Implementing Change in Locally Unwanted Land Use: The Case of GSX

Abstract

To date, guidelines and strategies for the siting process, including planner intervention, have arisen from conflict surrounding locally unwanted land uses (LULUs). The task of changing an existing unwanted land use has not received equal attention, and this task poses special problems for parties involved in the decision-making process. The issues, the space of alternative solutions, and some consequences of limited planner involvement are illustrated with a case: the closing down of the GSX Chemical Services of Ohio hazardous waste processing facility in Cleveland. The unpredictability and poor quality of outcomes, as well as the costs of conflict to the host community, illustrated by this case suggest the need for proactive planner participation in such changes. We use the GSX case to examine specific aspects of change in existing unwanted land uses and the potential benefits of using planners' skills and their position as active negotiators on behalf of the public interest. We explore some ways in which planner intervention could enable a transparent decision-making process that is inclusive of all concerns, whether represented or not, and that is based on accurate and shared information.