Thesis. 1975. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / Bibliography: leaves 441-444. / M.C.P.

Bibliography: leaves [261]-266.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This thesis explores the opportunities and constraints to community based planning for neighbourhood conservation in the context of an expanding urban core, using the Mole Hill planning process and draft Concept Plan as a case study. In response to previous public processes, and increasing community activism against top-down revitalization, City of Vancouver Planning Staff were directed in April 1996, to undertake a participatory planning process in order to develop conservation strategies for Mole Hill which balance physical, social, environmental and economic goals. Drawing from a broad range of literature on urban conservation and post-industrial urban change, this thesis begins by providing a rationale for area-based urban conservation within the context of post-war North American and European cities. Further, it outlines some of the conflicts arising from conservation, primarily those conflicts relating to post-war economic restructuring and corresponding socio-economic changes in inner cities specifically, gentrification. The thesis uses cases from inner city communities in Vancouver and New York to examine contemporary trends in neighbourhood conservation, and to explore those elements which contribute to a locally focused and sustainable conservation and revitalization strategy. Three characteristics of successful neighbourhood conservation schemes are abstracted by way of a literature review and are subsequently used as a framework to analyse the Mole Hill case study. These characteristics are: a focus on local involvement; multi-dimensional programs and policies; and an ongoing collaborative approach. The case study reveals the complex and contentious nature of planning for conservation within an expanding urban context. The multiplicity of players, the exigency of issues, the amount and availability of resources, and the often adversarial positions demonstrate the fragmented and complex quality of planning in this context. The study found that in Mole Hill a reliance on top-down methods for conflict negotiation and decision making undermined the effectiveness of the community based model and ultimately led to a fractured set of policies and principles for the neighbourhood. Tensions which were created by a misapplication of power resulted in a polarization between a "Staff' position and a "Working Group" position, thus diluting the idea of a consensus based, collaborative process. Despite these setbacks, a multi-agency and multi-interest approach to the process achieved a number of positive principles and strategies which attempt to address the site as a comprehensive whole, bringing the goals of heritage conservation closer to those of housing and community needs. Finally, the case showed that by drawing on existing community knowledge and expertise the process was able to generate innovative ideas such as those which involve local reinvestment and community economic development initiatives which are directed at social and physical improvement. These ideas challenge traditional notions of conservation and revitalization — which often rely on outside capital investment and /or economic incentives to support conservation — and provide a foundation for more culturally appropriate and sustainable strategies for community based neighbourhood conservation.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite calls for greater public participation in all aspects of environmental planning, impact assessment and decision making, opportunities for participation in the planning, legal and administrative systems governing these activities, are limited. Public participation has often been reduced to a procedural exercise instead of a substantive process to include the public in environmental decision making. Thus, it is relevant to examine public participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), providing ways to improve its effectiveness. The emphasis of this thesis is therefore, to compare the role of public participation in the environmental assessment process in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States. It begins by defining the principles of Environmental Impact Assessment and the concept of public participation and explores how the rationales of public participation may be integrated into the environmental planning process. Features of each of the three existing EIA systems are examined since components such as the appropriate legislative framework, the institutional framework, the public, and formal and informal public participation opportunities in the EIA process are the factors contributing towards effective public participation in Environmental Impact Assessment. The author argues that public participation deserves attention because the degree of participation affects the quality of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which, in turn, affects the quality of a decision about a project. Broader participation creates more information and alternatives to be presented to decision makers, enhancing the opportunity to mesh public values and government policy. Although public participation may slow down the EIA process, the real goal of EIA theory is to ensure sustainable development, no matter how long the EIA process takes. Apparently, the three EIA laws discussed in the comparative analysis, are consistent with sustainable development since these laws operate to force considerations of environmental impacts into the decision making process. Moreover, properly drafted EIA laws are based on a strict standard of procedural compliance to ensure that the responsible decision makers are fully apprised of the environmental consequences which they review. Involving the public is a safeguard against bad or politically motivated decisions, and a mechanism to increase public awareness of the delicate balance between economic and environmental trade offs. If conducted openly, it may ultimately increase public confidence in the decision making process. Public participation has the potential to enhance the maintenance of accountability in public and private sectors. The public should realise that they, individually or through interest groups, can participate in public matters that affect them, with a view to persuading decision makers and shaping environmental policies. The thesis further reviews the different roles the public can play during the various stages of an Environmental Impact Assessment process, whereby formal and informal public participation opportunities are explored according to the country-specific context. The comparative analytical framework in the thesis reveals significant variations within and between the three countries. Apparently, the three EIA systems seem to possess more or less mature, well-defined and formal Environmental Impact Assessment systems. For the UK and South Africa, examples could be taken from the United States, which has developed more adequate public participation provisions than those of the European Directive and of the South African EIA Regulations, particularly as far as the level and degree of public participation and techniques are concerned. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ten spyte van beroepe op groter openbare deelname in alle aspekte van omgewingsbeplanning, inpakbeoordeling en besluitneming, is geleenthede vir deelname in die beplannings-, administratiewe en wetlike sisteme wat hierdie aktiwiteite beheer, beperk. Openbare deelname word dikwels gereduseer tot 'n proseduriële oefening in plaas van 'n substantiewe proses te wees om die publiek in omgewingsbesluitneming te betrek. Dit is derhalwe relevant dat openbare deelname in Omgewingsimpakbeoordeling (algemeen in Engels na verwys as EIA) ondersoek word tot einde wyses vir effektiwiteitsverbetering daar te stel. Die aksent van hierdie tesis is dus 'n vergelyking van openbare deelname in omgewingsbeoordeling in die Verenigde Koninkryk, Suid-Afrika en die Verenigde State van Amerika onderskeidelik. Daar word begin met definiëring van die beginsels van EIA en die konsep "openbare deelname" en 'n ondersoek na integrering van die rationales vir openbare deelname in die omgewingsbeplanningsproses. Kenmerke van elk van die drie bestaande EIA -stelsels word ondersoek aangesien komponente soos die geskikte wetgewende raamwerk, die institusionele raamwerk, die publiek, asook formele en informele openbare deelname-geleenthede in die EIA -proses, die bydraende faktore is tot effektiewe openbare deelname in EIA. Die navorser argumenteer dat openbare deelname aandag verdien omdat die graad van deelname die kwaliteit van die EIA affekteer met voortspruitende effek vir die kwaliteit van besluitneming rakende 'n projek. Breër deelname skep meer inligting en alternatiewe vir voorlegging aan die besluitnemers ter verbetering van die geleentheid vir die ineenskakeling van openbare waardes en regeringsbeleid. Hoewel openbare deelname die EIA-proses mag vertraag, is die werklike doel van EIA-teorie die bewerkstelliging van volhoubare ontwikkeling, ongeag van hoe lank die proses ook mag duur. Die drie EIA-wette bespreek in die vergelykende analise is oënskynlik konsekwent in terme van volhoubare ontwikkeling aangesien hierdie wette gerig is op die inkorporering van omgewingsimpak oorwegings in die besluitnemingsproses. Verder is behoorlik geformuleerde EIA-wette gebaseer op 'n streng standaard van proseduriële onderworpenheid ten einde te verseker dat die verantwoordelike besluitnemers ten volle ingelig is oor die omgewingsgevolge onder hersiening. Die insluiting van die publiek is 'n voorsorg teen swak of polities gemotiveerde besluite en 'n meganisme om openbare bewustheid ten opsigte van die delikate balans tussen ekonomiese en omgewings komprimieë. As dit openlik gedoen word, behoort dit op die lange duur die publiek se vertoue in die besluitnemingsproses te verhoog. Openbare deelname kan tot die behoud van, deur hul betrokkenheid aanspreeklikheid in die openbare en private sektore bydra. Die publiek moet besef dat hulle deur hulle betrokkenheid, individueel of deur middel van belangegroepe, in openbare aangeleenthede wat hulle raak, beluitnemers kan oorreed en omgewingsbeleid help vorm. Die tesis beskou ook die verskillende rolle wat die publiek gedurende die verskillende fases van 'n Omgewingsimpakbeoordelingsproses kan speel, en verken geleenthede vir formele en informele openbare deelname binne elke land se spefieke konteks. Die vergelykende analitiese raamwerk in die tesis bring betekenisvolle variasies binne en tussen die drie lande aan die lig. Oënskynlik verteenwoordig die drie EIA stelsels min of meer volwasse, goed definieërde en formele Omgewingsimpakbeoordelingstelsels. Die VK en Suid Afrika kan leer uit die voorbeeld van die VSA wat meer voldoende voorsienning vir openbare deelname bied as die van die Europese Direktief en van Suid Afrika se EIA Regulasies, in besonder sover dit die vlak en graad van openbare deelname en tegnieke betref

