This dictionary, a revised an updated edition of the Planning Advisory Service's best selling Glossary of Zoning, Development, and Planning Terms, contains more than 4,200 terms used by planners around the nation. This new edition contains an introduction by Harvey Moscowitz, FAICP, chief editor of The Illustrated Book of Development Definitions, and Carl Lindbloom, AICP. Contributors include many APA Research Department staff, who culled hundreds of ordinances, plans, and planning documents to offer readers choices of definitions and commentaries that add depth and value to the dictionary. The report includes a CD-ROM in PDF format (requires Acrobat Reader, a free download from www.adobe.com) with a built-in search function, which greatly increases usability. A Planner's Dictionary is an essential desk reference.

This unique, multilingual, encyclopedic dictionary in two volumes covers terms regularly used in landscape and urban planning, as well as environmental protection. The languages are American and British English, Spanish (with many Latin-American equivalents), French, and German. The encyclopedia also provides various interpretations of the terms at the planning, legal or technical level, which make its meaning more precise and its usage clearer.

The latest edition of The Illustrated Book of Development Definitions breaks new ground. It addresses traditional and new planning problems: natural and industrial disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills; new housing types and living accommodations; changes in urban design and practice like new urbanism; sustainability; pedestrian and bicycle friendly environments; and more. Joining Harvey S. Moskowitz and Carl G. Lindbloom, authors of the first three editions, are two prominent, nationally known planners: David Listokin and Richard Preiss. Attorney Dwight H. Merriam adds legal annotations to almost all 2,276 definitions. These citations from court decisions bridge the gap between land use theory and real world application, bringing a new dimension to this edition. More than 20,000 copies of previous editions were sold over four decades to professionals and government representatives, such as members of planning and zoning boards and municipal governing bodies. This first revision in ten years updates what is widely acknowledged as an essential, standard reference for planners.

Illustrated definitions are rarely found in zoning and development ordinances. Ordinances prefer the "thousand words" rather than the "single picture." Illustrations greatly simplify how standards should be applied, particularly where the lot or parcel is irregularly shaped or where there are a number of variables present, each of which might have an impact on how the ordinance might apply in a specific situation. This best-selling resource has been the mainstay of the planner's bookshelf since its first publication and it differs from other books and publications containing development definitions in three major respects: It is illustrated; most of the definitions are designed to be used directly in ordinances with little or no change; and the more complex definitions are accompanied by commentaries and annotations that explain how the definition may be used in an ordinance, along with background information pertinent to the definition. This expanded edition standardizes in one handy reference all the key terms used in zoning, subdivision, site plan, and environmental ordinances. In all, it contains 1,957 definitions and 103 illustrations that can be incorporated in local ordinances with little or no change. Written and illustrated by two professional planners with nearly eighty years of combined experience in the practice of planning and zoning, this is a basic working tool and required reference for anyone involved in land development planning and regulation.

Across the country, communities rely on their planning commissions for guidance. But who guides the planning commissioners? This step-by-step guidebook gets new commissioners off on the right foot and helps experienced commission members navigate their roles. The authors, all practicing planners, have worked extensively with planning commissions for decades. They have watched commissioners scramble up a steep learning curve, sit in the hot seat of controversy, and strive to make sound decisions for the places they call home. In this helpful handbook, the authors share ideas, insights, and information to help commissioners succeed. Eight detailed chapters cover everything from the nuts and bolts of development applications to the nuances of legal issues to the part commissioners play in long-range planning. Readers will learn how to prepare for their first commission meeting, review a development plan, invite productive public input, and steer clear of ethical dilemmas. Added resources include a glossary of planning terms, a list of training resources, and the American Planning Association’s Statement of Ethical Principles in Planning. For anyone serving on a planning commission, The Planning Commissioners Guide is essential reading.