Principal Tracy H. Watson

Tracy has over 25 years experience in complex public negotiations, problem-solving and dispute resolution. He has extensive expertise in public policy, municipal regulation, land development, urban planning, real estate and neighborhood issues and is a TMCA Credentialed Advanced Mediator.

He is a Roster Member of the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution as well as a Fellow of the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution of the U.T. School of Law. A graduate of Leadership Austin (‘92-‘93) and recipient of the 2001 Community Peacemaker Award from the Dispute Resolution Center, he serves on the Austin Association of Mediators Board, is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Texas Association of Mediators and the American Planning Association.

Education includes graduation from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Architectural Studies and an M.S. in Community and Regional Planning. Formal dispute resolution training includes Basic Mediation, Negotiating Complex Public Policy Disputes and Employment Disputes. He has lectured at the U.T. Schools of Law and Architecture (Community & Regional Planning) and a variety of planning and legal seminars and conferences.

An urban planner since 1969, Tracy supervised the Austin Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan. From 1977 - 1981, he was given the opportunity to serve as Chief Planner in Portland, Oregon and develop their first adopted comprehensive plan. He then became Planning Director in Orange County, Florida before returning to Austin in 1986. For the next 10 years, he led various organizational versions of Austin’s planning and development departments and was the City’s Planning and Development Director. From 1996 through 2001, he served as Director, Special Projects & Development Dispute Resolution, a development ombudsman function. During this period, he developed and managed a unique Pilot Program for Dispute Resolution for Zoning & Land Use Issues. Based on its success, the Office of Dispute Resolution was formally established in 2002. As the Dispute Resolution Officer, his focus expanded to include a broad range of public policy dispute resolution activities.

Watson & Associates was founded in 2003 to provide private dispute resolution services within the urban planning, land development, real estate and public policy arenas. The firm’s services include mediation, arbitration, facilitated negotiation, regulatory rulemaking and training. This professional association provides experienced dispute resolution mediators, facilitators and trainers tailored to the needs of the involved parties.