Planning Peeps: Three years and NOT done

July 2018 marked the third anniversary for PlanningPeeps.com and we wanted to provide some information about what Planning Peeps is, why it is, what it has done, and where it is going. 

In the beginning, there was an idea.

First homepage for PlanningPeeps.com (July 2015)

One of the driving factors that led to the creation of PlanningPeeps.com was the realization that many of the so-called planning websites out there were/are focused on wide-ranging urbanism. Sure, these sites are good for planners as they share information that they can put in their toolbelts, but there was something missing. With the exception of Cyburbia (big fan), there wasn't a community that was telling the story of what it is to be a planner, what experiences we share, and what can be done to communicate more effectively about what urban planners do.

​The first version of the PlanningPeeps.com website was intended to provide the ability for planners to interact in real time through a chat tool, collaborate with classmates/fellow alumni, and put downward pressure on the cost of job postings on other sites by supporting our free job board. The website has evolved over the past few years. It has become mobile-ready (that was a lot of work) and it has added new features while still maintaining the same focus: a venue for planners to talk about planning.

Then there were memes, and they were good.

Our meme game is strong. That's probably why you liked Planning Peeps in the first place. There weren't many urban planning memes before Planning Peeps, now there's hundreds. Some poke fun at situations planners face, some are straight up savage, and some are just wholesome pro-planning content. 

Check out the top urban planning memes of 2017 to see the fan favorites. Click here to find out how you can get an autographed print of your favorite planning meme. 

Then there were ideas articulated in blog form, and they too were good.

One of the main reasons Planning Peeps was started was to talk about planning from a professional planner's point of view. Some of the biggest challenges in the urban profession is telling others about what you do.  Other challenges are how to navigate the urban planning career hierarchy. Planning Peeps has blogged about public sector planners, planning beards, Jim Carrey on being a planner, and more!

Be sure to check out the satirical blog from Planning Peeps named Le Planion for some good inside jokes and high-brow planning humor.

And a community was built.

Three years, and here are some highlights of what Planning Peeps has accomplished thus far:

• The Planning Peeps Facebook page topped 4,000 likes just days before its third birthday! Our posts reach over 30,000 people each week with our planner-specific content.
• Our free job board has saved public planning agencies over $100,000! We offer featured postings for a fee, albeit lower than the equivalent on other sites.
• We offer certified planner exam prep which includes two practice quizzes, AICP jeopardy, exam prep memes, and more!
• The Top Planners Under 40 is in its third year and has recognized over 20 planners that were nominated by their peers!
• We have provided resources for student planners such as PSO Hangouts, planning school rankings, and a guide on picking your ideal urban planning graduate program!
• Created the Urban Planner Social Network with over 300 members!

What's next?

More of the same, really. We're going to keep talking about planning to planners and hopefully have some guest bloggers! We're always thinking about innovative ideas, tools, and content to create and share with the Planning Peeps community! Planning Peeps appreciates the support of our Partners because there are real costs involved with running a website that is functional for this purpose. If you would like to contribute on a monthly basis to Planning Peeps for as little as 4 cents a day, you can do so by visiting our Patreon page!

Thanks,
​kk