Compared to the former system which sent appeals of local decisions to circuit courts, LUBA makes its decisions significantly faster. LUBA is required to levy attorneys fees against those who pursue frivolous appeals and did so twice in 1996. Citizen participation in permitting is needed to provide essential factual information and to address policy matters left unresolved by regulations. This question assumes that plans and regulations settled all the policy issues and established clear and objective standards. Public hearings and citizen participation are needed to yield the facts, to clarify vague terms and to resolve the policy questions not settled by the plans and regulations.
Citizens are a necessary check on arbitrary or unlawful government action.
Elected officials and planning staff are not infallible or beyond political pressure. Citizens' scrutiny exposes potential violations of land use laws. The Legislature has said that enforcement of acknowledged comprehensive plans and land use regulations are of statewide concern. They can, but many local governments don't have citizen involvement organizations at all. Its requirements are not being followed.