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The Effect of Mandated Planning on Plan Quality

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  • Gene Bunnell
  • Edward Jepson

Abstract

Problem: What is a “good plan”? Among their key goals, plans aim to communicate, influence and engage. Persuasiveness (the ability to engage and motivate) is, therefore, an essential plan quality. Unfortunately, all too many comprehensive plans lack this important quality. In addition, state planning mandates intended to strengthen planning can instead worsen this shortcoming. Purpose: To develop a methodology to measure and compare the communicative and persuasive qualities of plans in states with and without planning mandates. Methods: A specially designed protocol was developed to measure the communicative and persuasive qualities of comprehensive plans. Plans of 20 municipalities in states with planning mandates were compared with those of 20 municipalities in states without planning mandates. Statistical analyses of the results were conducted using the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney (U) test and simple t tests. Results and conclusions: Requiring local governments to prepare plans did not result in better plans—at least as measured by a protocol tailored specifically to assess the persuasiveness and communicative quality of plans. Plans prepared in mandate states were much more rigid and standardized than those prepared in nonmandate states. Nonmandated plans also scored much higher in terms of their narrative and storytelling qualities than mandated plans. Private consultant involvement in plan making significantly increased the communicative and persuasive qualities of plans. Takeaway for practice: Plans in all 40 municipalities fell far short of the ideal communicative and persuasive qualities set forth in the protocol. The deficiency was greatest in states with planning mandates. The involvement of private consultants had a positive impact on plan quality, while the provision of state funding for planning did not. Research support: None.

Suggested Citation

  • Gene Bunnell & Edward Jepson, 2011. "The Effect of Mandated Planning on Plan Quality," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 77(4), pages 338-353.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rjpaxx:v:77:y:2011:i:4:p:338-353
    DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2011.619951
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    Cited by:

    1. Shin Tu & Siyu Yu, 2023. "Urban Planning for Climate Change: Comparing Climate Adaptation Plans between Taipei and Boston," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Guyadeen, Dave & Henstra, Daniel & Kaup, Shivani & Wright, Grace, 2023. "Evaluating the quality of municipal strategic plans," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    3. Dave Guyadeen & Jason Thistlethwaite & Daniel Henstra, 2019. "Evaluating the quality of municipal climate change plans in Canada," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 152(1), pages 121-143, January.
    4. Norton, Richard K. & David, Nina P. & Buckman, Stephen & Koman, Patricia D., 2018. "Overlooking the coast: Limited local planning for coastal area management along Michigan’s Great Lakes," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 183-203.
    5. Clemente J. Navarro-Yáñez & María-Jesús Rodríguez-García & María José Guerrero-Mayo, 2020. "Evaluating the Quality of Urban Development Plans Promoted by the European Union: The URBAN and URBANA Initiatives in Spain (1994–2013)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(1), pages 215-237, May.
    6. Nataly Escobedo Garcia & Nicola Ulibarri, 2022. "Plan writing as a policy tool: instrumental, conceptual, and tactical uses of water management plans in California," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(3), pages 475-489, September.
    7. Guo, Ziyi & Wang, Yan, 2023. "Benchmarking Plans for Community-based Small Business Resilience across Gulf Coast Counties," SocArXiv 675ty, Center for Open Science.
    8. Hyun Woo Kim & Tho Tran, 2018. "An Evaluation of Local Comprehensive Plans Toward Sustainable Green Infrastructure in US," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.

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