ROSELAND, NJ—Planning a new project? Here are six tips for being a good neighbor (and getting your project approved).

1. The first rule of land use is “Be a good neighbor.”

Be transparent; talk to your neighbors on all sides of the property. This goes a long way toward making the neighbors your advocates instead of your adversaries.

Put yourself in a neighbor's shoes—if someone is going before a planning or zoning board, there are bound to be questions. People tend to get anxious when they get a legal notice 10days before a hearing. That alone can put them on the defensive and they can start “rallying the troops” to come out en masse to oppose the project without having all the facts. If you talk to them ahead of time, you may be able to allay some fears.

As the applicant, don't flaunt what you are doing with an “if you don't like it, I'm doing it anyway” attitude. Explain why you think your project is good and, if you are seeking variances, why you need relief from the rules.