FLORIDA PLANNING A Publication of the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association
Winter 2016
www.floridaplanning.org
S E N DRO G
INTEGRATIN
INTO
By Michael Broker
PE
A C S D N A L A D THE FLORI
P
lanners and other project stakeholders are entering the age of near-real time aerial data access via drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The potential benefits of these aerial platforms are numerous as the technology expands and redefines traditional workflows across many industries. Common products include very high resolution aerial images and other continued on page 4
OTHER FEATURES
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
5
APA Florida Election Opportunities
7
Automated/Connected Vehicle Technology
10
Aging Technology
11
Retired and Still Planning
12
2016 APA Florida Conference Call for Presentations
The Florida Chapter of APA provides statewide leadership in the development of sustainable communities by advocating excellence in planning, providing professional development for its members, and working to protect and enhance the natural and built environments.
President’s Message - p. 3 APA Florida Working for You - p. 15 Planners on the Move - p. 15 Section Happenings - p. 16 Law Case Update - p. 17 Consultants Directory - p. 19 Events - back page
[APA FLORIDA] KEY CONTACTS - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Name
Phone Fax E-mail
APA Florida Executive Committee President Melissa Zornitta, AICP
813- 272-5940
813- 272-6255 president@floridaplanning.org
President-Elect
Andre Anderson, AICP
407-896-0455
407-386-6523
presidentelect@floridaplanning.org
Sun Coast Section
Stephen Benson, AICP, CNU-A 813-843-8359
suncoast@floridaplanning.org
VP-Professional Development
Henry Bittaker, AICP
561-523-0678
profdevelopment@floridaplanning.org
First Coast Section
Wiatt Bowers
813-785-5012
firstcoast@floridaplanning.org
Orlando Metro Section
Jason Burton, AICP
407-246-3389
orlandometro@floridaplanning.org
Gold Coast Section
Maeve Desmond, AICP
305-755-5842
VP-Conference Services
Kathie Ebaugh, AICP
941-927-9000
conferencesvcs@floridaplanning.org
VP-Membership Services
Laura Everitt, AICP
813-224-8862
813-226-2106
membership@floridaplanning.org
Atlantic Coast Section
Lisa Frazier, AICP
321-750-7060
atlanticcoast@floridaplanning.org
Treasurer
Allara Mills Gutcher
850-875-8663
treasurer@floridaplanning.org
San Felasco Section
Adam Hall, AICP
386-418-6125
sanfelasco@floridaplanning.org
Heart of Florida Section
Hetty Harmon, AICP
863-646-4771
heartoffl@floridaplanning.org
VP-Section Affairs
Tony LaColla, AICP
813-273-3774
813-272-6258
sectionaffairs@floridaplanning.org
Treasure Coast Section
Josh Long, AICP
561-650-0719
561-671-2417
treasurecoast@floridaplanning.org
University Liaison
Joseli Macedo
352-392-0997
352-392-3308
univliaison@floridaplanning.org
Student Representative
Andrew Meyer
students@floridaplanning.org
Promised Lands Section
Tony Palermo, AICP
239-533-8325
239-485-8344
promisedlands@floridaplanning.org
VP-Certification Maintenance
Rick Perez, AICP
863-834-6011
certmaintenance@floridaplanning.org
Emerald Coast Section
Kristen Shell, AICP
850-983-7078
emeraldcoast@floridaplanning.org
VP - Communications
Marcie Stenmark, AICP
727-724-1555
communications@floridaplanning.org
Immediate Past President
Brian Teeple, AICP
904-279-0880
pastpresident@floridaplanning.org
YPG Representative
Stephen Thorp
407-836-5549
ypg@floridaplanning.org
Secretary
Alissa Barber Torres, AICP
407-836-7762
secretary@floridaplanning.org
Broward Section
Thuy Turner, AICP
954-357-6633
broward@floridaplanning.orgta
Capital Area Section
Barry Wilcox
850-891-6400
capitalarea@floridaplanning.org ff
Executive Director
Julia “Alex“ Magee
850-201-3272
850-807-2576
fapa@floridaplanning.org
Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper
Amanda Vickers
850-201-3272
850-807-2576
adminbk@floridaplanning.org
Communications Coordinator Patti Shea
850-201-3272
850-807-2576
staff@floridaplanning.org
Legislative Representative
Lester Abberger
850-524-2779
850-222-8199
lesterabberger@nettally.com
Webmaster (Consultant)
Summer Taylor
888-949-5487 x706
407-246-2895
goldcoast@floridaplanning.org
904-279-0881
summer@exaktmarketing.com
All Other Inquiries, contact APA Florida at 1-850-201-3272 or e-mail fapa@floridaplanning.org.
2 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Happy 2016, everyone! With the new year comes new opportunities to volunteer with APA Florida. We are seeking nominees for our elections to the Executive Committee as well as volunteers for a number of other opportunities – member conference committee, section events, mentoring and many more. I wanted to use this column to share some of the benefits I have received from volunteering for APA Florida in different capacities. I started out volunteering for the Sun Coast Section, which afforded me amazing opportunities to expand my network of fellow planners. As I met planners across Tampa Bay, I was fortunate to meet folks who later became tremendous resources in finding future employment. Serving as a statewide officer allowed me to meet some of the best planners across our state. From them I collected best practices and found those who have similar work experiences to me as well as planners in very specific aspects of our field. This enriched my network of planners, who I can reach out to with questions and makes my job so much easier when I have others I can ask questions of, learn from and share experiences with. Now as chapter president, I am meeting planners from across the country and again my network is expanding.
