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THE PROFESSION OF PLANNING
Michael Geller
World Town Planning Day November 8 and the Role of the Town Planner
At UniverCity on Burnaby Mountain, Michael Geller and a team of planners have planned an entire new community.
People are often uncertain when asked about the role of a town planner.
That may be since among the approximately 7000 planning professionals across Canada— of which approximately 1400 are in British Columbia, there is considerable variety.
On November 8, planners in 30 countries around the world celebrate World Town Planning Day. It is a day to recognize the importance of community planning, an oftentimes contentious discipline that brings together professional planners, builders and developers, politicians, special interest groups, and the general public.
Since 1949, World Town Planning Day has focused on the progress of community planning across Canada and four continents. It highlights the valuable contributions planners have made to the quality of the human environment and provides recognition of the ideals of community planning among the profession and the general public world-wide.
So, what is a planner?
There are city or urban planners hired by the private sector, such as developers, property owners, and engineering firms, and there are city or urban planners employed by the public sector, for example, federal, provincial, and local governments, and myriad public agencies and institutions.
Many planners focus on what is called current land-use planning. They are the people we see at public information meetings or standing before City Council. Other planners tend to specialize in long-term landuse planning, regional planning, urban design, and transportation planning.
Increasingly, planners are specializing in heritage preservation, environmental planning, parks and recreation, resource management, and economic development. In recent years, housing planners have become a particularly busy group.
In developing a plan for a particular property, neighbourhood, or community, urban planners must take into account a wide array of considerations including Official Community Plans and zoning bylaws and other relevant legislation, sustainability, traffic congestion, air pollution, neighbourhood crime, and land values.
The importance of the urban planner has been increasing throughout the 21st century, especially in many parts of British Columbia as we begin to face increased population growth, climate change, and other impacts of unsustainable development. Consequently, an urban planner can no longer be considered a white collar or blue collar professional; he or she is becoming a “green collar” professional.
Professional Planners in British Columbia are members of the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) that has been dedicated to the advancement of the planning profession for more than 50 years. Fully qualified Professional or Certified members of PIBC have the exclusive right and privilege to utilize the professional title “Registered Professional Planner” and “RPP” designation in British Columbia.
They may also use the designation “MCIP” to indicate their professional status nationally with the Canadian Institute of Planners. Those who have made an exceptional contribution are
As a planner, working with the community and city planners, Michael Geller spent 5 years transforming a former BC Packers property in Vancouver into Deering Island, where many homes have private boat moorage.
Public spaces, like the new town square at UniverCity on Burnaby Mountain, can foster healthier communities.
honoured with the designation Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners or “FCIP.”
Professional planners throughout British Columbia, especially in the Lower Mainland, are faced with challenges due in large part to our constricted land supply and high desirability as a place to live and work.
Looking to the future, I see three areas where there is a need for concerted efforts by planners, working closely with other professionals, governments, and the public. • The first relates to housing affordability. The fact is, our housing supply is not keeping up with demand and, too often, the types of housing being built are too expensive for first-time buyers. Much is reported about the need for density. While many question whether more density will necessarily lead to more affordability, there is a consensus among planners that it is extremely difficult to have affordability without density.
• The second area relates to physical health. While many people might question what planning has to do with health, it is worth noting that the initial purpose of zoning was to protect health by separating noxious and residential uses. Today, that is not really a challenge.
Research by UBC’s Dr. Lawrence Frank and others has, however, revealed that the planning of a neighbourhood can have a direct bearing on the physical health of its residents. Children who can bike or walk to school are less likely to be obese than those who must be driven.
Similarly, adults living in dense, walkable, and complete
Professional planners sometimes get the opportunity to plan entire new communities. Michael Geller is working with numerous planners on the completion of the Furry Creek community along the Sea-to-Sky Corridor. neighbourhoods are more likely to be healthier. To find out how healthy your neighbourhood is, check its walkability index at http://www.walkscore.com/. • The third area is community health. As revealed by recent
Vancouver Foundation surveys, despite the increased density of new developments, there appears to be a growing sense of disconnection and isolation among residents of many Lower
Mainland neighbourhoods.
Good planning can help address that by creating welcoming spaces where people want to congregate.
In some cases, that may be parks or a major public square.
In others, it might be a welldesigned communal garden or community space within a rental or condominium development.
On World Planning Day, British Columbia’s planners share their successes and challenges with planners around the world through online conferencing. While many BC residents may question whether our planners have been doing a good job, internationally BC’s planners are highly regarded for the quality of our urban and rural planning.
While there is much more to be done, that is something worth celebrating. s Michael Geller, Architect, AIBC, FCIP, RPP, MLAI, is a 30-year member of the PIBC and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners.
