Shrinking democracy? Analyzing participatory planning for vacancy and abandonment in Ohio

摘要

Numerous scholars have analyzed how local government and policymakers respond to urban decline and suggested a range of strategies. Yet relatively few studies have investigated public participation in the planning and implementation of reuse strategies for vacant land and abandoned structures, especially in the American context. Using an adapted version of an existing analytical framework named the Democracy Cube, this paper assesses public engagement in planning processes around vacancy and abandonment based on three key characteristics: participant recruitment, communication mode, and authority. Our results indicate that four medium-sized Ohio cities with relatively high levels of vacancy-Mansfield, Lima, Youngstown, and Hamilton-relied on three broad types of public engagement between 2005 and 2015. This analysis provides a new tool for practitioners to consider a range of options when designing participatory planning processes. Scholars can use this method to assess the relationships between participation, representation, and outcomes.