Annotated Bibliography
Introduction
Ethics is important in any professional body. This paper focuses on some of the ethical studies done on urban development in regional and town planning. Through the paper, one will examine some of the sources that will be used while dealing with the mentioned topic. Most of the sources that have been used in this annotated bibliography are American. This is because one believes America has a more ethical background in ethical issues dealing with urban development. In addition, the chosen articles are more relevant and deeply researched making them more appropriate for the study. By using American sources, one will be able to explore a more diverse background on the topic other than the Australian one. This will help one understand the american way of things hence expounding on the topic in hand.
This legislation focuses on the code of ethics and professional conduct for planners. It clearly states the principles to aspire, rules of conduct, code of procedures and elaborates more on planners convicted of serious crimes. The primary obligation of planners is founded on service to the public. High standards of proficiency, knowledge and professional integrity are expected of planners. Planners are thus expected to be conscious of other people's rights, consider long range consequences for their present actions and be keen on how decisions to be made are related to one another. They are also required to provide timely, clear and accurate information to all concerned persons, encourage participation in development programs and plans by concerned person in order to achieve meaningful impact and strive for social justice by expanding opportunity and choice for everyone including the disadvantaged. It is expected that they provide excellence in the endeavor and design in order to preserve and conserve heritage and integrity of built and natural environment and finally work with all planning participants in a fair way.
Planners also owe responsibility to employers and clients on their work in their interests. They are expected to apply their professional judgment independently. They are also expected to accept decisions of employers and clients as concerns to the nature and objectives of service unless it is illegal or inconsistent with the primary obligation to the public interest. They are also bound to desist from any form of conflict of interest. Planners have a responsibility to their profession and colleague. They are required to develop and respect their profession. They achieve this by improving their understanding of planning to the public and tailoring relevant solutions to problems faced by the community through improvement on their knowledge and techniques. They should protect and enhance their integrity, educate the public on various planning issues and comment and describe views of other professions fairly and professionally. They are also expected to share their research works and experiences, examine applicability of planning methods, theories, research and practice and contribute time and resources to interns, colleagues and those joining the profession. It is equally important for them to avail opportunities to the less represented to enable them become planners, continually enhance professional education and training, systematically analyze ethical issues in the practice and contribute effort and time to groups in need of planning resources and to voluntary activities.
There are rules of conduct that planners must adhere to or else result to various forms of sanctions. Planners are expected not to: fail to avail accurate, clear and timely information on planning issues, accept assignments on illegal activities and undertake other forms of employment without the employer's consent. They are also prohibited from: accept any remunerations other than from their public employer, failing to uphold confidentiality, solicit clients by misleading them and use the power of office to obtain favors. They are also not allowed to accept work beyond their professional competencies, use other people’s products to seek professional recognition, coerce professionals to reach findings with no evidence and fail to disclose client's interest in the process of planning. They are also not expected to: discriminate against others, withhold any information from AICP officer or committee when summoned and commit any wrongful act and fail to notify ethics officers of serious crimes.
Planners have a right of counsel. On receipt of a misconduct charge through a cover letter which requires preliminary response, he or she can elect to have legal representation as soon as possible. When a planner fails to make a preliminary response timely, it constitutes a failure in cooperation with ethics officers. On receipt of the preliminary response, the ethics officer determines if investigations should be conducted. The respondent is not only required to cooperate with the ethics officer but also encourage those with relevant information to do so. When a charge appears to lack merit, the ethics officer dismisses it in a letter with an explanation as to why. However, if the complaint is warranted, the ethics officer is bound to draft a complaint and channel it to the respondent. This complaint contains all the alleged facts citing rules of conduct implicated. On notification of dismissal of a complaint, charging parties can appeal such decision to the ethics committee, which affirm or reverse their decision. If reversed, further investigation on the misconduct is to be carried out. The respondent is expected to be specific on whether he accepts or denies every allegation in the complaint. Failure to make a denial timely is deemed as an admission of fact.
Ethics committee resolves ethics matters through reviewing all documentation and arguments submitted. If it determines rules of conduct dismisses the complaint. If it demonstrates violation in the rules of conduct, it determines appropriate sanctions. Before the issuance of a complaint, the ethics officer can negotiate for a settlement between the parties involved. If a settlement is reached, the charging party can withdraw the misconduct charge. On the issuance of a complaint, a settlement can only be negotiated between the respondent and ethics officer on approval by the ethics committee. When a member subject to a misconduct charge resigns prior to the charge being determined, the matter can be revived on their application of reinstatement of membership.
If a planner is convicted of a serious offence, certification and membership is suspended indefinitely. They are also required to notify ethics officers on convictions of serious crimes. When an ethics officer learns of a conviction of a serious crime, a notice of suspension from the professional body is issued to the offender and advised on how he may petition for reinstatement. In its sole judgment, the ethics committee can determine if to reinstate and what conditions are applicable on reinstatement. The ethics officer is authorized to publish a description on the crime committed and the names of the planner who are presumed guilty.
