Course:IGS585/OK2023WT2/JaredKassel
Jared Kassel
- For your reflection on another class member's reflection, start by typing your name and using the 'Sub-heading 1' style from the pulldown menu
Leandro Biondo
Jared Kassel's presentation wrapped up much of what we discussed in class. It was good to hear from someone who participates actively in the implementation of policies in Lake Country, as we studied the municipality and did our initial proposals considering we knew what it was about. Fortunately, we went the correct way. Most problems and details Jared brought us were in line with our conclusions to date, and they made me think of some changes and valuable examples to be part of the project to be presented to the city.
The 23% increase in population between 2016 and 2021 on a 40% agriculture-fragmented land base is gigantic in community terms, which explains part of the housing distribution. I think there is no easy way to deal with it, and apparently, Lake Country did an excellent job of what it could and is aware of new problems that are challenges in many other places. The geography around the lake and in the middle of the mountains doesn't help either, and active transportation (walking, cycling) gets even harder under those circumstances.
The BC rules and legislation support some of the challenges, although clearly there is also not enough personnel here too. Planning is done with a regional growth strategy in mind, OCP on the long-range for some balance on the environment, social and financial aspects. But that takes much paperwork (77 goals, 600 policies). Our natural corridor ideas are part of city plans on the one hand and have no solid foundations on the other. I was impressed that Kelowna and Lake Country have not worked together on some issues that relate to both cities and pleased to hear they recently enhanced shared efforts for planning and managing the region. Jared cited the importance of putting our proposed interventions on a map as well as relating it to the natural environment development permit areas (DPA) if possible; this reinforces our impression of the importance of showing geospatial data to illustrate the proposal material.
JAJ: Your reflection reminds me of how we have compartmentalized so much decision making. The boundary of Lake Country defines the area over which Lake Country has authority for a certain set of decisions. There is little incentive to coordinate across jurisdictions for those working within a jurisdiction. For a variety of topics, from biodiversity protection through transportation, coordination across communities could benefit many people across the jurisdictions. However, to the extent that it doesn't benefit specific people within a jurisdiction - property owners whose developments would be worth more without the coordination - communities have an incentive to pay closer attention to those within than those outside. Senior government is supposed to facilitate this coordination. However, as Jared pointed out, the way it does so with regulations makes decision making within a local government hard. Is fast action by a local government more important than being concerned about the cumulative effects of those actions across multiple jurisdictions?
Emma's reflection on Leo's reflection
Leo’s comment on the importance of geospatial data is spot on. It’s a great skillset that he can bring to his team and very valuable for this type of proposal. Thinking about the audience of this proposal being the District of Lake Country, maps make a lot of sense to how they plan and understand a proposal. I’m also thinking of Cole’s reflection on Carol and Ken, how Rotary values maps less and thinks more about the hands-on volunteering they can help with. I wonder what sort of creative mapping you can do to help organizations such as Rotary have a visual of a proposal that fits more in line with what they are looking for. I was discussing in one of my classes this week the profusion of new technologies, some of which can help with communication and others not so much. GIS is one that will likely stand the test of time given its already long history and high usefulness. I’m reminded again of Todd Pugh of CivicInfo’s talk by Leo’s comment that the District doesn’t have enough personnel. CivicInfo helps overburdened municipalities to understand legislation changes from the provincial government, but they can’t necessarily help with the difficult task of municipalities trying to achieve sustainability in a more holistic way. More supports are needed.
Cole Hooper
I found Jared's presentation to be extremely interesting. He himself, and other city planners seem to have a relatively quiet presence within our local governments, but as I am learning they have a profound effect on how our cities and communities actually develop. I can imagine there is a great deal of frustration and bureaucracy that must be dealt with in a position like that, but it must also be very satisfying getting to shape the areas that you live in.
One thing that I found interesting was how the current community plan was actually just a revision on a revision from the original plan from the early 2000s. With a fancy new format, it does appear at a glance to be new. So I am glad to hear that they are trying to push for a full re-write. Perspectives on sustainability have changed so much since that document was first developed. I am sure they have tried to shoehorn in some new terminology and approaches here and there, but if the underlying supporting core of the document does not align with that, then fundamentally it will not make sense or even work. As Jared said, many of the policies within that document are at conflict with each other, hopefully a rewrite would help to clarify those issues, and align the document with itself.
It may be important within our proposed sustainability project to also find elements from the community plan which may oppose our interventions. Obviously we have found statements that align with our purpose, but when the document is paradoxical at times, it would be critical to our pitch that we are at least aware of what critics may point to, the points or policies which our proposal may go against. While there may or may not actually be anything in the community plan to this effect, after learning this from Jared, it should be a consideration for all the groups in the class.
To also echo Leandro's points, I was glad to have asked Jared questions about our sustainability proposal. He gave us some good advice on how we can specifically pitch our project so that it is clear, and makes sense within their municipal context, and what elements such as the Natural Environment Development Permit areas, will be important context for us to consider. I also liked another point to argue for our proposal which we gave, which was: "Increasing natural area, and the setbacks for development will encourage the densification of existing areas.". The densification of these existing areas, if done correctly will increase the livability of Lake Country, as areas densify, and the population increases in a small area amenities will be encouraged to move into those newly dense areas, providing more of a residents needs, within a more accessible distance. While it may not be fully this simple in reality, and in implementation, it does just give us another line to research and support so that we can increase the strength of our project proposal overall.
JAJ: Identifying those who might at first glance be threatened by your proposal, and finding ways to prepare for the challenge and/or reduce the threat that they are experiencing, is very important. Pointing out that a network of green spaces with pathways and parks, and also serving some connectivity functions, can also be amenities that increase property value, may bring along developers who are worried that increasing protected areas will limit their development opportunities. Offering some form of density swaps, whereby development in one place can increase density by acquiring density from another place, thus protecting it, may work. The challenge is that OCPs are rather fluid documents, so it isn't clear how to make a community commit to a density swap system when they can just grant exceptions through a council vote, a vote heavily lobbied for by the developer.
Jared Brown - Reflection on Cole's Reflection
Cole’s reflection had several excellent points that have given me lots to think about. His point about the current OCP and sustainability was particularly interesting to me. As Cole mentioned, perspectives on sustainability have changed drastically over the last 20 years, so it is critical that Lake Country’s OCP, along with those in other municipalities, accurately reflects and supports those changes. That said, given how much sustainability perspectives have changed between the early 2000’s to the present, I wonder whether more drastic changes surrounding those perspectives will occur in another 20-30 years. If so, will the changes made to the OCPs in Lake Country and other municipalities still be supportive of sustainability perspectives by then? I imagine many will be fully rewritten like what Jared K. and other members of Lake Country are currently vying for. However, like what Cole pointed out with Lake Country’s OCP from the 2000’s until now, it is also possible that municipalities may just continually revise their current OCPs going forward, which may not support future sustainability perspectives at their cores.
Cole also made an important point that shows another example of how policy can act as a barrier towards aching sustainability and resilience if not implemented correctly. Rather than having to meet several policies for a project to move forward like I pointed out in my reflection, Cole highlighted that there may also be policies present within the OCP that could go against the implementation of our proposed projects, and I agree that all of us should consider this. Although our group did not find any policies that directly went against implementing community gardens for our project, the existence of policies that indirectly go against it is certainly possible given the large number and multi-faceted range of policies the OCP has. Reading Cole’s reflection has helped me realize the importance of knowing whether policies that could get in the way of moving our project forward are present, and I will be attempting to look through the OCP to identify whether such policies do exist at the municipal level.
