The studio’s process begins by understanding individual character, values, and needs. UCS’ planning and design team helps clients—small or large—to reach livable, sustainable goals. We are skilled and experienced in moving from plan to action with limited resources to accomplish comprehensive goals and complex developments. We do this by orchestrating and mobilizing teams into strategic areas, engaging communities within design charrettes. Most important, we have the ability to connect community visions with broader regional economic strategies making local and regional planning and development processes more efficient.
It’s about integration. Our experience in working with communities, regional planning and transportation agencies and developers allows us to help clients identify how best to coordinate and integrate land use with infrastructure. From one block to the next, from one city to the next, the dynamics are always different, and they are always changing. We help clients manage the dynamics of change with the following approaches:
- Place-based planning – putting the priority on “place”: its form, function, and character in a two-step process that delivers a holistic approach, beginning with translating a community’s vision into a general plan’s principles via action areas with performance criteria, and applying policies (ordinances) to enable and shape development.
- Land use & transportation integration – whether by roadway, transit, walking or biking, each mode must make mobility seamless. UCS’ strength is in understanding how best to help clients integrate land use with transportation to improve accessibility.
- Visioning and long range planning – with multiple players and multiple layers, plans must work to coordinate a vision that is developed by the community. We work with clients to engage stakeholders in a participatory process that affects multiple elements—land use and open space, transportation and greenways, community & recreational facilities.
- Transit and transportation planning – UCS has conducted transit corridor and system analyses for municipal and regional transit agencies. We are also recognized for innovative research, policy analysis and development, and strategic transportation planning that help our clients to deliver efficient services.