“过去的规划模式，根植于１９世纪科学与工程的概念，不是过时，就是已经严重损毁。….非欧几里德（式）规划是去中心化且免除了区域和方位…它鼓励受影响的人们去扮演积极的部分，因此证实一般人的经验知识以及促使规划专家与受影响的人们间的互相学习。实际上，非欧几里德规划透过联结知识与行动，成为一个紧密的策略改变的回圈程序。然而规划者仍能够自由地去选择、行动在公众领域，应该被认定为使人类遍及世界繁荣与多样性。”（-- John Friedmann, 1993）

这个科目探索有效管理成长与土地使用改变所需要之技术、程序及个人和专业上的技巧。主要着重于美国国内实际计划的参与，及透过国际案例之原则之回顾与技术之介绍等方式。本课程主要针对想积极加入或接触现今的规划训练和专业，且期待未来能将之付诸实践的学员，而非习于袖手旁观的人。

T土地使用计划的基础与成长管理系统将会加以探讨。传统与创新的土地使用规划步骤和成长管理都将被讨论与回顾，并强调参与过程与绩效基准系统。工具与技术有系统地应用在当地、区域与州等不同政府阶级的案例都将加以介绍与评估。

本课程的重点在于让学生投入于以客户为基础的土地使用计划专案，使学生能够依据并且应用各种步骤与在课堂与书籍中所探讨之干预。（参考以下“工作的范畴”中对于以客户为基础之专案的描述）

课程期间采用讲课、讨论读物、案例资料、角色扮演练习与学生的上台报告等方式进行。读物包含期刊文章、报告，及其他可补充课堂主题与讨论的当代规划练习作品和学科演进。针对合适的特定议题，将有客座讲者进行讲课并参与课堂讨论。

虽然事先的训练及规划或都市设计上之实务经验是有利的，但不一定需要。接触影像软件与地理资讯系统是有帮助的，这门课并没有期末测练。关于课程作业，每一位同学必须加入专案团队，参与实际客户计划之准备工作。

学生评量原则上将基于对社区规划专案之贡献，包含期末规划报告的准备、参与对客户或其他人所发表之期中与期末的计划简报，并提出一份关于规划专案之简短综合报告。另外，课堂讨论的参与也将列为期末成绩的参考指标。


Needham中心计划

修习MIT 都市研究与计划系2003秋季班所开设之“社群成长与土地使用计划”课程之研究生为麻塞诸塞州Needham镇所执行与规划之专案计划。


工作范畴

背景、目标与计划范围a

Needham中心计划将被视为是鼓励及促进Needham市中心之“指导计划”。计划将对该镇之土地使用进行安排，包含地方官员、居民与商业利益及土地所有权人之意见，及如有适合处，也将纳入联邦及国家交通机构的建议，共同决定并依优先顺序改善市中心区。

如同许多建设完善的城镇般，这并不是一件容易或必然直接进行之程序。事实上，Needham的市中心规划已经持续很多年了。过去的努力产生了许多成功的案例，然而，城镇的市中心的广泛改善其实呈现了重重挑战。当然，这些积极的改善计划来自于公私部门的协力合作。认清这些事实，这个计划将奠基于过去的市中心计划，来建立一个有助于培养适当发展及市中心区复苏与持续的规划。

此计划的目的是确认那些策略将可带来市区的复苏，以及简述即将发生的再发展过程。然而，此计划将着重于三个主题：土地使用、发展纲领（高度和容积的管制）及设计纲领（如适当的建筑物外观与街景）。

为了达成这个任务，这个计划将被分成四个部分。第一部分将概述与计划相关之现况。第二部分将呈现由居民、公务员和Ad Hoc委员会等参与所形塑之市区的愿景。第三部分叙述研究范围中未来可能之替代方案和策略议题。最后一部分将细述发展概念计划，包含实质发展和Needham中心区的革新。这个实质计划必须表达市中心的二个功能：作为一个城镇的中心和周围住宅区的邻里区域。他必然有助于“地方感”的建立，和增进并凸显该计划运输导向发展特质。

为达成目的，计划范围将包含中心商业区、Chestnut街的商业区、及周围住宅区。Chestnut的区位，直接毗邻市中心区，因此，Needham市中心计划有必要包含Chestnut这个地区。Chestnut街在市中心区扮演消费活动发生的主要干道，因此，若要对Chestnut街作充分研究的话，必须包含市中心区，反之亦然。且这二个地区的土地使用和交通皆是相互关联的。