Jared Brown
Jared K’s (I’m using his first letter in his last name to differentiate) presentation was enjoyable, surprising, and valuable. It was nice to hear from the perspective of a city planner, given that proper planning is crucial for the implementation of all our projects that seek to make Lake Country more sustainable and resilient. To me, he seemed to focus more on sustainability from an economic perspective. His expression of Lake Country needing to accommodate an increasing population and to have more sustainable transport options reminded me a lot of the sustainable development concept, which makes sense given his position as a city planner.
I think the main point that I took away from Jared K’s presentation is that while sustainability and resilience are not easy to accomplish in practice due to them being multi-disciplinary and complex challenges to solve, they can also not be easy to accomplish because of barriers that have been put in place by previous policies. His criticism of having developed areas several kilometers away from each other because of challenges pose by the ALR is one example of this. Lake Country wants to promote and maintain its agricultural sector as listed in its OCP (District of Lake Country, 2019), which is partially supported by provincially designated ALR land. But at the same time, the municipality also wants to promote sustainable development. As we have previously seen, ALR land is found across Lake Country and is integrated between several residential areas such as Woodsdale, Okanagan Centre, and the Towne Centre. Having developed areas further away from each other because of provincial policy that restricts or in some cases forbids the development of residential areas on ALR lands, consequently increases the difficulty of implementing sustainable transportation in Lake Country, like Jared K mentioned.
His criticism of the OCP is also another example of policy acting as a barrier towards achieving sustainability and resilience (District of Lake Country, 2019). As he mentioned, Lake Country has recently been facing difficulties accommodating its rapidly growing population because of several processes that have be approved for development, which if not met will have negative consequences on the sustainability and resilience of Lake Country. Rather than a particular policy acting as a barrier in this case, it is too many policies and regulations in Lake Country’s OCP that are hindering sustainable development efforts. While the example Jared K. showed us relates specifically to housing development, potential policy barriers in the OCP are something we should all consider, as my group (and I imagine the others too) have gone through parts of it and used it as input for our term project. As we have all come to learn throughout this course, policy is crucial for achieving sustainability and resilience. However, if it is not developed and implemented correctly, policy can act as a barrier towards achieving those goals rather than supporting them.
On a side note, I was also surprised at the high turnover rate and low availability of city planners across BC that Jared K. had mentioned. Regardless of size, every municipality needs a city planner. I would think that there would be more qualified workers available, given that you can work almost anywhere. However, it sounds like being a planner is stressful at times, and from what Jared K. said, it sounds like it does not take much for the work environment to unfortunately become toxic. It would appear that this province-wide shortage will have negative impacts on the province as a whole to meet future housing requirements for an increased population (CBC News, 2024). What this shortage does show however, is that city planners play an important role in helping communities achieve sustainability and resilience goals. There is and always will be demand for them, so for the sake of the province and its communities I call home, I hope that more qualified people will step up and help fill those positions. As a token of gratitude, I would like to thank our current city planners who are working hard to help our communities get to their sustainability and resilience goals.
References:
CBC News. (2024, January 23). Lack of planners a concern as B.C. municipalities try to meet housing targets. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/lack-of-planners-to-meet-housing-targets-1.7091185
District of Lake Country. (2019). Official Community Plan (2018-2038) Bylaw 1065, 2018. Regional District of Central Okanagan. https://www.lakecountry.bc.ca/en/business-information/resources/Document-Manager/Bylaws/Official-Community-Plan-(2018-2038)-Bylaw-1065,-2018---CONSOLIDATED.pdf
JAJ: Nice to give gratitude to the city planners. I think that can be extended to other city staff. My impression is that most of them do their best, but are often the target for residents upset about something or other.
The conflict between rules within the OCP, and between rules in the OCP and provincial and federal rules reflects the fact that we can't have everything. Lake country has good agricultural land, sensitive environmental areas, and challenging topography. A classic central city, with a core 'central business area' surrounded by residential development where density decreases with distance, and then an agricultural zone, might work on the prairies. Here in the Okanagan, with highly varied topography and climate, such a simple design risks loosing some things we value in exchange for simplicity of urban form.
