When I tell someone i'm an urban planner, the response is invariably "whats that?" It's gotten so bad, that I'm starting to just tell people I'm a civil engineer. What's a good way to sum up urban planning in a quick sentence or two?
When I tell someone i'm an urban planner, the response is invariably "whats that?" It's gotten so bad, that I'm starting to just tell people I'm a civil engineer. What's a good way to sum up urban planning in a quick sentence or two?
"I help regulate development and redevelopment for the city. That includes everything from residential subdivisions, commercial and industrial development, and utilities using our public rights-of-way, to helping homeowners figure out if they can build a garage on their property without zoning approval, among many, many other things. What do you do?"
I have seen
old ships sailing
like swans asleep
Another Cyburbian once wrote: "I keep the junk yard or pig farm from locating on the other side of your backyard fence." Or something to that effect.
A nuisance may be merely a right thing in the wrong place — like a pig in the parlor instead of the barnyard.
I know you're not selling your services like that, but do be careful with claiming to be an engineer, else the PE Union will call down their hellhounds on you for not having a license.Originally posted by Owego
a slight edit
Last edited by mike gurnee; 27 Aug 2013 at 8:01 PM.
I usually responded that I am a land use planner and work with developersThen I would ask "what is your profession"? Than I would ask questions regarding their profession and they normally would keep the conversation going about their occupation and I would learn more about them and they would forget about the "planner
We've had a bunch of these conversations over the years, and the general consensus has been, you can't. My mom and kid watched me on t.v. at public hearings for years and never "got it". It is very normal for planners to say their spouses, families, friends, have no clue. Doctor, lawyer, geologist, journalist, they get it; planner, not so much. Even my own brother paid an architect to "get" him a variance because he had no idea that was something I dealt with every day and could have represented him for for free, and done a better job.
If "Planner" cause confusion, I usually also say "Development Consultant" and they instantly get it.
"Whatever beer I'm drinking, is better than the one I'm not." DMLW
I tend to use Public Administrator more than Planner as the focus of my job is to make sure money is spent on things wisely.
If you tell people Planner, they look at you oddly and many hear Planter. That is particularly true here as we have a very slight french pronunciation and there are many silent T's in french.
When I use Transportation Planner, they really look befuddled or ask if I am in charge of logistics.
Yeah Public Administrator is the way to go.
We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes - Fr Gabriel Richard 1805
I usually tell people I handle zoning and permits for the county and other exciting stuff. They usually get the sarcasm and drop the topic.
Need a planner? Why not Dvd?
I don't. I just say "I am a Planner, so tell me more about what you do?" Most of the time, they don't give a rip about what I do, they just want to talk about how awesome their career is.
Me: "I am sorry, but the Ordinance and the Master Plan does not permit that at this time. But if you would like to request amendments, this 355 page document outlines the procedure. You will need…. (CLIPPED TO ACCOMMODATE LIMIT) …. It will likely take 36 to 48 months to get final approvals. Then you can submit for a building permit and break ground Would you like to get started with the process?
Applicant: "Geeze, a simple No you can't do that would have worked"
"I am an urban designer. I design subdivisions, master planned communities, and town centers for a living."
I personally don't like the term "urban designer" since I also do suburban and rural planning not to mention non-design planning, but it's an elevator speech.
"This is great, honey. What's the crunchy stuff?"
"M&Ms. I ran out of paprika."
Family Guy
Ten Answers to "what's an urban planner?" I
arrange wedding receptions for streets and houses.
make your neighbors hate you.
steal grandma's house.
bar tend on the weekends.
make your kid's school overcrowded.
get yelled at by old people.
write things you have never read.
institute the new world order.
enable your reality.
do real estate things.
I think that was me - IIRC, my normal refrain, back when I was at UWZero, was that the planner is "the one who helps to ensure that that vacant land that is behind your nice new house doesn't become a scrapyard or rendering plant".
Mike
I always found it very difficult to describe the work of a planner without sounding like a boring regulator/development cop/bureaucrat. The key, I think, is to emphasize the facets that work that involve helping the community shape its long-term growth versus the minutiae of setbacks and development controls.
FIFY
But my metal car repair building on Main Street will create jobs and taxes. Long-term be damned!
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