I wanted to use this column to share some of the benefits I have received from volunteering for APA Florida in different capacities. Suffice it to say, my love for and knowledge of planning in Florida has grown immensely. A lot has changed in the planning field in our state in the past decade. Serving on the Executive Committee, I have been able to be on the pulse of those changes. I have heard from other volunteers and their different perspectives on these changes. Such an example is an expert like our legislative liaison, Lester Abberger, on how to try to affect the political process in which those changes are being made. Volunteering for APA Florida has also provided me a real opportunity to learn and sharpen leadership skills. Working with diverse groups of planners always has its challenges and successes. Tact, patience, self-motivation and collaboration are all necessary skills in this role. I have had the opportunity not only to hone my own skills but also to learn from great leaders like Brian Teeple and Merle Bishop, both who served as president before me. Many of the skills I have gained in these positions have translated to work skills, which has benefitted my career but also the communities that I have served. My most prized takeaway from volunteering is that I have created some amazing lifelong friendships. As a new planner in the Tampa Bay area, participating in Sun Coast Section events provided me quick way to meet fellow planners, several of those people with whom I am still very close friends. I have had fun and memorable experiences – like touring Boston with Allara Mills Gutcher, taking a duck tour of Seattle with Alex Magee, or post meeting outlet shopping with Marcie Stenmark. At every stage, I have meet tremendously talented, dedicated planners who want to make our community and state better. It makes my experience working and living in Florida that much richer to know them and to have been involved with this organization. I hope by sharing some of what I have gotten out of volunteering for APA Florida it might inspire you to get involved with the organization. You will be able to find a list of all the Executive Committee positions and an interest form to fill out on the APA Florida website. Sections and other committees will be posting other opportunities to volunteer for the organization there as well. We look forward to continuing to have a wide cross section of members contribute to making APA Florida the best it can be.
Melissa Zornitta, AICP APA Florida President
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 3
[INTEGRATING] DRONES
continued from cover page
derivative spatial data such as digital surface models, digital elevation models, contour lines and spatially accurate 3D models.
This graphic demonstrates a 3D model and elevation contours created to monitor construction progress, Source: NE3RD LLC.
The quick turnaround time and affordability of this data is especially useful in dynamic development scenarios, including: site planning visualization, elevation contours, project progress reports, marketing communication and compliance documentation. But what may be the most exciting and powerful aspect of these products are the very high resolution images which contain an unbelievable amount of detail that are now visible to the viewer as compared to legacy imagery products.
efforts are in a constant state of flux as regulators at all levels of government are rushing to implement controls on drone technology to enforce public interest goals such as safety and personal privacy. At the federal level, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the sole authority to regulate navigable airspace and a mission to provide safety for manned aviation and persons and property on the ground. The FAA has been diligently urging of Congress to establish a framework to allow for the commercial operation of drones in the national airspace system. This effort is referred to as the Small UAS rule, which is due to be finalized in the later this summer will specify important details, such as operator knowledge and testing requirements for licensure along with other critical safety and procedural requirements for users. Currently, the FAA regulates public and private entities using different procedures or certificates of waiver or authorization (COAs) that ideally will become more similar at the implementation of this new rule. Additionally, the FAA introduced a controversial mandate that all drones weighing more than 250 grams will need to be registered in a national database beginning in early 2016. Additional laws have been enacted at the state level including Florida SB 766 that became effective in July 2015. Where the federal government is primarily focused on the safe operation of UAVs, most state laws, including Florida’s, are aimed at preserving the privacy of citizens by curtailing unwarranted surveillance by public entities and private individuals while also allowing for legitimate uses such as aerial mapping, property appraiser valuations, utility inspections and cargo delivery. Florida’s new law specifically provides civil remedies including damages for plaintiffs that can be pursued for continued on next page
This graphic demonstrates the power of high resolution imagery. The traditional aerial image on the right has a 1 foot resolution and the image of the same location on the left has 1 centimeter resolution, Source: NE3RD LLC
With ground sample distances or pixels sizes ranging from millimeters to centimeters, vast new amounts of visual information are now available in the form of aerial photos, video and GIS data. But for many people this new source of visual information is akin to a double edged sword as perceived potential infringements on personal privacy have become tantamount in the eyes of many citizens. Current regulatory 4 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
This graphic demonstrates a 3D model created with drone data to evaluating coastal vulnerability, Source: NE3RD LLC.
[INTEGRATING] DRONES
continued from page 4
privacy violations. To complicate the rules more, some municipalities including the City of Miami have enacted legislation to limit drone operation near public venues and gatherings locations. Currently the FAA is attempting to limit these local laws which they perceive to potentially conflict with their federal authority and further complicate the legal operation of drones. The FAA has recently published a fact sheet to assist local governments in crafting rules that will not conflict with existing federal authority over the national airspace. It is the author’s opinion that in the future many of the final regulatory restrictions and compliance needs will be enforced by NASA’s Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) system which will ultimately act as an interface between legitimate UAV operators, regulators and the public. Michael Broker is the founder of NE3RD, a geospatial technology company focuses on UAV flight services, imagery data creation, GIS analysis and UAS integration strategies. He can be reached at nerd@ne3rd.com.
Beach Comber captured from 120’ altitude
Election Opportunities in APA Florida President-Elect Vice President for Professional Development Vice President for Membership Services Vice-President for Conference Services Vice-President for Section Affairs Vice President for Certification Maintenance Vice President for Communications Secretary Treasurer
Looking for a way to get more involved in planning issues and your professional planning organization? Consider running for statewide office in APA Florida. The election of statewide officers for APA Florida takes place every two years and 2016 is an election year. A nominating committee appointed by the President presents a slate of at least two candidates for each of these nine positions: President-Elect, Vice President for Professional Development, Vice President for Membership Services, Vice-President for Conference Services, Vice-President for Section Affairs, Vice President for Certification Maintenance, Secretary, and Treasurer. The list of duties associated with each office is described in the Chapter Bylaws. A summary of the duties can also be viewed by clicking on the specific position in the list above. After reviewing the position descriptions, if you are interested in being considered to run for office, please click HERE and indicate your interest no later than March 14, 2016. If you need further information, contact the Chapter Office at 850-201-3272 or fapa@floridaplanning.org. We look forward to hearing from you!!!
