What is UrbanPlan?

UrbanPlan is a project-based learning curriculum unit for high schools, universities, public agencies, and non-profit organizations. Bringing together disciplines such as economics, city government, real estate, and urban planning, UrbanPlan engages students, elected or appointed officials, and community members to consider the myriad of complex decisions that shape our built environment.

Mission

The mission of UrbanPlan is to create a more sophisticated level of discourse among local stakeholders involved in land use decisions through engaging today and tomorrow’s voters, neighbors, community leaders, public officials, and land use professionals so, together, we can create better communities.

Principal Objective

Participants who complete the UrbanPlan curriculum will understand 3 fundamental principles:

1. The built environment does not happen by accident or by mandate.
2. Good development must accommodate market realities as well as public needs and desires.
3. Our actions as citizens and consumers influence what is built, when it is built, and where it is built.

UrbanPlan is implemented in three formats, for three unique audiences.

1. High Schools: through a 15 class-hour project-based learning curriculum unit for high school juniors and seniors in economics and government classes.
2. Universities: through a 12-15 class-hour project-based learning curriculum unit for undergraduate or graduate students typically in land use focused disciplines: urban planning, real estate, architecture, urban design, law, etc.
3. Public Officials: through one-day, hands-on workshops, which are ideal for local decision makers who would like to learn more about the fundamental forces that shape and affect the built environment and the important leadership roles that elected and appointed officials play in the real estate development process.

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