Reviewed 06/2011
Planner's Pocket Reference
Contents
- Introduction
- Why Plan/What's it All About?
- Selected Online Reference Shelves
- Speaking in Tongues - Online Glossaries and Acronyms
- The Players
- Training/Tutorials
- Technical Tools
- Land Use Toolbox
- Planning Law Reference Shelf
- Model Codes and Plans
- Online Manuals/Handbooks
- Recommended Resource Books
- Planning History
Introduction
Planning professionals address an array of community needs, including land use, transportation, parks and recreation, environmental resources, housing, commercial and industrial development, economic development, and infrastructure. As a result, planners must have at least a working understanding and ability to analyze a variety of subjects. They will encounter terminology and technical information from a variety of disciplines. Even planners that are highly specialized, such as transportation planners, must understand the interaction between transportation and land use, environment, economic, social, fiscal, legal, and other considerations. In some communities, especially small towns with small budgets, the person responsible for planning is not trained as a planner. Even a planner who is an exceptionally "quick study" will probably not have tools and knowledge to handle the variety of changing issues that planners encounter. Survival as a planner requires the ability to become quickly conversant on new issues and tools. That requires quick access to relevant reference materials and resources.
In an era of tight budgets, few planning offices can afford in-house libraries of all desirable reference materials. Time for on-the-job training is limited. Fortunately, there are a growing number of useful resources available on the Internet. This Web page locates and presents selected reference materials useful to professional and lay planners. It is intended to provide quick access to glossaries and government acronyms, online tutorials, legal reference material, useful technical tools and calculators (for area conversion, cost estimation and similar tasks) handbooks and models.
If you have information to share, or are aware of other sites we should link to, please contact Sue Enger, Planning Consultant, or call (206) 625-1300.
Why Plan/What's it All About? - Ammunition for Answering a Frequently Asked Question
- Why Should You Plan/The Planning Cycle, Mindtools Bookstores - A concise explanation
- What is Planning? What Do Planners Do?, American Planning Association
- Introduction, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. - Basic Principles of City Planning
- Planning Is..., and Planning as a Career, Canadian Institute of Planners
- Comprehensive Plan (What is it?) (
), excerpted from Planning ABCs: An Overview of 26 Planning Topics, Lawrence Gerckens, Planning Commissioners Journal (scroll down to "Comprehensive Plan")
Selected Online Reference Shelves
- Washington State Government Information and Services and Help Center, Access Washington - Laws, budget information links to agencies, and other information
- American Planning Association Planner’s Bibliography Web Tool - Online resource for planners and researchers providing annotated listings of reports, books, articles, government documents and Websites
- About Planning - Internet clearinghouse for planning information
- USA.gov Reference Center - Links to information on U.S. laws, bills in Congress, regulations, statistical information, contacts, maps, governmental publications and other government databases
- USA.gov Resources for Local Government - Local government directories, links to useful local government statistics, organizations
- University of Maryland Library Online Reference Resources for Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning - An exceptionally useful collection
- National Transportation Library Information, Resources and Tools, U.S. Department of Transportation - Includes transportation directories, search engines, thesaurus, statistics, and pocket guide
- Geospatial Data Gateway, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service - Natural resources data including soils, precipitation, land cover data
- City Planning Online, and Basic Research Resources for City and Regional Planning, University of California Berkeley Library - One of the most comprehensive listings of resource materials for planners
Speaking in Tongues - Online Glossaries and Acronyms
- Land Use and Planning: Glossary of Land Use and Planning Terms (), Institute for Local Government, 2010
- Appendix A: Glossary of Terms and Phrases () (At end of publication), from Beginner's Guide to Land Use Law , Pace University School of Law, Land Use Center
- Land Use Lingo: A Glossary of Planning and Zoning Terms, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- City Design Glossary, City of Seattle
- GovSpeak: A Guide to Government Acronyms and Abbreviations
- Washington State Agency Acronyms - Click on "Show Acronym"
- American FactFinder Glossary, U.S. Bureau of Census
- U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Management Division Glossary
- U.S. Census Bureau Abbreviations/Acronyms
- U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey (CPS) - Definitions and explanations
- Abbreviations and Acronyms of the U.S. Government
- Puget Sound Regional Council Acronyms and Abbreviations
- Terms of the Environment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Includes acronyms
- Ultimate Environment Glossary, EnviroEducation.com
- Glossary, Northwest Salmon Recovery - Acronyms
- Acronyms, SEPA Online Handbook, Washington Department of Natural Resources
- Stormwater Manager's Resource Center Glossary
- FloodSmart.Gov Glossary - FEMA Flood Insurance Definitions
- USGS Water Washington Science Center Glossary
- GIS Terms, Ft. Collins, CO
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics Dictionary, and Transportation Acronym Guide, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Department of Transportation
- The Language of Traffic, by Steven J. Dush, AICP and Gregory P. Muhonen, The Commissioner, APA, Spring 2002 - A short list of commonly used acronyms and terminology