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 5
6 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
Are We Ready for
Automated / Connected Vehicle Technology?
By Jesse Blouin, AICP
The state of Florida, long known for being a leader in transportation innovation, is at the forefront of autonomous and connected vehicle technology (see sidebar for comparisons). Setting the course in 2012, Florida was the second state in the nation to pass legislation that allows for automated vehicle testing on public roadways. Currently, two test beds are present in Florida: In Orlando, a 25-mile segment runs along portions of I-4, John Young Parkway, SR 528 and International Drive; and in Tampa there is a 10-mile section of the Selmon Expressway from Tampa to Brandon. Even before legislation was passed to allow for testing on public roadways, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), working with industry leaders, chartered the course for these advanced and emerging technologies that are changing the way planners, engineers and other practitioners view project development, transportation maintenance and operations and ultimately the entire dynamic of our transportation system many say more so than that of Henry Ford’s production line and
Eisenhower’s interstate system, and at an unprecedented pace. So, why the focus on these multiple, integrative technologies many ask, and why now? The answer is simple, and the benefits offered by these technologies are critical for the future of our nation’s infrastructure. At a time when federal and state governments face budget shortfalls, these technologies compliment the DOT’s stated goals of increasing safety, enhancing mobility and preserving all elements of our environment. Automated and connected vehicles are changing transportation the way the internet, mobile and computing devices changed the face of business over the past 20 years. An additional separator is the time, money and research that private industry has committed to furthering these technologies and partnering with state and federal agencies. This includes partners many would expect, such as Google, Tesla, Audi, Honda; but also private financiers, the trucking/freight industries, law enforcement agencies and safety experts are also helping to make this technology a reality. Also, these technologies are not solely automotive-focused, but rely on a truly integrative component system that communicates to and from each other through adaptive infrastructure, traffic management centers, express/managed lanes, smart phone technologies, mode shifts, and with additional modes, such as air, rail and maritime travel. continued on page 8
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 7
[VEHICLE] TECHNOLOGY
continued from page 7
Many questions are still unanswered and emerging technology is constantly changing. • What impact will automated and connected vehicles have on policy changes such as the gas tax mechanism? • How will it affect law enforcement standards? Imagine trying to pull over an automated, driverless vehicle. • Economic impact on municipalities? What if I’d rather send my car home then pay for parking? • What are the privacy concerns? As planners, we must take a hard look at not only how these technologies will shape the future of our roadway, transit and pedestrian networks, but also how fast norms and standards are changing; how technologies will impact/benefit our communities; and how we rely and depend on technologies that change our profession. The ultimate question being: What’s coming next, and are we ready? Jesse Blouin, AICP is a Project Manager with HNTB Corporation currently serving as an In-house Project Manager for FDOT District 5’s Planning and Environmental Management Office. Jesse can be reached at jesse.blouin@ch2m.com
Connected Vs. Automated Vehicles
Connected vehicles are vehicles that use any
of a number of different communication technologies to communicate with the driver, other cars on the road (vehicle-to-vehicle [V2V]), roadside infrastructure (vehicleto-infrastructure [V2I]), and the “Cloud.”
Automated vehicle are vehicles which operation
of the vehicle occurs without direct driver input to control the steering, acceleration, and braking and are designed so that the driver is not expected to constantly monitor the roadway while operating in self-driving mode.
We all know about Google’s Self-Driving Car Project and Google Earth. Here’s a list of Google’s lesser known projects that can help you plan the community of tomorrow. Project Sunroof. Project Sunroof puts Google’s expansive data in mapping and computing resources to use, helping calculate the best solar plan for you. Google Cultural Institute’s Arts Project. Discover artworks, collections and stories from all around the world like never before. Project Loon. Project Loon is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters.
WHAT ELSE CAN GOOGLE DO? 8 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
Project Tango. Project Tango brings a new kind of spatial perception to the Android device platform by adding advanced computer vision, image processing, and special vision sensors. -- Patti Shea
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 9
When you think of venture capitalists, we bet that AARP isn’t at the top of your list, even it if was alphabetized. In fact, the senior advocacy non-profit is doubling down its efforts in Silicon Valley to have start-ups and tech giants be a part of the Longevity Economy, the economy comprised of and serving people aged 50+. The Longevity Economy, “the sum of all economic activity serving the needs of Americans over 50,” is responsible for at least $7.1 trillion in economic activity every year. Overall, it accounts for nearly 100 million jobs and more than $4.5 trillion in wages and salaries. (More on Innovation@50+) To show how serious it is, the association recently created a C-suite level position, Chief Enterprise, Strategy and Innovation Officer. In the past years they have: • Created scholarships at DEMO • Sponsored Shark Tank-like pitch sessions at CES, AARP member events, and HealthTech events domestically and internationally • Established partnerships with innovation accelerators such as Startup Health, BluePrint Health, Healthbox and Rock Health.
This year they’re focusing on housing with two design and innovation competitions. The Re-defining Home: Home Today, Home Tomorrow challenges architects and designers to create new standards in housing design so people can stay in their home as they travel through various life stages. The goal of the design challenge is to generate universal design solutions and build an attractive, adaptable and affordable home of the future that speaks to and showcases livability, by promoting both aestheticallyand functionally-appealing designs for better living. The 2016 Aging in Place $50K Challenge wants innovative ideas to handle the 19 million older adult households who struggle with unaffordable or inadequate housing. AARP was in the tech game before Facebook was even born. In 1999, it became a founding funder of the MIT AgeLab, and continues the relationship today.
