Opportunity Awaits!
Planners are actively engaged in most aspects of the community, but in particular the physical components. Here are a few of the activities planners are involved in:
Environmental Protection
Development often infringes on sensitive environmental areas. Planning seeks to protect wetlands, steep slopes, floodplains, prime agricultural land and wildlife habitat.
Local Food Systems
Planners create and promote farmers markets, urban agriculture, healthy food choices in low-income neighborhoods, and food pantries for the poor.
Housing
Planners ensure there is a diversity of housing stock for lifestyles of all types, including affordable housing programs for low-income residents.
Hazards
Natural hazards threaten many communities. Planners work to reduce the community's risk and to help communities to recover from disasters.
Mapping
Planners use computerized geographic information systems (GIS) to map issues and produce alternative response plans. They also inventory the community's assets.
Design
Communities need great places. Planners design public parks, commercial corridors, entertainment districts, complete streets, and residential developments to be aesthetically pleasing and socially inviting.
Jobs
Planners work to bring businesses to their community that will provide the needed goods and services, employ the community's residents, and drive the tax base that funds the community, publicly and privately.
Sustainability
Planners work to create communities that protect their natural environment while remaining economically resilient and socially equitable.
Facilitation
Planners help residents of the community form their vision of the ideal future of the community, using techniques that assist groups to make decisions collectively.
How do community planners spend their days?
Most planners work for a city or county government. There they interact with the public in a professional setting and meet with elected officials regarding planning matters. They review development proposals, perform statistical and spatial analyses, and respond with memoranda, technical reports, planning documents, ordinances, and public presentations. Additionally, planners must spend time in the field assessing developments and enforcing ordinances.
Those planners who do not work directly for government often serve as private consultants with particular expertise, or as nonprofit advocates for specific community issues. Some take positions with real estate developers as development designers or assist the moving of proposals through the land regulation system.
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How much do planners earn?
According to the American Planning Association, median annual wages for community planners was $70,000 in 2010, with the highest 25 percent earning more than $95,000.
What is the job outlook or placement rate for planners?
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts jobs in planning will grow 19% between 1998 and 2008, nearly double the rate for all other occupations, as a whole. The number of planning positions in private consulting firms are forecast to grow more quickly than those in the public sector.
In both 2009 and 2011, US News and World Report selected planning as one of the Best Careers of the Year . In 2007, Environmental Magazine also selected planning as one of the "10 Great Green Opportunities."
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