- Housing Glossaries
- Construction Terms - National Contractors Referral and License Bureau
- Glossary of Economic Terms, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
- Congressional Budget Office Glossary of Economic and Budgetary Terms
- Freddie Mac of Financial and Economic Terms
- A Glossary of Political Economic Terms, by Dr. Paul M. Johnson, Auburn University Department of Political Science
- Campbell R. Harvey's Hypertextual Finance Glossary
- Glossary of Terms, Washington State Courts
- Find Law Search the Dictionary - Definitions of legal terms
- Law.com Dictionary
- Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary - Plain English but may also be less precise legal definition
- Links to Legal Dictionaries, and Glossary for Administrative Hearings, Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings
- Public Health Terms for Planners and Planning Terms for Public Health Professionals (), APA Fact Sheet, American Planning Association
- Glossaries of Lighting Terms
The Players
- A Quick Tour of the Planning Universe, Planner's Web - The players in the planning process
Training/Tutorials
- Smart Growth Speaker Series, Smart Growth Online - Audio and video-recorded presentations
- Curriculum and Training Modules, Massachusetts Citizen Planner Training Collaborative
- Biodiversity and Conservation, Peter J. Bryant, University of California at Irvine
- American Planning Association Education Center - Online interactive training/workshops, self-directed study, and audio conferences on a variety of planning topics. Most are fee based and require registration, but there are some free offerings
- Friday Video Shorts posted on the PlannersWeb - Short 5 to 10 minute videos on focused topic, such as density, safe routes to school, city success sotries, and more
- GIS Online Tutorial Pages, Ft. Collins, CO
- Getting Started with a GIS, United States Geological Survey - Tutorials on GIS and ArcView
- GIS: Tutorials, University of Oregon Libraries
- National Park Service Technical Preservation Services, Online Education - Historic preservation tutorials
- American FactFinder Tutorials, U.S. Bureau of Census
- OnlineTutorials, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - Including flood insurance maps, coastal hazard analysis and GIS
- Energy Tutorial, National Fuel Cell Research Center - Tutorials on a variety of alternative energy subjects including solar, wind, biomass, nuclear and fuel cells, as well as fossil fuel topics
- Wind Energy Curricula, Tutorials, and Teaching Materials, U.S. Department of Energy
- Wind Energy Videos including Energy 101: Wind Turbines, Wind Powering America
- Online Training in Watershed Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Tutorial: Fundamentals of Remote Sensing Applications: Land Cover and Land Use, Natural Resources Canada
- The Remote Sensing Tutorial, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center - See especially “Section 4: Urban and Land Use Applications,” and “The Concept of Remote Sensing” in the introduction
Technical Tools
- AskNumbers.com Unit Conversions - Did you forget how many square feet in an acre? Check here for various area equivalents.
- The Quality Portal Unity Calculators - Calibrates or Calculates units of measure
- Online Conversion - Convert just about anything to anything else: acres to square feet, metric conversion tables, temperature, energy, time zones around the world
- BEG's GIS Tools Online, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas - Map scale calculator, length and area conversions
- Buildout Analysis, University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies (Free downloadable software and user manual) - Requires registration
- Technical Maps/Arial Views
- Planning Illustrated - Graphics, maps, understanding density
- Estimated Remodeling and Repair Costs, Old House Web
- RS Means - Quick Cost Calculator
- Zillow.com - Rough estimate of real estate value for specific properties that you enter
- Renewable Resource Data Center - Access to an extensive collection of renewable energy resource data, maps, and tools
- Sun Angle Calculator
- Climatic Design Resources
Land Use Toolbox
- Land Use and Planning Toolbox (), Michigan Society of Planning Annual Conference, 2004 - Table recommends effective tools for addressing various land use problems
- Planning Tool Kit, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, and Michigan Association of Planning, and Washtenaw County 2009 - Implementation tools, illustrated with case examples to address different land use objectives
- Florida Planning Toolbox, Florida Atlantic University Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions - Tools to address climate change, infill and redevelopment, fiscal analysis and financing, land use, housing and many other issues of the day
- Smart Growth Toolbox, Lancaster County, PA - Tools are organized by categories such as housing, gray and green infrastructure, rural areas, and sustainable growth
- Land Use Planning Tools, Smart Community Network - Specific tools and software designed to facilitate smart growth planning
- Quality Growth Toolkit, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
- Tool Kit for Integrating Land Use and Transportation Decision-Making, Federal Highway Administration
- New Jersey FIT - Future in Transportation Toolbox - For integrating transportation and land use
- Community Planning Toolbox, Smart Growth Vermont
- Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments (), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 06/2010
- Guides and Tool-kits, Smart Growth BC - Includes smart growth, affordable housing and healthy communities toolkits
Planning Law Reference Shelf
- Legal and Practical Objectives of Planning, Chapter 1, Planning Short Course, Washington Department of Commerce/Planning Association of Washington (PAW) - Summary of planning-related statutes in Washington
- Revised Code of Washington/Washington Administrative Code
- Washington State Constitution.