Aging Technology by Patti Shea
AgeLab Director Joseph Coughlin: “The disruptiveness of the world’s rapidly aging demographics is not just about the increasing number of older people, however. It is about a population that has new expectations for old age — expectations that will determine how, where, and among whom tomorrow’s older adults will chose to live.” (See Coughlin’s Urban Planning for All Ages tool here.) The lab’s best known tool is the AGNES (Age Gain Now Empathy System) suit that is worn by students, product developers, city planners, architects, etc. to better understand the physical challenges associate with aging. PRO-TIP: Make sure you subscribe to AgeLab Director Joe Coughlin’s blog and @josephcoughlin. He’ll make you think smarter! Patti Shea is APA Florida’s Communications Coordinator. She can be reached at staff@floridaplanning.org
10 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
Planning has and will always be my passion. Before retiring in 2013, I worked for nearly 35 years in the Central Florida area as a land use and transportation planner. I always enjoyed urban planning because I thought it to be a line of work with a lot of optimism. When I would explain to people what I do, I would tell them it was a job where you honestly tried to make the community better by practicing sound planning principles. Today, I apply a similar philosophy to my life. I think it’s important to give back to the community and I enjoy volunteering to help others. Isn’t that what life is all about … helping others? My good friend, Lena Tolliver, who works at Metroplan Orlando, asked me a few years back if I would help her out with a non-profit agency that she and family members started. It is an emergency mobile food bank, called Family Ties Ministries, Inc. Having dealt with bureaucratic paperwork all of my career days, I began handling the paperwork for the agency, especially the forms needed to receive food from the local centralized food bank. There is a lot of organization needed to give away food to forty plus families on a distribution day and the volunteers who do this are a close knit group, all wanting to see those in need fed. Participating in these efforts has been most rewarding. In 2015, we distributed more than 107,000 lbs of food to families in need. My church has an outreach ministry to teach English. Last year I taught advanced conversational English to eight students once a week. The students were from South and Central America, Poland, Iraq, Iran, China and South Korea. Having taken advantage of the state’s free graduate course tuition program, I acquired a certificate to Teach English as a Second Language from the University of Central Florida. I decided to take this year off from teaching English because I plan to do some overseas traveling. A trip to India is in the works.
Perhaps the most important accomplishment since retiring is authoring a self-help book aimed at confidence building for women over the age of 60. In the book I give advice on how to let go of past resentments, to stop being judgmental and to move on with enjoying the remaining 30 years of life. The book provides simple exercises to help women lose the unwanted baggage and be happy. Like C.S. Lewis said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” So what else am I doing in retirement? I go to exercise classes and am in better shape than I have been in years. I also make homemade honey wine and enjoy giving it away as gifts. (Enjoy drinking it too!) I’ve even won awards on my honey wine in local contests. Both my daughters have wed since I retired, so mom’s planning skills came in handy for those major family events. I’ve kept my APA and AICP memberships. I think that’s important as I never know when I might want to dabble in professional planning again. Retirement is busy but also relaxing. I’m not sleep deprived anymore. I enjoy spending more time with my husband and being home. But mostly, I like to help others because I’ve got the time now to give back. I hope when you retire, you find the peace I have found. Alice can be reached at www.alicegilmartin.com.
g n i u n i t n o C n a l P to
martin, AICP
By Alice E. Gil
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 11
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS Tampa Convention Center, Sept. 6-9, 2016
Session proposals for the 2016 APA Florida Conference being held at the Tampa Convention Center are due by no later than 5 pm on March 29. 2016, as a PDF to submissions@floridaplanning.org. Please visit floridaplanning.org/conference to review the guidelines and complete the APA Florida Conference Presentation Summary Form.
Let your inspiration drive your proposal. Thank you for your interest in submitting a session proposal. Please review the attached Call for Presentations, including our focus areas. We are changing things up this year. Instead of deciding now on formal tracks you have to cater your proposal to, we’ve introduced some general themes. If your innovative topic doesn’t fit in, that’s ok – we are letting the best proposals drive the session tracks. Our theme for the Tampa conference is “Inspiring Florida’s Future”. Really, we want to inspire our attendees to get excited about their profession and bring some great ideas or new job skills back to the communities. We want anyone who attends this conference, no matter where he or she is in his or her career, to learn something new. Your proposal does not have to be a traditional panel discussion. Interactive and hands-on sessions (or anything else you can think of!) are welcome. Do you have a cool project you worked on that you want to share? Great. Show us opportunities and challenges, successes and failures. Did that protected bike lane design not function quite as well as imagined? Fantastic! Show us how to correct the design problem. Learning from mistakes is a valuable tool. The point is, we want people to leave this conference remembering why they chose the planning profession and knowing they can contribute something new to their organization or community. Let your inspiration drive your proposal! We are looking forward to reading your proposal and seeing you in Tampa this September. Sincerely, Jay Collins and Catherine Hartley 2016 Host Committee Co-chairs In order to participate on a session panel, APA and APA Florida members will be required to register for at least the day of the conference on which they will be speaking. Non-members (e.g.: community members, public officials, and auxiliary professionals) are not required to register to participate on a panel. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the 2016 Conference Host Committee Co-chairs, Jay Collins and Catherine Hartley at: 2016hostcommittee@gmail.com 12 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
[2016 CONFERENCE] CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS continued from previous page
Incremental Urbanism
New Frontiers in Environmental Planning: Sustainability, Resiliency, Adaptation and Climate Change, Adaptation and All Things Green:
Low cost and low risk projects can be a catalyst for change from painting a rogue crosswalk or chair bombing to create opportunities for pop-up retail, These presentations should illustrate change over time spanning any scale: the intersection, the lot, the block, the shopping center, the neighborhood. How can we as planners make these projects possible? Have you repaired a zoning code? Navigated the red tape to legalize that “illegal” crosswalk? Have you done a pop up shop? Hosted a “Better Block” event? How can planners help (or at least not hinder) such projects? What mistakes can we learn from?
