Negotiating Intergovernmental Development Policy Conflicts: Practice-Based Guidelines

Abstract

Abstract Neighboring governments must increasingly resolve planning and development conflicts that cross their boundaries. The alternative dispute resolution literature advises that mature conflict settlement requires convening an ad hoc group of all affected parties assisted by a third party mediator. This article makes the case for building broader conflict management approaches based on continuing institutional arrangements, involving forums and techniques keyed to the intensity of disagreement. This allows directly responsible government officials to resolve intergovernmental conflicts without always involving a neutral third party, procedural certainty for conflict management practice, and the development of a cadre of officials experienced in negotiation, who can minimize adversarial and positional bargaining. The approach is based on experience from four intergovernmental growth management cases.