Visioning processes, when used for land-use planning can be manipulated through peer and mentor pressure that can influence participants core beliefs. This highly influences the outcome of community consensus meetings.

Don't get bored - be creative. Enliven community "visioning" meetings and workshops with bureaucrat bingo cards. Here's a great example!

New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg is involved in Sustainable Public Private Partnerships that will result in increased fees and controls on New Yorkers.

Many of the attorneys and volunteers dedicating time and energy toward neighborhood improvements actually have ulterior motivations.

"...A new type of living quarters will be developed along the lines of uniting establishments for public use with residential units. This is the trend in many architectural projects represented at the USSR Exhibition of Urban Construction in the spring of 1960..."

Residents of Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County, CA will "age graciously" and or "age in place" with the help of the non-profits, faith based groups, foundations and government health care planners according to a two year long planning process called: " Contra Costa for Every Generation."

With the current hurrican season in full bloom and Houston being threatened as I write this (Vern), it may be a good time to take another look at the "New Urbanists" ideas on community planning. The following were Michael Park's thoughts when Katrina hit...

Summary: People without cars were far more likely to have perished in the Katrina disaster than those who could drive away. Mississippi officials want “New Urbanists” to design rebuilt communities without planning for functional automobile use. Who will suffer most?

Santa Cruz, CA -- County Supervisor, Ellen Pirie released this sketch depicting the Aptos Village Plan. One can see very dense multi-story housing mixed with commercial development right at the edge of the railroad tracks. There is limited parking and residences don't have garages.

America's new political system, Communitarianism, is up and operating in all 50 states, one new community at a time. These communities comprise of brand new housing, interconnected or very closely clustered single dwellings, nice walkways, not much grass, commons areas, security details...but there is much more to these communities than meets the eye much more.

The visioning process includes: “values” research, how to run "facilitated" workshops and to how to use “consensus building” to create scenarios for area “change”. When public officials and NGOs (non-government organizations) use the term "visioning" it really means Agenda 21 principles are being implemented.