How to Work with Planning Consultants

Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau review of the book "Working with Planning Consultants."

1 minute read

July 3, 2014, 11:00 AM PDT

By melaniecj


City Planners

Mosman Council / flickr

For those whose job includes working with planning consultants, one of the keys to success is building relationships.

Clement Lau, a Los Angeles County planner, highlights the importance of this principle and others in his review of the book Working with Planning Consultants, by Eric Damian Kelly.

Lau writes that while Kelly’s point about building relationships with consultants may seem like an obvious one, it is among the most valuable.

“As we all know, success in any relationship requires respect, commitment, and effort by all parties.  A good consulting relationship depends equally on a good client.”

Other major points Kelly makes in his book, according to Lau, include the benefits of splitting the selection process into a “two-part RFQ-RFP process,” the need to focus on qualifications over presentation, and the value of communication.

“Working with Planning Consultants is a good resource for all planners to have, especially those in the public sector.  The book is uniquely written by a planner for planners and offers useful examples of an agreement for consulting services, a scope of services, and an evaluation form for selecting consultants.”

Visit Urbdezine to read the full review.

Monday, June 30, 2014 in UrbDeZine

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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.