The thrust of the study is to investigate the Local Government Turnaround Strategy as introduced by Cabinet in the year 2009. In this treatise a critical evaluation of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy that was passed by cabinet as a panacea that seeks to address the challenges that are being faced by municipalities today will be embarked upon. A case study of the Ngqushwa Local Municipality in the Amathole District Municipal area will be undertaken with the view to understand whether the Local Government Turnaround Strategy will indeed assist ailing local municipalities like Ngqushwa. As can be seen in our country, apartheid has left many problems both in the social, economic and political realms of our society. When local government was first established it was for the perpetuation of separate development as enshrined in the policy of apartheid. Apartheid was not the beginning of geographic, institutional and social separation at the local level. Segregation was already a policy by the time apartheid was introduced in 1948. However, the Group Areas Act, the key piece of legislation, instituted strict residential segregation and compulsory removal of black people to own group areas. Through spatial separation, influx control, and a policy of own management for own areas, apartheid aimed to limit the extent to which affluent white municipalities would bear the financial burden of servicing disadvantaged black areas. These separate developments led to the collapse of the former Black Local Authorities. When the democratic government took over the same challenges reared their heads again. Many intervention programmes were introduced to assist ailing municipalities to be viable. The study thus has tried to indicate how the Turnaround has assisted municipalities like the Ngqushwa Local Municipality.

Contemporary debates about development confer a prominent role to citizen participation and decentralization. Growing scepticism about the efficacy of narrowly conceived measures add pressure to reform development both theoretically and in practical terms. There is a greater understanding that ‘traditional’ development approaches and policies need to be reformulated and decentralization and citizen participation have been proposed as remedies to previous development failures. It is frequently argued that citizen participation will improve the efficiency and efficacy of public services. Citizen participation is meant to render local government more accountable and to contribute to deepening democracy, by reinforcing representative democratic institutions with participatory forms. At the same time, decentralization reforms have been proposed as a response to the failures of highly centralized states. From a political perspective, it is argued, decentralization reforms can help the central state gain legitimacy and have been seen as a strategy for maintaining political stability. It has been repeatedly suggested that physical proximity makes it easier for citizens to hold local officials accountable for their performance. From an economic perspective, decentralization can improve the match between the mix of services provided by the public sector and the preferences of the local population. It has also been noted that people are more willing to pay for services that respond to their priorities and that increased competition between local governments generates spaces for more creative responses adapted to local needs. But then, can decentralization and citizen participation live up to the faith and expectations that they have inspired? I argue that the literature commonly over-emphasises the role of citizen participation and decentralization in development and what these processes and reforms can achieve. Much of the evidence is anecdotal in nature and tends to neglect the specific contexts in which these processes take place. Also largely ignored are political economy considerations and a critical exploration of the relationship between these two key words. At best, when their interrelationships are addressed decentralization and citizen participation are conceived as based on a symbiotic relationship. I suggest, however, that the relationship between these two processes is not as straightforward as most of the literature assumes. The meanings of these two key words in current development lexicon are explored and critically assessed. I argue that whether or not the rising prominence of these two words actually means the emergence of a new development agenda is a moot point. It critically depends on the understandings of these ambiguous terms. The thesis adopts a political economy approach. Combined with this is an awareness of the broader historical and socio-economic context in which citizen participation and decentralization take place. The thesis applies these ideas triangulating diverse research methods and data sources. It combines a literature review and documentary analysis, a survey conducted with municipal authorities and civil society organizations in the Eastern Cape as well as structured interviews with Ward councillors and with key informants. From a theoretical perspective, the study lays a foundation for understanding the relationship between development policies outcomes and the nature of citizen participation and decentralization in developing countries. This, in turn, provides a basis from which citizen participation and decentralization in South Africa can be assessed and understood. The thesis presents evidence from a case study of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. By revealing how different dimensions of decentralization and citizen participation operate and intersect, the findings demonstrate, that contrary to common knowledge, citizen participation and decentralization are frequently at odds. Moreover, contrary to frequent statements, the research also shows that opening new spaces for participation in decentralized local governance can result in fewer changes and disappointing results at best, undermining the transformative potential of the concepts of participation and decentralization.

