Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler is a planning consultant based in Richmond, Virginia. He is a former Professor and Community Planning Extension Specialist at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, and co-founder of the Virginia Institute for Planning Commissioners. Chandler has for many years conducted planning commissioner training programs across the country, and is a frequent speaker at planning workshops.

From 1992 to 2003 Chandler wrote “The Planning Commission at Work” column for the Planning Commissioners Journal, covering topics ranging from comp plan development to meeting management. All of his columns are listed below. Just click on a title to read extended excerpts from the article; PlannersWeb members can then also download the full article in pdf format as published in the PCJ.

PCJ Articles

Zoning Boards & Planning Commissions

by Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler provides an overview of the role of local zoning boards, and why it’s important for planning commissions to be familiar with zoning board decisions.

PCJ Articles

Linking Elected Officials with Planning

by Michael Chandler

Why it’s important for planning commissions and governing bodies to work cooperatively. With some suggestions for ways of strengthening this relationship.

PCJ Articles

Zoning and Changing Lifestyles

by Greg Dale and Michael Chandler

Long-time planners and PCJ contributing writers Mike Chandler and Greg Dale take a look at the impact that changes in our society are having on local zoning regulation.

PCJ Articles

Zoning Basics

by Greg Dale and Michael Chandler

Mike Chandler and Greg Dale look at zoning basics with an overview of the purposes of zoning, the structure of a typical zoning ordinance, and the principal players in the “zoning universe.” With sidebars on key zoning-related legal issues.

PCJ Articles

Bringing the Plan to Life

by Michael Chandler

Most planning commissioners realize that all the effort spent on preparing a comprehensive plan will only pay off if the plan’s policies and objectives are implemented. Michael Chandler offers an eight-step process for helping assure that your plan is brought to life.

PCJ Articles

Ten Steps in Preparing a Comprehensive Plan

by Michael Chandler

One of the key responsibilities planning commissions have is to prepare the comprehensive plan. Michael Chandler provides an overview of the steps typically taken in developing a plan.

PCJ Articles

Strengthening Your Group Process Skills

by Michael Chandler

An overview of several group process methods that can help planning boards deal more creatively (and effectively) with issues they face.

PCJ Articles

Decision Making

by Michael Chandler

Mike Chandler considers why decision making can be hard for planning commissioners, and explores the substance, form, and function of planning commission decision making.

PCJ Articles

The 21st Century Comprehensive Plan

by Michael Chandler

PCJ columnist Michael Chandler takes a look at five ways in which local comprehensive plans are starting to change as we enter the new century.

PCJ Articles

Making Planning Accountable

by Michael Chandler

How do measure the success of planning in your town, city, or county? Mike Chandler looks at some basic ways to make planning accountable.

Bright Ideas

Citizen Planning Academies

by Michael Chandler

One of the major challenges facing most communities, and their planning boards, is how to explain planning and the planning process in terms citizens can understand. Mike Chandler looks at how “citizen planning academies” helped in two Virginia counties.

PCJ Articles

Capital Improvement Programs

by Michael Chandler

In this series of three columns, Michael Chandler covers the basics of the planning commission’s role in putting together a recommended capital improvement program.