Collaborative Land Use Planning:
A Guide for Military Installations and Local Governments

Military installations and Regional Councils share the responsibility for ensuring that the presence of an installation within a community does not negatively impact either. Managing the infrastructure and resources of the community serves jurisdictional as well as military needs. Therefore, collaboration between the Regional Councils and the installation commander and his staff is essential. The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) is a national non-profit membership organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of communities by promoting regional approaches, collaboration and cooperation across local jurisdictions.

Download | PDF | 1.12MB | 32 pages

Commander's Guide to Community Involvement
(Updated August 2012)

The purpose of this document is to provide commanders the information they need to work with the community to protect their mission. Effective stakeholder involvement is key in maintaining the military's current and future mission. This document provides a brief overview and is not meant to be an exhaustive resource.

Download | PDF | 2.03MB | 40 pages

Outreach for Mission Sustainability:
Working to Balance Military and Civilian Community Needs

This primer is meant to enhance, at a quick glance, military and civilian understanding about the impact that encroachment pressures can have on military training and overall mission sustainability. It also offers a template for the military to develop an outreach program, which brings together all the people that care about an issue or are affected by it. These “stakeholders” can include representatives from the military, local community, other parts of the government (whether national, regional, or local), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and any other interested parties who need to participate in decision processes leading to mutually acceptable solutions.

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Partner’s Guide to the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI)

Through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI), the Department of Defense funds cost-sharing partnerships among the Military Departments, private conservation groups, and State and local governments. These partnerships support military readiness by protecting compatible land use and preserving natural habitat on non-DoD lands. This primer is intended as an introduction for land trusts, State or local governments, and other potential partners. Military installation personnel who are unfamiliar with REPI may also find it useful.

Download | PDF | 7.19MB | 30 pages

Working to Preserve Farm, Forest and Ranch Lands: A Guide for Military Installations

Department of Defense planners and military leaders are reaching out to communities to help conserve land for farming, protect valuable habitat to support well-planned growth, and preserve significant historical and cultural assets while promoting development that is consistent with the military’s job of ensuring America’s security. With vision and leadership, State and local governments can provide significant assistance to DoD in protecting working landscapes and achieving compatible land use around military installations.

Download | PDF | 900KB | 32 pages

Working with Conservation Districts: A Guide for Military Installations

Conservation districts are local units of state government working to increase voluntary conservation practices among farmers, ranchers, and other land users; they have the ability to greatly amplify the military’s efforts to promote compatible development. This primer is designed to help DoD officials and military base commanders gain a better understanding of how conservation districts operate in making land-use and other natural resources decisions that may affect military operations, as well as to facilitate communications and potential collaboration among stakeholders on encroachment issues.

Download | PDF | 4MB | 28 pages

Working with Land Trusts:
A Guide for Military Installations and Land Trusts - Updated

This updated guide is designed to provide military installation leaders with insight and understanding of land trusts and how they use land purchases and conservation easements to address encroachment and urban growth. By partnering with land trusts, the military can keep encroachment to a minimum near the installation fence line, while protecting important natural resources and maintaining agricultural and recreational lands.

Download| PDF | 2.34MB | 32 pages

Working with Local Governments:
A Practical Guide for Installations (Updated May 2012)

The purpose of this guide is to offer suggestions and solutions for installation management when working with local governments. It is the responsibility of both parties to ensure that decisions being made are advantageous for both the installation and the community. By engaging with local government officials, both formally and informally, the result will be cohesive, mutually beneficial regulations that adequately represent what is best for the entire locality.

Download | PDF | 3.22MB | 36 pages

Working with Regional Councils:
Two-way communication between the military and outside stakeholders is crucial to successful, compatible land use planning. Regional Councils can enhance the military’s efforts to protect its mission; through Regional Councils, the military can provide local governments with concurrent information about its operations to help them assess the impacts on community planning decisions at both the local and regional scale. Regional Councils can also help the military better understand regional planning and its potential impacts on current and future military training and operations. Together, the military and Regional Councils can find mutually beneficial solutions to common issues.

Download | PDF | 844KB | 21 pages

Working with State Legislators:
A Guide for Military Installations and State Legislators

Both states and the military face significant challenges from urban growth and development. Encroachment impacts the military’s ability to conduct realistic training and testing activities. States must continue to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens while balancing protection of natural resources and economic stability. This guide provides information to enhance the military’s understanding of state legislatures, and suggests resources and tools for engaging with legislators in compatible land use planning to meet sustainability challenges with mutually beneficial solutions.

Download | PDF | 4.07MB | 28 pages