Every year hundreds of local governments hire consultants to help them with planning projects. But few planning officials go through the process often enough to feel confident in choosing consultants wisely, working with them effectively, and getting the best results from the relationships. Working With Planning Consultants shows not only how to hire a good consultant but how to be a good client--one who gets good value from the investment in consulting services.
Today's planners use myriad tools and techniques to identify and protect what is special about their communities: historic preservation ordinances, improved sign controls, computerized viewshed protection regulations, tree-planting and landscaping requirements, cell tower controls, and more. As the level of preservation activity has increased dramatically, so has the number of court cases challenging aesthetic-based regulation.
The Supreme Court decision that property owners may be entitled to compensation for government regulations that deprive them of reasonable use of their property has thrown the land-use field into a state of turmoil. Will municipal land-use ordinances be found excessive? What regulations can be considered a reasonable exercise of police power for public health, safety, and welfare? Will municipalities be liable for compensation to property owners if development is restricted? How can municipalities and developers plan in the wake of this decision?Ordinance provisions cover components of subdivision regulation: general provisions, definitions, administration, procedure, design and improvements, off-tract improvements, and documents to be submitted. The Subdivision and Site Plan Handbook provides a narrative on the background, rationale, and intent of each requirement accompanying the model ordinance; gives an overview of the history of subdivision regulation in the United States; traces the evolution of land-use regulation through various stages; and presents the legal context for present-day regulation.The book has been designed for use by government administrators, developers, planners, attorneys, and others interested in land-use regulation. The model ordinance represents the most current thinking about land use and site control and responds to questions raised by the Supreme Court decision. David Listokin and Carole Walker's analyses are flexible, efficient, responsive to local conditions, and balance regulatory costs and benefits. This is a definitive and invaluable resource!
Urban and regional planning programs aspire to prepare practitioners to write and implement comprehensive plans. Yet, academic planning programs often place greater emphasis on theory than practice. To help address this gap, Fundamentals of Plan Making gives planning students an understanding of research and methods of analysis that apply to comprehensive planning. Its informative text and examples will help students develop familiarity with various data sources and acquire the knowledge and ability to conduct basic planning analyses such as population projections, housing needs assessments, development impact analyses, and land-use plans. Students will also learn how to implement the various citizen participation methods used by planners and develop an appreciation of the values and roles of practicing planners. In this revised second edition, Edward Jepson and Jerry Weitz bring their extensive experience as practicing planners and teaching faculty to give planning students the practical, hands-on tools they need to create and implement real plans and policies. With an entirely new census data set, expanded discussions of sustainability and other topics, as well as new online resources—including a companion website—the book is now more accessible and more informative, and its updated chapters on transportation, housing, environment, economic development, and other core planning elements also make it a handy reference for planning practitioners.