Academic Paper
KILINÇ G, ÖZGÜR H, Neval F. (May, 2009) Academic research report planning ethics at local level. Turkey. Council of Ethics for the Public Service.
This academic research report looks at the institutional, procedural and legislative framework, for dealing with planning development and applications at a local level. It considers these three issues on area development plans and planning of ethics on the relationship between planners, developers, academicians and politicians. It considers local public officials that are involved in planning, nature of ethical guidance, pressure on planning procedure, potential of corruption, procedures of local public officials, review and appeal of a decision and procedure for publicity. City and regional planners are faced by a wide range of ethics based challenges. Many cities and municipalities are the subjects of mass media because of ethical issues in making of plans and their implementation. Research into planners' ethical way of reasoning and thinking should be concerned about which values of ethics are preferred by planners and what ethics essentially is to planners being civil servants, as well as subjects matters. The research claims that ethics is vital in planning practice because moral judgment and ethical questions are common features in the planning practice. (Campbell and Marshall, 1998: 117). They are also of great importance because values also constitute the planner's choice, identity, obligations and practices as a civil servant.
The research further claims that planning is deeply ethical and planners struggle constantly with ethical dilemmas related to choice and practice solutions. However studies on planning lack empirical research as a frame of reference for planning ( Hendler, 1995; Mandelbaum et al., 1996). Questions on responsibility, pluralism and liberalism versus justice and equity, the good life, individuality versus community and responsibility are all questions representing the ethical concern which planners are confronted with in reality regularly.
Ethics must be an unwarranted matter if planners work for equity in society, support forms of advocacy planning or have socially just city planning, as they constantly make ethical choices in the political sphere. In a political sphere, social exclusion, neglect of rights of the weak and segregation are common. Compromises on what is just and on whom and why they should benefit are so necessary politically. Planners are often caught in ethical deadlocks having to accept political decisions and work where class differences are temporarily tolerated or accepted. They may find attitudes political in nature that are in contrast with their idea of equity that they have to serve. They find themselves having to choose between their ethical principles and the ethics of real politics (Ploger, 2004: 50)
An impartial planner is but an illusion and the study of the practice of planning should be concerned with ethical values and questions, the ethical approaches to working within, and which values to withhold or approve. For a number of reasons, planners in their practice may be more concerned of morality rather than ethics. Morality comprises of principles guiding planners in their practice if one is committed to public planning while ethics is rarely discussed amongst them. Ethics and morality are however part of people's lives and work, and constitute the working ethos (Ploger, 2004: 50)
Over the years, ethical sensitivity in all professions has come under scrutiny. Past levels of ethics are no longer sufficient. This reintroduced ethical concern signifies the reappearance of an already established issue, the lack of ethical behavior exhibited by persons in responsibility (Tsalikis and Fritzche, 1989: 695)
Gest, D. Jo Peterson, S. (2005). The Ethics of Urban Planning: Remembering the Old AICP Code (1978-2005). Education and Careers, United States.
This professional publication examines the old and new American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) code of ethics and professional conduct in existence from 1978 to 2005. Just like other professional codes of conduct, it guides behavior of its members who are planners. It communicates to the public and employers of what to expect from certified planners. The new code of conduct has divided ethical standard into Rules of conduct and principles to which we aspire. This old code of conduct was structured on a unified set of responsibilities. The old code of conduct was a confusing document. It had mixed up idealism with common sense. Some goals and restrictions were completely out of reach. With this old code, only one guiding principle was availed, "the planner's primary obligation is to serve public interest." It left it to the planner's discretion to find ethical balance in competing principles applicable to a career or to an issue. It was unclear of what parts stand to be enforced under threat of penalty and what remains between a planner and her maker. Scenarios from Everyday Ethics for Practicing Planners by Carol Barrett's show how American Institute of Certified Planners took common sense and idealism seriously. Her book explains of how putting idealism into action in different scenarios was of great importance clearly showing that that membership to the AICP is not just about joining a professional body but a chance for good responsibility. It clearly shows how AICP gives planners motivation to speak when it would have been easier for them to remain silent.
While the new code distinguishes between rules and principles, it appears as though the AICP intends only to hold members accountable to the rules section. The legal world has, however, demanded clarifications on its enforcement. Principles to which we aspire are still in place, some expanded and strengthened while others have been watered down. The planners guiding principle, however, remains to be based on their primary obligation to the interests of the public, but this is not a rule. However, in rare cases where conflict between rules and principles arise, one is greatly advised to follow the rules. The new AICP rules still holds the power to inspire though in a different way.
Newspaper article
Zorica, N. (Jan, 13, 2000) Urban and regional planning, Scope and description of the application challenge. New York. Urisa.
