Can Defining the “Public Interest” Really Be as Easy as 1..2..3?

The first commitment, ethically speaking, for members of the American Institute of Certified Planners is to continuously pursue and faithfully serve the public interest. But it’s fair to say that almost every planner has said to themselves at some point, “I don’t disagree, but what does that mean?”

Given the comprehensive nature of the profession and the complexity of the communities we serve, the public interest can be surprisingly hard to pin down. Fortunately, a recent Planning Advisory Service (PAS) Memo by Kyle Ezell, FAICP, entitled “Three Essential Questions for Better Planning” gives us a a simple and intuitive way to focus our planning practices by asking a series of short questions.

Who is helped?
Who is harmed?
Who is missing?

To quote Ezell: “…the essence of planning for and with people is simple: we want our work to benefit as many people as possible, to negatively impact as few people as possible, and to include as many people as possible.”

By asking these questions – and devoting time and effort to developing the answers – not only can we better serve the public interest, we can take on more meaningful roles in community conversations and be active empowerers of voices that are often not heard in planning processes.

Members of the American Planning Association can access PAS Memo No. 110 through APA’s website.