10.2190/EF6M-U4QY-R60W-9EVY EF6MU4QYR60W9EVY 1 The Planning Political Interface: A Lesson in Plan Adoption 1 11 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 EF6MU4QYR60W9EVY.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=EF6MU4QYR60W9EVY 1 Timothy R. Lazaro Franklin County Department of Planning, Greenfield, Massachusetts A very critical part of the planning process is plan adoption. In this phase, plans become enacted by the political group. Planning schools provide students with ample theory; however, plan adoption is largely a practical lesson, and must be learned by experience. To illustrate this phase and some differences between planning and political objectives, a technical flood prevention study within a small town is described and methods of presentation before a town council are discussed. Although the study was directed with the prime emphasis on communication of the best (cost effective and most alleviative) flood prevention method, the alternative implemented was not the most sound and will create recurring expense for the town's inhabitants. Upon further investigation it was determined that the objective of the political group was re-election, and the alternative undertaken was structured to achieve this goal. M. R. Levin, Why Can't Johnny Plan? <i>Planning, 42</i>:8, pp. 16-23, September 1976. W. A. Malone, Planning Practice and Techniques, <i>J. Soil and Water Conservation</i>, pp. 21-24, January/February 1973. Tennessee Valley Authority, Floods Along Laurel and Beaverdam Creeks, 1957. M. G. Wolman, A Cycle of Sedimentation and Erosion in Urban River Channels, <i>Geografiska Annaler, 49A</i>, pp. 385-395, 1967. T. R. Lazaro, Adapted Techniques for Urban Stream Structure Analysis, <i>J. Environmental Systems, 6</i>:4, pp. 321-328, 1976-1977. T. Maddock, Jr., A Primer on Flood Plain Dynamics, <i>J. Soil and Water Conservation</i>, pp. 44-47, March/April 1976. L. Leopold, M. G. Wolman, and J. P. Miller, Fluvial Processes in Geomorphology, W. H. Freeman, San Francisco, California, 1964. T. N. Debo, The Complete Drainage Program: More Than an Ordinance, <i>Water Resources Bulletin, 12</i>:1, pp. 109-121, February 1976. T. R. Lazaro, Effective Communication of Technical Information to a Non-Technical Group, <i>J. Technical Writing and Communication 7</i>:4, pp. 295-301, 1977. H. A. Estrin and E. J. Monahan, Effective Oral Presentation of Scientific and Technical Information, <i>J. Technical Writing and Communication, 5</i>:3, pp. 187-197, 1975. M. Guy, Virginia's Circuit-Riding Administrator, <i>Appalachia</i>, pp. 32-36, August/September 1976. A. J. Catanese, Planners and Local Politics: Impossible Dreams, Sage Library of Social Research, 7, Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, London, 1974.