The City Planning staff recommends that zoning applicants host a community meeting with nearby property owners prior to their public hearing before the commission. 

Neighborhoods want to know how a specific development will affect them and Planning and Zoning Commission members consider it a show of good faith when you reach out to collaborate with neighbors. 

See below for advice and easy-to-customize templates for hosting an effective meeting.  

Questions? Email us.

Who to Invite

Email the City's Community Relations Office or call 336-373-2723 to identify the neighborhood(s)  affected by your development and ask to connect with any groups and community leaders in that area.

Be sure to invite key members of the community and any interested individuals who may be outside the minimum notification boundary. Ask them to encourage others to attend.

And include renters in the meeting. Including as many people as possible demonstrates your commitment to the area.

Schedule the Meeting

Choose a weekday or weekend for the meeting based on your knowledge of the neighborhood. In residential areas, help accommodate neighbors’ commute times by holding the meeting after 6 pm weekdays. For a commercial area, earlier may be preferable.

Avoid Sunday mornings, holidays, or the day before a holiday.

Hold the meeting within the neighborhood of the zoning request. The process of finding a suitable venue can also help you identify key neighborhood stakeholders.

Promote the Meeting

To maximize your potential audience, send letters, e-mails, and social media notifications at least 10-14 days before you hold the meeting.

Provide these links -- www.greensboro-nc.gov/zoning and www.greensboro-nc.gov/StaffReports -- before your meeting so neighbors can be prepared and understand more about the zoning process.

Listen and Learn

Early in the meeting, ask neighbors to talk about their neighborhood and explain what about it is most important to them. Explain why you want to be a part of it. Successful collaboration is a two-way street, so aim to learn as much as you inform.

Frame your presentation in such a way that it shows you want to add to the neighborhood’s qualities, instead of trying to 'fix' things that are 'broken'.

Explain Your Proposal

Explain as much information about your proposed development as you can, including the land uses permitted in the requested zoning district and any conditions you have requested.

Provide a link to the Greensboro Land Development Ordinance -- www.greensboro-nc.gov/LDO. This resource gives detailed information about land use.

Display conceptual or illustrative materials to help neighbors understand your project.

Keep Notes

Keep notes of the information you present and any questions and comments neighbors have.

Specifically, take note of any changes you make to your plans based on feedback received from neighbors. Planning and Zoning Commissioners appreciate active collaboration efforts.

Lastly, consider making light refreshments available or hold the meeting near local dining establishments.

Make sure that whatever teleconferencing platform you use, it includes an option for participation by conventional telephone.

Make your presentation materials available to neighbors who cannot attend the meeting.

Remember to keep a record of input from neighbors participating virtually.

It's Not Over When it's Over

Send “Thank You” messages to neighbors immediately after a meeting. This also gives you a way to remind them to send you additional questions or provide information you may have requested of them.

Offer to send follow-up information after a meeting and conduct additional meetings, one-on-one, or in a neighborhood setting if necessary to keep the lines of communication open.

Save Everything

Keep records of your communications with neighbors, notification letters, presentation materials, sign-in sheets, agendas, and meeting notes/minutes.

Before your hearing with the Planning and Zoning Commission, prepare these records for inclusion on the Summary of Neighborhood Communications form you will submit with your zoning application. These records will also help you with your talking points during the hearing before the commission.

Below are sample documents for use in neighborhood meetings. Click on each sample to view a larger image. Below the samples are links to fillable pdf versions of these documents for your use.