Manisha Tewari, a principal planner in Rockville’s Department of Planning and Development Services, has been with the city for over 14 years. We asked her a few questions about her job, including her role in preparing the city for the 2020 United States Census.
What does a principal planner do?
A principal planner performs difficult professional planning work that requires a proactive and sometimes influential approach to coordinating activities between city departments and outside agencies and the community to contribute to the overall quality of life and orderly growth and development of the city.
As a principal planner, I developed several components of the city’s comprehensive plan, in collaboration with other departments, and helped manage public outreach for Rockville’s update to the master plan process. I also develop strategic documents highlighting the state of the city by analyzing development trends and growth patterns related to demographics, housing and economy, and conduct other specialized studies. I coordinate with surrounding jurisdictions such as the county, Montgomery College and Montgomery County Public Schools, and develop testimony on their master plans and capital improvements programs to promote Rockville’s interests. I provide census and other employment data to city departments to assist in their budgets, grants and recruiting processes. I use geographic information systems extensively to visually represent various analyses.
What have you been doing to help the city prepare for the 2020 census?
I led the city’s efforts to ensure the Census Bureau had good data about Rockville for both the 2010 and 2020 census. Both projects involved considerable preparation and training. We have been preparing for the 2020 census for the past two years. In spring 2018, I compared the Census Bureau’s draft list of residential addresses to the city’s database of 28,650 residential addresses, and identified over 2,100 new addresses to add, and others to correct or remove as incorrect, or that were outside city limits. In October, I participated in a Census Bureau program to identify new construction since March 1, 2018, and identified over 700 new residences not included in the 2018 residential review. If the new units are occupied by April 1, they will receive a 2020 Census questionnaire. This process enables the Census Bureau to mail questionnaires to all households using the corrected address list.
Why is a complete count of the census so important?
Census data is used to determine the city’s sociodemographic characteristics, which affect how billions of dollars in federal funding are distributed for things like health care, senior centers and housing, social services, jobs, roads, schools, and businesses. It is estimated that each person not counted by the census costs the state about $18,250 over a 10-year period. Census data is also used to define representative boundaries for congressional districts, state legislative districts and voting precincts, and for enforcing voting rights and civil rights legislation.
What other projects are you working on?
I’m involved in strategies for improving the vitality of Rockville Town Center. I’m also managing the next round of city forecasting for housing, population and employment, in coordination with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. This process will help the city plan and implement policies to keep Rockville competitive in the region, and determine infrastructure and budget needs to serve our current and future population. I’m also working on strategies so that Rockville can grow as envisioned in the master plan.
Is there anything else we should know that we haven’t asked about?
I have a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s in planning. I like working as a public service professional, and my interdisciplinary training and experience has allowed me to contribute to Rockville’s built environment and effectively (I hope) serve the community. I enjoy working for the city because it has provided me with opportunities for learning, growth and success, and allowed me to achieve a balance with my professional and personal life.