PLANNING

Providing services to both public and private sector clients, AKRF’s Planning department includes experts in land use, zoning, and public policy; site planning and design (with our full civil engineering services); waterfront planning and redevelopment and coastal zone management; and open space and community facilities planning. Our clients can also take advantage of our depth in economics, traffic analysis, and historic resource evaluation and planning. AKRF is well-versed in the principles of smart growth and sustainable design, too.

AKRF’s planners are skilled in both large-scale urban or regional design projects and smaller-scale community planning projects for municipalities in suburban or rural areas. Both clients and regulators trust our planners to meld technical analyses from a range of disciplines into rigorous, readable reports that can stand up to public review through to implementation. In addition, AKRF has extensive experience with numerous public outreach methods and integrates citizen participation into projects of all sizes and scale.

Browse our Planning services.
	Environmental Impact Assessment
	AKRF has extensive experience working with private applicants and public agencies to prepare assessments of the environmental impacts of proposed projects and public policy initiatives under federal, state, and local review procedures. These assessments range from lengthy and complex analyses to simple, expedited reviews, depending on the scope of the project being evaluated.
	EIS/EAS/EAF Preparation
	For more than two decades AKRF has led the development of methods and criteria for environmental impact assessment. In the early 1990s, AKRF directed the preparation of the New York City Environmental Quality Review Technical Manual, and thus practically “wrote the book” for environmental review in New York City. AKRF also has an unparalleled expertise and practical working knowledge of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. We have prepared thousands of environmental compliance documents on behalf of public, institutional, and private clients for projects large and small.
	Project Scoping
	Preparation of an EIS begins with public review of the scope of studies to be included in the EIS. A draft scope of work is presented to the public and to expert agencies for review and comment. Once comments are received, they are incorporated into the final scope of work, which then guides the preparation of the EIS. Our expertise allows us to rapidly and clearly define the issues a project will face and suggest innovative solutions.
	Public Outreach
	Public outreach is an important element of the environmental review process and is required by local, state, and federal environmental regulations. Outreach efforts can include planning workshops, information sessions, and hearings to solicit comments on environmental documents. AKRF has extensive experience with public hearings of all kinds and producing materials for outreach efforts for complex projects.
	Interagency Coordination
	Many of our projects require coordination among numerous review agencies. Our long-standing, close working relationships with state and local agencies in the New York metropolitan area and other municipalities in the Northeast and our understanding of the issues involved in development in the region put us in a unique position to coordinate requirements, permits, and deadlines to ensure the smooth progress of a project.
	Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy
	The analysis of land use, zoning, and public policy evaluates existing development patterns and trends and the public policies that affect them, and considers a project or proposal’s consistency with and effect on those patterns. AKRF’s 25 years of insight into the region’s development trends brings strategic planning to challenging projects.
	Community Facilities and Services
	Community facilities and services considered in an environmental evaluation typically include schools, hospitals, day care centers, and emergency services. We work closely with these service providers and offer expertise in these impact issues.
	Open Space
	A project or proposal can affect open space resources if it creates, eliminates, or alters a public park or recreation area. It can also affect urban open space resources if it brings to a neighborhood substantial new population groups that might use the area’s open space resources. AKRF provides strategic planning for projects facing open space issues to identify ways to avoid potential impacts during project development.
	Visual Character
	Evaluating visual character involves consideration of a project’s effects on the urban design and visual aspects of an area, including any important visual resources or views. AKRF’s planners are experienced in visual character evaluations that comply with local, state, and federal methodologies.