Armita's Reflection on Jared B.'s Reflection
It is really interesting to write a reflection on Jared’s reflection when Jared had a lecture! :D I find myself deepening my understanding of the complexities involved in urban planning for sustainability and resilience. Jared B.'s reflection, rich in detail and analysis, not only encapsulates Jared K.'s emphasis on economic sustainability but also illuminates the intricate challenges posed by existing policies and not having enough city planners. One big thing that stuck with me was the issue with the ALR. This rule is meant to protect farms, but it also makes it hard to build homes and roads close together, which is better for the environment. Jared’s reflection showed me more about how tricky it can be to balance protecting nature with making our towns more modern and eco-friendly, and how important it is to have smart rules that help, not hurt, our efforts to be sustainable.
Another point that caught my attention was the shortage of city planners in British Columbia. As Jared mentioned again, not having enough planners makes it even harder for towns to grow in a good way. It made me realize how crucial these planners are for building greener, stronger communities and how we need more people in this job to tackle big challenges. I mean this is BC! BC is Canada's third-largest province after Québec and Ontario, making up 10 percent of Canada's land surface! How is it possible that they don’t have enough city planners? The fact that this vast and ecologically diverse province struggles with enough city planners is both surprising and concerning. It begs the question: how can we expect to achieve our ambitious sustainability goals if we lack the necessary personnel to guide and implement these visions? This shortage not only hampers the progress of current projects but also limits our capacity to innovate and adapt to future challenges. Thinking over Jared B.’s reflection, I've learned a lot about the hard work of making towns green and strong. Jared B. reminded me that it's all about finding the right balance and making smart plans.
Amir Rahsaz
Jared's discussions might have been one of the most practical lectures in our class regarding idea generation for Lake Country, as he is a city planner. He acknowledges the bitter reality that the population of the area will double within a 20-year timeframe, with the highest population growth rate occurring right here in Okanagan. This necessitates proper planning and legislation to prevent chaotic development. Efforts to densify the population and the legal incentives proposed, such as exempting developments exceeding 25% from the need for development permits, while including renovations or developments below this percentage, seem to provide misguided incentives that could lead to unsustainable development and chaos. Balancing the preservation of Lake Country's agricultural and rural spirit alongside development and urban infrastructure creation could complicate urban planning due to the inherent conflict between these two natures, and projects from all three groups must respond appropriately to Lake Country's orientation.
What was most hopeful in Jared's remarks for our group is the effort to preserve the existing corridor with all the enthusiasm for development present in this city. Concerns once again raised by our classmate Jared during Mary-Ann's remarks, emphasizing that urban zoning requires specific needs and considerations for each area. For instance, while the agricultural zone might have some minor runoff issues, pollution of aquifers due to fertilizers and additives used by farmers must be considered in planning. However, in an urban area, excessive runoff due to impermeable surfaces and the creation of heat islands could be a serious problem. Harmonizing these relatively different and fundamental needs in zoning a city like Lake Country, which is a combination of various zones, is complex and challenging, requiring a multidisciplinary team that, as Jared mentioned, faces a serious shortage of trained professionals in urban design.
What is less clearly seen in urban design today is the design of space rather than the design of place and mass. The foundation of current urban design and planning is functional design, which essentially provides a minimum response to the needs of residents, while urban designers, especially during the Renaissance, used a method called intuitive design, which has many similarities with multidisciplinary approaches that consider various needs, including the need for space and a sense of belonging, alongside material and basic needs. For a city facing the risk of losing its identity and experiencing cultural fragmentation due to the influx of migrants, it is crucial to recognize the residents' identity and create space for nurturing citizens alongside their basic needs, a void that is observed in the OCP (Official Community Plan) and current regulations. for a clear understanding of intuitive design I firmly recommend you to read "Designs of Cities" by Edmund N Bacon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_of_Cities
JAJ: Thanks for mentioning how the design of cities has changed. It reminds me of visiting older cities where features such as a central park that is a gathering place for the citizens of the city - the zocalo in older Latin American cities, the large park areas in or very near the downtown in cities like Boston and Halifax, have that. As one moves west, to younger cities, these amenities are less common. It has been commented many times that we have lost the sense of being citizens working together to build something for the good of the community into taxpayers looking to pay as little as possible for things that are collectively provided. Rather than taking pride in protecting the environment and providing green space and opportunities for community and engagement in our cities, these things are seen as burdens which we can divert a little bit of money too if it doesn't hamper growth and the opportunity for property owners to profit.
Cole Hooper Reflection on Amir
I can see Amir's background in Landscape Engineering coming through in his reflection here, so practical in juxtaposition to his sketching and artistic work! I really appreciate Amir's comments on the the design of space versus place and mass. I would like to make a comparison here from city planning and management to fire management.
In the original paradigm for fire management, the focus was suppression, suppression, suppression! This type of management extinguished all fires that appeared rapidly. While at the time this was favorable, it led to a buildup of fuel, and now decades later we are seeing catastrophically large fire, in part due to the former regime of suppression. Despite the fact that we understand management better now, we are still paying the price due to the actions and planning of those that came before.
Is this not comparable to city planning? Despite the fact that we understand city design, and sustainable communities much better now; we are in effect handcuffed by the space distribution, land zoning, and regulations of those who came before us. None of these things were planned to accommodate the growth that we are seeing now. So how can we shift towards a focus on space design, when so much of the landscape in our cities is already pre-determined. This is a tricky issue, and it is one that growing communities across the globe are faced with, it is impossible to walk back the city and infrastructure planning that is currently in place. It is definitely something that I have thought about within the sustainability project that our group is planning. Trying our best to use modern mapping technologies to find those pathways and corridors that are left undeveloped, and trying our best to encourage more sustainable planning of the remaining space to facilitate wildlife movement and habitat connectivity.
Emma Carey
Similar to my reflection on Carol and Ken’s presentation and how organizations can escape toxic environments for women, I was interested in Jared’s comments on planning sometimes having toxic work environments. Although there is a high turnover in Lake Country – Jared who has been there for only two years is the longest standing planning employee – I was glad to hear the reason in Lake Country in not a toxic environment. Jared B.’s reflection talks about the low availability of planners and he has a prescient point that we will have a hard time achieving sustainability and resilience goals in BC while we lack city planners.
There is such a large importance of policy to many of our projects, which makes sense given the topic of this course. I was surprised to hear Jared mention a Lake Country report relevant to all our projects that I had not heard of or come across, the integrated community sustainability plan (ICSP) of 2014. While it is not enshrined in law through a bylaw, it is a guiding document to the District’s sustainability plans. Although, Jared did say much of those policies are within the OCP that is a bylaw.
There was lots of valuable information in Jared’s presentation and it’s hard to pick what I thought was most important since it all varied across multiple topics. In relation to my project for this course, Jared had a lot of valuable advice and information. For example, I did not know that the engineering department leads most active transportation projects. When I asked him about the community engagement with those plans, I was interested to hear about the dynamics between departments on that issue. While it was frustrating to hear that engineering doesn’t understand the importance of community consultation and engagement, I was glad to hear Jared pushes quite hard to ensure those processes are thoughtfully and thoroughly done. Trying to integrate multiple goals across departments with an active transportation proposal seems a great idea to escape the siloing of departments that happens in many organizations. I’m working on integrating both conservation goals along with active transportation goals by having some sort of natural plant/animal habitat run alongside the new active transportation corridor I’m proposing. Interdepartmental collaborative projects are difficult as Jared mentioned, but needed to advance truly holistic projects on sustainability and resilience.
