The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC), with support from the department, consults with the Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee (CIAC) to assure widespread public involvement in all phases of the planning process. Per
ORS 197.160, committee members of the CIAC are appointed by the commission. The CIAC has up to ten members, one from each of Oregon's Congressional Districts and four chosen at-large. Membership is intended to reflect the geographic, demographic and socio-economic diversity of the state.
CIAC is an advisory body only; it has no explicit or implied authority over any local government or state agency. It does not set policy nor review local land use plans or decisions.
To guide the work of DLCD staff and the Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee, a
2023 Work Plan was prepared and adopted by LCDC in April 2023. CIAC Bylaws may be found
here.
Oregonians might wonder how they can participate in the statewide land use planning program. The system, after all, is complex and can be cumbersome and intimidating. At both the state and local level, land use decisions can seem technical, confusing, and bureaucratic.
The CIAC operates, in part, to provide a forum where citizens around the state can share their experiences and get information about public involvement rules, requirements, and best practices. The CIAC is also a resource for local governments and department staff who are requesting feedback on public involvement plans related to land use planning efforts. The LCDC uses the CIAC to provide guidance on commission and department efforts to include the public in department work and commission decisions. For this purpose, the CIAC has created the department's Citizen Involvement Guidelines.
The
LCDC page on this site includes information on how the public can interact with the commission.
In 2019, the CIAC updated a longstanding statewide guidance document called, "
Putting the People in Planning." This document is intended to be used as a tool by local government, public agencies, and members of the public. It provides useful guidelines and resources for planning, executing and evaluating public outreach associated with land use planning projects.
"Understanding Oregon's Land Use Planning Program" is a short, annotated video series that talks in plain language about how to work with the program's 19 Statewide Planning Goals and Oregon administrative rules. It also explains how federal programs and executive initiatives influence the way statewide land use planning, development and conservation are achieved in Oregon.
The CIAC is also author to a
Public Involvement Checklist, that provides local governments and others with a list of what are considered 'best practices' for engaging the public in government decision making.
Each city and county comprehensive plan must include a Citizen Involvement Program (CIP), which describes how the public can participate in each phase of the planning process. Local governments must periodically evaluate their efforts to involve the public and update their programs as necessary. These requirements are established in Goal 1, Citizen Involvement.
The CIAC is author to the Public Participation Guidelines that are written to guide the public involvement activities of the department and commission.
The Achievement in Community Engagement (ACE) Award recognizes organizations and individuals who have actively promoted and implemented the values of Oregon's Statewide Planning Goal 1 through an outstanding community engagement strategy.
Completed ACE Award applications are due March 27 for the projects completed this year.
ACE recognized planning projects for 2022
Applicants and other interested parties are welcome to attend the CIAC information session being held on December 8, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Link to Join CIAC Info Session | View the 2022 Info Session on YouTube