7.0 Conclusion

"The Internet and web will never replace the community meeting or face-to-face interactions -- these meetings where people get to know and understand each other are invaluable. What technology can provide for planners, legislators, and citizens, is a new way to engage discussion about urban planning issues, and to visualize alternative land use decisions."
Chris Steins, President of Urban Insight, Los Angeles, CA (Jackson Ward Electronic Community January 2000)

This thesis has shown that while the technology may not yet be available to create entirely online programs. However, it has also shown that no matter how advanced Internet technology becomes, it will never replace face-to-face public participation.

There is still a place for Internet applications in today's public participation methods. The Internet can provide effective ways of providing information, gaining information, educating, voicing opinions, reacting to opinions, and evaluating proposals.

Currently, access is a major issue. While the Internet is entering homes at a rapid rate, there are still many members of the public who don't have access to the Internet (or are unaware of possible locations to gain access). To use the Internet as an alternative would eliminate many people from the possible scope of participating public. The Internet as a tool must be used as an optional (one of many options) tool.

If Internet access continues along its current path, we won't have to wait long to see it become as common-place in households as the telephone or television. When this occurs, the issue of access will become obsolete.

Planners and public must begin to orient themselves with the powerful communication capabilities of the Internet. Communities need to become aware of the vast potential the Internet holds for keeping people connected and informed. These are crucial qualities for strong healthy communities.

Planners must begin to be willing to share their education and expertise with the public and the Internet provides a useful way to do this. Some would argue that taking away the planner's role of being the "expert" limits the profession to mere facilitator. There will always be a role for the planner; there will always be a need for education, information, and communication between planner, politicians, and the public. So why not open up the paths between them and begin to blur the roles in the name of healthy, vibrant, dynamic communities?

The Internet is a dynamic entity. It is constantly changing and growing. This is metaphor for community. Communities, cities, rural areas, these things never remain constant. They change and grow physically, economically, and socially. If planning is to provide guidance and direction to communities and truly represent the people who live in them, then it too must be a dynamic activity.

The Internet is a kinetic tool. If used properly it could greatly improve the way public participation is developed and implemented. Investigating the Internet as a planning tool in public participation begins to change the way we think about gaining public input as well as the way we think about planning itself.

Plans can no longer be documents that are created and then remain constant for years. Paper is a permanent medium, especially when it used for large elaborate documents. Even to make one change can require extensive reprinting. The Internet, on the other hand, is an easily changed medium. Software for Web design is easy to use and even easier to update. Plans that exist on the Web can be energized, informed, and alive. They can be constantly influenced by the public and changes can be seen immediately, which will further enhance public participation.

" Planners and Designers are increasingly using the Internet to communicate ideas. Tools are available which enable the design process to be carried out regardless of geography. Multi user collaborative virtual environments are being developed where planners, architects and designers can log on anywhere in the world and share in a CAD based design scenario. These tools provide a glimpse of the future of the planning system, a digital planning system." Andy Smith, Editor of Online planning, UK (Jackson Ward Electronic Community January 2000)

The Internet is becoming a virtual community. It could be used to offer a place where people can get access to information, voice their concerns, communicate with others, and make decisions about how their communities grow and change. While the it offers the technology to interact entirely online (and probably will even more so in the future), it is clear that no matter how extensive the technology, "virtual" communication will never entirely replace traditional meetings and interactions. It does however, provide a useful supplementary planning tool in public participation.

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