Local Government Land Use Planning Program

1
Local Government Land Use Planning Program

• Michael A. McAdamsGeography Department
• Fatih UniversityIstanbul, Turkey

2
Four Functions Of Land Use Planning Program

• Inteligencebuilding and maintaining and
  information system (MIS, GIS etc.)analyzing and
  interpretation of datadesimination of data
• Advanced Planningformulating and adopting
  policyformulating and adopting a development
  management system and specific legislation (i.e.,
  zoning, subdivision regulations etc.)
• Problem SolvingAnalyzing and solving
  unanticipated problemsassessing proposals to
  change development management system or develop
  land
• Development MagenmentApplying, enforcing and
  imrproving ordinances, plans, capital improvement
  program, acquisitions, information and other
  other elements of the development management
  system
• Development

Source Kaiser et al., 1995, Urban Land Use
Planning, Fourth Edition.
3
Intelligence
Reports, maps, tables, CDs, webpages
Advanced Planning
Problem Solving
Oral presentations, memos, issue papers, draft
ordinances
Plans, legislation
Development Management
Permits, inspections, sanctions, community
facilities, acquisitions, advice, etc.
Development
Source Kaiser et al., 1995, Urban Land Use
Planning, Fourth Edition.
4
Intelligence

• Data and information gathering, analysis and
  dissemination is one of the most important
  functions of a planning office
• Most information today is stored in computers,
  but still a need for other records
• Geographic Information Systems and Remote
  Sensing are now one of the most widely used tools
  for spatial analysis and referencing in planning
  agencies
• Dessimination of information can be presented in
  various media (analog and digital) and other
  methods (meetings, public hearings, public
  inquiry responses, TV, Internet etc.)
• Planners can also receive information from
  public, local official, government offices
  (regional, state, federal) that they must
  process, analyze and place into motion in other
  elements of the planning process (i.e., a new
  federal regulation could change elements of the
  long range plan or effect current planning
  efforts)

5
Intelligence and Public Information

• Urban planning offices are one of the major
  sources concerning urban development (i.e.,
  socio-economic, development permits, long-range
  and short-range plans etc.)
• Vital resource for developer, citizens and others
  (i.e., NGOs)
• One of the goals of a planning office should be
  to allow free or limited cost access to data and
  other information (meetings, planning regulations
  etc.)
• Many planning organizations have information
  on-line (e-government)
• Lets look at some of the planning departments or
  organizations with websites
• http//www.planningportal.gov.uk/ (Planning
  Organization for the U.K.
• http//www.sccplanning.org/portal/site/planning/pl
  anningchp?path2Fv72FPlanning2C20Office20of2
  0(DEP)2FFacts202620Figures2FOther20County20
  Data) (data for Santa Clara County, California,
  USA)
• http//www.ibb.gov.tr/en-US/AnaSayfa/ (homepage
  for Istanbul Metropolitan Government-Istanbul
  Büyüksehir Belidiyesi)
• http//egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/porta
  lEntityHomeAction.do?BV_SessionID_at__at__at__at_1963894012.1
  191823382_at__at__at__at_BV_EngineIDccceaddmejdgjidcefecelld
  ffhdfgm.0entityNamePlanningAndDevelopmententi
  tyNameEnumValue32topChannelNameDept (City of
  Chicago Planning Department (USA)
• http//www.bcn.es/english/laciutat/welcome.htm
  (City of Barcelona (Spain)--many webpages in
  English relating to plans for Barcelonainterestin
  g information on environment and transportation
• http//www.ithacamaps.org/ (online GIS for
  Ithaca, N.Y. USA)

6
Advance Planning

• Two parts map for future land use and policies
• Physical plan proposes land use locations in a
  future end date (i.e., 2020)
• Policy plan supports types of actions that will
  be pursued in the planning period (i.e.,
  increased use of public transportation)
• These two elements are intergrative. Although, it
  has been argued that a policy plan can substitute
  for a physical plan.

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Cobb County, Georgia, USA Future Land Use Plan
http//comdev.cobbcountyga.gov/comp-plan/downloads
/character-area-06-02-2006.pdf
8

• Policy Recommendations excerpted from The Calvert
  County Maryland Comprehensive Plan (1983)
• INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS
• Industrial Districts are intended to provide
  areas in the county which are suitable for the
  needs of industry. They should be located and
  designed to be compatible with the surrounding
  land uses, either due to existing natural
  features or through the application of standards.
• RECOMMENDATIONS
• 1. Identify general locations for potential
  industrial uses.
• 2. Permit retail sales as an accessory use in the
  Industrial District
• SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
• Single-Family Residential Districts are to be
  developed and promoted as neighborhoods free from
  any land usage which might adversely affect them.
• RECOMMENDATIONS
• 1. For new development, require buffering for
  controlling visual, noise, and activity impacts
  between residential and commercial uses.
• 2. Encourage single-family residential
  development to locate in the designated towns.
• 3. Allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes as a
  conditional use in the "R-1" Residential Zone so
  long as the design is compatible with the
  single-family residential development.
• 4. Allow home occupations (professions and
  services, but not retail sales) by permitting the
  employment of one full-time equivalent individual
  not residing on the premises.
• MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS

Source Kaiser et al., 1995, Urban Land Use
Planning, Fourth Edition.
9
Problem Solving

• 1. Problem definitongathering, verification and
  organization of information
• 2. Spefication of goals and evaluation
  criteriawhat will be achieved by solving the
  problem
• 3. Identification and refinement of
  alternativesalternatives are explored such as
  status quo, no action, high growth etc.
• 4.Evaluation of alternativesconsequences are
  explored
• 5. Recommendations

Source Kaiser et al., 1995, Urban Land Use
Planning, Fourth Edition.
10
Development Management

• Now we have the plan...what do we do now?
• Plans are quides for implementation
  vehiclescapital improvement programoperating
  budgetszoningsubdivision regulations
• Good plans are updated and monitored by planning
  staff such that they reflect (as much as
  possible) the actual conditions of the planning
  area
• Urban and regional environements are chaotic.
  Planners must operate, adapt, steer and
  development in such an environment.
• The tools, experience and inter-personal skills
  that planners have are very important to the
  sucess of the planning process.

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Conclusions and Observations

• The planning process is one where there is
  multiple actors including planners
• Advanced plans no matter how well conceived are
  useless without being tied to the commitments of
  local politicians, regulations and funding
• Problem solving (or putting out fires) can
  consume planning agencies without an advance
  planning process.
• The intergration of the planning office with
  implementation agencies is crucial to effective
  planning.
• Long term commitments to a planning process by
  all levels of government has proven to aided in
  the viability of plans.
• There are many examples of urban and regional
  areas which show the advantages of good planning
  (Paris, France Portland, Oregon USA London,
  UK Washington, D.C., USA Liverpool, UK
  Chicago, Illinois, USA Savannah, Georgia, USA
  Berlin, Germany, USA...)