- Laws and Rules, Including WA GMA and Related Laws, Washington Department of Commerce
- Washington Municipal and County Codes, MRSC
- Legal Tools and Resources for Washington State, Washington State Supreme and Appellate Court Decisions, Growth Management Hearings Boards Decisions, Attorney General Opinions,and Legal Topics - MRSC Web page on legal topics of interest to Washington local governments
- Law Links, Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Washington State Bar Association - Federal and State Laws
- Legal Research on the Internet, Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings - Listing of legal research resources, especially related to administrative hearings
- Washington Law Help - Directory for self-help information on a variety of legal topics, including housing (but not land use)
- Beginner's Guide to Land Use Law (), Land Use Law Center, Pace University School of Law
- Laws & Regulations, U.S Environmental Protection Agency - Includes federal codes, federal register, major environmental laws
- Environmental Law Net - Comprehensive legal reference site including federal laws by subject, state and tribal law, federal and other agency documents, brownsfield redevelopment
- Thomas, The Library of Congress - Searchable, on-line legislation and issues before the current session of Congress
- Land Use Law Materials, Cornell Law School - Includes federal codes, regulations, and judicial decisions on land use, environment, energy and natural resources
Model Codes and Plans
- Smart Communities Network Land Use Codes, U.S Department of Energy, and Green Development Codes
- Model Plans and Ordinances collected by Daniel Mandelker, Washington University School of Law
- Model Development Code and User's Guide for Small Cities (), 2nd Edition, Oregon Transportation and Growth Management Program, 2005
- Model Codes for Colorado Communities, Colorado Office of Smart Growth - Model Land Use Codes and others
- Models and Guidelines, Maryland Department of Planning - Infill development, adequate public facilities, big box development and much more
- Land Development Regulations Codes, Smart Growth Online - Links to other great collections of codes, including Maryland, Oregon, Montana and Envision Utah
- Model Codes to Protect Local Resources, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Model Ordinances for Aquatic Resource Protection, Stormwater Manager's Resource Center
- Making Your Plan Happen, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Plan Implementation Tools
- New Jersey's Rehabilitation Subcode - Award winning code for the building rehabilitation without imposing excessive costs
- Model Code: Alternatives to Conventional Zoning, Georgia Department of Community Affairs - Includes land use guidance system based on the Hardin County model
- University of Massachusetts Example Bylaws Collection
- From Policy to Reality: Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development (), Minnesota Planning and The Environmental Quality Board, St. Paul, MN, 09/2000
- Model Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, Lancaster County, PA - Includes standards for rural areas, conservation subdivisions, urban and infill areas, supplemental requirements for tests and studies, and assurance for completion and maintenance of improvements
- Landscaping Model Ordinance, Scenic America
Online Manuals/Handbooks
- Growth Management Services - Publications List by Topics, Department of Commerce, 2007 - Includes handbooks on critical areas regulation, urban growth areas, parks and recreation planning, economic development and other topics; also includes fact sheets and About Growth newsletter articles
- Understanding the Basics of Land Use and Planning: Guide (), Institute for Local Government, 2010
- An Introductory Guide to Land Use Planning for Small Cities and Counties in Oregon (), Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, 01/2007
- Local Planning Handbook, Metropolitan Council, MN, 2008
- A Citizens Guide to Planning, Governor's Office of Planning and Research, State of California, 2001 - Brief Overview
- New Hampshire Office of State Planning Online Handbooks and Technical Bulletins
- Innovative Land Use Planning Techniques: A Handbook for Sustainable Development, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, 2008
- Creating Sustainable Communities: A Guide for Developers and Communities, New Jersey Office of Planning and Sustainable Communities, 2010
- Developer's Handbook for Smart Growth (), Valley Advocates for Responsible Developments - Succinct explanation of smart growth development principles and why they work
- Achieving Environmentally Sensitive Design Through Flexible and Innovative Regulations (), The Maryland Office of Planning
- Land Use Planner's Guide to Salmonid Protection and Recovery, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 10/2009
- Online SEPA Handbook - Helpful inforamtion about the Washington State Environmental Policy Act
- Growth Center Planning Manual, Vermont Department of Housing and Community Affairs - Guidelines for development in compact villages and centers
- Land Use Planning Guides, Maine State Planning Office - Includes guides for comprehensive planning, scenic assessment inventories, low impact development, site plan review, and others
- Handbook on Integrating Land Use Considerations into Transportation Projects to Address Induced Growth (), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), 03/2005
- A Guide to Federal Tax Incentives for Brownfields Redevelopment (), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011
Recommended Resource Books
- PLANetizen Book List
- 100 Essential Books of Planning, American Planning Association - Books that shaped the direction of planning in the U.S.
- The Essential Planning Library Revisited, PAS Memo, March/April 2007, APA - Must be a member and log in to view (Also available through MRSC Library Loan)
Planning History
- Planning Timeline: Planning Through the Ages, and planning during specific decades and periods, Planner's Reference Website
- The Society for American City and Regional Planning History - Includes links to issues of the Journal of Planning History, many at no charge
- Urban Transportation Planning in the U.S., prepared by Edward Weiner, revised 11/1992
- Urban Planning, 1794-1918: An International Anthology of Articles, Conference Papers, and Reports, Cornell University
- History of City Planning - Research Guide, University of California at Berkeley - Planning history research resources