Collaborative Planning in Franklin, NJ

Conflict:	History of litigation between residents, planning board, and commercial developer.
Solution:	Relationships improved revealing new ideas for connecting walkways and a park..
Abstract:	In Franklin, where a lawsuit was threatened because a home for the aged planned to expand into a residential neighborhood, effective collaboration broke through an inpenetrable wall of past hostility, woods, and undergrowth between the residential neighborhood and the home for the aged. Participants came up with ideas to create walkways and a park where the older people and the neighbors could meet, sit, and enjoy each other.
Testimonials:	“When I got the letter, I was horrified. As a neighbor, I enjoyed this piece of property so much. We had lost in court the last time with this developer, and felt a sense of frustration. Because of the history there was alot of suspicion and the idea that we could cooperate together was not taken seriously by anybody. Somebody had heard about Karl Kehde's research so, since nothing else was working, we called.
	Everyone was very skeptical and guarded when we started. The collaborative plannng process was completely different from the past because it looked to our common interests. Without ever really talking to the developer, you picture him as some kind of a big, bad monster that’s out to ruin you and they don’t care about you. So to actually get to know them, you realize, wow, that this is a great thing, that they are not something you imagined that’s really terrible, but these are people that really have a need to do the project. As soon as we got to know them better, I realized that they did not want to have another big legal battle any more than we did, even though they had more bucks than us. That meant that there was more good faith that we could expect on their part.
	We spent time getting comfortable with one another and building a relationship where we could move forward together. It was amazing to see us actually working together. I thought, ‘This is more than I prayed for!’ That’s how impressed I was. I just thought, ‘Wow’, this is really, really great to see people coming together. It was just a wonderful experience. After the past, I really couldn’t even believe it.
	The feeling at the board meeting was extremely positive. In addition to agreeing on the plan, we had added connecting sidewalks, a park and a trail. The board was very impressed. The most important thing was the time spent initially thinking about possibilities for improving the area. We didn’t get into it as much as we could have. We couldn’t believe it could happen here. We just were thinking too small. There is alot more room for cooperation than you ever dream. We get so fixated on our own interests and the potential for conflict that it becomes a recipe for headbutting and we miss the fact that there is a huge common ground.”
	Pat and Dana Cochran, collaborative planning participants

	“This process brought the people together. Meeting in different homes, touring the site together and getting to know each other was very helpful. We were very pleased with the results and we hope that the relationships that were established continue into the future.”
	Jim Stahl, developer and attorney