Meet a local planner: Dave Javid, AICP, LEED AP

After completing a master’s degree in urban planning from Cal Poly, I worked for prominent planning and design firms on large-scale and complex projects throughout California. I was drawn to the public-facing aspect of the work and how impactful a thoughtful community engagement can be on the planning process and its outcomes. I frequently felt our efforts fell short, that we were not dedicating enough effort to meaningfully engage with the community. The desire to fill this gap and advance the conversation around equitable, creative, and sustained community engagement prompted me to establish Plan to Place in 2016, focusing exclusively on this critical aspect of planning projects.

Initially, my vision for Plan to Place was for an urban planning, design, and communication firm. However, we quickly realized that our clients were primarily seeking support for community engagement efforts. Given this demand and our genuine interest in the communication field, our focus shifted toward the design of public-facing outreach campaigns. My primary goal was to ensure that the planning processes we were involved in included public engagement that was thoughtful, transparent, and inclusive. I wanted to serve as a conscientious partner and an impartial community liaison, working directly with diverse community members most impacted by the projects to ensure their voices were heard.

Our core services include messaging and branding, website design, communications collateral, virtual and in-person engagement activities, and workshop facilitation. We aim for far-reaching and meaningful outreach that includes a range of stakeholders and identifies effective methods for engaging with each group. Because our team is exclusively comprised of urban planners and designers, we have fluency with the complexities of the design process and how feedback can be most effectively integrated into project development. Rather than merely serving as facilitators who gather and summarize information, we offer an informed perspective of how community input can authentically shape and benefit the design process.

We hope to be as deeply rooted in the community as possible. In addition to getting a basic foundation of neighborhood demographics (e.g., socioeconomics, history, ethnic and cultural diversity), we identify community ambassadors and partners respected within the sub-populations we work in to foster trust and participation. We recognize the importance of working with these community connectors and experts to co-produce strategies and prepare and deliver project messaging that includes local stories and perspectives. Our goal is to understand how folks want to be engaged and tailor our outreach tools and strategies to effectively involve them. We commit to connecting with stakeholders in a way that is convenient, accessible, and creative. Most importantly, we pay community partners for their time.

There is a prevalent sense of mistrust towards government actions, which can make it difficult to adequately conduct public meetings. A significant portion of our efforts are focused on building trust by actively listening to and involving community members in the decision-making process, by providing them with opportunities to voice their opinions.

“Inclusivity” and “equity” are often used inaccurately without understanding how these principles can meaningfully shape engagement. While I appreciate the efforts of cities and agencies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, there is often a gap between their internal mindset and the policies they create. To bridge this gap, we have worked with jurisdictions to refine their practices internally and how they work with their community members, implementing tools such as the Racial Equity Toolkit, which helps to proactively identify and eliminate inequities.

After a four-year process, the City Council unanimously approved a plan that included community benefits specifically identified through the outreach process and set a precedent for developer community relations.

I think capacity is a more pressing issue than budget when implementing community engagement activities. To address this, we often prepare outreach toolkits that include facilitation protocols, presentation materials, meeting agendas, and expected outcomes. We then train project team members (including our community connectors) to facilitate these discussions, build out the team’s capacity and create efficiencies.

Joining the board is an amazing opportunity to connect with diverse individuals outside your network while collaborating with like-minded professionals toward a shared vision. Volunteering your time allows you to give back to the planning community and APA, which has provided valuable resources and guidance. Having the opportunity to learn from your peers and mentor those newer to the profession is invaluable. Virtual meetings are now more convenient than ever, and I wholeheartedly recommend considering joining the board.

My all-time favorite movie would have to be Shawshank Redemption. It offers a unique perspective on perseverance, team dynamics, and the importance of hope and optimism in the face of adversity. The film’s message has continued to resonate with me over the years, reminding me to stay level-headed and creative while making the most of the tools at my disposal. In addition to that, I am also a huge fan of Jay Shetty’s podcasts and the positive message that he puts out in the work.

To help balance my work life, I actively explore the outdoors in my backyard here in Marin, whether on a bike or trail. That led to recently accomplishing a bucket list item of completing my first triathlon. I also enjoy playing the drums as an outlet. As with many other planning professionals, the spice of life continues to be traveling, which I am trying my best to make more of a priority, especially coming out of the pandemic.