For urban planners, it’s easy to focus on the negatives of the job. Los Angeles County Planner Clement Lau reminds us of some of the positive trends in planning, especially in Los Angeles.
For Los Angeles area urban planners, the job is a glass half full.
The positive trends and developments in planning for California’s largest city and county outweigh any drawbacks, opines Clement Lau, a parks and recreation planner for Los Angeles County.
The positives for planners include collaborative relationships with constituents, vastly improving public transit infrastructure, and indispensable tools like GIS that assist planners in their work.
He goes on to cite data about the rise of planning in popular culture as other reasons why the picture is rosy for planners.
“I am grateful that I have a career, not just a job, as I have been given opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute ever since I joined the County of Los Angeles as an entry-level planner. Specifically, over the years, I have been able to gain knowledge and experience in a wide range of planning issues including parks and recreation, land use and zoning, coastal and environmental protection, and housing and community development.”
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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