Action Primer Outline for Addressing Development in your Neighborhood

By Kate Lopez with additional narrative by Preservation Idaho

  1. Form a Local Committee

    • Create a core group of 5-8 people (any more can become unwieldy)

    • Assess skills in the group

      • Is there an attorney, accountant, architect, someone with communications experience, business owner, writer, contractor, anyone who has held public office, social media user, and/or someone who knows the comprehensive plan and/or zoning ordinances or who is willing to learn them? All of these backgrounds assist with interpreting procedures and creating “professional, contractual language.”

    • Develop a mission statement or project statements. These assist by focusing the group

    • Hold weekly meetings, at a minimum. Virtual meetings are fine. Stick to the agenda and time allowed (everyone is busy), but make them fun when you can. Prepare agendas and minutes that include action items with assigned responsibilities. Distribute to the core group in advance of meeting.

    • Extend the group: Help with flier dissemination, advertising, gathering neighbors for forums

    • Prepare a binder for your group actions. Add to it each week. Include tabs for Agendas, Minutes, Action Items (past-present-future), Results, Legal, Research, Contacts etc. These are invaluable for keeping your efforts organized and on track

    • Determine long-term goals. Monitoring growth IS long-term. Prepare yourselves

      • Think about if a 501(c)(3) is needed? Or other entity formation?

      • Identify 1, 5, and 10-year goals. Write them all down even if they are not well defined

      • Do yearly goal revisions and prepare project statements

  2. Keep analysis of what the developer has proposed

    • What is the project? State it in definite terms and get committee input

    • What are the detrimental effects? What are the positive ones?

    • Architectural analysis: blueprints, layouts of project, dimensions, etc.

    • Current zoning: Be able to compare the current rules with what the developer has proposed. Focus on any differences and contradictions. Highlight with charts, graphs, and/or visual aids

    • When highlighting the differences in pictures you, can populate the proposal using Google Earth so people can see what it looks like BEFORE it is built

    • The facts from your analysis should go on the petition and all media presentations. It should also go out to all of the email addresses you have collected, so everyone knows the facts and can discuss them without your core group

    • Be ready to explain that analysis to your legal staff, city council, and/or governmental body tasked with approving or disapproving the project

    • Consider having a small committee meet directly with the developer. Both of you have a particular site in common, but different approaches to its development or restoration. The developer might consent to develop in a way that preserves history while accomplishing her/his goals. Meet as early as possible, before developer costs are significant

  3. Finding Allies

    • Identify other neighborhood groups who may have, or may in the future, face the same challenges and include them in your information channels

    • Identify city, state, and national advocacy groups that can be an information resource and may also be willing to help promote your message outside of your neighborhood

    • Let state organization, like Preservation Idaho, the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, and the Idaho Heritage Trust know about your challenge. They may be a resource for information and/or community support

  4. Social Media: use them all if you can. The goal is to get public and governmental support

    • Analyze the development project. Get a theme or succinctly state your goals. What are you trying to achieve? You need something to pull people in, ie “Save Historic Twin Falls.” Create a page on all platforms to tie the message together and reach a wide audience

    • Facebook - link other social media platforms

      • A word about Facebook: Your page must be monitored constantly… several times a day to discourage negative posts. State your mission at the top of the page, and the RULES for posting (no negative or abusive language,  political, etc.) Be ready to mute the posts or cancel the input if out of your set parameters

      • Include all letters to the editor that the neighbors write, whether published in the local paper or not

      • Post all position papers your group writes

      • Post links from other areas of the country that have dealt with similar issues-result

      • Link recorded presentations to your FB page. Include educational content on preservation in general: Historic Preservation Commission education forums (local, county and state), any applicable law, city meetings addressing your issues

    • Instagram

      • Pictures provide an extra engagement into your mission. You can use Canva.com to create Instagram posts with text overlayed with photos, or just your written messaging

    • Other platforms that you think people in your area use: ie Nextdoor or similar apps

    • Texting

    • Email: See point 5 for more

    • Petitions: Use a site like Change.org to start a petition for or against the project. The petition statement must be clear, concise, factual, and free of emotional bias. It must state why you approve or disapprove of the project and must request action of those signing (ask for comments or donations). When your campaign is over, email that petition to the city council. It is best to get city residents to sign, but those living out of the city are fine too. (You can also use paper petitions at public gatherings.)

