Title Page -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- List of Figures -- 1: National Context and a Comparative Framework -- Introduction -- International perspectives on contemporary design review -- Understanding American planning systems -- Examples of the control process-Portland and Seattle -- Key criticisms of planning and design review -- Developing criteria for comparison and evaluation -- 2: Seattle -- Introduction -- Design and development in downtown Seattle -- Seattle's urban villages growth strategy -- Conclusions -- City of Bellevue -- Introduction -- The pressure for planning and design regulation -- The downtown design regulations and review process -- Conclusions -- 3: Portland -- Introduction -- State legislation and the policy basis for planning decisions -- The Central City Design Guidelines -- The 1988 Central City Plan -- The Albina Community Plan -- City-wide planning, urban growth boundaries, housing density and affordability -- Conclusions -- 4: San Francisco -- Introduction -- The 1972 Master Plan and its urban design policies -- The 1985 Downtown Plan -- The Residential Design Guidelines -- Conclusions -- 5: Irvine -- Introduction -- Company-controlled design -- Irvine's 'village' structure and layouts -- Community conformity and claustrophobia or democratic control? -- Conclusions -- 6: San Diego -- Introduction -- The General Plan -- Rationalising the zoning code -- Community Plans -- Conclusions -- 7: Conclusions -- Introduction -- A framework for synthesis -- The politics of urban design -- Public participation in formulating design policy -- The process of design review -- The policy hierarchy and the writing of guidelines -- Implementation -- A comprehensive co-ordinated effort -- The lessons from west coast cities -- Appendices.

I: The Secretary of the Interior's 'Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings 1983' -- II: Persons Contacted -- Bibliography -- (i) General Sources -- (ii) Plans and Guidance -- (iii) City Studies.