Urban and Regional Planners
Urban and Regional Planners
Career outlook for
Urban and Regional Planners
What's it like?
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Working conditions
Tasks
- Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
- Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
- Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density.
- Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community.
- Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
- Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
- Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
- Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
- Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
- Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
- Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes.
- Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
- Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs.
- Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
- Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation.
- Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems.
- Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure.
- Advocate sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups.
- Investigate property availability for purposes of development.
- Conduct interviews, surveys and site inspections concerning factors that affect land usage, such as zoning, traffic flow and housing.
- Prepare reports, using statistics, charts, and graphs, to illustrate planning studies in areas such as population, land use, or zoning.
- Prepare, develop and maintain maps and databases.
- Prepare, maintain and update files and records, including land use data and statistics.
- Research, compile, analyze and organize information from maps, reports, investigations, and books for use in reports and special projects.
- Respond to public inquiries and complaints.
Top Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Instructing
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Persuasion
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Complex Problem Solving
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Time Management
Coordination - Management of Personnel Resources
- Negotiation
- Active Learning
- Creativity
- Operation Analysis
- Mathematics
- Coordination