Making Places Special
Stories of Real Places Made Better by Planning

By Gene Bunnell, 2002

When communities succeed, good choices based on good planning rarely get the credit. Gene Bunnell takes us behind the scenes in 10 exceptional "best" places from tiny Block Island, Rhode Island, to booming San Diego, California where good planning triumphed. Their stories prove that it is possible to make places better by adopting thoughtful public policy based on careful planning.

MAKING PLACES SPECIAL should open the eyes of those who believe that planning always fails, and curb the impatience of others who expect planners to solve problems "right now." Although good planning sometimes takes decades to bear fruit, the long-term quality and livability of communities should not be left to chance.

The author visited and photographed each city and interviewed hundreds of planners, architects, elected officials, and citizens. Their first-person accounts and Bunnell's insightful narrative describe how planning helped to weave local geography, history, economy and society into a distinctive community fabric.

The case studies will inspire planners and anyone who has faith that policy decisions based on solid planning can actually make places better. It's essential reading for planning commissioners, elected officials, and other community leaders who must consider the future impact of today's land and development decisions. Planning instructors will find its illustrated case studies and electronic format ideal for classroom presentations.

The hard cover book includes five case studies, illustrated with black and white photos, and the author's introduction, conclusions, community profiles, and references. The companion CD includes the entire text of the book and five additional case studies, plus color photographs of all.

A companion CD is packaged with this book. Available now in hard cover for $49.95. 559 pages. ISBN: 1-884829-58-9

Order information can be found at the APA Store, Planners Book Service: http://www.planning.org/bookservice/ 

Zoning News

It's a fact. The zoning problem you're struggling with today has probably already been solved by somebody else. But how can you find out what's working without spending a lot of your valuable time?

Zoning News will tell you. APA's practical four-page newsletter monitors all the latest trends in local land-use controls. Each month Zoning News brings you current news and ordinance excerpts from sources all across the country.

Learn What Works�There's no better way to learn what works than through actual case studies. Zoning News' succinct articles explore the real-world issues you're facing on the job.

Learn From the Best�Over the years, Zoning News has featured articles by leading authorities in the field such as Randall Arendt, Tom Daniels, Christopher Duerksen, Edward Ziegler and Douglas Porter, to name a few.

Stay on the Cutting Edge�With zoning practice constantly changing, how can you stay on the cutting edge? Zoning News will keep you there. Our lead articles update you on innovative code amendments, development projects, regulatory systems, and design standards, while our "Zoning Reports" section reviews innovative, hard-to-find agency reports.

Work Smarter�Don't spend time searching fruitlessly for the information you need! Zoning News' concise four-page format puts news of current zoning practice right at your fingertips, month after month. Unlike other publications, Zoning News is exclusively devoted to the subject.

Published quarterly, The Commissioner newsletter is for planning commissioners and other appointed and elected officials. The publication comes as part of the membership package for commissioners and officials. Join APA now to start receiving your newsletter and the monthly Planning magazine.

Selected past articles are posted on the website. For a complete list of articles, click here. You may also use the publications database to search by topic.

Are you interested in submitting an article of a news item to the newsletter? Contact the editor or call the Director of Education at 312-786-6386. We are looking for articles that highlight best practices, skills for planning commissioners and officials, innovative programs, or reflections on the role of the planning commission. Letters to the editor are also welcome.

To help the hard working volunteer and elected officials, APA provides special services and programs, including this newsletter.

The Planning Commissioners Journal

The Planning Commssioners Journal is the nation's principal publication designed for citizen planners, including (but certainly not limited to) members of local planning commissions and zoning boards. Over 7,500 citizen planners in all 50 states receive the PCJ.

We make every effort to ensure that what we run is clear & understandable to non-professionals. We have also put considerable effort into ensuring that each quarterly issue of the PCJ is attractively designed and easy-to-read.

The PCJ covers a wide range of planning issues -- including how citizen planners can work most effectively. Our regular columnists discuss topics such as: how do you deal with the media; the basics of putting together a comprehensive plan; conflicts of interest & ex-parte communications; running an effective meeting; developing good staff-commissioner relations -- and many, many more.

The best indication we have that the PCJ is on-target is the fact that over 90% of our trial subscribers renew their subscriptions -- an exceptionally high rate.