The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has opened a public comment period for its updated Public Participation Plan, which sets out the agency’s approach to engaging residents in transportation planning across the region.
Residents can submit feedback on the plan through October 18, 2025. ARC expects to seek board approval of the update in November.
The plan lists various strategies aimed at improving community engagement, including blog posts, e-newsletters, community presentations, surveys, open houses, advisory committees, focus groups, and partnerships with local governments and organizations. It also encourages exploring new approaches such as providing childcare and food at meetings, gathering input through video diaries and interviews, compensating community organizations for their expertise, and funding micro-grants for neighborhood projects.
“The Public Participation Plan is a forward-thinking blueprint that will help ARC better engage with residents as we make the investments needed to move our region forward,” said Anna Roach, ARC’s Executive Director & CEO. “This plan also ensures the community engagement we receive is applicable, relevant, and accountable. It sets a new standard for this critically important work.”
The recommended participation methods are based on a framework from the International Association of Public Participation that defines different levels of involvement: Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, and Empower.
