Moving Beyond Indignation: Stakeholder Tactics, Legal Tools and Community Benefits in Large-Scale Redevelopment Projects

Authors

  • Lisa Bornstein McGill University
  • Krista Leetmaa McGill University

Keywords:

Profit-led urban development, socio-spatial polarization, development agreements, Community Benefits Agreements, Desarrollo urbanístico orientado a beneficios, polarización socio-espacial, acuerdos de desarrollo, Acuerdos en Beneficio de la Comunidad

Abstract

Government and accompanying business interests often favour large-scale urban projects to promote urban growth, attract revenues, and place the city on the world stage. Such projects are primarily oriented towards consumption and spectacle, serving regional, if not global, clientele. Negative impacts – from traffic to displacement – are felt most heavily in the immediately adjacent areas, and developments often contribute to increases in socio-spatial polarization. This paper examines two redevelopment projects, one in South San Francisco, one in Montréal, to assess the tactics and legal tools employed by municipal authorities and local organisations to harness development for social and environmental ends. Associated legal tools include public consultation requirements, citizen ballot propositions, Community Benefits Agreements and Development Agreements. The paper concludes with recommended principles to underpin future development and cautionary notes about the limitations of these tools.

Los gobiernos e intereses empresariales que los acompañan, favorecen a menudo proyectos urbanísticos de gran escala, para promover el crecimiento urbano, atraer ingresos, y poner la ciudad en el mapa. Estos proyectos están orientados principalmente hacia el consumo y el espectáculo, al servicio de una clientela regional, si no global. Los impactos negativos –desde el tráfico a los desplazamientos– se dejan sentir con más fuerza en las áreas inmediatamente adyacentes, y su desarrollo a menudo contribuye al aumento de la polarización socio-espacial. Este artículo examina dos proyectos de reurbanización, uno en el sur de San Francisco, y el otro en Montreal, para evaluar las tácticas y herramientas legales empleadas por las autoridades municipales y organizaciones locales para potenciar el desarrollo de los fines sociales y ambientales. Entre las herramientas jurídicas asociadas se incluyen los requisitos de consulta pública, propuestas electorales ciudadanas, acuerdos sobre beneficios a la comunidad y acuerdos sobre el desarrollo. El artículo concluye con recomendaciones para sustentar el desarrollo futuro y una nota de advertencia sobre las limitaciones de estas herramientas.

DOWNLOAD THIS PAPER FROM SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2562886

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Views 98
Downloads:
PDF 149


Author Biographies

Lisa Bornstein, McGill University

Lisa Bornstein teaches planning and international development at McGill University and directs a community‐university alliance researching mega‐projects in North America. She has worked as an NGO consultant, planner and researcher in Latin America and Southern Africa. She has published on community development, participatory processes, urban planning, poverty, donor‐NGO relations, conflict, and dynamics of cities in the global economy. School of Urban Planning. Macdonald-Harrington Building. McGill University. 815 rue Sherbrooke Ouest. Montréal (Québec) Canada. H3A 0C2. lisa.bornstein@mcgill.ca

Krista Leetmaa, McGill University

Krista Leetmaa is an urban planning professional and independent researcher based in Montréal. She has been an important contributor to the MMWC-CURA. School of Urban Planning. Macdonald-Harrington Building. McGill University. 815 rue Sherbrooke Ouest. Montréal (Québec) Canada. H3A 0C2. kleetmaa@gmail.com

Downloads

Published

02-04-2014

How to Cite

Bornstein, L. and Leetmaa, K. (2014) “Moving Beyond Indignation: Stakeholder Tactics, Legal Tools and Community Benefits in Large-Scale Redevelopment Projects”, Oñati Socio-Legal Series, 5(1), pp. 29–50. Available at: https://opo.iisj.net/index.php/osls/article/view/414 (Accessed: 29 March 2024).