Elected and appointed officials and planners frequently encounter conflict and criticism from community members. These criticisms are sometimes very personal, reflecting the deep emotional stakes involved in community planning. With a planning goal of creating positive change and enhancing the quality of life, why then do residents often respond with frustration and anger towards planning decisions, actions, and officials? This session will explore some of the key origins of planning conflict. It will also encourage participants to see the productive potential of conflict and learn some of the skills and concepts to help skillfully navigate planning conflict. This session will be interactive, and participants should come ready to engage with one another. Note: This session is an excellent precursor to the “Planning for conflict: An introduction to conflict competence for planners” workshop, which is on the afternoon of May 08. We encourage participants interested in the topic of conflict and its management to attend both sessions.

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