This focus area seeks to explore innovative topics related to sustainability and environmental planning. Topics may include (but are not limited to) green energy and infrastructure, planning to reduce our carbon footprint, protecting natural systems, environmentally sensitive areas and water resources, sustainable siting of new community facilities and infrastructure, and adaptation and resiliency for climate change and natural disasters. Do you have a project for another community to replicate or learn from?
Happy People, Healthy Places What are the little things that make people love an area? What makes a city have soul? Can an area really improve your wellbeing? From placemaking to the arts, parks, public space, and fitness, planners can learn about the various ways we implement health, creativity, and fun into our communities, and plan it along with the folks who live and work there.
Back to Basics Sometimes in our careers, we get stuck in a silo and don’t get the opportunity to learn new things or go outside of our specializations. This year, we’d like to incorporate sessions that teach planners job skills that he or she do not currently have (or need a refresher on). For our new planners – there’s got to be something they didn’t teach you in school that is essential knowledge for your first job! A few things we thought of are: • How to read and draw a legal description, understand a land development code, and draw a site plan. • GIS 101, 102, and 103 • Money basics: What is a pro forma and how do you develop one? How do projects get financed? • Project Management 101 • Learn how to do a walkability assessment • Writing for planners: Using plain English and writing legally defensible reports. • How do you calibrate a Smart Code? (Note: These are just a few things we’ve thought of for basic training – please feel free to submit any topic that you think will be beneficial for planners to learn. We’d like these sessions to be more in depth, so please specify how long your session will be in your proposal).
Out of the Box You very well may have an idea that does not fit into any of these categories. That’s ok – submit your idea. If it’s awesome, we will find a place for it in the schedule. Topics include (but are certainly not limited to) capital improvements, emergency management, historic preservation, education and school planning, wellness districts, micro housing, housing for multigenerations – you name it!
Transportation and Land Use – We Still Haven’t Made the Connection Smart Growth America has dubbed many Florida cities “Dangerous by Design” for years because of our high casualty rates for cyclists and pedestrians. The link between transportation and land use has been studied for quite some time, but Florida isn’t making the grade. What aren’t we doing, or what are we doing wrong? From the “five E’s”: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, Encouragement, and Evaluation to connectivity, accessibility, and site design, “Vision Zero”, Complete Streets, and multimodal transportation, how can we improve our streets and still effectively move people and goods?
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 13
Best Planning Apps for Planners By Dean Fathelbab • APA. The APA app is a no brainer for planners. Keeping up with new trends and best practices, or managing your schedule when you are a national conference, there is no better app. The APA apps, including State Chapter and the APQA magazine apps are essentials for the emerging and seasoned planner
In today’s age, everyone has a smart phone and everyone uses apps. They can be something fun to take your mind off of things or they can be useful to us in our personal lives or our professional ones. As young planners embark on their careers, it is good to know the current apps that help make planner’s lives much easier. Here are a few that we like to use:
• Dropbox/One Drive/Google Drive. These cloud based file storage apps are essential if you are working the 21st century. Enough said.
• Strava. This app allows users to track their walking, running and cycling activities. The app’s developers are help local governments and planning agencies by selling user data regarding most traveled routes of pedestrians and cyclists. The availability of this unique type of data can aid policy makers and planners when recommending specific areas and for improvements.
• Google Maps. Every planner understands just how critically important an informative and readable map is. Whether is it discovering new routes to local favorites or exploring new areas of town, there is no better service provided than that of Google Maps in my honest opinion. • TedTalks. The TedTalks app is the best way to spend downtime in my honest opinion (other than Clash of Clans that is). The seemingly infinite number of videos will undoubtedly leave the viewer inspired, wowed, and mesmerized by the endless number innovations from around the world and the unbound strength of the human spirit. Let’s face it, we can all stand to benefit from learning new life hacks; and hey they also have videos about urban planning too!
• Uber. This dynamic “ride-hailing” app should be a staple of every planner’s smart device. This disruptive piece of technology is revolutionizing the way people move around all over the world and has traditional cab companies and regulators scrambling to catch up. Whenever I am traveling in a new area, or just going downtown and want to avoid the high prices of downtown parking, Uber is my go-to ˆ• Trulia / Zillow. These real estate apps are always handy when in the field. Being able to view pertinent property data while on the go or in the field make both of these apps essential tools in every planner’s smart devices.
14 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
Dean Fathelbab is seeking a Master of Urban and Regional
Planning at University of Central Florida. He’s also the president of the Urban Knights Planning Association.
APA FLORIDA WORKING FOR YOU TRAFFIC ENGINEERING RULE CHANGE In mid-October, the Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) received a notice of a proposed rule change to create a definition of “traffic engineering” and identify a list of tasks that could only be completed by a professional engineer or under the supervision of one. The draft rule had a 21 day comment period. Lester Abberger, APA Florida’s legislative representative, staff, and the LPC invested a significant amount of time gaining an understanding of the proposed change and submitting review comments on behalf of APA Florida. The proposed rule change was ultimately withdrawn. APA Florida staff is monitoring potential activity to reconsider the rule.
CHAPTER SAYS AUF WIEDERSEHEN TO RYAN MORRELL Ryan Morrell, APA Florida’s Treasurer, is leaving the states to work in Germany. Ryan has served the Chapter for over two years. Ryan brought a lot of energy and ideas to the organization and we wish him all of the best. Allara Mills Gutcher will fill in as Treasurer through September of 2016.
