Planning for places that thrive
A planning and urban design firm in the Southwest
The planning and urban design studio at Dekker provides integrated design and planning solutions that are market-driven and sustainable. We collaborate on projects that range from largescale master planned communities to small infill tracts, with a diversity of project types from multifamily, commercial, industrial, to higher education and more.
Stronger communities through collaboration
Good planning is only possible with deep partnerships. We not only collaborate with our design studios, but with civil engineering firms, and the communities that we are working to improve. We offer a wide range of services: to Dekker's own multidisciplinary design studios and our clients.
- Entitlements and land development
- Conceptual site plans and land use analysis
- Comprehensive, sector/district, corridor, and MRA plans
- Zoning code, technical standards, and design guidelines
- Public outreach
- Due diligence and marketing packages
- Project branding and placemaking
- Campus and master plans
- Open space and trail plans
- Signage and wayfinding plans
- Document layouts
- Renderings
- GIS analysis
Masterplanning and urban design
With experience applied to over 50 successful master plans, we work across varying scales, objectives, and contexts to deliver tailored, actionable plans that align with your unique goals.
Our approach integrates site analysis at both the micro and macro scales, recognizing how the fine details of an individual site are connected to the broader urban context.
At the macro scale, we evaluate regional and city-wide systems—such as infrastructure, transportation networks, environmental impacts, and land use patterns—to ensure that our plans contribute to the long-term sustainability, economic viability, and resilience of the area. At the micro scale, we focus on the details of how people interact with spaces, considering walkability, access to services, landscape, and the integration of buildings with public spaces.
Public engagement
People are what make a community, which is why public engagement and outreach is essential to our planning projects. Our services support inclusive, transparent, and effective engagement throughout the planning, design, and entitlement process.
OUR OUTREACH STRATEGY
- In-Person: direct feedback via open houses, public forums, and workshops
- Digital: online surveys, social media, and virtual meetings for broader accessibility
- Interactive: creative and hands-on activities like design charrettes, pop-up events, and participatory mapping
- Equitable: multilingual materials, accessible venues, and targeted outreach to marginalized communities
We collaborate with clients to develop tailored strategies that align with project goals, using a mix of tools such as pop-up events, community workshops, stakeholder meetings, and digital platforms including websites, social media, and online surveys.
Whatever the modality, our outreach activities are designed to be accessible and responsive, fostering broad participation and collecting meaningful input.
Supporting early-stage design development
The Site Exploration Team helps our design studios launch projects with clarity and confidence. The team takes an “informed-first” approach to projects, collaborating early to identify site constraints and uncover opportunities. With us, your project can launch with fewer surprises, smarter strategies, and better results.
SITE EXPLORATION TEAM SERVICES
- Entitlement and regulatory summaries
- Entitlement schedules
- High-quality ariel base images
- Regulatory constraint studies
- Site analysis
- Test fit studies
The planning team
With over 35 years of combined experience, our planning and urban design firm based in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, leads with experience planning on all scales – from campus planning to site planning.
LICENSES + CERTIFICATIONS
- AICP Certified Professionals — American Institute of Certified Planners
- LEED Accredited Professionals — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
- CPTED — Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
- Historic Preservation & Regionalism Certified
- FBCI Certified Professionals — Form Based Coding
- Geomatic Technology Certified Professionals (Surveying)
- GIS Certified Professionals — Geographic Information Technology