| This Masters Degree Project (MDP) explores a collaborative planning approach to infrastructure innovation in urban development. Using integrated stormwater management (ISM) as the focus, a role for planners in fostering collaboration and innovation in municipal development is presented. Interviews with key informants involved in planning and the development approvals process and case examples of integrated stormwater management at the municipal level are used to identify opportunities and barriers to innovation and collaboration during the approvals process.;Three case examples are examined in terms of their municipal policy context, land use planning, and development approvals process. Based on these examples, three findings stand out. (1) There is an operational gap between policy and development approvals. (2) ISM innovation must be based on local experience, performance targets, and design guidelines, due to variability in scale and landscape conditions for each case. (3) Formalized collaborative partnerships involving municipalities, other levels of government, developers and builders can be successful in providing long-term support for approval and implementation of innovative proposals. Such partnerships can minimize barriers and risk, and offer incentives to encourage stakeholder participation in demonstration projects. This MDP recommends that an ancillary review process be added to the development approvals process to consider innovative proposals which are stifled in the conventional approvals process. This would allow fair evaluation of innovative proposals and negotiation of special approval for demonstration and monitoring.;KEY WORDS: collaborative planning; innovation diffusion; municipal infrastructure; development approvals process; integrated stormwater management.;It appears that integration of planning, engineering, and environmental perspectives early in the development process can help municipalities create benefits such as lower capital and maintenance costs and improved environmental performance. However, new and innovative approaches to infrastructure, such as ISM, often conflict with established development standards. This can either prevent or delay approval, which acts as a barrier to innovation in the municipal development process. In turn, this limits municipal and community access to the benefits associated with innovation and continual improvement. |