DON’T MISS A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE We’re giving weekly updates during the 2016 Florida State Legislative Session. Keep an eye out for our weekly email or you can read online at floridaplanning.org
DAYTONA SELECTED FOR 2017 STATE CONFERENCE LOCATION The Conference Committee is continually planning conferences. Their work extends up to two years out at any given time. Alex Magee researched potential conference venues for 2017 and found that the Ocean Center Convention Center in Daytona has the meeting space necessary to accommodate the APA Florida conference. Alex visited this venue to confirm the layout would work for the conference. Based on the data collected, the Conference Committee recommended Daytona for the 2017 conference location and the Executive Committee finalized the decision at their November meeting. APA Florida looks forward to working with the Atlantic Section on the 2017 conference.
USF AND SUN COAST SECTION ADD NEW MAPS PROGRAM The University of South Florida Masters of Urban Planning program recently partnered with the Sun Coast Section of APA Florida to launch a MAPS (Mentor a Planning Student) program. Section members working in a variety of professional environments (mentors) have been paired with emerging planners or students (mentees) from November to April. During this time, participants will have an opportunity to participate in in-office shadowing, out of office shadowing, and resume critique. This program is similar to the Florida State University’s MAPS program sponsored by the Department of Urban Planning.
The APA Board and AICP Commission snuck out of winter storms in Chicago and Washington and made it to Miami Beach for a retreat and reception. APA Florida Executive Director Alex Magee and President Melissa Zornitta joined Gold Coast Section members in greeting and networking with the board members and commissioners. The Gold Coast members were happy to share some of the best of Miami and Miami Beach with the APA representatives. Everyone from APA was thrilled to be enjoying our weather, particularly as many of them were facing several feet of snow at home. APA representatives were impressed by all Miami had to offer. APA President Carol Rhea said “Florida, and Miami in particular, will be strongly looked at as a location for a future National Planning Conference.”
PLANNERS ON THE MOVE
After 15 years in the planning profession, Sevini Guffey is now working as a utility analyst for the Florida Public Service Commission. In her new position Sevini analyzes electric and gas tariff filings filed by investor owned utilities, analyze territorial disputes, is involved in rule development, and prepares and presents recommendations resulting from tariff and rate filings both at briefings and at agendas. Sevini previously worked in public and private sectors primarily as a long-range land-use planner. Her past work experience also includes the review of Development of Regional Impacts and comprehensive plan amendments, updating land development codes, and preparing local hazard mitigation plans. Sevini is a former vice-chair and treasurer of the Capital Area Section. Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 15
APA Florida
SECTION HAPPENINGS! EMERALD COAST 2015 Summary. Another successful year for the Emerald Coast Section. • The Emerald Coast Section offered members a chance to earn up to 45.5 AICP CMs from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015, including 1.5 Ethics and 3 Law. • On July 17, the section held an annual meeting at the Tiger Point Recreation Center in South Santa Rosa County. Kristen Shell, AICP, and Brandi Whitehurst presented “The South Santa Rosa Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan –Creating Linkages and Working with the Public.” Among topics discuss were online public involvement tools and how the plan was put together to capitalize on funding opportunities. • In October, section members had the option of attending the joint Alabama-Mississippi conference held in Orange Beach, Ala. • Additionally, the Emerald Coast Transportation Symposium (22 total CMs offered) was held in November, which offered section members a training opportunity in central San Destin. • Finally, in December the section held its annual Holiday Social in San Destin, a location central to our membership. Members were also invited to an event in early December that was hosted by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Northwest Florida chapter (UWF Historic Trust Interpretive Master Plan) that provided 1.0 CMs. Early 2016 Events. On Jan. 22, David Haight, FAICP, presented Placemaking II in Pensacola. This is the second in a series of Placemaking training events that have been sponsored by Atkins and lunch will be provided. In March, David Depew, PhD, AICP, LEED AP and president of Morris-Depew will assist the section with an ethics program and details are currently being finalized. 2016 Priorities. Our priorities for the upcoming year include boosting our membership numbers through outreach activities, partnering with sister organizations in the region including engineers and architects, and formalizing our sponsorship program by soliciting for annual sponsors as well as event sponsors. GOLD COAST 2015 Holiday Party & Planning Ceremony. It was a night for ceremony and celebration when recognized the best planning projects for 2015. The winners are: • Award for Excellence – Best Plan: Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District (Plus Urbia Design) • Award for Excellence – Best Practice: Miami-Dade Opportunities Plan (South Florida Regional Transportation Authority • Award for Excellence – Innovation 16 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
for Sustaining Places: North Miami Street Tree Management Plan (City of North Miami • Award for Excellence – Grassroots Initiative: Friends of the Ludlam Trail (Green Mobility Network) • Award for Excellence – Student Project: Ludlam Trail Storm Water Management (Katherine Jarosz and Ashley Maine • Honorable Mention – Student Project: Rethinking Miami Transport (Daniela Cifelli and Teresita Garcia) Congratulations to all the winners! See more photos on our Facebook page. HEART OF FLORIDA Teach-In. From Rick Perez: On Nov. 15, Hillsborough and Pinellas County Schools held the annual Great American Teach-In. This annual event invites parents, grandparents and community members to visit classrooms to share their work, hobbies and life experiences with students. This year was my first time participating at Mitchell Elementary in South Tampa and it definitely won’t be my last. One of the principles that the AICP Code of Ethics puts forth for members to aspire to is to “educate the public about planning issues and their relevance to our everyday lives.” The American Teach-In is a great opportunity to teach some of the youngest in my community about the work we do as planners to make their neighborhoods healthy, prosperous, and safe places to live, work, play, learn and grow. I would like to encourage our members to look for opportunities such as this to teach the ones who will grow up and inherit the places we are continued on page 18
LAND USE & PLANNING: Law Case Update
by: David Theriaque, Esq.
