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“Modern liberalism suffers unresolved contradictions.  It exalts individualism and freedom and, on its radical wing, condemns social orders as oppressive.  On the other hand, it expects government to provide materially for all, a feat manageable only by an expansion of authority and a swollen bureaucracy.  In other words, liberalism defines government as tyrant father but demands it behave as nurturant mother.”  

Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae (1990, p. 2ff.)

Term:  Fall, 2013    

Instructor: Tony Filipovitch, 106 Morris Hall, 507-389-5035, 507-388-2264 (home)

Office Hours:  My office hours are posted here.  I am available in my office at those times (or other times by appointment).  I also check my e-mail daily (usually several times during the day), and have an answering machine on both my home and office phone.  There is no reason to flounder around, unsure of what “he wants” or confused about what you are doing; and even if everything is going fine with the coursework, there is more to learning than completing the assignments.  I encourage you to visit me, in person or at a distance by phone or e-mail, many times during the course.

Text:

Berle, Godschalk  & Kaiser.  2006. Urban Land Use Planning, 5th.  Ed..  Urbana, IL:  University of Illinois Press.

Recommended:

Kent, TJ, Jr.  1990.  The Urban General Plan.  Chicago, IL:  The Planners Press.

Hoch, CJ and others.  2000.  The Practice of Local Government Planning, 3rd Ed.  Washington, DC:  ICMA.

Course Calendar

Due date

Topic

Reading

Assignment

8/28

Introduction

Historical Roots of Comp Planning

 

9/4

Context

Local Government & Planning Environment

Berke, Chs. 1-3; Building the Plan

Community Profile

9/11

Minnesota practice

MN Statutes Sect. 462 (Planning & Zoning); MN Statutes Sect. 473.858-860 (Metropolitan Land Planning Act);  Handbook on Comprehensive Planning and Land Use;

 

9/18

Planning Support Systems              

 

Berke, Ch. 4;  Klosterman, “Large-scale urban models,” (1994); Isserman, “Projection, forecast, and plan” (1984); SKILL:  Mankato Urban Design Guidelines Visual Preference Survey

Case Study:  Preparing the Townships

9/25

Population & Economy

 

Berke, Ch. 5; SKILL:   Population Forecasting

 

10/2

Environmental & Land Use Systems

Berke, Ch. 6-7; SKILL:  Thinking in Time

 

10/9

Transportation & Infrastructure Systems

Berke, Ch. 8; Kelly, “Transportation land-use link,” (1994); Krizek, “Operationalizing neighborhood accessibility,” (2003).  SKILL:   Transportation Estimation

Case Study:  “Politics of Urban Growth Areas”

10/16

State of Community Report

 

Berke, Ch. 9; Gaming & Scenarios

 

Comprehensive Plan Assessment

10/23

Making Land Use Plans

Plan-Making Process

Berke, Ch. 10; Getting & Using Power;  Implementing the Plan; Sticking It to the Suburbs

 

10/30

Areawide Policy Plan & Land Use Design Plan

 

 

Berke, Ch.11-13; Nelson, Planner’s Estimating Guide (2004); SKILL: Land Use Forecasting

 

11/6

Development Management & The Planning Guide

 

Berke, Ch. 15;  Watzlawick, “Gentle art of reframing,” (1974); SKILL: Reframing & Negotiating;  Schlereth,  “Burnham’s Plan & Moody’s Manual” JAPA (1981)

Drafting the Guide

11/13

Small-Area Plans

 

Berke, Ch.  14

Comprehensive Plan Assessment Oral Reports

11/20

No Class

12/4

Capital Improvement Plan

Griffin, “New opportunities,” (1990); Bowsher, “Governmental financial management at crossroads” (1985). SKILL:  Capital Improvements Planning;

 

12/11

Final exam date—“Planning Guide” & course evaluation due

Course Objectives:

This course is a survey of the comprehensive land use planning process for urban areas.  For 80% of Americans, the city is where we live, work, and play.  Whether you pursue a public-sector career in urban affairs (in management or in planning), a private sector career in development or corporate public affairs, or a career in the non-profit sector, you will need to understand the comprehensive planning process.

Two assumptions underlie this approach to the class:

However you go at it, comprehensive planning essentially asks 3 questions:

 

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1.      Understand the difference between community visioning, goal-setting, and comprehensive planning, including the significance, uses and timing of each.

