Strengthening Participation in the Local Land Use Process

In Connecticut, local land use boards like Planning & Zoning Commissions determine where homes and businesses may be built, how tall or large buildings can be, how much parking is required for each now home, and much more. These local, volunteer-led boards balance the benefits and impacts of development proposals and ultimately shape how communities grow and develop.

Despite the critical role of local land use boards, serving on one is not always easy. Many towns struggle to fill seats because of obstacles like long evening meetings, the significant workload without compensation, and limited public awareness of how to get involved. Furthermore, training for board members is limited, and many serve without prior experience in land use or zoning policy. Taken together, these challenges serve as barriers to entry. They not only limit broad participation but also tilt membership toward people who face fewer barriers to participation. 

As a result, land use boards may not fully reflect the diversity of perspectives and needs within their communities. For example, our research in Fairfield and New London Counties found 10% of land use board seats are vacant, 10% of members are serving in expired terms, and there are wide gaps in representation. For example, in Fairfield County 70% of land use board members are male, while 49% of the county’s overall population is male. In New London County, 92% of land use board members are homeowners, compared to 68% of the population.

In response to these disparities, the Centers for Housing Opportunity has sought both to highlight who is missing from the conversation and create pathways for broader civic participation. For instance, the Centers launched an email campaign to provide residents of Fairfield County with clear, accessible information about upcoming land use board meetings in 2022, and in 2024 began distributing a similar campaign in Eastern Connecticut (New London, Tolland, and Windham Counties). Each week, the Centers publish a calendar of land-use board meetings, including proposals and agendas under consideration, alongside guidance on how residents can engage with and become part of land use boards. 

Building on this public engagement effort, in 2024 the Centers for Housing Opportunity published Room at the Table: Increasing Civic Participation in Local Land Use Decision Making. The report not only shared research on the gaps in land use board participation as outlined above, it also offered a comprehensive recommendations to increase participation. By shining a light on these gaps, the report underscores the importance of not only making the process accessible but also ensuring that participation reflects the full diversity of the communities these boards serve.

Expanding access is just one part of the equation. Equally important is fostering civic participation and engagement so that residents not only have the opportunity to serve but also feel equipped and motivated to take part. When more people attend zoning and land-use meetings, speak up about proposals, and consider joining boards, the decision-making process becomes more transparent, accountable, and representative of the community as a whole.

As a result of these efforts, the Connecticut Foundation For Open Government recently recognized . The Connecticut Foundation for Open Government (CFOG) honored the Housing Collective with the Mitchell W. Pearlman Freedom of Information Award for our collective efforts to promote government transparency and open meetings through the Room at the Table Report and our weekly Fairfield County and Eastern CT housing calendars. At a time when democracy and discourse are more important than ever, this award demonstrates that our efforts to strengthen civic participation in land use are making an impact. 

The Centers for Housing Opportunity is a collective impact partnership, and this public engagement work would not be possible without the partners, staff, and dedicated interns who contribute to these vital public engagement work.