Buehrle v. City of Key West, Case No. 14-15354, 2015 WL 9487716 (11th Cir. Dec. 29, 2015). The City of Key West (“City”) enacted an ordinance prohibiting the operation of any tattoo establishments in the City’s historic district, other than the two tattoo establishments currently operating as lawful non-conforming uses (“Ordinance”). Pursuant to the Ordinance, the City denied Brad Buehrle’s application for a business license to open a tattoo establishment. Mr. Buehrle sued the City, alleging that the Ordinance against tattoo establishments constituted an unconstitutional restriction of his First Amendment-protected right of artistic expression. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida granted summary judgment in favor of the City after determining that, while the act of tattooing is protected speech, the Ordinance was a reasonable time, place, and manner restriction. Mr. Buehrle appealed the District Court’s decision. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit analyzed whether the act of tattooing constitutes protected speech. The City argued that the act of tattooing does not constitute protected speech because it is merely the act of crafting the customer’s desired expression. The customer wearing the tattoo becomes the protected speech, while the tattoo artist’s creation of the tattoo is one step removed from protection. The Eleventh Circuit rejected the City’s argument, concluding that the act of tattooing had evolved to become its own art form because, while tattooing, most tattoo artists emphasize their own creativity and expression. Having determined that the act of tattooing constitutes protected speech, the Eleventh Circuit analyzed whether the Ordinance was nevertheless a reasonable, time, place, and manner restriction. The City argued that the Ordinance helps preserve the district’s historic character and is needed because otherwise tourists may obtain tattoos that they later regret. Additionally, the tourists may associate their negative experience with the City, thereby adversely affecting tourism overall. Although the City’s concerns were legitimate governmental interests, the Eleventh Circuit concluded that the record did not contain any evidence that the Ordinance would fulfill such interests. The City failed to demonstrate that the two non-conforming tattoo establishments still operating degraded the historic district. Moreover, in regard to the alleged adverse impact to tourism, the City conducted no investigation, made no findings, relied upon no expert witness testimony, and “failed to muster even anecdotal evidence supporting its claims.” Indeed, the “closest the City came to presenting evidence on the impact on tourism was a passing reference to a few lines of a Jimmy Buffett song” – which the court determined the City had misconstrued. Accordingly, the Eleventh Circuit reversed the District Court’s decision in favor of the City. This is a great case to read while listening to Jimmy Buffett sing “Margaritaville.” Alvey v. City of North Miami Beach, Case No. 3D14-2935, 2015 WL 8937617 (Fla. 3d DCA Dec. 16, 2015). The City of North Miami Beach approved an application filed by Braha Dixie, LLC, to rezone its real property located on West Dixie Highway to General Business (“B-2”) so it could construct a hotel with two ten-story buildings, an 87,700 square foot six-story office building with 25,600 square feet of retail space, and a four-story, 600-space parking garage. The nearby properties along West Dixie Highway are primarily zoned Limited Business (“B-1”), with a height restriction of two stories. The B-1 zoning district limits businesses along West Dixie Highway to those “of a convenience nature” and which serve “the essential and frequent needs of adjacent residential neighborhoods.” Opposing neighbors filed a petition for writ of certiorari, which the Circuit Court denied. The opposing neighbors sought second-tier certiorari review by the Third District Court of Appeal. The Third District concluded that neither the City nor the Circuit Court applied Section 24-174(B)(2) of the City’s Code which mandates that “the proposed change would be consistent with and in scale with the established neighborhood land use pattern.” The Third District determined that all of the evidence was totally adverse to this requirement. Indeed, the applicant’s expert witness determined that the proposed project “was compatible with the other business areas located along Biscayne Boulevard” rather than along West Dixie Highway. Moreover, “the City made no findings that [the proposed rezoning] would be consistent with and in scale with the established land use pattern.” Rather, the continued on page 18
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 17
[SECTION] HAPPENINGS continued from page 16
planning an appreciation for sustainable, inclusive and vibrant communities. PROMISED LANDS The Spirits of Bacchus. The Promised Lands kept the flame alive and celebrated the end of the year with a Holiday Party in the Spirits of Bacchus in downtown Fort Myers. Heavy rain did not deter the members from recognizing Jim LaRue, AICP, of LaRue Planning & Management as the 2015 Roland Promised Lands Section President Tony Eastwood Planner of the Year. Palermo with Jim LaRue, AICP. Jim’s presentations on planning ethics are entertaining and engaging and much appreciated in Southwest Florida and the APA Florida state conferences. He is the former County Manager for Lee County and has built a successful firm providing planning and management services to numerous organizations and local governments. Members also collected $97 for the local Harry Chapin Food Bank. Lastly, we gave away a free conference registration for the APA Florida conference in Tampa – coming in September. Thank you for a good time, and a good year. SAN FELASCO Art Show Showing. In November, we hosted a booth at the 34th Annual Gainesville Downtown Festival and Art Show. Our goal was to spread awareness of food systems planning and to educate the general public about the role of urban planning in the community. SUN COAST Tampa Airport Tour. We were lucky enough to have a behind
[LAW CASE] UPDATE continued from page 17
City approved the rezoning because the proposed project would be an economic benefit to the City. Accordingly, the Third District quashed the Circuit Court’s decision, holding “[t]hose who own property and live in a residential area have a legitimate and protectable interest in the preservation of the character of their neighborhood which may not be infringed by an unreasonable or arbitrary act of their government.” This case is a rare example of opposing neighbors winning on second-tier certiorari review and overturning a circuit court’s denial of their petition for writ of certiorari. David Theriaque is with the firm of Theriaque & Spain in Tallahassee. He can be contacted at dat@theriaquelaw.com.
the scene tour of the $953 million in upgrades coming to the Tampa International Airport, which include new terminal, rental care center, parking, a people mover, and runways. See more pictures on our Facebook page. Epicurean Hotel & Holiday Happy Hour. The ever efficient Sun Coast Section combined a tour of an award winning, 4-star Epicurean Hotel and Restaurant with its holiday happy hour. After seeing the luxurious rooms, kitchen, and dining areas, we retreated to the rooftop for some “social drinkery” to celebrate another successful year. See more pictures on our Facebook page.
