Planning for land use and the built environment is critical for flood resilience. Communities that acknowledge and plan for hazards throughout an integrated network of plans are generally more resilient than those where guidance conflicts and hazards are downplayed. Through the spatial evaluation of a community's network of plan documents, a Plan Integration for Resilience Scorecard (PIRS) analysis helps reveal where and how plans are coordinated or in conflict, and where opportunities exist to strengthen resilience. Originally developed in the United States, the method was applied in Rotterdam, Nijmegen, and Dordrecht as part of a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education grant. The studies were an occasion for comparisons and knowledge-building, testing the PIRS in a new hazard and planning context, facilitating its continued development, and providing a novel perspective on Dutch plan integration and resilience as the country adjusts to new planning and water management challenges.

Rising damages from hazard events have led to calls for innovative research on resilience. Consistent integration of mitigation policies throughout a community's network of plans is increasingly seen as essential for effective resilience planning. To better understand coordination and conflicts in policy responses to flood hazards, this study evaluates a district in the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, using the Plan Integration for Resilience Scorecard method. An internationally recognized leader in resilience and water management, Rotterdam is nevertheless vulnerable to flooding, especially in a changing climate. Findings demonstrate that even a place as proactive in resilience policy as Rotterdam can benefit from the perspective gained using the scorecard technique. Although resilience is generally supported throughout the study area, conflicts remain. The scorecard reveals inconsistencies and opportunities to further reduce flood vulnerability by ‘mainstreaming’ resilience policies in the most influential plans.