There are a lot of incommensurabilities in sustainability as well as other realms of life. Jared discussed how access goals of keeping slopes to 5% near housing is in conflict with conservation goals to maintain landscape characteristics. I’m working as an RA on an access and inclusion in research project and this is a problem we have come across as well. How do you negotiate conflicting accessibility needs? For example, one person might need brighter lights if they have lower vision abilities and you might also have someone in the room with post-concussion disorder that needs dimmer lights. When these conflicts occur, how do you decide which to choose over the other? It’s a difficult question that we don’t get have the answer for, although we’re working with a model of accessibility and inclusion as a process and temporarily held space. This is based in part on Carmen Papalia’s (2018) 5 tenants of open access that are from an aesthetics background. This requires pre-planning for events as well as flexibility within the moment to adjust and ensure as much access as possible.
References
Papalia, C. (2018, Jan. 2). An Accessibility Manifest for the Arts. CanadianArt. https://canadianart.ca/essays/access-revived/
JAJ: I too was struck by the high turnover rate. I wonder how many people leave planning, on account of the high pressure, and how many are moving to better paying positions. Career success, whether measured in income or through recognition, often requires moving. Indigeneity, when defined as living in harmony with a place (see some work by Jeannette Armstrong, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLOfXsFlb18), occurs when people stay in a place long enough to develop a deep relationship with the land. Sustainability as an academic idea, defined in terms of GHG emissions, biodiversity measures, etc. compared to sustainability as a lived relationship with the natural world.
Yuxiang's reflection on Emma's reflection
I strongly agree that Jared's presentation on sustainable planning provided a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities within Lake Country's planning environment. I am really excited to understand the dynamics within planning departments and their implications for achieving sustainability and resilience goals.
Amidst the discourse on policy frameworks, I was resonated by your mentioned Jared's insights into the challenges faced by planning departments. With a scarcity of planners and high turnover rates, Lake Country grapples with the imperative to foster a conducive work environment. However, the situation is completely different in China, as planners have the privilege to predict the future. For example, they could gain excess returns on many fields like real estate by knowing in advance where there are plans for subways, schools, and parks. Planners are also a respected profession, and their long-term tenure makes sustainability commitments relatively easy to achieve.
Armita Tehranchi
Looking at Jared Kassel's insightful lecture on urban planning, I'm reminded of the depth and complexity inherent in creating sustainable, livable urban spaces—a theme also explored in a specific TED Talk by James Kunstler, "The tragedy of suburbia." In his talk, Kunstler critiques modern urban planning's failures, specifically the creation of environments that lack a sense of place and community. This critique aligns with Kassel's emphasis on the importance of thoughtful, community-focused urban development, underscoring the shared challenges urban planners face worldwide.
Jared's journey through the field of urban planning, from the dense urbanity of New York to the lush landscapes of British Columbia, mirrors the broad spectrum of environments and communities urban planners engage with. His experiences highlight the adaptability required in this profession, as planners must navigate varying regulatory landscapes, community needs, and environmental considerations. This adaptability was a central theme in his talk, where he lamented the one-size-fits-all approach that has dominated much of suburban development. During his lecture, Kassel emphasized the critical balance between development and environmental preservation, where rapid population growth and the desire to maintain natural beauty and agricultural land are in constant tension. This balance is crucial for creating spaces that not only meet our immediate needs but also preserve the environment for future generations. Jared, in his talk, touches on similar points, advocating for urban environments that promote a sense of place and belonging, which are essential for community well-being and environmental sustainability.
One of the most resonant parts of his lecture was his discussion on public consultation and the role of community engagement in the planning process. He highlighted successful urban development projects as those that involve the community at every step, ensuring that developments reflect the community's values and needs. This approach resonates with Jared's call for urban spaces that facilitate human connection, interaction, and a stronger sense of community. The parallel between Jared's lecture and Kunstler's talk underscores the universal importance of including community voices in urban planning to create more humane, connected, and sustainable urban spaces.
