or culturally related perspective. Although these regional planning spaces were still influenced by the spatial planning focus on boundaries and categorization within the regional plan forum recognized the deliberation of different nature understandings into the planning arena How to apply each theory Application of Integrated environmental management planning theory The application of the integrated environmental management planning theory entails the use of survey in the process of assessing the integration of the planning process and environment. Through the survey, the best ways the plan can be integrated with the environment in the Waimakariri district can be realized. The Waimakariri District in Canterbury, New Zealand is one of the most disaster-prone countries in areas, hit by severe calamities. The problem is identified by ground profiling and analysis to understand the fundamental problem. This will involve the use of local people to come up with the problem at hand (Friedman, 1993). How will they intervene with the national calamities and how will they cooperate with the government. This encourages the people to collaborate in protecting their lives and resources in times of destruction. Transect survey/reconnaissance of the planning region A reconnaissance survey, and subsequent transect surveys of the district and its environs is then undertaken to aid in Identification and appreciation of planning area major planning issues, challenges, and opportunities Project design This stage will involve Fine tuning of scope and time frame and Production of a detailed work plan. We will also identify the sources of primary and secondary data. It is at this stage that the key informants are identified depending on their roles. A public notice of intention to plan is circulated to all stakeholders. Application of participatory planning perspective The application of participatory planning perspective can involve the analysis of the stakeholders who are related to the red plan recovery. The identification and analysis of the stakeholders can assist in considering the interests of the various interested parties in the recovery plan (Francis, 2000). This can help to make decisions concerning the recovery making the recovery plan achieve the set objective of the recovery plan. Stakeholder identification and analysis The role and participation of the residents of Waimakariri District in Canterbury, New Zealand as critical in the red recovery plan. The aims of these meetings included the following: Sensitize the residents on the need for planning, Mobilize the community to participate in the preparation of the Plan, Build consensus, Provide planning data and Validate study team’s findings. Visioning Workshop The Visioning Workshop will be the first in a series of consultative workshops that will form the process for the preparation of the Plan and will be a key milestone in the team’s activities. Baseline Survey/Feasibility Studies The rapid assessment of the Socio-Economic situation of the planning area will focus on the evaluation of the economic activities, housing, community facilities, social infrastructure, people’s needs, and solutions. The assessment will focus on both the ordinary citizen through observations, household questionnaires and focus group discussions and the key informants who were mainly the business community representatives and professionals (Davidoff, 2005). The objectives of the rapid social, economic survey will be to: Gather people’s opinions and views regarding the future planning of their area and contribute towards a better appreciation of the socioeconomic issues and hence to influence the overall environmental planning for the area. Provisions for application of the perspectives Requirements for integrated environmental management planning theory The provision of the integrated environmental management planning theory can involve assessing the impacts of the planning activities to the environment. This can entail coming up with environmental protection policy for ensuring sustainability of the environment for the sake of the coming generation (Etzioni, 1998). The procedures involving the looking of solution for the challenges facing the environment such as destructive human activities. Strategies Various strategies can include reducing the harmful effects of the environment by meeting the policies aimed at protecting the environment from the destructive human activities. Besides, measures designed to reducing landfilling need to be considered in the red recovery plan (Keeble, 1991). Reducing landfilling can assist in solving the problems associated with pollution and land degradation activities. Provisions of participatory perspective The rules might include researching on the interests of the various stakeholders to ensure that they are factored in the decision concerning the red recovery plan (Keeble, 1991). However, there should be proper communications relating to the recovery plan to ensure that the stakeholders can provide relevant opinions and views. References Allmendinger, Philip (2002). Planning Futures: New Directions for Planning Theory. Routledge. pp. 20–25. Arnstein, Sherry R. (July 1969). "A Ladder Of Citizen Participation." Journal of Institute of Planners 35 (4): 216.  Christine; Truter, Art; Wilmoth, David (2013). "Managing Metropolises by Negotiating Mega-Urban Growth." Duineveld, M., De Jong, H. (2012) Co-evolution of planning and design. Planning Theory 12(2): 177-192 Davidoff, P. (2005). Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 31 (4), 331–338. Etzioni, A. (1998). The active society: a theory of societal and political processes. New York: Free Press.  Fisher, Fred (2001). Building Bridges through Participatory Planning. UN-HABITAT.  Francis; Beghin, Ivan (December 2000). "Comprehensive Participatory Planning and Evaluation" (PDF). Antwerp, Belgium: IFAD. Friedman, J. (1993). Retracking America: A Theory of Transactive Planning. Garden City, NJ: Anchor Press/Doubleday. Griffin, Greg P. (16 October 2014). "Geographic specificity and positionality of public input in transportation: a rural transportation planning case". Urban, Planning, and Transport Research 2 (1): 407–422.  Hall, Peter (2008). The Cities of Tomorrow: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 13–141.  Hall, (2010). The Cities of Tomorrow. Publishing: Blackwell. pp. 48–86.  Keeble, Lewis B. (1991) Principles and Practice of Town and Country Planning, Estates Gazette Lane, M. B. (2005). Public Participation in Planning: An Intellectual History, 36 (3), 283–299 Lindblom, C. E. (1999). The science of "muddling through". Public Administration Review, 19 (2), 79–88. Mazziotti, D. F. (1982). The underlying assumptions of advocacy planning: pluralism and reform. In C. Paris (Ed.), Critical readings in planning theory (pp. 207–227). McDonald, G. T. (1999). Rural Land Use Planning Decisions by Bargaining. Journal of Rural Studies, 5 (4), 325–335. McTague, C. & Jakubowski, S. (2013). Marching to the beat of a silent drum: Wasted consensus-building and failed participatory neighborhood planning. Applied Geography 44, 182–191. Peter (2008). The Cities of Tomorrow. Publishing: Blackwell. pp. 13–47, 87–141. Wachs, M. (2004). Reflections on the planning process. In S. Hansen, & G. Guliano (Eds.), The Geography of Urban Transportation (3rd Edition ed., pp. 141–161). Wheeler, Stephen (2004). "Planning Sustainable and Livable Cities," Routledge; 3rd edition. Read More

 

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