The Victoria Transport Policy Institute, a Canadian land use and transportation think tank, offers a review of planning principles and practices.
The new report "summarizes key principles and practices for effective planning, particularly land use and transportation planning. Planning refers to a formal decision-making process that reflects human needs, preferences and values. An effective planning process takes into account diverse perspectives and impacts, allowing decision-makers to find optimal solutions to problems and effective ways to achieve goals."
"Planning is among the noblest but underappreciated of professions. Planners are entrusted with helping a community create its preferred future -- good planning helps communities make progress toward paradise, but bad planning leaves a legacy of problems and conflicts. Planners perform civilization's heavy lifting by anticipating and resolving the myriad conflicts that occur within a community. Being a good planner requires unique approaches to issues..."
The paper outlines the virtues of the planning profession, in addition to many planning issues and how they can be addressed.
Thanks to Jon Cecil, AICP
Read the full story: Planning Principles and Practices [PDF, 208KB]
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Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority