Urban and Regional Planners

• Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community plans.
• Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
• Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
• Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
• Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
• Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
• Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
• Advocate for sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups.
• Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes.
• Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
• Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
• Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems.
• Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
• Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
• Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables such as population density.
• Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation.
• Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs.
• Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Urban and Regional Planners.

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Urban and Regional Planners.