Greg Dale

C. Gregory Dale, FAICP is a Principal with the planning and zoning firm of McBride Dale Clarion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dale manages planning projects and conducts training for planning officials throughout the country. He is also a past president of the Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association, and a frequent speaker at planning and zoning workshops throughout the country.

For nearly 20 years, Dale authored the Planning Commissioners Journal’s “Ethics & the Planning Commission” column. All of Dale’s ethics columns — along with articles he wrote on transportation planning and zoning — are listed below. Click on the title to read excerpts. PlannersWeb members can also download the complete articles in pdf format, as published in the Planning Commissioners Journal.

PCJ Articles

Considering the Regional Impacts of Local Actions

by Greg Dale, FAICP

Do we have an ethical responsibility to take into account the regional impacts of local land use decisions?

PCJ Articles

Revisiting Ex Parte Contacts

by Greg Dale, FAICP

Just about every planning commission at some time faces questions about ex parte contacts. Greg Dale explains why ex parte contacts can cause problems and how to avoid common pitfalls.

PCJ Articles

Three Articles on Planning for our Aging Population

by Elaine Cogan; Hannah Twaddell; and Greg Dale

1. Ways of better involving older residents in planning; 2. mobility concerns of an aging population; 3. housing & land use issues facing seniors.

Insights

Building a Sense of Community

by Greg Dale, AICP

How do we build a “sense of community”? That’s a question many planning commissioners ask.Long-time planner and PCJ columnist Greg Dale offers his thoughts

PCJ Articles

Regional Approaches to Planning

Greg Dale, AICP

Greg Dale provides an overview of several broad approaches to regional planning, and then takes a closer look at regional planning efforts in Nevada’s Las Vegas Valley.

PCJ Articles

Current Planning Issues: Smart Growth

by Greg Dale, AICP

PCJ columnist Greg Dale takes a look at two words that have been sweeping the nation: “smart growth.”

PCJ Articles

Who Shall Serve? Public Interest vs. Special Interest

by Greg Dale, AICP

Is it appropriate for citizens who have represented “special interest” groups to serve on local planning boards? Greg Dale considers the ethical dimensions of this question.

PCJ Articles

It’s All Relative

by Greg Dale, AICP

Greg Dale explains why “it’s all relative” in his article on conflict of interest situations involving family members.

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

Making Your Opinion Known

by Greg Dale, AICP

Are there any constraints on when a planning board member can speak out publicly as an individual, rather than as a representative of the board? Greg Dale looks at some political and ethical considerations.

PCJ Articles

Site Visits: Necessary But Tricky

by Greg Dale, AICP

Site visits can result in ex-parte contacts, since they occur outside the public forum. It’s important for planning commissions and commissioners to think through how best to conduct a site visit.