• Hold public meetings with government officials, social scientists, lawyers, developers, the public, or special interest groups to formulate, develop, or address issues regarding land use or community plans.
• Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
• Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
• Recommend approval, denial, or conditional approval of proposals.
• Discuss with planning officials the purpose of land use projects, such as transportation, conservation, residential, commercial, industrial, or community use.
• Conduct field investigations, surveys, impact studies, or other research to compile and analyze data on economic, social, regulatory, or physical factors affecting land use.
• Determine the effects of regulatory limitations on land use projects.
• Advocate for sustainability to community groups, government agencies, the general public, or special interest groups.
• Mediate community disputes or assist in developing alternative plans or recommendations for programs or projects.
• Keep informed about economic or legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, or environmental regulations.
• Assess the feasibility of land use proposals and identify necessary changes.
• Supervise or coordinate the work of urban planning technicians or technologists.
• Identify opportunities or develop plans for sustainability projects or programs to improve energy efficiency, minimize pollution or waste, or restore natural systems.
• Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables such as population density.
• Evaluate proposals for infrastructure projects or other development for environmental impact or sustainability.
• Coordinate work with economic consultants or architects during the formulation of plans or the design of large pieces of infrastructure.
• Review and evaluate environmental impact reports pertaining to private or public planning projects or programs.
• Develop plans for public or alternative transportation systems for urban or regional locations to reduce carbon output associated with transportation.

• Analytical or scientific software — Citilabs TRANPLAN; ESRI What if?; Location allocation decision support system LADSS; Scientific Software Group ModTech
• Compliance software — Accela PERMITS Plus; Accela Tidemark Advantage
• Computer aided design CAD software — Autodesk AutoCAD ; Bentley MicroStation ; Dassault Systems SOLIDWORKS; UrbanSim 
• Data base user interface and query software — Database software; Microsoft Access ; Structured query language SQL
• Data mining software
• Desktop communications software — RhinoSoft FTP Voyager
• Desktop publishing software — Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign ; Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker
• Document management software — Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat ; Interwoven software
• Electronic mail software — IBM Lotus Notes; Microsoft Outlook
• Enterprise application integration software — Extensible markup language XML
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software — Accela KIVA DMS; SAP ; WorkTech MAXIMO
• Graphics or photo imaging software — Adobe Systems Adobe Freehand; Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator ; Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop ; Graphics software
• Internet browser software — Web browser software
• Map creation software — Criterion Planners INDEX; ESRI ArcGIS software ; PlanGraphics Citywide GIS Utility; Spatial decision support systems SDSS software
• Office suite software — Microsoft Office
• Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
• Project management software — Microsoft Project ; Oracle Primavera Systems
• Spreadsheet software — IBM Lotus 1-2-3; Microsoft Excel
• Time accounting software — Sage Timeslips
• Web page creation and editing software — Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
• Web platform development software — Hypertext markup language HTML
• Word processing software — Microsoft Word

Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.

• Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Systems Analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Systems Evaluation — Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Negotiation — Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
• Operations Analysis — Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Persuasion — Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Management of Personnel Resources — Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
• Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Mathematics — Using mathematics to solve problems.