PLAN 502
Planning Theory and Policy
Course Outline – Fall 2015
Instructor:
Lecture:
Don Alexander PhD MCIP RPP
Section F15N70
Wednesdays
9 a.m. to noon
Building 315, Room 112
Office Hours: Wednesdays, 8 to 9 a.m.
Building 359, Room 215/ 753-3245,
ex. 2261
Email:
or by appointment
don.alexander@viu.ca
Course Synopsis
PLAN 502- Planning Theory and Policy
3 credits
This course examines theory and policy in the context of planning practice, touching on the
philosophies and methodologies that have shaped this practice. It is established from the outset that
there is no agreed upon “planning theory”; ideally through this you will begin to articulate your own
informed approach to planning.
You will have an opportunity to critically examine traditional and contemporary theories of planning.
The course will emphasize the idea of context – from social, historical, economic and political
perspectives – and how this shapes the role of the planner and impacts on the planner’s practice. From
the public good to citizen participation, equity to attitudes toward land, this course will examine the
complexities of theory and policy that impact the practices of planning in ways both positive and
negative.
Course themes and components include: the evolution of planning thought, current debates in
planning, the role of the planner and the context in which he or she works (including the ‘municipal
ecosystem’), urban restructuring in the 21st century in a globalizing world, changing planning
imperatives, including climate change and other ecological crises; and power relationships related to
capital/wealth, gender and sexual orientation, ethnicity, ability, and participation in decision-making.
You will gain an understanding of the following in this course:




Planning theories, principles, and practices
The development of planning theory and relationship to other disciplines
The evolution of different planning perspectives
Processes and tools of policy-making.
Required Text (additional readings will be assigned as needed)
Fainstein, S. and S. Campbell, eds. 2012. Readings in Planning Theory (3rd edition). Oxford: WileyBlackwell.
Highly Recommended
Fainstein, S. and S. Campbell, eds. 2012. Readings in Urban Theory (3rd edition). Oxford: WileyBlackwell.
The required text is available at the bookstore, as are some copies of the latter.
Recommended
Michael Larice and Elizabeth Macdonald, eds., 2013. The Urban Design Reader (2nd ed.). New York:
Routledge.
PLAN 502 Page 2
_____________________
Given the U.S. bias of the text, I recommend the following: *Planning Canadian Communities (6th ed.) by Gerald
Hodge and David Gordon (Toronto: Nelson Educational, 2014); Canadian Local Government: An Urban
Perspective (2nd ed.) by Andrew Sancton (Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 2015); *Urban Canada (3rd ed.) ed.
by Harry Hiller (Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 2014), and Canadian Cities in Transition: Perspectives for An
Urban Age (5th ed.) ed. Pierre Filion, et al. (Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 2015). *IN VIU LIBRARY
Structure of the Course

The lectures will build on the information in the readings. URLs or items placed on reserve will be
used for additional readings. There will be no D2L for this course. However, all PowerPoints and
assignment instructions will be available on my web site at: web.viu.ca/alexander2 under
“Courses.”

It is expected that all assigned readings will be completed prior to each lecture and that you will be
prepared to actively participate in class discussions. You will be evaluated on your class
participation and professionalism – this means more than just class attendance.

No incomplete grade (INC) will be awarded except under exceptional circumstances. No substitute
or make-up assignments will be permitted in this course.

All assignments must be submitted in class. E-mailed assignments will be accepted
only under exceptional circumstances.

The correct format for file labeling is: Firstname Lastname Assignment # (for example,
Don_Alexander_policyreview_#1).
Distribution of Marks, Exam Dates and Assignment Due Dates
Review of planning policies
Outline of major paper
Major paper
Presentation
You will provide a review of five
planning policies
Due 7th week of class
Due 4 th week of class
Topic is your choice (confirmed by
professor and relating to a topic
discussed in class/readings)
Due 12th week of class
Presentations in the last week of classes
40%
10% pass/fail
40%
10%
Requirements will be discussed and marking rubrics will be provided in class for all assignments.
Assignments
Assignment #1: Planning Policies
 You will provide a review of five planning policies (the scope and range will be discussed in class)
relating to the same issue. Topics could include environmental (e.g. climate adapation);
transportation – transit or cycle- or pedestrian-friendly design; housing affordability; arts and
culture; heritage; parks and recreation; age-friendly communities, public space/urban design, etc.
PLAN 502 Page 3
_____________________




Three will be from municipal governments, one from a regional district, and one from a First
Nation. If you can’t find a First Nations or regional district example for your chosen area of interest,
then you can add additional municipal or regional district examples, or even a non-government
organization.
You will examine the origins and intent of the policies, compare/contrast the content of the selected
policies and their relative effectiveness. Please pay attention to other influences that may have
caused the policies to be compromised, distorted, or non-operational.
Your assignment will be shared informally with the rest of the class.
Due October 21st.
Assignment #2: Outline of Major Paper
 This assignment is worth 10% of the final mark.
 You will provide a detailed outline of your final paper, including an annotated bibliography. Each
annotation should be one or two paragraphs in length.
 The outline should indicate the structure of the paper and the approximate page or partial page
length of each section.
 You should confirm their topic with the instructor prior to completing any significant work on this
topic to ensure the topic qualifies as relating to planning theory and policy.
 Due October 7th.
Assignment #3: Research Paper
You will develop a research paper on a land use planning topic of interest to you, and show how
planning theory – explicitly or implicitly – influences how it is handled.
Parameters
 Minimum 20 page paper (excluding title page and bibliography)
 Double spaced, one inch margins
 Font: 11 or 12 pt.
 Diagrams/tables/graphics may be included if relevant.