    • Remember, anything written is written forever. Even text messages. All can be retrieved in the event of legal action. Be prudent and review ALL public group content with several people BEFORE it goes out. Those in opposition to your argument are not enemies. They simply have different priorities and/or goals. Being forceful is not the same as being rude. Be emotionally intelligent and leave egos at the doo

    • The key is the education of your neighbors and town residents. Explain the issue unemotionally. Use FACTS, FACTS, FACTS, across all mediums. Cite precedent if applicable

    • Have a pro and con sheet for the project proposal: advertise it judiciously or emphasize those items your group supports. Short and succinct with primary points. Direct readers to your Facebook page for more information

  5. Advertising

    • Local Newspapers

    • Social media

    • Print banners, yard signs, house and car decals, and window posters for supportive businesses with your theme (keep it short and to the point. Direct viewers to media platforms for more in-depth information). Keep them broad to be used again, if possible. Sell the yard signs, to homeowners and others, and put them up in neighborhoods, with the understanding they will be returned to the core group, if possible, for use another day. This is a great way to round up funds to offset expenses

    • Powerpoint presentations on Facebook, or video presentations on your social media accounts

    • Get a booth at the local fair or any park events. Have PowerPoint and all other media available for onsite education. Hand out FAQ’s and other trifold materials

  6. Emails

    • The goal is to get as many neighbors and residents in the greater area behind your argument. To that end, the easiest way to communicate is by email. At every event, put out notebooks and ask for email addresses. For those residents not using email, fliers and postcards can go out at certain times. Put group social media contact information on them to encourage contact by residents

    • Create a distribution list so all updates can go out immediately by email

    • If public hearings have been held, public comment probably went to the city. Review all the letters written about the project and glean the email addresses that support your views. Put these people on your distribution list. Keep them informed of any upcoming actions your group will take. Tell them you need their support

      • Read the letters advocating for the developer and be ready to counteract those points publicly. Analyze and understand them

  7. Accounting for Expenses

    • There will be expenses

    • Ask neighbors how they should be addressed

      • Through an entity, or

      • Have everyone put in “X” amount and then show accounting?

      • If accounting yourselves, have at least two neighbors responsible

      • Keep the accounting transparent and send it to all vested (those donating funds) neighbors weekly, showing all income, all expenses, AND WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM. i.e.Yard sign sales, neighbor donations (list who and how much), and any other ways money came in and out. If donations come in that allow neighbors to be reimbursed at the end of the campaign, show the reimbursement method chosen, when paid, and how paid (check, cash, signing over checks that have come in indicating check numbers). An excel spreadsheet works really well for this. All income by date and source on one side, then all expenses by date and vendor (who paid), and then columns for reimbursements if allowed

      • Make accounting a line item at each weekly meeting - transparency is paramount

      • Put accounting information in the project binder by date

      • Hire accounting help if necessary

      • Hiring legal help comes with a minimum $5,000 retainer in most cases

  8. Legal

    • Recognize that a zoning attorney might be necessary if zoning variances are being requested by the developer, or, for their guidance on zoning changes and/or presenting proposals to the city council. Neighborhood architects and attorneys are helpful here for preparation 

    • See Ketchum case: KGF Development LLC v. City of Ketchum. 149 Id. 524 (2010)

    • You may consider creating an association, LLC, or nonprofit. See long-term goals under point 1 for more

  9. Monitor city meetings weekly or monthly

    • This needs to be done before, during, and after any proposed development. Bottom line: if you like where and how you live, you need to be involved. Spread that responsibility out among residents. Otherwise, the city will make plans over and around you to accommodate THEIR goals

    • City council

    • Urban Renewal Agency (URA)

    • Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z)

    • Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)

    • Have those monitoring the meetings report back to the group for action, if necessary

    • 10-year growth plans: you need to know what the city is planning long term AND short term so you can participate in those plans

    • Encourage locals in your group to run for city offices

  10. Research