Participatory planning in ecological design: Urban cases from the Pacific Northwest

Public participation can take many forms, and can significantly influence the outcomes of ecological design efforts. This case presentation will describe three recent examples from the Seattle urban context, where public participation has historically been perceived by many participants and observers to be significant in urban planning. The first case examines the role of public participation in stream restoration efforts within the city, particularly in the case of a formal stakeholder process employed recently for a section of Thornton Creek. This is Seattle's largest creek watershed, supporting populations of cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki), Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawtscha), and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). The second case describes the role of public input in developing proposals for a new downtown waterfront, where an elevated highway was damaged in the 2000 earthquake and a seawall needs replacement. This waterfront is part of the nearshore marine habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon that have been listed as Threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act (Oncorhynchus tshawtscha). The final case describes the role of participation in developing plans for a transit line along the west side of Seattle that was intended to provide a less-polluting mobility option for Seattle residents, with consequences for air and water quality.  Lessons are drawn from a comparison of these cases to inform the theory and practice of urban ecological design.