His insights into navigating the complexities of provincial legislation and aligning local planning efforts with broader legislative frameworks were particularly enlightening. This challenge underscores the need for urban planners to be knowledgeable, creative, and collaborative in their approach, similar to the issues Kunstler addresses regarding the often restrictive and short-sighted nature of urban development policies. It's clear that the future of urban planning requires a reimagining of how we develop our urban spaces. Planners must prioritize sustainability, community, and a sense of place, moving away from the disconnected, car-centric models of the past. Jared's experiences and the broader critique offered by Kunstler serve as a powerful reminder of the impact our planning decisions have on the social fabric of our communities and the health of our planet. In conclusion, Jared's lecture offers a compelling vision for the future of urban planning—a future where planners are not just builders and regulators but stewards of community well being and environmental sustainability. As we look forward, let us draw inspiration from these insights, striving to create urban environments that reflect our collective values, nurture our communities, and respect the natural world.
JAJ: The role of community engagement is a double edged sword. As noted in the reading on sustainable development as a contested concept, those who prioritize environmental protection are afraid of community consultation, as the consultation may lead to an outcome that does not prioritize environmental protection. If humans are involved in making decisions about sustainability, there will be tradeoffs, and those will likely come at some cost to the environment. Should we only have consultation where that leads to the outcomes we want, or do we want true consultation, where that leads to changes in the path we are following?
Leandro reflection on Armita
Armita, in her impressions on urban planning issues, has highlighted the challenges of creating sustainable and thriving urban spaces. Her ideas reflected relations between Jared Kassel themes from James Kunstler's TED talk, which emphasized the importance of community-centric development. Armita highlighted Kunstler's experiences, spanning from New York City's density to British Columbia's landscapes, underscoring the need for adaptable strategies that balance growth with environmental preservation. She felt a call for more humane and connected urban spaces, stressing the significance of community voices in shaping urban landscapes. Overall, Armita's insights suggest that both talk about urban planners' need to prioritize sustainability, community, and a sense of place. Those ideas can guide planners toward a future where they serve as stewards of societal well-being and environmental health.
Yuxiang Wang
Jared's presentation on urban planning and community development provided a compelling glimpse into the often understated yet profoundly influential role of city planners within our local governments. Through his articulate delivery, Jared illuminated the intricate dynamics that mold the essence of our cities and communities.
A particularly captivating aspect of Jared's presentation was his exploration of the challenges and rewards inherent in his profession. He adeptly conveyed the delicate balance between grappling with bureaucratic hurdles and experiencing the satisfaction of effecting meaningful change in urban landscapes. It became apparent that despite their low profile, city planners like Jared wield significant influence over the evolution of our cities. However, the turnover rate of city planners is quite high. Although Jared has been working for only two years, he is the longest planner at Lake Country. Therefore, I strongly agree that the sustainability and resilience goals are not easy to acheive with the frequent employee turnover. There should be some reform and changes to solve these problems and the reason for the high turnover rate deserve us to explore.
The primary takeaway from Jared K's presentation is that achieving sustainability and resilience poses significant challenges due to their multidisciplinary and complex nature. On the one hand, hurdles created by past policies further compound the difficulty in realizing these goals. His critique of the OCP also serves as an illustration of how policy can act as a hindrance to achieving sustainability and resilience. On the other hand, attempting to integrate multiple goals across departments through our active transportation proposal appears to be a promising strategy to break free from the compartmentalization that often occurs within many organizations. Nonetheless, as Jared pointed out, interdepartmental collaborative projects present significant challenges.
In summary, Jared's presentation transcended mere information dissemination; it ignited a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of urban planning and community development. His insights will undoubtedly serve as guiding principles as we navigate the intricate landscape of urban sustainability, endeavoring to shape a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient future for our communities.
JAJ: Urban planning is certainly a complex activity, balancing the needs and desires of a diverse population on a physical and legal landscape that isn't simple to adapt. It is ironic that within weeks of speaking with us, Jared had moved on himself.