Establish a circuit rider program
Action
Local governments, especially outside metropolitan areas, often lack the staff expertise to manage growth. Circuit rider programs can help them overcome such obstacles. Circuit rider programs typically involve designating one or more people in the state planning agency to be available to provide technical resources and advice to multiple communities in a given district. The circuit rider is then responsible for assisting those communities with a range of planning functions, such as developing comprehensive plans, evaluating and revising codes and development regulations, analyzing policies, and reviewing project proposals.
Process
To develop a circuit-rider program, the state planning department or a comparable agency must assign staff to become circuit riders for given districts. The type of assistance that is provided to communities will influence how the circuit rider program is staffed. For example, if circuit riders take on the functions of local planning departments or provide ongoing assistance, then additional staff may be needed. However, if circuit riders merely supplement or complement local planning efforts on a short-term basis, additional staffing may not be necessary.
Circuit rider programs are most effective when they draw upon the resources and knowledge base of multiple state agencies, such as planning, transportation, environment, housing and community development. This enables the sharing of resources across state agencies, which can be useful in addressing the interdisciplinary issues that often arise in growth management.
One alternative to a state circuit rider program is to provide state-issued grants to counties or regional governments to establish their own circuit rider programs.
Examples
- Delaware's Local Planning Assistance Program
Delaware's state planning office has enacted a circuit rider program in which a circuit rider planner is assigned to help local governments with the planning process. Each of Delaware's three counties is assigned a different circuit rider planner. Circuit riders assist local governments with development and updating of land-use plans; assist small towns with municipal development strategies; and provide a checklist and advice on a range of land-use issues, including public participation, population data and analysis, housing inventory, affordable housing, annexation, redevelopment potential, historic preservation and infrastructure. The circuit rider planners' services are supplemented by support from University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration, as well as private sector planning and consulting firms.
— Delaware’s Local Planning Assistance Program
