Design Firm Management & Administration Report

When did you last chomp at the bit while a major project that you hoped would raise your firm’s profile ran into a mandated public-approval process, with its vast array of time-consuming steps? On the other hand, have you ever had a project where you anticipated public hostility, only to find the approval process helped to sway people and enabled the project to sail through on time and on budget? The trials and benefits of public approval are the subject of a survey of some 700 A/Es, developers, public officials, realtors, and other players. (For selected comments, see the sidebar, “Four Opinions.”)