18 Winter 2016 / Florida Planning
[CONSULTANTS] DIRECTORY Advertise in the Consultants Directory The Consultant Directory is a fitting place to showcase your firm. $250 buys space for a year in the newsletter (five issues) plus inclusion in our webbased consultant directory. Display ads to promote your business, conference, projects and more are available. Contact the Chapter office at 850-2013272 for rates and details.
Planning for Success
Cecelia Bonifay Chair, Land Use & Sustainable Development Practice Orlando, FL cecilia.bonifay@akerman.com
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Simply a better experience.
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Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 19
[CONSULTANTS] DIRECTORY continued from previous page
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Find Us on Facebook Chapter Broward Section First Coast Section Gold Coast Section Heart of Florida Section Sun Coast Section Young Planners APA Florida 2016 Member Conference Facebook Group
Don’t forget you can follow all our goings on @APAFlorida We also post job openings daily on the APA Florida company LinkedIn page
2016 Public Policy Workshop and Mobile Tour The 14th Annual APA Florida Public Policy Workshop and Mobile Tour was a resounding success. Experts from the aging, environmental, water resources, legal, media and school planning fields updated participants on statewide efforts to help better plan Florida and gave valuable insights about some of the major policy decisions occurring at the state level. “The Public Policy Workshop provided an opportunity to really dig deeper into some of the challenges facing our state,” APA Florida President Melissa Zornitta said. “One major theme emerged – the changing composition of Florida’s population and how our planning needs to adapt to address that.” The mobile tour focused on the history of the water quality issues facing the Wakulla Springs Basin. For part one of the tour, participants toured the city of Tallahassee’s newly renovated Thomas P. Smith Water Reclamation Facility, which recently finished $180 million in upgrades to the groundwater and springs. The facility has reduced the flow of nutrients into the springs by 75 percent! Part two was on Wakulla Springs, where participants learned about the ecosystem challenges of the spring and river via a boat tour led Bob Deyle, retired FSU DURP professor, Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commissioner, and captain/state park tour guide. Thanks to all the presenters (and tour guides!) for helping make the workshop and tour a fantastic event. See you next year! You can find workshop presentations here.
Winter 2016 / Florida Planning 21
[FLORIDA] PLANNING Published by the Florida Chapter, American Planning Association, the Florida Planning newsletter has a current circulation of 2,600 members, subscribers and other readers. Four issues are published a year.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS For APA members, Send to: Member Records Department American Planning Association 205 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 Fax: 312-786-6700 or log onto www.planning.org/myapa
ARTICLES Florida Planning welcomes articles, announcements, letters, pictures and advertising. Call 850-201-3272 regarding articles. The next issue will be published April 2016.
DEADLINES Article deadlines are generally four weeks prior to publication. Ad deadlines are generally two weeks prior to publication. Consult the editor for any exception to this schedule.
ABOUT THE CHAPTER APA Florida is a non-profit organization funded through membership dues and fees. Contributions are also welcomed for general purposes and earmarked programs. Please note that contributes are not tax deductible.
[THANK YOU] TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS
[UPCOMING] EVENTS FEBRUARY 18 – 19: 2016 CNU FLORIDA SUMMIT Seaside. A reciprocal agreement with APA Florida invites APA members to register for the CNU Summit at the CNU member rate. Information here. MARCH 9 – 12: 2016 CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE SUMMIT: INNOVATION IN CONSTRUCTION Orlando. The theme of the 4th Annual Construction Institute Summit is Innovations in Construction. The summit’s technical program will provide insights on the latest techniques, technologies, and strategies used by owners, engineers, and contractors to manage risk and to successfully deliver their projects. Information here. MARCH 22 – 23: 2016 SUSTAINABLE YOU CONFERENCE. Tallahassee. North Florida’s premier sustainability conference. The city convenes the conference to showcase green economic development programs and activities, innovations and advances in community development and resiliency, and sustainability best practices that protect and conserve natural resources while improving residents’ quality of life. Information here. MARCH 23: 1000 FRIENDS OF FLORIDA 2016 LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP WEBINAR Online. The 2016 Florida Legislative Session is slated to wrap up on March 11. Speakers will discuss key community planning and conservation bills that passed and failed during the session and how legislative changes impact state and local governance in Florida. The cost is $10 per participant. 1.5 CM credits, 1.5 Law Credits. Information here. APRIL 13. APA CAREER REALITY WEBINAR: COMPENSATION AND SALARY NEGOTIATIONS. Online. The difference between higher career-long earnings and even personal lifestyle often comes down to simple aspects related to salary negotiations and compensation. Understanding these pays huge dividends over one’s career. Available to APA members only. Free. Information here. MAY 4 – 6: 15TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANAGED LANES Miami. This conference is designed to bring together professionals from across the industry to discuss emerging ideas related to managed lanes, roadway pricing and public transit that will impact the operations of freeways and tollway. Information here.
For news and information on Chapter concerns, visit the APA Florida website at www.floridaplanning.org.
MAY 22 – 26: WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL & WATER RESOURCES CONGRESS 2016 West Palm Beach. Created in 1999, the Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) is the recognized leader for the integration of technical expertise and public policy in the planning, design, construction, and operation of environmentally sound and sustainable infrastructure impacting air, land, and water resources. Information here.
APA Florida 2017 Delta Boulevard, Suite 201 Tallahassee, FL 32303
For more information on these and other APA Florida events, please visit www.floridaplanning.org/calendar/
Phone: 850-201-3272 Fax: 850-807-2576