5 Goals for Vancouver's New Chief Planner

Brent Toderian, former Vancouver chief planner and current Planetizen blogger, writes an editorial on the potential for the newly hired position of chief planner—vacant since 2015.

Toderian writes in the expectation of a new chief planner. Since then, Vancouver announced the hiring of Gil Kelley—previously director of city-wide planning for San Francisco, director of planning in Portland, and director of planning and development in Berkeley—as the new chief planner.

"Vancouver needs a champion for smart, livable, sustainable, principles-based city-making," writes Toderian, before listing five of the biggest action items for the new chief planner:

• "Reestablish the planning department’s long-held reputation for intellectual and political/non-partisan 'independence'" 
• "Reestablish the planning department’s (and City Hall leadership’s) strong urban design culture, and reputation for knowing how to do density well"
• "Rebuild the planning department’s (and City Hall’s) credibility for authentic and transparent public engagement" 
• "Reestablish on-going lines of communication with Vancouver’s communities, and be a highly visible 'champion' for a great planning" 
• "Rebuild the culture of excellence, innovation and creative risk-taking in city making, and rebuild staffs trust in upper management"
• 
  

Toderian includes a lot more detail on each point. Now it's up to Kelley to set his own agenda and get to work.