Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of local jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.

Other names for Urban and Regional Planners: Building, Planning, and Zoning Director, City Designer, City Planner, City Planning Engineer, Community Development Planner, Director of Planning, Economic Developer, Housing Development Specialist, Housing Grant Analyst, Master Planner, Neighborhood Planner, Planner, Planning Director, Program Services Planner, Traffic Expert, Transportation Analyst, Transportation Consultant, Transportation Planner,

• Design, promote and administer government plans and policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, and transportation.
• Hold public meetings and confer with government, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, and special interest groups to formulate and develop land use or community plans.
• Recommend approval, denial or conditional approval of proposals.
• Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on projects.
• Assess the feasibility of proposals and identify necessary changes.
• Create, prepare, or requisition graphic and narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables such as population density.
• Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, and possible alternatives.
• Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory and physical factors affecting land use.
• Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, and community use.
• Keep informed about economic and legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, and environmental regulations.
• Mediate community disputes and assist in developing alternative plans and recommendations for programs or projects.
• Coordinate work with economic consultants and architects during the formulation of plans and the design of large pieces of infrastructure.
• Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private and public planning projects and programs.
• Supervise and coordinate the work of urban planning technicians and technologists.
• Investigate property availability.

• Global positioning system receivers
• Laser printers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers

Project management software

Office suite software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Time accounting software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Word processing software

Presentation software

Web page creation and editing software

Spreadsheet software

Desktop publishing software

Document management software

Data base user interface and query software

Data mining software

Development environment software

Web platform development software

Computer aided design CAD software

Analytical or scientific software

Compliance software

Desktop communications software

Internet browser software

Electronic mail software

Map creation software