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Career Details

19-3051.00 - Urban and Regional Planners


Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
38,000
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
40,400
Estimate
Change in Employment
+2,400
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+6.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
  • Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
  • Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density.
  • Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
  • Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
  • Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
  • 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.
  • Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure.
  • Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs.
  • Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
  • 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.
  • Advocate sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups.
  • Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation.
  • Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
  • Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems.
  • Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
  • Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes.
  • Investigate property availability for purposes of development.
Generic
  • Conduct interviews, surveys and site inspections concerning factors that affect land usage, such as zoning, traffic flow and housing.
  • Prepare reports, using statistics, charts, and graphs, to illustrate planning studies in areas such as population, land use, or zoning.
  • Prepare, develop and maintain maps and databases.
  • Prepare, maintain and update files and records, including land use data and statistics.
  • Research, compile, analyze and organize information from maps, reports, investigations, and books for use in reports and special projects.
  • Respond to public inquiries and complaints.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Law and Government
  • 92%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 English Language
  • 88%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Geography
  • 83%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
 Transportation
  • 81%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 Communications and Media
  • 72%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 Administration and Management
  • 69%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 68%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 66%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 61%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Design
  • 59%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Mathematics
  • 58%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 57%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 History and Archeology
  • 54%
    Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
 Clerical
  • 51%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Economics and Accounting
  • 51%
    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Cameras
  • 35 millimeter cameras
  • Digital camcorders
  • Digital cameras
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers
 Drafting supplies
  • Drafting scales
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Global positioning system GPS receivers
 Computer printers
  • Laser printers
  • Plotters
 Personal communication devices
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Two way radios
 Projectors and supplies
  • Overhead projectors
  • Slide projectors
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • 3D urban simulation modeling softwareHOT
  • Accela PERMITS Plus
  • Accela Tidemark Advantage
  • Autodesk 3ds Max DesignHOT
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • Autodesk AutoCAD MAP3DHOT
  • Bentley MicroStationHOT
  • Caliper TransCADHOT
  • Citilabs TRANPLAN
  • CommunityVizHOT
  • Computer aided design CAD softwareHOT
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKSHOT
  • e-on VUEHOT
  • ESRI What if?
  • Location allocation decision support system LADSS
  • MultiGen Paradigm 3D GISHOT
  • Scientific Software Group ModTech
  • Tangible Media Group Luminous TableHOT
  • Transportation planning software
  • Trimble SketchUp ProHOT
  • UrbanSimHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Accela KIVA DMSHOT
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP softwareHOT
  • Sage Timeslips
  • SAPHOT
  • WorkTech MAXIMOHOT
 Content management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AcrobatHOT
  • Interwoven software
 Development software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
  • Extensible markup language XMLHOT
  • Hypertext markup language HTMLHOT
  • Oracle JavaHOT
  • Software development tools
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Freehand
  • Adobe Systems Adobe IllustratorHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesignHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker
  • Adobe Systems Adobe PhotoshopHOT
  • Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
  • Desktop publishing software
  • Graphics software
  • IBM Lotus 1-2-3
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Presentation software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software
 Business function specific software
  • Corel WordPerfect
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • Microsoft SharePointHOT
  • Oracle Primavera Systems
 Information exchange software
  • Criterion Planners INDEX
  • Email software
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • ESRI ArcGIS softwareHOT
  • ESRI ArcInfo
  • ESRI ArcView
  • ESRI software
  • Geographic information system GIS softwareHOT
  • Geomechanical design analysis GDA software
  • IBM Lotus Notes
  • Intergraph MGE
  • ITC Integrated Land and Water Information System ILWIS
  • ITSpatial InterSCOPE
  • Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • PlanGraphics Citywide GIS Utility
  • RockWare ArcMap
  • Spatial decision support systems SDSS software
  • Telogis GeoBase
 Data management and query software
  • Data mining software
  • Database software
  • dBASE
  • Land management databases
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • Oracle
  • Street address databases
  • Structured query language SQLHOT
 Network applications software
  • RhinoSoft FTP Voyager
  • Web browser software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Brightpoint Community College
Eastern Shore Community College
Germanna Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Laurel Ridge Community College
Mountain Gateway Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Southside Virginia Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Virginia Western Community College
Wytheville Community College