Needham市中心区是一个典型的乡镇中心，由乡镇行政中心、乡镇公共用地、警察局、消防队、MBTA火车站（the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority）、教堂、中心商业区及邻近之住宅区所构成。这个地区正经历改变，因市中心本身及市中心周围地区的新发展和潜在性再发展压力所致。这个计划应有助于该镇确保正面的未来成长与改变，以及反应商业和住宅区之需求。如何带来美观和功能上的改善，并同时均衡经济发展和社区特质，将成为计划的重要挑战和主要目标。


计划范围和成果

此计划将包含对范围内之现存土地使用模式、视觉和经济的特性作考量和分析，针对改善和增进该区域，提出具优先顺序之解决对策和建议方案。因此，预期从计划中产生下列成果：

• " 为了增进全部范围和特定土地之发展，提出之实际建议方案包含：土地使用、街景和地景改善、有助提高于地区一致性的设施，皆使未来之发展更充满想像且具有“地方感”。
• " 确认概念上行人和车辆的通道和流通循环上的改善（沿着或穿越研究范围，并能够适当连结开放空间地区。）
• " 为鼓励不论是单一使用或混合使用的住宅再使用的策略和概念上之建议方案。
• " 提出概念上之建议方案与再利用策略，促使将单一用途或复合用途的廉宜房舍纳入考量。
• " 针对未来再发展方案增加其停车设施之可及性，提出特定的建议方案，包含提供地面或地下停车设施。
• " 对于强化、培育、促进周围邻里及商业区与绿色空间之连结提出具体建议。
• " 提出概念上的设计纲领和该镇会考虑促成规划目标的动机。
• " 针对分区管制规则（包含分区图与文字内容的修订）提出修正建议，以支持规划目标，包含现存分区的规定与分区的边界的可能修订。

“期末规划报告”包括提出建议方案与其他随议题所做的调查与分析，结果将可能包含地图、相关图解、表格及相关资料与讯息等。

学生团队将对地方政府做两次正式规划案简报，包含：一次期初报告及一次期末报告。届时规划部门将会邀请市政委员会、计划委员会、经济发展顾问团、综合平价住宅研究委员会、居民、商家及其有兴趣的人来参加会议。

一开始的“专案简报”的部分，将由计划主持人为同学说明，使同学了解专案计划的范围。这个简报将会安排在第二次上课时，于MIT举行。

课程开始日期：第二堂课
课程结束日期：第二十七堂课

"The old planning model, rooted in nineteenth-century concepts of science and engineering, is either dead or severely impaired.... Non-Euclidian Planning is decentered, privileging regions and localities.... It encourages the affected population to take an active part, and, thus, validates the experiential knowledge of ordinary people and promotes mutual learning between the planning expert and the affected population.... Non-Euclidian planning operates in real time by linking knowledge and action into a tightly looped process of strategic change.... Though planners remain free to choose, action in the public domain should be justified as that which furthers the cause of human flourishing and diversity throughout the world."
-- John Friedmann, 1993

This subject explores the techniques, processes, and personal and professional skills required to effectively manage growth and land use change. While primarily focused on the planning practice in the United States, the principles and techniques reviewed and presented may have international application. This course is not for bystanders; it is designed for those who wish to become actively involved or exposed to the planning discipline and profession as it is practiced today, and as it may need to be practiced in the future.

The fundamentals of the land use planning and growth management system are explored. Discussion and review of both traditional and innovative approaches to land use planning and growth management will occur, with emphasis on participatory processes and performance-based systems. Examples of the tools and techniques utilized at the local, regional, and state level of government will also be presented and evaluated.

A major focus of the course involves student work on a client-based land use planning project, enabling students to draw upon and apply a variety of approaches and interventions explored in the course and readings. (See below "Scope of Work" for description of client-based project.)

Class sessions employ lectures, discussions of readings, case materials, role-playing exercises, and student presentations. A reader containing journal articles, papers, and other written works relevant to contemporary planning practice and the evolution of the discipline supplements class session topics and discussion. Where appropriate to specific topics, guest speakers will present to the class and join in class discussion.

No prior training or experience in physical planning or urban design is assumed, although it is advantageous. Some exposure to imaging software and GIS is helpful. There is no final examination required for completion of the course. In addition to classwork, each student will be required to participate, as a project team member, in the preparation of a project for an actual client.

Student evaluations will be principally based upon contributions to the community planning project, including the preparation of the final plan report, participation in mid-term and final presentations of the plan to the client and others, and submission of a short "synthesis paper" about the planning project. Participation in class discussion will also be a significant factor in final grade evaluations.


Needham Center Plan

A project to be undertaken and a Plan to be prepared for the Town of Needham, Massachusetts, by graduate students enrolled in the fall 2003, Community Growth and Land Use Planning course, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.


