Public Officials & Industry Practitioners
UrbanPlan is ideal for local decision makers who would like to learn more about the fundamental forces that shape and affect the built environment including the trade-offs and risks at play in the entitlement and negotiation process associated with land use, especially in public/private partnerships (P3s).



Through this interactive workshop, public officials and practitioners gain a deeper understanding of their critical role in shaping a better community through the built environment. Leaders will leave with tools to create collaborative relationships with community members and private-sector partners to make city-led projects a success.
Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships
The UrbanPlan case study is an example of a city-led redevelopment effort where compromise is needed from the locality, the development team selected through the RFP process, and the community. By taking on the role of developer, participants in the workshop get a chance to consider the important role they play as local decision makers and the opportunity to broaden their knowledge in the following areas:
- the basics of a pro forma (financial model) and funding a complex project
- the economics of different building types and community benefits
- the different time horizons for the public and private sectors and how they work in tandem
- the risk associated with lengthy negotiations among all parties
- the importance of a clear and open process in the selection of a private partner
At A Glance
UrbanPlan is intended for elected officials, such as mayors and city council members; appointed officials, such as planning commission members; local government staff; and industry practitioners seeking to broaden their perspective.
The workshop can range in length from 5 to 8 hours in person or remotely, and is perfect for team-building events such as retreats, professional development (especially for newly elected or appointed officials), and for cross-team engagement.
Get Involved
Contact us to bring an UrbanPlan Workshop to your jurisdiction at [email protected]. For more information on the UrbanPlan for Public Officials program, check out our brochure below.

Success Story
UrbanPlan for Public Officials was a crash course in the private sector’s reality. Within a few hours, it provided me with a broader perspective of developers’ risks and motivations.
– Michael Brown, Planner Supervisor, Montgomery County Planning Department, Maryland

Success Story
Through UrbanPlan, I came to better understand that being a developer requires a long-term perspective; it involves taking into consideration the needs of different stakeholders while measuring risk.
– Judith Garcia, Chelsea City Council, Massachusetts

Success Story
[UrbanPlan] demonstrates how to balance the perspective of all parties to the benefit of both the community and the developer. This is how it should work.
– Joe R. Zimmerman, mayor of Sugar Land, Texas

96% of Participants
Would recommend UrbanPlan to a friend or colleague.

92% of Participants
Were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to draw upon UrbanPlan in their civic community endeavors.