Urban Planners Aid in Shaping Social Environment

Few people know what urban planners do. Paul Ireland, a veteran urban planner, said he struggles to define it.

“Urban planning covers a whole variety of tasks, “ he said. “It is really broad.”

Generally, urban planners study land use and make recommendations, to cities or to developers, about the multiple effects of urbanization on the environment and people living in the area.

“We have to look at things such as: Is there enough transportation and housing to support a new commercial center?” said Ireland, a partner in the Irvine planning firm Hogle Ireland Inc. “We also have to look at issues such as whether or not an appropriate amount of land is preserved for passive use in natural areas.” In other words, parks.

Most planners, according to Ireland, are driven by a desire to look around them and know that they have contributed to creating a comfortable and pleasant environment. “You can see the basic product, like a park or a building, and know that you had something to do with its creation,” he said.

Most urban planners have at least a bachelor’s degree in planning or a related field, such as geography or architecture. Many have master’s degrees and a few have Ph.D.s.

All planners must also have a good working knowledge of the law because so many of the decisions they make regarding land use are regulated by state, federal and county statutes.

“Virtually everything we do is grounded in some type of legislation. Zoning laws are local, but we must also know things like the California Environmental Quality Act, which is a state law.”

Though planning projects are time-consuming and involve dealing with numerous government bureaucracies, their efforts are well-compensated. Most entry-level planning jobs pay upward of $30,000, and seasoned planners with six years experience make $55,000 to $60,000 and upward a year.

OCCUPATION: URBAN PLANNER

* What’s involved: Urban planners advise cities and private interests, such as real estate developers, about the effect of urbanization.

* Qualifications: Most urban planners have undergraduate degrees in either urban planning, geography or architecture. Many have advanced degrees in the same fields.

* Outlook: By 1998, the number of urban planning jobs is projected to increase by 15.4% to 600.

* Salary range: Salaries start at about $30,000. Planners with six to seven years of experience earn about $55,000 to $60,000.

* Pros: Most urban planners receive satisfaction from the fact that they are contributing to their communities by making recommendations on land use.

* Cons: The process of evaluating a project, getting government approvals and writing environmental impact reports can be grueling and time consuming.

* Advancement: Planners can move up to management positions at planning agencies for cities or at a private firm.

* Quote: “I like that it gives me an opportunity to create and to have some influence in the world in which I live.”

--Paul Ireland

Researched by HOPE HAMASHIGE / Los Angeles Times