URBS 661—Long-Range & Strategic Planning
Assessing a Comprehensive Plan
Select a city which has updated its comprehensive plan in
the last 5 years. Obtain a copy of the
plan and supporting documents, and arrange to interview one of the planners who
worked on the plan.
Write a written assessment of the plan, responding to the
following issues:
- Plan
Quality Evaluation Protocol (Berke & others,
pp. 78-82)
- Other
elements
- Visual
appeal/user-friendliness
- Plan
utilization (how is the plan being used?)
- Analysis: Consider Hoch’s 4 criteria
- Does
the plan improve acceptance of alternatives?
- Does
the plan inspire people to follow its objectives?
- Does
the plan meet a wider public interest?
- Does
the plan meet the expectations of planners (does it follow best
practices)?
- Recommendations:
3 ways to improve the plan or the process
Report & Presentation:
- Write
a 3-5 page single-spaced memo analyzing the issues above (you may include
as many attachments as you wish).
Be specific in your description and in your analysis, and attach
appendices (maps, tables, etc.) that support your key points.
- Prepare
a 5-minute oral PowerPoint presentation of your findings.
© 2006 A.J.Filipovitch
Revised 10 August 2013