Community fears about the impact of new developments or capital projects need to be addressed. ADR provides a forum for addressing those fears, minimizing them when possible, and compensating communities appropriately when the potential for negative impact is real. Again, ADR s ultimate goal in the planning arena is for development to occur in such a way as to benefit all involved parties. The remainder of this section outlines a process for creating consensus about planning disputes through mediation. However, the principles that guide the process can be adapted to work in many ADR settings.
Mediation requires the use of a mediator.
A mediator is often a neutral third party. The mediator does not make decisions like a judge. The mediator helps facilitate the negotiations. The mediator works with the disputing groups, perhaps a developer and a neighborhood organization, to try to match the interests of each so that development occurs in such a way as to benefit both parties. A mediator needs to be knowledgeable about planning issues and trained in dispute resolution techniques.