Planners Seek Input On Plan From Neighborhood Youth

City planners in Pittsburgh broadened their conventional public participation process and worked with local kids to get their feedback and ideas about the new community plan for the South Side neighborhood.

1 minute read

May 29, 2007, 6:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"In Stephanie Moran's perfect park, a child would never get bored. Tired maybe, but never bored.

She was one of more than 60 fourth- and fifth-graders at Phillips Elementary whose input the South Side Planning Forum will incorporate into the latest revision of its neighborhood plan.

Yesterday, the students presented their ideas at a public assembly in the school gym on Sarah Street.

Josette Fitzgibbons, the city's principal planner, and Judy Dyda, manager of community planning for the South Side Local Development Corp., worked with the children for the past three weeks.

Ms. Fitzgibbons said she had attended Career Day at Phillips, her daughter's school, to speak about being a planner. She sought their ideas as junior planners, "and there were such good comments that I told Judy we should do a session with them." "

Friday, May 25, 2007 in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Street with parking protected bike lane and parked cars in downtown Portland, Oregon.

Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance

The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.

July 8 - Willamette Week

Aerial view of Spokane, Washington with river in foreground.

Spokane Mayor Introduces Housing Reforms Package

Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposals include deferring or waiving some development fees to encourage more affordable housing development.

July 8 - The Spokesman-Review

Close-up on black and white "Bike Lane Ends" sign with bike logo.

Houston Mayor Kills Another Bike Lane

The mayor rejected a proposed bike lane in the Montrose district in keeping with his pledge to maintain car lanes.

July 8 - Houston Public Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA