environmental, and public health outcomes. A principle component of these strategies is meaningful stakeholder participation in development decision-making. This paper (1) discusses how increased and meaningful participation can lead to better projects and a more predictable and fair development process, and (2) outlines some of the tools the public and private sector have begun to use. Within the development process, community members need information about a range of possible alternatives before voicing choices or concerns. Under most citizen participation processes, only a small portion of the community engages in decision-making because of socioeconomic, linguistic, or educational class barriers. To better engage all residents, local governments and the development community can get creative in identifying and using new methods for soliciting, responding to, and sharing information. Reaching out and working with community residents in a meaningful and enduring process will allow communities to realize their vision for where and how to grow next.