This study examines the issue of the conflicting demands of needing to develop projects in an expeditious manner while at the same time involving stakeholders in the decision-making process through the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) policy framework, which supports the early integration of stakeholders into the planning process. The report pays particular attention to urban centers, where there is likely to be more complexity, both in terms of the number of stakeholders and end users affected. The literature finds CSS is not consistently interpreted or applied across states and/or agencies and suggests that an underlying assumption of CSS in community processes is that stakeholders are empowered through clear policies and procedures directed towards their participation. Additionally, the extent to which public agencies apply the CSS framework, involve and respond to stakeholders depends on each agency's interest to engage the public in the deliberation process to find the best-fit project for a community.

The authors suggest that the increased integration of stakeholders into the planning and project development process will not become a state of practice until the benefits flowing from community involvement are clearly understood by the agency staff. A movement toward standardizing CSS policies and directives across the country, and highlighting the many benefits of stakeholder engagement, will facilitate a public discussion about the benefits of engaging communities into the project design phase and away from solely expert-based designs. In addition, there are a number of stakeholder involvement practices that, if adopted, could expedite the integration of communities' views and values in the decision-making process, while at the same time minimizing the chances of protracted consultation processes, time delays and additional costs.

External Links:

More Information: www.transweb.sjsu.edu/project/2610.html

Further Reading:

The Nature of Context-Sensitive Solutions, Stakeholder Involvement and Critical Issues in the Urban Context

Research Brief