The Value of Planning in Your Community

Reframing the Voice of Planning

As part of a larger effort to increase awareness of planning and boost the influence planners have on vital local and state issues, APA is seeking input for how members currently view themselves, their values, and their impact on communities.  

By completing this anonymous survey with candid responses about your experience working with local officials, as well as your views on the role of planning in the communities you support, you can help us begin to "Reframe the Voice of Planning."

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* 1. Are you an APA member?

Yes

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* 2. What is your race or ethnicity?

Prefer Not to Say

Asian

Black or African American

Hispanic or Latino

Middle Eastern or North African

Multiracial or Multiethnic

Native American or Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

White

Another race or ethnicity, please describe below

Self-describe below:

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* 3. In what state do you practice planning?

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* 4. What size is your community?

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* 5. What is your job title?

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* 6. What area of planning do you primarily practice?

Other (please specify)

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* 7. How long have you been a practicing planner?

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* 8. What first drew you to planning?

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* 9. Was there anything that surprised you about being a planner once you started practicing?

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* 10. How frequently are you making decisions with local elected and appointed officials regarding each of the following:

	Always	Often	Sometimes	Never
Development	Development Always	Development Often	Development Sometimes	Development Never
Funding	Funding Always	Funding Often	Funding Sometimes	Funding Never
Zoning	Zoning Always	Zoning Often	Zoning Sometimes	Zoning Never
Transportation	Transportation Always	Transportation Often	Transportation Sometimes	Transportation Never
Housing	Housing Always	Housing Often	Housing Sometimes	Housing Never
Climate Change and Resilience	Climate Change and Resilience Always	Climate Change and Resilience Often	Climate Change and Resilience Sometimes	Climate Change and Resilience Never

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* 11. Why might a local official seek out your opinion, and on what topics?

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* 12. Do you feel you have influence over the decision-making process in your community?

Yes, I have influence

Sometimes I have influence

Rarely do I have influence

No, I do not have influence

Yes, I have influence

Sometimes I have influence

Rarely do I have influence

No, I do not have influence

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* 13. Are you comfortable proactively expressing your opinions on a local planning issue to local officials?

Yes

Explain why or why not.

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* 14. How would you describe the relationship between local officials and planners in your community?

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* 15. In your ideal world, what would the relationship between local officials and planners look like?

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* 16. How confident do you feel that the following individuals understand the role of planners in your community?

	Very confident	Somewhat confident	Skeptical	Not at all confident	N/A
Mayor	Mayor Very confident	Mayor Somewhat confident	Mayor Skeptical	Mayor Not at all confident	Mayor N/A
Deputy Mayor	Deputy Mayor Very confident	Deputy Mayor Somewhat confident	Deputy Mayor Skeptical	Deputy Mayor Not at all confident	Deputy Mayor N/A
Mayor's Chief of Staff	Mayor's Chief of Staff Very confident	Mayor's Chief of Staff Somewhat confident	Mayor's Chief of Staff Skeptical	Mayor's Chief of Staff Not at all confident	Mayor's Chief of Staff N/A
City Manager	City Manager Very confident	City Manager Somewhat confident	City Manager Skeptical	City Manager Not at all confident	City Manager N/A
Public Works Director	Public Works Director Very confident	Public Works Director Somewhat confident	Public Works Director Skeptical	Public Works Director Not at all confident	Public Works Director N/A

Why do you feel this way? Expand on your answers above.

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* 17. List three words that you think your mayor would use to describe planning. If your community does not have a mayor, write n/a and choose another local elected leader:

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* 18. List three words that you think your city manager would use to describe planning. If your community does not have a city manager, write n/a and choose another local appointed leader:

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* 19. How confident do you feel in your ability to communicate the importance of planning to your local officials?

Very confident

Somewhat confident

Not at all confident

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* 20. Are there any misconceptions or criticisms of planning you wish you could explain to local officials?

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* 21. If you had the attention of all your local officials, what is the one thing you would tell them about planning/planners?

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* 22. As a professional planner, what is your superpower? What is your kryptonite?

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* 23. What unique skills do planners bring to their community? What makes planners different than other allied professionals? (architects, other design professions, etc.)

The Value of Planning in Your Community

Reframing the Voice of Planning

Question Title

* 1. Are you an APA member?

Question Title

* 2. What is your race or ethnicity?

Question Title

* 3. In what state do you practice planning?

Question Title

* 4. What size is your community?

Question Title

* 5. What is your job title?

Question Title

* 6. What area of planning do you primarily practice?

Question Title

* 7. How long have you been a practicing planner?

Question Title

* 8. What first drew you to planning?

Question Title

* 9. Was there anything that surprised you about being a planner once you started practicing?

Question Title

* 10. How frequently are you making decisions with local elected and appointed officials regarding each of the following:

Question Title

* 11. Why might a local official seek out your opinion, and on what topics?

Question Title

* 12. Do you feel you have influence over the decision-making process in your community?

Question Title

* 13. Are you comfortable proactively expressing your opinions on a local planning issue to local officials?

Question Title

* 14. How would you describe the relationship between local officials and planners in your community?

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* 15. In your ideal world, what would the relationship between local officials and planners look like?

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* 16. How confident do you feel that the following individuals understand the role of planners in your community?

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* 17. List three words that you think your mayor would use to describe planning. If your community does not have a mayor, write n/a and choose another local elected leader:

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* 18. List three words that you think your city manager would use to describe planning. If your community does not have a city manager, write n/a and choose another local appointed leader:

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* 19. How confident do you feel in your ability to communicate the importance of planning to your local officials?

Question Title

* 20. Are there any misconceptions or criticisms of planning you wish you could explain to local officials?

Question Title

* 21. If you had the attention of all your local officials, what is the one thing you would tell them about planning/planners?

Question Title

* 22. As a professional planner, what is your superpower? What is your kryptonite?

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* 23. What unique skills do planners bring to their community? What makes planners different than other allied professionals? (architects, other design professions, etc.)

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* 24. What to you is the value of planning?

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* 25. May we contact you for a more in-depth conversation about your perceptions of planning? If yes, please provide an email address below.

* 14. How would you describe the relationship between local officials and planners in your community?

* 15. In your ideal world, what would the relationship between local officials and planners look like?

* 18. List three words that you think your city manager would use to describe planning. If your community does not have a city manager, write n/a and choose another local appointed leader:

* 21. If you had the attention of all your local officials, what is the one thing you would tell them about planning/planners?