Michigan-based non-profit focusing on community visioning, economic and social services, and revitalization.
Activities
The Land Information Access Association (LIAA)’s main activities include community planning and research services, visioning and goal setting, asset based community development, workshop and forum facilitation. LIAA has already compiled research on: multi-jurisdictional planning techniques and tools, zoning and other ordinances, preliminary planning studies, resource inventorying and documentation, master plans, interactive web-based governance, project planning strategies.
Relevant Project(s)
Building a Sense of Place Project (see Case Studies) worked in seven diverse locations in Michigan through early 1999. Building a Sense of Place is a community-building exercise achieved via the development of a community information system (CIS). Strengthening community identity, it fosters a general appreciation of each community’s special resources as well as providing greater public access to a broad array of digital information. The process has five major components: public relations, citizen participation, community discovery, information integration, and technology transfer. Through participation in the Building a Sense of Place project, citizens are empowered to:
1. Articulate what it is they love and wish to protect in their community and region;
2. Define, unearth, and contribute data to a community information system that visually represents community character and serves as a critical tool for future land use zoning and planning decisions;
3. Develop strong and enduring relationships within and across governmental lines, fostering regional cooperation;
4. Promote a vigorous and constructive ethic of public participation in local growth management and land conservation decisions.
Relevant Methodologies
LIAA develops unique community building exercises and group activities to encourage and support public participation in community asset mapping and future land use planning. Primary methods help identify and uncover hidden local resources that are potentially available to contribute to a community empowerment effort; staff is skilled in a variety of facilitation techniques.
Region
National; based in Michigan.
More Information
231-929-3696 (phone)
231-929-3771 (fax)