2.      Design a process for engaging the community in a comprehensive planning process

3.      Know the structure, format, and methods used in producing a comprehensive plan

4.      Develop skills in facilitating, reporting, and marketing a community’s strategic/comprehensive plan

Instructional Methodology and Teaching Strategies:

A variety of techniques will be employed throughout the course. While there will be reading and lectures and tests, this course is heavily weighted to case study and seminar-style discussion.  My teaching style is based on an "adult-centered" model which assumes that you are active participants, each responsible for your own learning, and I am a facilitator and resource who helps you advance your project. My goal for myself as a teacher is to "take you someplace you would never before have gone alone."  You might begin that journey by looking at “Five Easy Pieces” I have assembled for your consideration.

Instructional Management System & Communication Protocols: 

·         The course will use D2L as the instructional management system.  Discussion lists, assignments, grade rosters, and other course management issues will be handled through that site. 

·         The software for this course will be PC-based Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer, or compatibles.  I prefer to receive e-mail and course submissions to my e-mail address (not to D2L), and I can only open Microsoft Word or text files (if you are using, say, WordPerfect, make sure to send any files to me in .txt or .rtf format). 

·         I will communicate with you using your official MSU e-mail address; if this is not your preferred e-mail provider, make sure you have set your MSU e-mail account to forward to your preferred address (instructions are available from  the help desk at help@mnsu.edu or 507-389-6654).

·         I generally will reply to e-mails within 48 hours (give me an additional 24 hours over the weekends), unless I have notified the class through D2L that I expect to be away from my computer (e.g., when I am attending a national conference).  If you do not hear from me within that time, please resend your question or comment as it may have been lost.

Assignments:

Classwork:

This is primarily a case-study and discussion class, although I may bring in an occasional guest or indulge in the occasional lecture. You are expected to do the reading assigned from the texts and be prepared to discuss them in class on the assigned date. There will also be in-class projects which will contribute to your grade. Attendance at all class meetings is presumed.

Written Assignments:

There will be a number of writing assignments:

·         Case Study reports:  There will be two case study reports.  One will be based on a strategic planning process, one on a comprehensive planning process.  You will work on these problems in small groups and present a common report for all the members of your group.

·         Skills/Techniques:  There are 7 skills/techniques sections in the course; you must demonstrate that you can use that skill by submitting a memo of your findings to me for three of them.

·         Comprehensive Plan Assessment:  You will assess both the content and the process that a city used to produce a comprehensive plan (one that has been updated within the last five years), evaluate it against best practices, and make recommendations for improvement.

·         Planning Guide:  The final project will be to develop a “planning guide” (styled after Moody’s Manual or the Mpls. Guide) for the comprehensive plan that you have previously reviewed.  This guide is to be written for the general public, and should show attention to issues of marketing and creating community support/buy-in.

Course Expectations:

Attendance & Class Participation:

Students play an important role in educating and challenging each other.  This can only happen if there is consistent attendance.  I expect you to attend.  I may take the class roll.  Unexcused absence (prior notification is required—even if I am not available, my voice mail and e-mail always are) can result in loss of points toward one’s grade.  You are paying for this class—make sure to get your “money’s worth.”  Most importantly, this is an excellent foundation of knowledge for future activities, and it is a chance for you to learn, teach, and grow with others.

Grading:

Community Profile                 10

2 Case Studies (@ 10 pts.)     20

3 Skills memos (@ 10 pts.)     30

Comp Planning assessment     20

Planning Guide                       20

 

The final grade may be based on a curve, but students can expect at least an A if they achieve 90, a B with 80, etc.  The assessment rubric for this course is available here.

Other Matters:

Extra Credit: In general, I do not encourage extra credit in this class. I would rather that you put the extra effort into your regular assignments.

All assignments are due on the assigned date.  Partial credit may be given for assignments that are less than one week late, unless other arrangements have been made in advance.

Written reports are expected to be free of grammatical, spelling, and content errors.  They should be submitted in typewritten, standard formats (APA, MLA, URSI Style Sheets).  You must familiarize yourself with the University’s Academic Honesty Policy.  I encourage you to draw on the ideas of others—but you must also identify when you do so (you gain “brownie points” for citing the work of others!).  Plagiarism is a serious breach of academic behavior and will result in an F for the course.

I will help you in whatever manner humanly possible.  However, once the semester is over, there is not a great deal I can do.  If there is something that you don’t understand, are having problems with, or need help on, please get in touch with me as early as possible.

Every attempt will be made to accommodate qualified students with disabilities.  If you area student with a documented disability, please contact us as early in the semester as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations, and/or contact the Disability Services Office at 507-389-2825 (V) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY).

 

Bibliography

 

 

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MSU

© 2006 A.J.Filipovitch
Revised 10 August 2013