URBS 661—Long-Range & Strategic Planning

“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: Spring, 2006

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:

Gordon, Gerald L. 2005. Strategic Planning for Local Government, 2^nd Ed.. Washington, DC: ICMA.

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

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

Course Calendar

Due date	Topic	Reading	Assignment
1/17	Introduction
1/24	Context Local Government & Planning Environment	Gordon, pp. 1-17; Kent, pp. 4-26 & 65-89. Rec: Hoch, Ch. 1, 2 & 18	Getting & Using Power; Community Profile
1/31	Minnesota practice	Handbook on Comprehensive Planning and Land Use
2/7	Strategic Planning/Visioning Building the Plan	Gordon, pp. 19-47 & 71-108	Case Study: “Preparing the Townships”
2/14	Implementing the Plan	Gordon, pp. 49-66 & 109-117
2/21	The uses of history		Thinking in Time
2/28	Comprehensive Planning Characteristics of the Plan	Kent, pp. 27-64 & 90-129	Case Study: “Politics of Urban Growth Areas”
3/7	The Comprehensive Plan document	Kent, pp. 130-186
3/21	Skills & Techniques Reframing & Negotiating	Watzlawick, “Gentle art of reframing,” (1974); Rec: Hoch, Ch. 17	Comprehensive Plan Assessment
3/28	Visual Preference Survey/ Florida’s “Bohemian Index”	DOT Visual Preference Survey; Creative Cities; Skills & Creativity. Rec: Hoch, Ch. 3
4/4	Population Forecasting	Klosterman, “Large-scale urban models,” (1994); Isserman, “Projection, forecast, and plan” (1984). Rec: Hoch, Ch. 4
4/11	Land Use Forecasting	Nelson, Planner’s Estimating Guide (2004). Rec: Hoch, Ch. 15
4/18	Transportation Estimation	Kelly, “Transportation land-use link,” (1994); Krizek, “Operationalizing neighborhood accessibility,” (2003). Rec: Hoch, Ch. 9
4/25	Capital Improvements Planning	Griffin, “New opportunities,” (1990); Bowsher, “Governmental financial management at crossroads” (1985). Rec: Hoch, Ch. 16
5/2	The Planning Guide	Minneapolis—Plan & Guide; Schlereth, “Burnham’s Plan & Moody’s Manual” JAPA (1981)	Drafting the Guide
5/9	Final exam date—“Planning Guide” & course evaluation due

Course Objectives:

This course is a survey of the strategic and comprehensive planning process for urban areas. 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 strategic/comprehensive planning process.

Two assumptions underlie this approach to the class:

that there are competing, equally valid approaches to the planning process, and
that the planning process is a specific form of the policy-making process (and therefore it is interesting to urban managers as well as urban planners and private-sector practitioners).

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

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

2. Design a process for engaging the community in a strategic/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:

This course will include a service-learning component as well as classroom-based discussion and projects. The class will assist the Mankato/North Mankato region as it continues its community visioning process, known as “Envision 2020” by providing technical assistance to the Envision 2020 Steering Committee.

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.

Service Learning:

This course is structured so that you have the opportunity to learn about community leadership (as a concept, as a skill, and as a value) both in the classroom and “on the ground.” You are required to spend a significant amount of time (minimum 30 hours) as a volunteer for a community-serving organization. While there, you will have the opportunity to be of service, and to observe how those around you serve and lead.

Written Assignments:

There will be a number of writing assignments:

· Report to Envision 2020: Each of you will, over the course of the semester, work on at least one data-gathering project for the Envision 2020 project, and your report to them will also be submitted to me for a grade. You may do additional reports for additional credit.

· 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 6 skills/techniques sections in the course; you must complete one “Case for Study” for three of them, and submit a memo of your findings to me.

· 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:

Envision 2020 report 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.

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

MSU