James Campbell, Director of Planning & Community Development

Planning & Community Development

15 Newmarket Road
Durham, NH 03824
Telephone: (603) 868-8064
Fax: (603) 868-8033

James Campbell,
Director of Planning & Community Development
Email: jcampbell@ci.durham.nh.us

Karen Edwards, Administrative Assistant
Email: kedwards@ci.durham.nh.us

What Is Community Development?

There are as many definitions as there are types of communities. A good working definition is the process whereby the people—that is, the community—arrive at group decisions and actions to bring about changes that will enhance the physical, social, and economic well being of the community. In other words, community development is a dynamic, interactive, and participatory process intended to make the quality of life better for all members of the community.

Regardless of the definition one uses, there are several characteristics that are crucial for a successful community development program. These are as follows:

• It is comprehensive in nature. All factors and variables affecting a community or neighborhood are examined. Projects and solutions to problems are designed and based on this comprehensive review. The Master Plan is a good example of this.

• It is organic and locally based. Effective community development must stem from a base of strong and active citizen participation. While the experiences and knowledge of other communities are valuable tools for developing solutions to problems, projects and strategies selected must be those that are chosen by community members. The solutions and strategies for effective community development must make sense for that community. Further, they need to be ones that the community members have chosen and have ownership in.

• It has a long-term vision matched with a commitment to the maintenance and support of projects that have been implemented. Simply financing projects and putting them in place is not enough. For instance, downtowns throughout the country have made significant public and private investments for extensive revitalization and enhancement, including façade and building improvements; new sidewalks, curbs, and storm drains; the addition of trees, benches, and planters; and the development of open spaces into parks and plazas. However, some communities have not maintained these improvements and are now faced with dead and/or vandalized trees, littered open spaces, and deteriorating storefronts. It is extremely important for the citizens to get involved with the future of the community. The community is theirs and they can help shape its future. The Town of Durham strongly encourages its citizens to become involved. This office has an open-door policy and encourages citizens to stop in to ask questions, give comments, look over plans, or just say hello. This is your community; help make it a great place to live.

• It is based on public and private partnerships. These are essential because in most cases, no one segment of the community can solve problems alone. Further, a partnership generally leads to greater resources and more creative and imaginative solutions.