All Collaborative Land Use Solutions clients sign the following:

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

The Collaborative Land Use Solutions approach reduces risk, expedites the entitlement process, and earns valuable goodwill for clients. My goal is to achieve broad support for projects, thereby making them substantively and strategically easy for decision makers to approve. The Collaborative Land Use Solutions approach is appreciated in today’s political climate because it is inclusive and balanced. It addresses decision-makers at the highest level, and is respectful of staff, the community, and other stakeholders.

The Collaborative Land Use Solutions philosophy:

• Collaboration with integrity is the optimal strategy for securing difficult entitlements.
• It is essential to engage individuals as early as possible.
• Being open and respectful speaks to a person’s character.
• Overselling/defensiveness can be perceived as intent to deceive.
• People are more inclined to listen to those who listen to them first.
• Understanding multiple viewpoints is often the key to a successful outcome.
• Securing development entitlements is not a zero-sum game. Clients’ needs and the public interest are not mutually exclusive.
• Decision-makers do not expect unanimous support, but they want to know that a genuine effort was made to educate and build consensus.

The ethical guidelines below correspond with the principles above:

• My professional approach is to represent you with integrity at all times. My reputation for successful outcomes depends on building and maintaining trust with others.
• My primary strategy is outreach. I seek to include and educate stakeholders at every level (the public, staff, and elected or appointed decision-makers) to build broad support.
• I am transparent and honest in all my interactions.
• I develop a direct understanding of project details before communicating them as facts.
• I listen carefully to other perspectives.
• I do not advise clients to make concessions they do not agree with. The integrity of your project is important. But I may encourage you to consider alternative ways of reaching your objectives, based on the law, facts, and public perception.
• Agreeing to disagree respectfully does not hinder a positive outcome. I do not condemn, belittle or place blame on the person(s) with the opposing point of view.
• The most valuable deliverable is a support recommendation and public buy-in. I will work diligently with agency staff to get to a positive recommendation for a project with broad public support before the hearing.
• When possible I prepare for public hearings by educating the decision-makers in advance and being forthright about any remaining differences of opinion with staff, the community, or other interests.

My reputation depends in part on your cooperation. By entering into this contract you acknowledge the Collaborative Land Use Solutions approach and agree to act in conformance with the ethics outlined immediately above. I will assert myself on your behalf to encourage reciprocal treatment from members of the public, staff, and decision-makers.