American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

What action should a senior planner concerned about public involvement in the planning process take?

1. Write a newspaper editorial expressing her concerns.

2. Prepare an administrative report recommending citizen input.

3. Discuss her feelings with the City Manager.

4. Contact each council member individually and discuss her concerns.

The correct answer is: Discuss her feelings with the City Manager.

The most appropriate course of action for a senior planner concerned about public involvement in the planning process is to prepare an administrative report recommending citizen input. This approach facilitates a systematic examination of the current public involvement strategies and directly addresses the issue by proposing actionable recommendations. Preparing a report allows the planner to present data, case studies, and best practices that support her viewpoint on the importance of citizen engagement in planning decisions. This not only demonstrates her concerns with well-researched arguments but also serves as a formal communication tool that can be distributed to relevant stakeholders, including city officials and community members. It encourages public dialogue and can lead to effective changes in how public involvement is integrated into the planning process. Direct discussions with the City Manager could also be beneficial, but they may lack the formal documentation and detailed insight that a report would provide. Communicating individual concerns to council members could create disjointed feedback and limit the planner’s influence as it doesn't establish a comprehensive approach to the issue. Writing an editorial may raise awareness but is less likely to result in direct changes to the planning process compared to a structured administrative report.