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This week, you will analyze political and legal issues of planning at the local and regional levels. These issues are at the heart of most planning processes. There are many actors, including citizens, lobbyists, consultants, developers, citizen interest groups, and planners, influencing the decision-making process. This process requires extensive administrative rules and statutes, assuring transparency and the due process available to residents of the local municipality. 

Once again, you return to the long-term, strategic plan you identified and used in the Weeks 5 and 6 assignments. Political leaders received negative feedback from the community, and they, in turn, contacted your office. Those leaders want to appease their constituents, so they would like to have a firm understanding regarding the extent to which any community input was sought in forming the original plan.

• Analyze the impact of community input on the planning process. In your assessment, include the following:
• Analyze the planning process at a regional level, including the extent of citizen participation, the role of advisory groups, and the role and responsibilities of elected officials.
• Most federal grants include a requirement of public participation in both the design and execution of the strategic plan. Analyze the effects of such requirements on the development of a plan, which must pass public, legislative, and executive review.
• Articulate whether your opinion the plan adequately sought and utilized citizen input as required by law in its formation. Provide recommendations based upon your review.

Support your paper with a minimum of five scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

Length: 5 pages, not including title and reference pages

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.