Scope of Work

Background, Goals, and Project Area

The Needham Center Plan will be prepared as a "guidance document" to encourage and promote planning efforts in Needham Center. The Plan is intended to engage the Town, including its municipal officials, citizens, business interests, property owners, and, where appropriate, federal and state transportation agencies, in a focused and prioritized planning effort to improve the downtown area.

As in many established towns, this is not an easy or necessarily straightforward process. In fact, downtown planning in Needham has been going on for many years. Those efforts have generated a number of successful projects. However, the Town's downtown presents challenges that have made extensive improvements difficult. Not surprisingly, the positive improvements in the downtown resulted from a shared effort by the public and private sectors. Recognizing these realities, this planning effort will build on past planning for the downtown and will establish a program to help foster appropriate development and downtown revitalization, moving forward.

The purpose of this planning effort is to identify those strategies that will foster downtown revitalization, as well as to outline the process for that redevelopment to occur. Therefore, the Plan will focus on three topics: land use, development guidelines (such as height and bulk regulations), and design guidelines (such as appropriate built form and streetscape).

To accomplish this charge, the Plan will be divided into four sections. The first section will outline existing conditions pertinent to the plan. The second section will present a vision for the downtown; to be shaped and informed by the participation of Town residents, officials, and the Ad Hoc Committee. The third section will describe possible future alternatives and strategic plan issues in the study area. The final section will detail a development concept plan for the physical development and evolution of the Needham Center area. This physical plan must be an expression of Needham Center's two functions: as a downtown center, and as a neighbor to the residential areas surrounding it. It must help facilitate a "sense of place," and enhance and sharpen the area's transit oriented development qualities.

For purposes of this effort, the area to be addressed by the Plan will include the Center Business District, the Chestnut Street Business District and bordering residential neighborhoods. The location of Chestnut Street, directly adjacent to the downtown area, necessitates its inclusion in the development of an area plan for Needham Center. As a major arterial road serving the commercial activity in Needham Center, Chestnut Street cannot be adequately studied without also looking at the downtown area, and vice versa. Land use and traffic in both districts is interrelated.

Needham Center is a typical town center, complete with a Town Hall, Town Common, Police and Fire Stations, an MBTA station, churches and a central business district bordered by residential neighborhoods. The area is undergoing change, as a result of new development and underlying redevelopment pressures in the downtown itself, as well as in the surrounding area. The Plan should help the Town ensure that future growth and change is positive, and reflects the needs of both the business and residential communities. Facilitating aesthetic and functional improvements, while balancing economic development and community character issues, will be both a key challenge and primary goal for the Plan.


Plan Scope and Products

The Plan will involve consideration and analysis of the existing land use pattern(s) and visual and economic characteristics of the defined area, and will result prioritized strategies and recommendations to improve and enhance the area. The following products are expected to result from the Plan:

• Development of realistic recommendations to enhance both the entire area and specific properties, including recommendations for land use, streetscape and landscape improvements and amenities to help unify the area, all geared toward promoting greater imageability and a "sense of place";
• Identification of conceptual pedestrian and vehicular access and circulation improvements (along and across the area to be studied, with appropriate links to open space areas);
• Conceptual recommendations and reuse strategies for encouraging the inclusion of affordable housing either as a solitary use or in a mixed use context;
• Conceptual recommendations and reuse strategies for high visibility or key parcels that are likely to have major reuse or redevelopment potential;
• Specific recommendations for increasing the availability of parking to service anticipated redevelopment options including provision of structured parking facilities either above or below ground;
• Specific recommendations for strengthening, nurturing, and promoting connections to greenspace and to the adjoining neighborhood and commercial areas;
• Conceptual design guidelines and incentives that could be considered by the Town to foster planning objectives; and
• Suggested revisions to the Zoning Bylaw (both map and text amendments) to support plan objectives, including potential revisions to existing zoning requirements and zoning district boundaries.

The "Final Plan" document will include the inventory and analysis conducted, along with recommendations and other accompanying features and details, which are likely to include maps, illustrations, tables, and relevant data and information.

Two formal presentations related to the Plan will be made by student teams to the Town: a Preliminary Plan findings presentation, and a Final Plan presentation. It is anticipated that the Planning Department may invite members of the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Comprehensive Affordable Housing Study Committee, residents, business owners, and other interested persons to attend these meetings.

An initial "project briefing" session with the Director of Planning will be held to acquaint students with the scope of the project. This briefing will be held in Session 2 during class time at MIT.

Start Date: Session 2
Completion Date: Session 27