建筑专业英语翻译

建筑专业英语翻译

原文：原文：

Using Consultants for Community Comprehensive Planning1

When a community decides to develop or update its comprehensive plan, it is 

immediately plagued2 by a number of decisions regarding how should they develop it, what 

should be be contained contained in in it, it, it, how how professional assistance should be be used, used, and what form it 

should take. 

In the main, many communities having no, or a small, planning staff turn to professional

planning consultants for assistance in the endeavor. This results in the establishment of a consultant selection process that can be as short as hiring the one firm someone knows about

or utilizing a full scale “Request for Proposal” process.

Consultant selection is important since the developed plan will bear the mark of the

consultant as well as the community. Therefore, it it is is is useful useful to to first first agree upon the the type type of 

consultant desired and then the purpose of the comprehensive plan update before embarking 

upon the consultant selection process.

All consultants have, or should have, a particular approach to comprehensive planningplanning——similar to doctors, lawyers, economists and other professionals. Planning

consultants are not all alike in skills, approach, philosophy, and experience; community

comprehensive planning is different from other forms of urban planningplanning——it is not regional

planning, metropolitan planning, corridor3 planning, project planning, or site planning. Because a consultant has experience in site planning or metropolitan planning does not mean

that they are a skilled or experienced community comprehensive planner. Therefore, the 

selection of of a a a planning planning consultant for for comprehensive comprehensive planning purposes should reflect an understanding g and and agreement with the consultant’s view as as to to to the the purpose of of the the plan 

development and the approach they will use. 

Such an understanding can easily be articulated4 by the consultant. While a consultant can bring sound technical skills and an objective viewpoint to the planning process, the key to

developing a realistic and usable plan is to have the policies and programs for action emerge

from the desires and capabilities of the community. To do this, the role and function of the

consultantconsultant——for the duration of the project and within the immediate period following plan

adoptionadoption——is to act as the technical area of the planning commission. This viewpoint is the

result of several strongly held convictions borne out by experience in the comprehensive

planning process, as well as in the implementation of such plans. Among these convictions:

l A plan is used only if it truly represents the political and social aspirations commonly

held by the community and is responsive to the needs of its decision-makers.

l A plan is used only if its intent is clearly understood at the outset and its format

flexible enough to respond to the changing problems, needs, and desires of the community.

l A plan is used only if it can be understood by the community’s decision-makers and if

it fits into the process of local community development.

Comprehensive planning is not an end in itself. Rather, the process and the product

1 This text is from http://www.camiros.com. 2 plague v. annoy 3 corridor n. a long narrow passage on a train or between rooms in a building, with doors leading off it 4 articulate v. speak distinctly 

represent a tool to guide the Plan Commission and Board of Trustees in making growth

management and redevelopment decisions. Such decisions encompass many aspects of

community management, including subdivision5, rezoning, annexation6, historic preservation, economic development, housing, redevelopment, capital improvement and community

design.

To develop such a it plan it is is important that the consultant charged with developing the

plan clearly understands the aspirations of the community and the limitations of the real

world. Secondly, it is important that the local decision-makers accept the consultant as a

professional who understands the needs and aspirations of the community. That is, it is

necessary that a trusting relationship be built between the consultant and the client - staff, Planning Commission, or City Council - and through them, the community as a whole.

A comprehensive plan (or master plan) is a guide for moving a community from today to

some point in the future. Just as a business or corporation may adopt a long-range strategic

plan for their company, a community must also plan for its future through the development of