NIMBY America Archive

Traditionally, communications on land use applications rely upon bureaucratic notices and several public hearings. I would argue that the notice and hearing system does more to create community conflict than it does to mitigate it.

Download the full article: What Cities Can Do About NIMBY

Patrick Slevin, a Tallahassee-based public relations consultant who specializes in overcoming neighborhood opposition to new projects, has a message for builders, developers and businesses worried that Lesley Blackner’s Florida Hometown Democracy amendment will come to be: “Hometown Democracy is already here.”

Read the full article: Hometown Democracy Already Here

Not in their backyards. They operate from dining-room tables and garages with little or no budget. Often, their only resources are a cell phone and a personal computer. They rarely have experts or strategists at their disposal, just their gut instincts. Still, NIMBY activists — or NIMBYists — have turned into a successful underground force, defeating countless development projects across the nation. Their “not in my backyard” battle cry is feared by developers and a source of distress for the industry.

Download the full article: Slevin Quoted in Orlando Sentinel

“The way to keep NIMBY sentiment in check is to make sure that public forums are wide open, with a variety of civic activists involved so that no particular interest groups prevail over the public interest. That should be the primary criteria in evaluating all these development proposals,” Clem told the AFP. Patrick Slevin, a Tallahassee, Fla.,-based consultant and former municipal mayor in the Sunshine State, said Augusta County officials would be well advised to pay close attention to these points being raised by residents.

Read the full article:  Slevin Quoted Augusta Free Press

Project opponents come in many colors, but there are two methods to reduce their effectiveness, according to Patrick Slevin, founder and CEO of the Tallahassee, Fla.–based Slevin Group, which develops public relations strategies for major builders. He is also the former mayor of Safety Harbor, Fla., which he says often shut down projects because of opponents’ loud voices.

Read the Full Article: Big Builder Magazine Interviews Patrick Slevin

A decade ago, projects were nearly guaranteed governmental approval if the rules and laws were followed, Slevin says. Not any more. He quoted Tampa attorney Ron Weaver, who says about 60% of projects now survive the public hearing process, and that figure is expected to decline as land planners continue to attempt to fly in under the radar. Homeowners and activists fight projects for various reasons, including how they expect a project to affect their quality of life, the environment or traffic congestion, he says, adding: “NIMBYism is emotional, illogical and non-linear.”

Download the full article: Slevin Featured in Gulf Coast Business Review