WWU, Department of Environmental StudiesDr. Paul Stangl
Introduction to Planning (ENVS 361), Winter 2018Office: Arntzen Hall 207
Location:AH 014Phone: 650-2793
Class Time: M & W, 5:30-6:50Email:
Office Hours: M 1:30-3:00; W 2:00-4:30
Introduction to Planning
Syllabus subject to revision at instructor’s discretion
Course Description
Introduction to the practice of public planning in the United States; survey of major subfields in planning practice, current issues, processes, and methods in planning; texts survey the range of planning activities as well as the practical day to day skills needed by the practicing planner.
Goals
1) Obtain knowledge of the fundamentals of contemporary planning practice
2) Understand the importance of planning in shaping how human settlement impacts the environment
3) Develop awareness of how planning is situated in political practice
Readings
- Levy, John.Contemporary Urban Planning. 10th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall,
2012.
- Duany, Andres, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff Speck. Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. New York: North Point Press, 2001.
Class Format
Classes will consist of primarily of lecture with some opportunity for discussion. Attendance, punctuality and classroom behavior will also contribute to the participation grade.
Course Requirements and Grading
A) Exam I (25 points)
B) Exam II(25 points)
C) Exam III (30 points)
C) Report on Public Meeting (10 points) Due anytime before final exam, details on next page.
E) Research Paper(10 points)
F)Attendance & Participation(?)
G) Optional Field Trip (1 bonus point)
Formal attendance will not be taken, but is important to your success in the class. Lectures will often include material complimentary to the readings. Your final grade may be adjusted based on participation in class.
A / 94 + / A- / 90 - 93B+ / 88 – 89 / B / 83 – 87 / B- / 80 – 82
C+ / 78 – 79 / C / 73 – 77 / C- / 70 – 72
D+ / 68 – 69 / D / 60 – 67 / F / < 60
Report on Public Hearing/Meeting
You will attend one public hearing of the Bellingham Planning and Development Commission or another planning commission (other municipal or county planning commissions. etc.). For the Bellingham meeting schedule and topics, go to Click on the “Government” tab on top, then under “Public Involvement” click on “Boards and Commissions,” then select “Planning Commission,” and under “Quick Links” click on the schedule. If it is more convenient, you may attend a meeting of the Whatcom County Planning Commission, or a meeting of the planning commission for another municipality. For a schedule of all City of Bellingham meetings, click go to
You are expected to attend the entire public hearing. The meetings usually end by 10pm but can extend even longer. You are required to attach a copy of the agenda to your report. These will be available at the meeting.
Guidelines for writing the report:Please pay particularly close attention to observing the following behaviors, roles, and actions, in addition to the subject of the agenda. Your papers should discuss the planning issues, the outcomes, and the roles of each participant. Discuss your personal impressions and thoughts about the public process, and describe how you, as a staff planner, might have handled the staff function differently. Provide a written report of about 2-3 pages in length (double spaced) on the meeting attended discussing the following points.
- Observe the role and purpose of the Chair in conducting the meeting
- Describe your impressions of the role and actions of the professional planning staff supporting the Commission proceedings
- Summarize the subject of the agenda items
- Characterize the roles of the various participants
- What were the most important procedural aspects of the hearing?
- What were the most important substantive aspects of the meeting, the key issues raised?
- What was the outcome or resolution of the land use issues or final decision, what next?
- How did the participants react during the proceedings?
- How was the general public participating in the hearing?
Note:Procedural aspects refers to the structure and order employed in conducting the meeting providing for fair participation by both the proponent to the action and the general public. Substantive aspects refer to the content of the particular issue discussed. What are the actions requested by the project proponents? What objections did opponents raise? What contributions and recommendations did staff provide?
Research Paper This is a short paper and should be three to five pages, double-spaced, 12 pt. font. You must include at least lease four sources, two of which must be peer-reviewed journal articles or chapters from an edited book. CLASS TEXTS DO NOT COUNT, but may be used in addition to your required sources. You can substitute government documents (20 pages or more) for peer-review sources. Four newspaper articles can be substituted for one peer-review article. Sources must be cited in the text. You are responsible for developing a topic relating to one of the themes covered in this class. If you have any questions regarding the appropriateness of a topic, check with me.
Field Trip
This optional trip provides you an opportunity to learn about urban design and earn a bonus point. We will meet on the Green in downtown Fairhaven (behind Village Books). You have the choice of two tours, one starting at 10:10 and the other starting at 12:00. The tour will take about one hour.
Class Schedule*
DATETOPICSASSIGNMENTS
January 10Course Overview; Planning OverviewLevy, Ch. 1
January 15 No classes – MLK Day
January 17Legal Basis of Planning; Politics of PlanningLevy, Ch. 5
January 22The Comprehensive PlanLevy, Ch. 8
January 24The Tools of Planning Levy, Ch. 9
January 29The Tools of Planning (cont’d) -
January 31EXAM 1-
February 5TransportationLevy, Ch. 12
February 7Economic Development, Urban RenewalLevy, Ch. 11 & 13
February 12Urban DesignLevy Ch. 10
February 14Field Trip (optional, see above)-
February 19No classes – President’s Day
February 21Sustainable DevelopmentLevy, Ch. 14 & 16
February 26EXAM 2-
February 28SprawlDuany, Ch. 1 & 2
March 5The Environment-Society link; The Role of the StreetDuany, Ch. 3 & 4
March 7Transportation, Developers & Sprawl;Duany, Ch. 5, 6 & 7
Victims of Sprawl
March 12The Region; The TownDuany, Ch. 8 & 10
TERM PAPERS DUE
March 14The Inner CityDuany, Ch. 9 & 11
PUBLIC MEETING PAPERS DUE
March 19EXAM 3-
6:00–8:00 PM
* Schedule subject to change at instructor’s discretion.
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