Consultation Tools

Public meetings/Hearings. Public meetings/hearings solicit public opinions regarding various topics on the meeting agenda.  During a public hearing, members of the public are invited to speak and share their opinions on the proposed project or plan. It often consists of public meeting comment sessions, presentations, and opportunities to submit written comments.

Advisory committees. Advisory committees provide formal and continuing input on planning issues. They meet to discuss a variety of planning issues and make recommendations to decision-makers. An advisory committee can be ongoing or created for a specific project and is often volunteer-based.

Stakeholder/Steering Committee. Stakeholder/steering committees provide guidance and leadership on the development of a specific project. The committee often serves as a core decision-making body for a project. Committee members are expected to include representatives from all interest groups and/or those with project-specific expertise. The committee often meets at important milestones of a project, such as setting goals and objectives and reviewing preliminary recommendations.   

Stakeholder interviews. The purpose of stakeholder interviews is to gain input through one-on-one conversations with people who have a vested interest in a project or have project expertise. 

Focus group meetings. The purpose of focus groups is to gain input from key interest groups. These meetings often consist of 5-10 persons representing a certain part of the population. The goal is to get feedback and/or recommendation on particular topics and proposals. 

Open House. Open houses in urban planning are in-person meeting that provides opportunities for the community to understand and comment on the purposes, issues, strategies, design, and implementation of a project. They are typically held in a public space, such as a community center, library, or school. They’re typically less formal to allow for more informal interactions between members of the public and planning authority representatives (such as public sector planners, planning consultants, administrative staff, and government officials). During an open house, members of the public can view project plans, maps, and other visual materials related to the proposed project. 

Polls and Surveys. Polls and surveys are commonly used tools to gather feedback and/or preferences from members of the public. Polls are typically brief and straightforward questions that are designed to elicit quick responses from participants. They may be used to gauge public opinion on a particular issue or to obtain a general sense of the community's priorities. Surveys are more in-depth and detailed than polls and may include a wider range of questions about specific issues. Polls and surveys are often conducted online or in person.