Sustainable Growth

With cities turning increasingly to development to fill city coffers, residents are fighting back against what they feel is runaway, unplanned growth. Redondo Beach, Seal Beach and Santa Monica had initiatives on the ballot in November 2008 — all of which will stifle investment and make it more difficult to provide city services without raising taxes and/or making painful cuts.

Municipalities who want to avoid such confrontation are stepping up their smart-growth programs and involving community leaders and residents in the planning process, which usually involves a balanced approach that encompasses mixed-use building, open spaces, traffic/parking mitigation, a respect for the city’s history and a major public relations campaign to get residents onboard. Here’s where Freeman can help. It’s a lot easier to gain public support and trust than it is to win it back once residents start feeling bulldozed and betrayed.