ABSTRACT
Localism is arguably the hallmark of democracy in the United States. It is the way by which communities across the land build upon what is true and unique about a place–their place. Public hearings are normally required as part of the municipal approval process for public or private development initiatives. Localism requires engagement, to enter a community as a participating voice. Xavier de Souza Briggs argues that public engagement can "change people's preferences,, change the way problems are framed, bring new resources and stakes into view, and expand the menu of options under consideration." Localism consisted of three interrelated spheres: the residents of Georgetown and their appointed representatives; the District of Columbia and its various municipal departments; and the federal government and its assigned steward of public lands, the National Park Service. In 1986 the land was transferred from the District of Columbia to the federal government, an act that officially designated entirety of the site as a public waterfront.