This journal talks about the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science UCGIS. Geographic information system GIS is a quiet revolution in the practice of planning. Their techniques, capabilities and methods, contribute greatly in various professional planners' skill areas which include the research field, data processing and communication. Teaching infrastructure on this is crucial but hard to secure and make them fully accessible. Demand for training and education of planning professionals in GIS is an emerging trend that has to be met. However, educational materials required for both continuing education programs and regular education programs need to be tailored to the urban and regional planning disciplinary framework.
The main concerns in urban and regional planning are highlighted. They include access and equity, alternative design for curriculum content and evaluation, supporting infrastructure, research based graduate education on GIS, learning with GIS, accreditation and certification and emerging trends for delivering GIS education. Organizations like Urban and Regional System association URISA began discussions on issues on professional education and certification. Professional education and certification is closely related to professional ethics. This is considered in the UCGIS research priority GIS and society. It states of the importance of reducing the likelihood of misuse of geographic information technologies, misinterpretation of their products or making inappropriate decisions in regard to their products. Practice of ethical behavior, developing and adhering to a code of ethics is in the justification of education and certification.
Esnard 1998 says that general ethics and the code of ethics are important for educators to prepare professional planners in the next generation. He asks of how we think of creating guidelines serving a common language of ethical behavior, which are easy to remember. He also seeks to know if multi- disciplinary GIS should have a general code of conduct which for planners is, the ethical principles in planning for the American Institute of Certified Planners and American Planning Association APA. She finds current provisions in place addressing information and data analysis contradictory and outdated. Esnard calls for a study on the questionable use of information technology to understand their legal and ethical impacts and implications and use of examples of misuse as a source of education. The definition of a framework helping GIS practitioners make judgments on their responsibilities and actions, and outline their boundaries in behavior is an issue of great concern.
Website
Ethical Principles in Planning (As Adopted May 1992) http://www.planning.org/ethics/ethicalprinciples.htm.
This book provides microcomputer concepts on planning and management the book also introduces participants in the planning process as advocates, decision makers and advisors. It contains principles to be held in common by all participants in the planning process. Issues in planning more often revolves around the conflict in values characterized with private values. This necessitates the need for fairness and high standards among all participants. All certified planners subscribe to this code.
Principles of ethics derive both from planner's responsibility in serving the interest of the public and the values of the society. As a result of the balance in interests that are divergent, programs and plans can be made.
The process of planning is expected to serve and continuously pursue the interests of the public. Planning participants are required to: acknowledge citizen rights to contribute in planning, give citizens accurate and clear planning information to enable them have a meaningful role in the process and clarify community objectives, goals and policies in the planning process. They should also ensure the necessary documentation is availed to the public conveniently, protect integrity and heritage of the environment and give close attention to interrelated decisions.
Members of the American Planning Association APA unceasingly work on improving their competence in planning and in the development of aspiring planners and peers. Their enhancement in planning serves the public interest leading to greater respect by the public. APA members: endeavor to realize professionalism, avoid committing wrongful acts deliberately, participate in continuous professional education, represent their practice qualification in planning accurately, and represent findings, views and qualifications of their colleagues accurately. They are also expected to: be responsible while commenting on views of other professionals and share results on research and experience which contribute to planning. They are also required to contribute information and time to development of careers of interns and other colleagues, increase opportunities and the marginalized to become professions in planning and to analyze ethical issues in existence, in the planning practice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, through the use of the sources one is able to determine just how ethics is important in urban development in regional and town planning. In addition, one is able to look at some of the case studies done on the topic. The provided information in this paper helps one understand in details the importance of ethics and how it is related to the study in hand. The first source that is used is a professional publication that talks of the Code of Ethics and how to be professional in business. The second source sited in this paper is an academic paper that focuses on planning ethics on a local level in urban development. The study is based on the mind frame of a planner and how to reason ethically and logically. The fourth source is a case law that focuses on the American ethical code that governs urban and regional planners. The forth study looks at an article on the ethical dilemmas urban planers go through. Lastly, the fifth article is a website that focuses on the ethical codes that is applied by all professionals in local and international settings
Reference:
October 3, 2009. AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, Adopted March 19, 2005, retrieved march 20th 2014
KILINÇ G, ÖZGÜR H, Neval F. (May, 2009) Academic research report planning ethics at local level. Turkey. Council of Ethics for the Public Service.
Gest, D. Jo Peterson, S. (2005). The Ethics of Urban Planning: Remembering the Old AICP Code (1978-2005). Education and Careers, United States
Zorica, N. (Jan, 13, 2000) Urban and regional planning, Scope and description of the application challenge. New York. Urisa.
Ethical Principles in Planning (As Adopted May 1992) http://www.planning.org/ethics/ethicalprinciples.htm.
