ABSTRACT
Professional planners and “expert” public servants do not always know best. Despite their advanced training, experts are not always fully familiar with neighborhood conditions and the policy desires of the people they serve. Ordinary community residents have a “practical wisdom” 1 gained from their life experiences and daily living. Citizen participation refers to the variety of arrangements that allow local residents to have a greater say in the making of municipal decisions that have an important impact on their daily lives.