Replacement of traditional land administration institutions with modern institutions has been one of the strategies used by the Lesotho Government to solve land management problems. This thesis uses a case study approach to analyze the effectiveness of one modern institution, the Village Land Allocation Committees (VLAC), at the community level in Lesotho. Customarily, land in Lesotho was allocated by traditional chiefs who could for various purposes revoke it. The system was allegedly open to abuse and under the Land Act 1979, the authority to allocate land was shifted from traditional chiefs to the VLAC, which is partly elected and partly nominated by the government. The thinking behind this change was that VLAC would be more democratic and efficient, representing local as well as national interests. The study consists of three stages: a) review of background literature on Lesotho; b) a comparison of land tenure reforms in Tanzania, Kenya and Botswana; and c) field research carried out through questionnaires administered to VLAC members, community members and government officials responsible for land administration at the community level in Lesotho. Conclusions drawn from this study are that lack of clear policy guidelines, lack of connection between land allocation and the overall planning and lack of meaningful community participation in the land allocation process, are among the major problems in the operation of VLAC. The study's major recommendations are: a) integrating land allocation with the overall land use planning; b) recognizing the continuing influence of traditional institutions and incorporating them into VLAC activities; c) providing VLAC with clearer goals and necessary resources; and d) building a planning and evaluation component into VLAC procedures. The need for further research on the composition and election process of VLAC is identified. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis explores the opportunities and constraints to community based planning for neighbourhood conservation in the context of an expanding urban core, using the Mole Hill planning process and draft Concept Plan as a case study. In response to previous public processes, and increasing community activism against top-down revitalization, City of Vancouver Planning Staff were directed in April 1996, to undertake a participatory planning process in order to develop conservation strategies for Mole Hill which balance physical, social, environmental and economic goals. Drawing from a broad range of literature on urban conservation and post-industrial urban change, this thesis begins by providing a rationale for area-based urban conservation within the context of post-war North American and European cities. Further, it outlines some of the conflicts arising from conservation, primarily those conflicts relating to post-war economic restructuring and corresponding socio-economic changes in inner cities specifically, gentrification. The thesis uses cases from inner city communities in Vancouver and New York to examine contemporary trends in neighbourhood conservation, and to explore those elements which contribute to a locally focused and sustainable conservation and revitalization strategy. Three characteristics of successful neighbourhood conservation schemes are abstracted by way of a literature review and are subsequently used as a framework to analyse the Mole Hill case study. These characteristics are: a focus on local involvement; multi-dimensional programs and policies; and an ongoing collaborative approach. The case study reveals the complex and contentious nature of planning for conservation within an expanding urban context. The multiplicity of players, the exigency of issues, the amount and availability of resources, and the often adversarial positions demonstrate the fragmented and complex quality of planning in this context. The study found that in Mole Hill a reliance on top-down methods for conflict negotiation and decision making undermined the effectiveness of the community based model and ultimately led to a fractured set of policies and principles for the neighbourhood. Tensions which were created by a misapplication of power resulted in a polarization between a "Staff' position and a "Working Group" position, thus diluting the idea of a consensus based, collaborative process. Despite these setbacks, a multi-agency and multi-interest approach to the process achieved a number of positive principles and strategies which attempt to address the site as a comprehensive whole, bringing the goals of heritage conservation closer to those of housing and community needs. Finally, the case showed that by drawing on existing community knowledge and expertise the process was able to generate innovative ideas such as those which involve local reinvestment and community economic development initiatives which are directed at social and physical improvement. These ideas challenge traditional notions of conservation and revitalization — which often rely on outside capital investment and /or economic incentives to support conservation — and provide a foundation for more culturally appropriate and sustainable strategies for community based neighbourhood conservation. