Facilitating contentious community charrettes to reach consensus on the design of a new development
In Spring and Summer 2023, IBE facilitated a series of community charrettes to guide the design of a heavily debated new development within a historic neighborhood in Longmont, Colorado. After experiencing heated pushback from community members, the developer (Aspen Property Group 2) and Longmont citizens called on IBE to find solid, common ground. Across three in-person sessions, IBE facilitated difficult conversations and collaborative design activities, ultimately achieving compromises between the developer and represented community members. Charrette participants came to majority agreement on design elements, including architectural character, compatibility with the existing neighborhood, green space, and park placement. Longmont’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend approval of the developer’s concept plan to City Council, which approved the plan.
Read more about the Bohn Farm charrette process in Boulder Weekly.
Project Goals
- Facilitate a collaborative design process to find common ground on a contentious new development
- Achieve consensus on a concept plan that is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood
Deliverables
- Charrette presentations and activities
- Charrette summary reports