Celebrating More Than 60 Years of Research and the Planning Advisory Service
In 2009, the planning profession commemorated its first centennial. That year also marked the 60th anniversary of the Planning Advisory Service Report series. APA's Research Department and PAS are honoring this important milestone by exploring the past six decades of PAS Reports — starting with 1949's Information Report No. 1.
Each month, we revisit the PAS archives and select an early report to share with you online. These historic reports provide a fascinating snapshot of our profession and the important planning issues of those earlier times.
You may be surprised how much has changed — and how much is still the same!
The first bulletin of what would become the PAS Report series was created in response to "many inquiries concerning the establishment of building placement lines." The report offers definitions and case law, discusses eminent domain and the police power, and summarizes state legislation.
This 1949 report lists salaries for a range of planning positions — from Director of Planning to Associate Planner to "City Plan Effectuator" — from a number of U.S. cities classified by population.
This 1949 report surveys zoning regulations devised by many communities to provide for single-family to multifamily conversions and to address the potential impacts of increased density on these formerly single-family districts.
In 1949, PAS surveyed the 40 municipalities reported to have some type of architectural control. This report summarizes the results, providing a historic snapshot of early aesthetic zoning regulations from across the country.
Back when gas cost 5 cents a gallon, self-service gasoline stations were a controversial issue. Fear of fires and explosions caused by inexperienced motorists attempting to fill their own tanks led some cities and states to ban self-service.
In the summer of 1950, PAS surveyed 60 selected city and county planning agencies about their planning commissions. This report provides a detailed snapshot of who was involved in the local planning process more than half a century ago.
This report from the early 1950s reviews journey-to-work studies to determine what "price" people are willing to pay for a job in terms of commuting time and cost.
An exploration of a cutting-edge zoning development of the early 1950s. The special district began to break down the "airtight" tripartite divisions of residential, commercial, and industrial use.
This report from 1953 analyzes the various types of early parkland dedication ordinances and emphasizes the importance of addressing park needs in the comprehensive plan.
In 1954, this report told planners what they needed to know about shopping center site design and parking requirements.
Learn how car clubs could turn reckless and inexperienced young drivers into forces for safety and courtesy on the roads.
When are sidewalks necessary? PAS first addressed the issue in this 1957 report, which recommends where and how sidewalks should be installed in residential areas.
A set of audit checklists to allow planners to evaluate their public works programming, public relations, subdivision control, and zoning.
Learn about bowling's evolution from an inner-city men's-only game to a "socially acceptable" suburban pastime for the entire family.
A nuts-and-bolts topic. What can be done to safeguard and improve procedure within the boundaries of enabling statutes?
See the results of a 1959 survey asking planning directors for examples of how planning saves both local governments and taxpayers money.
This late 1950s report exhorts planners to set clear goals for the improvements of their downtown central business districts and highlights the importance of public-private partnerships.
A thoughtful discussion of use buffers and landscape buffers, two common tools used to mitigate potential land use incompatibilities.
Fifty years ago, the appropriateness of "selling" plans and policies to the community was still debated by some planners.
In 1960, multifamily housing was put forth as an increasingly "realistic alternative" to single-family detached homes.
How should planners define neighborhoods? Where is the fine line between ethnic enclave and ghetto?
The early 1960s was a time of fads in American culture. Two that had land-use implications were go-karts and tumbling centers.
What did planners in the early '60s think about the shape and design of mobile home subdivisions?
How well have planners addressed the questions of providing adequate housing and services for the elderly since this report was issued in 1961?
The feltboards and overhead projectors in this report may be dated, but tips on how to structure a successful presentation are still helpful.
An early look at the condominium concept and its implications for planning and zoning.
This report critiques traditional development controls of the time and offers a look ahead from 1962 to new techniques and emerging programs.
Sample designs and regulations that helped 1962 planners add this housing choice to the mix of apartments and single-family homes in their communities.
This report makes the case for illustrations and diagrams in the zoning code, demonstrating how graphics can be used to clarify definitions, regulations, provisions, and administrative processes.
Planners are encouraged to become more involved in school site selection by using the offered checklists and rating forms to compare the suitability of alternatives.
Business location theory is reviewed to clarify the role of strip or "ribbon" development, and planning studies are examined to suggest ways to regulate these challenging areas.
Definitions and zoning standards for nursing homes and related facilities as mid-1960s planners were beginning to think about how to house and care for a population that was living longer.
Learn the background, scope, and outlook for air rights development across the country as seen by planners in 1964.
Planners have struggled with the "unpleasant effects" of parking lots for more than a half-century.
An outline of mid-century development and design standards for playgrounds and parks ... as well as golf courses, ski areas, and other outdoor recreational facilities.
A mid-1960s examination of the costs and benefits of helicopter travel and a look at the regulations needed to make a place for this use in cities across the country.
By the 1960s, planners and traffic engineers had begun to address pedestrian circulation and mobility in CBD plans, and realized that more data were needed to support these efforts.
In 1965, when Americans were junking more than 5 million cars, junked cars and automobile graveyards had become concerns for planners and officials.
In the early days of zoning, planners assumed that placing restrictions on a nonconforming sign would eliminate it. This didn't always work, so many communities adopted amortization provisions.
Studies found that single-family housing tended to generate more school students per unit than multifamily housing in the late years of the Baby Boom.
How does your planning office stack up to these best practices from 1966?
In the years before the Clean Air Act, it was up to state, regional, or local bodies to adopt their own regulations.
What did municipal parking standards for single-family homes and multifamily dwellings look like back in 1966?
An examination of the annual report, providing suggestions on how planning agencies of the 1960s could make the most of this document.
By 1967 there were more than 1.2 million RVs in use. But where would these campers, trailers, and boats be stored when not in use?
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