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africans are familiar with apartheid principles and practices. Apartheid principles were not only used as a mechanism that robbed people of their human rights, but it also gave rise to limited or no community participation in government decision-making. South Africa's democratic regime (after 1994) is striving to increase community participation in government decision-making. In this regard, the South African national government is initiating community development policies and programmes such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (1994), Masakhane programme (1998) and Integrated Development Planning (1997). This research focuses on Integrated Development Planning (lOP) and local government's role in stimulating community participation. Various participation models are highlighted, and the Wellington case is used to illustrate that communities will participate optimally in development activities if their participation will bring about their own empowerment. The research methodology includes interviews, television news programmes, newspaper articles and focus group sessions. Responses from the focus group interviews indicated that the community is easy-going and they expect activities to be undertaken for them. It was also noted that meaningful mechanisms for enhancinq community participation are limited. The community-empowerment model and recommendations are presented to optimise community participation. The following recommendations are made, namely accessibility of development initiatives, mobilising the community, relevant administrative skills of public officials, democratic constitution and legislation, concrete policy relating to community participation, meaningful empowerment of the community, explaining the content of concepts, programmes and projects, training for public officials, awareness of policy implications with regards to community participation and municipal planning in co-operative government. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaners is vertroud met apartheidsbeginsels en praktyke. Apartheidsbeginsels is nie net as 'n meganisme gebruik om groepe van hul menseregte te ontneem nie, maar dit het ook aanleiding gegee tot gebrekkige of geen gemeenskapsdeelname in owerheidsbesluitneming. Suid-Afrika se demokratiese regeringstelsel (na 1994) streef daarna om gemeenskapsdeelname in owerheidsbesluitneming te verhoog. Binne hierdie hoedanigheid het die nasionale regering gemeenskapsontwikkelingsbeleide en programme soos die Heropbou-en Ontwikkelingsprogram (1994), Masakhane-program (1988) en GeTntegreerde Ontwikkelingsbeplanning (1997) daargestel. Die navorsing fokus op Ge"integreerde Ontwikkelingsbeplanning (GOB), en plaaslike owerhede se rol ten opsigte van die stimulering van gemeenskapsdeelname. Verskeie deelname-modelle word uitgelig en aan die hand van die Wellington-geval, word aangetoon dat gemeenskappe optimaal sal deelneem aan ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite indien hul deelname sal bydra tot hul eie bemagtiging. Die navorsingsmetodologie sluit in onderhoude, televisie-nuusprogramme, koerantartikels en fokusgroep-sessies. Terugvoering van die fokusgroeponderhoude dui aan dat die gemeenskap gemaksugtig is en verwag dat aktiwiteite vir hulle onderneem word. Daar is waargeneem dat betekenisvolle meganismes om gemeenskapsdeelname te optimaliseer gebrekkig was. Die kommunikasie-bemagtigingsmodel en aanbevelings word aangebied ten einde gemeenskapsdeelname te optimaliseer. Die volgende aanbevelings word gemaak naarnlik, toeganklikheid van ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe; mobilisering van die gemeenskap; relevante administratiewe vaardighede van openbare amptenare; demokratiese grondwet en beleide; konkrete beleide rakende gemeenskapsdeelname; betekenisvolle bemagtiging van die gemeenskap; verduideliking van die inhoud van konsepte, programme en projekte, opleiding van amptenare; bewuswording van beleidsimplikasies rakende gemeenskapsdeelname en munisipale beplanning in 'n samewerkende regering.