Due November 25th.
Structure of Paper – use this format exactly.
1. Title: An effective, accurate title.
2. Abstract: What is the point of your paper? Review abstracts in key planning journals for good
examples on how to present your paper in an abstract. 150 word maximum.
3. Introduction: From a planning issue of significance to you, introduce the topic/idea you are
exploring in your paper. Why is this important?
4. Literature Review: From academic references, develop your topic. Who is doing research in this
area, and what is being determined? Who are the leaders/key researchers? Are there debates/
different points of view on this issue among practitioners and academics? Discuss, at minimum, 20
academic and professional sources and present this information as a literature review.
5. Analysis- What do you have to say about this topic? What is the context within the wider
area/issues in this theoretical field? (for instance, geographically-specific issues or key stakeholders)
PLAN 502 Page 4
_____________________
6. Summary/Conclusion- summarizes your paper by drawing the links between your research and
your own opinions on this topic/idea.
7. Bibliography: cite at minimum the sources referenced in the literature review. You may, of
course, cite more. Important: References must be quoted in an academic format (recommended
format is APA style or in the style of a selected academic journal. Be consistent).
Marking:
Content - focuses on the idea of the paper, whether or not the criteria was followed =50%
Organization - structure of the paper, clarity and logic, transitions =25%
Quality of the Writing - includes grammar/ syntax, punctuation and citations =25%
Assignment #4: Major Paper Presentation
 Complete a 10-12 minute presentation of the major paper
 Include a PowerPoint or other visuals

Due last week.
The presentation must include the following:
1. Identification of the theoretical topic under discussion
2. Review of academic works referenced
3. Issues identified through your research
4. Wider context
5. Analysis
Marking of Presentation:
 Presentation: eye contact with audience, no continuous reading from notecards or slides, fluent
speech, poised, good interaction = 30%
 Organization: logical order, integrated graphics, no errors in spelling/grammar =10%
 Content: meets requirements (above) = 50%
 Creativity: provide interesting discussion on issues = 10%
 For each minute less than 10 minutes deduct 5% from total mark; no presentations to exceed
15 minutes.
Student Conduct and Feedback
 Plagiarism is an academic offense. For a complete listing of academic misconduct and associated
penalties, refer to Policy 99.01, available online and in the VIU Calendar. Plagiarism includes
wholesale cutting and pasting from internet sources. Be extremely careful as to the extent of use
and the sources consulted when doing on-line research.
 Dissatisfaction with any grade received on an exam and/or an assignment must be lodged with the
instructor within 48 hours upon receipt.
Grading System
The following percentage equivalents will then be converted to a final letter grade for the course.
PLAN 502 Page 5
_____________________
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
90-100%
85-89%
80-84%
76-79%
72-75%
68-71%
64-67%
60-63%
55-59%
50-54%
0%-49%
Excellent (First Class Standing)
Good
Satisfactory
Poor
Failing Work
Lecture Schedule- This schedule is a guideline and as such is subject to change as the term
progresses.
Date
Week 1 (Sept. 9)
Week 2 (Sept. 16)
Topic



Week 3 (Sept. 23)


Week 4 (Sept. 30)


Week 5 (Oct. 7)



Planning program orientation/ charrette
The Structures and Debates of Planning Theory – Susan
Fainstein and Scott Campbell
Urban Utopias in the Twentieth Century – Robert
Fishman
Authoritarian High Modernism – James Scott
The Death and Life of Great American Cities – Jane The
Good City: In Defense of Utopian Thinking – John
Friedmann
Introduction to Part III
Utilitarianism’s Bad Breath? A re-evaluation of the
public interest justification for planning – Heather
Campbell and Robert Marshall
Planning the Capitalist City – Richard Foglesong
Figure-Ground Diagram – Wikipedia
The Modernist City and the Death of the Street – James
Holston. In Setha M. Low (ed.).
Text Chapter(s)
Introduction
1
2
3
4
5
outline for final
project due
6
Theorizing the City: The New Urban Anthropology
Reader. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers
University Press. pp. 245-276.
(https://books.google.ca/books?id=2sfLbRmu7xYC&pg=PA245&lpg=P
A245&dq=The+Modernist+City+and+the+Death+of+the+Street&sour
ce=bl&ots=3PFktNQklQ&sig=UQIdM8wLOGr33SOv0B9heHxXSk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAWoVChMI4qn
gh6HbxwIVjpmICh0ePQKB#v=onepage&q=The%20Modernist%20City
%20and%20the%20Death%20of%20the%20Street&f=false)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure-ground_diagram
Urban Design After Battery Park City – Tim Love





