As discussed in class, the municipal planning process is one of the most important activities determining environmental outcomes. Regardless of how well or poorly it may be executed, the municipal planning board meeting is a short period of time in which major changes in the New Jersey landscape occur. These meetings also play a central role in American grass roots democracy, allowing local citizens to determine their surroundings through the structure of their municipal government.

As an environmental planner, natural resource manager, or landscape architect you will be required throughout your career to participate in this process. More importantly, as a future responsible member of your community educated about environmental planning issues you should be engaged in guiding your community to a more appropriate planning outcome.

To get your first taste of this process you will attend a public meeting of a MUNICIPAL PLANNING BOARD somewhere in one of New Jersey's 566 municipalities. In order that this process can be as productive as possible, you are encouraged to consider attending the meeting in your hometown, or in an area with which you are familiar. You would also be well served if you did not attend the meeting hungry or tired -- sometimes they go a little long. Many municipalities only conduct these meetings once a month, or once every other month. And sometimes they cancel them with little advance notice. You should plan on contacting your selected planning office sometime VERY soon to learn the date of the upcoming meetings.

Here are some meetings that do NOT count: County Planning Board Meetings (Hint: there are NO approved meetings in the Elks' Building on Livingston Avenue); Planning Board Technical Review Sessions; Planning Board Work Sessions; Zoning Board of Adjustment Meetings; Township/Borough/City Council meetings; Freeholder meetings.

EXCEPTIONS: Some of you may be interested in attending some special meetings relating to environmental planning, besides municipal planning meetings. These other meetings will be considered, but any other meetings MUST be approved before you attend. Some examples that I hope some of you will consider might include public hearings regarding draft environmental impact statements or meetings of zoning boards of adjustment when discussing a particularly contentious zoning variance.

THE PAPER: After attending the meeting, you should write a three-page double spaced analysis of the meeting. The analysis should provide a brief description of the setting: who, what, where, when, etc. The "when" should be very specific about the date and time. More importantly, your analysis should describe the conflicts that were dealt with by the planning board, explain both sides of those issues that are contentious, and describe why you felt other issues were more one-sided. For your analysis to be complete, you should apply those lessons you have learned in class to add depth and context. The analysis can include some of your personal opinion. Finally, this your chance to SYNTHESIZE all of the different concepts at work in the meetings.

WRITING: The writing should be reasonably formal and display a professional grasp of the details. Avoid the use of slang, but also be careful about using jargon and technical terms that you haven't fully mastered. While you are welcome to use the spell-check and grammar proofing tools on your computer, you need to proofread the paper carefully beyond that. The computer often doesn know if you meant there, their, or they're. To/too, imminent/eminent, sight/site/cite, residents/residence, purposed/proposed and were/where confusion are also concerns. And most can't tell the different between roll call and role call. The ability to communicate effectively and professionally is one of the most important planning skills.

IMPORTANT: An analysis of the meeting is NOT a summary of the events that took place. It is NOT a description of the carpet in the meeting room or the shape of the council table. It does NOT need to include a list of the members present or describe the pre-meeting formalities (like roll call and the pledge). You can also skip providing details like the lot and block numbers and case numbers for each and every property mentioned.

MUNICIPAL CHECKLIST: So you are worried about whether you have really chosen a municipality? Check it out on this official NJ municipalities site.

PAPER SUBMISSION : While I will accept the paper in hardcopy format at the start of class on the due date, the preferred method to submit it is digitally through TurnItIn.com. If you do that you'll need to know that this class is Code # 2650495 and the password is McHarg- it would be best if you "titiled" it after the municipality wher eyou attended the meeting. The paper will NOT be accepted by email. If you choose to submit the paper as hardcopy, you should be sure to staple your pages together BEFORE coming to class.

LATE PENALTY: Same day, 10%. Same week, 20%. Late is better than never.