Nine planning commission and citizen advisory pitfalls

© Can Stock Photo/alexmillos

Planning commissions and citizen advisory committees are a key aspect of our society. Whether it’s a library board, a civil service commission, a parks and recreation board, a lodging tax committee, or one of many  more, these dedicated citizens provide the underpinning for our social and civic structures.

Sometimes, however, their meetings encounter serious challenges. This is the Jurassic Parliament list of nine pitfalls specific to planning commissions and citizen committees that we have observed:

• Asking for the moon
• Confusion about scope
• Confusion about staff role
• Confusion about your job
• Deafened by decibels
• Decision delay
• Failure to read packet
• Lost in the weeds/analysis paralysis
• Shrinking from hard choices

Take our online course for great planning commission meetings

Many thanks to Ric Stephens of Portland Oregon who prepared the first list on Plannersweb.com that inspired Jurassic Parliament.