Introduction to Part III
Planning Theory and the City – Susan Fainstein
The Science of Muddling Through – Charles Lindblom
Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning – Paul Davidoff
Comparison of Current Planning Theories: Counterparts
7
Week 6 (Oct. 14)
8
9
10
PLAN 502 Page 6
_____________________
and Contradictions – Barclay Hudson
(http://www.pibc.bc.ca/sites/default/files/ExamB-B.Hudson1979Comparison%20of%20Current%20Planning%20Theories.pdf)
Week 7 (Oct. 21)



Challenges of Deliberation and Participation – John
Forester
Traditions of Planning Thought – Patsy Healey
See also www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/come-hellor-high-water-the-disaster-scenario-that-is-southflorida/article25552300/ to highlight the issue of “wicked
11
12
Policy assignment
due
problems”
Week 8 (Oct. 28)



Week 9 (Nov. 4)
Week 10 [campus
closed for Remembrance
Day; continue reading on
your own]
Week 11 (Nov. 18th)
Week 12 (Nov. 25th)


















Week 13 (Dec. 2nd)

Introduction to Part IV
The Implications of Public-Private Partnerships on the
Development of Urban Public Transit Infrastructure –
Matti Siemiatycki
Collective Ownership and Community Control and
Development – James deFilippis
Bringing Power to Planning Research – Bent Flyvbjerg
Introduction to Part V
Inclusion and Democracy – Iris Marion Young
The Minority-Race Planner in the Quest for a Just City –
June Manning Thomas
Nurturing Mom, Home, and Apple Pie – Delores Hayden
Planning as a Heterosexist Project – Michael Frisch
See also Chapters 7, 9 & 11 in Harry Hiller (ed.)
Introduction to Part VI
Green Cities, Growing Cities, Just Cities – Scott
Campbell
PIBC Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct –
Planning Institute of BC
(http://www.pibc.bc.ca/content/official-documents)
Public Policy as Discursive Construct – Frank Fischer
The Mauling of Public Space – Margaret Kohn
See also Chapter 17 in Hodge and Gordon
Introduction to Part VII
Re-examining the International Diffusion of Planning –
Steven Ward
Political Strategies for More Livable Cities – Peter Evans
Is History Repeating Itself? From Urban Renewal in the
United States to Inner-City Redevelopment in China –
Yan Zhang and Ke Fang
Re-engaging Planning Theory: Towards “South-Eastern”
Perspectives – Oren Yiftachel
Class Presentations; Review & Synthesis
Journals
Alternatives Journal (AJ)
Australian Planner
Canadian Planning and Policies Journal
Cities: The International Journal of Urban Policy and Planning
Environment and Planning
International Planning Perspectives
Journal of the American Planning Association
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
22
23
24
25
26
27
Major assignment
due
PLAN 502 Page 7
_____________________
Journal of Planning Education and Research
Journal of Planning History
Journal of Planning Literature
Journal of Transport and Land Use
Landscape and Urban Planning
Local Environment
Municipal World
Plan Canada
Planning Theory
Planning West
Transportation
Urban Affairs Review
Urban Geography
Urban Studies
and many more….
Web Sites
About Planning Directory
[http://www.about planning.org/directory.html]
American Planning Association (see on-line journal, Planning, and recent conference proceedings at
http://www.planning.org)
Canadian Institute of Planners
[http://www.cip-icu.ca/English/aboutplan/]
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
[http://www.cmhc.ca]
Canadian Urban Institute
[http://www.canurb.com]
Center for Livable Communities
[http://www.lgc.org/center/]
Congress for the New Urbanism
[http://www.cnu.org/index.cfm]
Cyburbia
[http://www.cyurbia.org/]
Design for Sustainability
[http://www.dcs.sala.ubc.ca/]
Dynamic Cities
[http://www.dynamiccities.org]
Ideas Into Action: The University of British Columbia and the 2006 World Urban Forum, Vancouver
Working Group Discussion Papers
[http://www.ahva.ubc.ca/WUF/papers/index.html]
Lincoln Institute for Land Policy (see particularly “Visualizing Sprawl”)
[http://www.lincolninst.edu/index-high.asp]
New Urban News
[http://www.newurbannews.com]
Planetizen
[http://www.planetizen.com/]
Planners Web
[http://www.plannersweb.com/]
Smart Growth Online
[http://www.smartgrowth.org/default.asp]
Techniques of Urban Sustainability: Urban Villages (by Jeff Kenworthy)
[http://www.sustainability.murdoch.edu.au/casestudies/Case_Studies_Asia/urbvill/urbvill.htm]
Union of BC Municipalities
[http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/]
Urban Land Institute
[http://www.uli.org/DK/index.cfm?CFID=413390&CFTOKEN=67735548]
Victoria Transportation Policy Institute
[http://www.vtpi.org]
and many more…..