FLORIDA PLANNING A Publication of the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association
Winter 2012
www.floridaplanning.org
Capping nearly a decade of study, planning and lots of negotiation, construction began this January on Central Florida’s long-awaited SunRail project. By 2014, the first phase of SunRail construction, which
The Orlando metropolitan region is among the largest
includes 12 stations linking DeBary in Volusia County to
urbanized areas in the nation that currently lacks a rail transit
Sand Lake Road just south of the City of Orlando, will
system. Bad weather, a single accident – even a stalled car
be complete. The entire 61.5-mile project is expected to
– often paralyzes Interstate 4, the region’s major interstate
be operational by 2016, with the addition of a northern
arterial, during peak travel periods. That traffic then spills onto
extension to DeLand in Volusia County and four additional
secondary roads, further clogging access routes to commerce,
stations in Orange and Osceola counties.
residential and recreational areas.
For the Florida Department of Transportation, and for the
SunRail is designed to introduce a more balanced
Central Florida community, these are very exciting times!
transportation system to the area, which is essential for continued economic prosperity and smart growth management throughout Central Florida. SunRail will also continued on page 4
. owns, P.E
nne D By Nora
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
6
Transit In Central Florida: Regional Look
OTHER Features
8
A Look at FL’s Pedestrian Safety Problem
10 12 13 Call for Presentations & Election Ops
New Directions for Transporation
What’s in Store for 2012?
President’s Message - p.3 In My Opinion - p. 14 Law Case Update - p. 16 Consultants Directory - p. 18-19 Events - back page
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.
[APA FLORIDA] KEY CONTACTS - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Name
Phone
Fax
Statewide Officers President
Merle H. Bishop, FAICP
863-701-8702
863-701-9832
Merle.Bishop@kimley-horn.com
President-Elect
Brian Teeple, AICP
904-279-0880
904-279-0881
bteeple@nefrc.org
Immediate Past President
Kim Glas-Castro, AICP
561-758-7551
kglascastro@bellsouth.net
VP-Membership Services
Mary Kay Peck, AICP
702-354-2671
mkpeck@@mkpeckassociates.com
VP-Section Affairs
Melissa Zornitta, AICP
813-272-5940
813-272-6255
zornittam@plancom.org
VP-Professional Development
Andre Anderson, AICP
407-207-0101
407-207-0054
aanderson@pdgfla.com
VP-Conference Services
Wiatt Bowers, AICP
904-363-8488
904-363-8811
Wiatt.Bowers@atkinsglobal.com
VP-Certification Maintenance
Henry Bittaker, AICP
561-523-0678
hbittaker@aol.com
Secretary
Marcie Stenmark, AICP
813-272-5940
813-272-6255
stenmarkm@plancom.org
Treasurer
Allara Mills Gutcher, AICP 850-319-9180
allara@theplanningcollaborative.com
Section Chairs Atlantic Coast
Ryan Morrell, AICP
321-795-8426
321-956-3069
ryan@civaterra.com
Broward
Rosana Cordova, AICP
954-880-0180
954-880-0181
rcordova@craengineering.com
Capital Area
Terry McKloski, AICP
850-402-6336
terry_mckloski@apafloridacapital.org
Emerald Coast
Christy Johnson, AICP
850-332-7976
850-637-1923
Christy.Johnson@wfrpc.org
First Coast
Tony Robbins, AICP
904-739-3655
904-730-3413
TRobbins@prosserhallock.com
Gold Coast
Karen Hamilton
954-985-4416
954-985-4117
khamilton@sfrpc.com
Heart of Florida
Amy Palmer, AICP
863-551-4723
amy@cfdc.org
Orlando Metro
Chris Bowley, AICP
386-878-8602
cbowley@deltonafl.gov
Promised Lands
Alexis Crespo, AICP
239-407-7777
AlexisC@waldropengineering.com
San Felasco
Doug Robinson
352-393-7838
robinsondk@cityofgainesville.org
Sun Coast
Jay Collins, AICP
813-273-3774
813-272-6258
collinsj@plancom.org
Treasure Coast
Tod Mowery, AICP
561-747-6336
561-747-1377
TMowery@cotleur-hearing.com
University Liaison
Bob Deyle
850-644-8512
850-645-4841
rdeyle@fsu.edu
Student Representative
Morgan Runion
850-527-1877
mnrunion@gmail.com
Administration/Staff Executive Director
Julia “Alex“ Magee
850-201-3272
850-386-4396
fapa@floridaplanning.org
Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper
Ricki Dailey
850-201-3272
850-386-4396
adminbk@floridaplanning.org
Legislative Representative
Lester Abberger
850-524-2779
850-222-8199
lesterabberger@nettally.com
Webmaster (Consultant)
John O’Brien
johnbrien123@gmail.com
Newsletter Editor
Summer Taylor
summer@gdbddesign.com
727-452-2416
All Other Inquiries, contact APA Florida at 1-850-201-3272 or e-mail fapa@floridaplanning.org.
2 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and had an opportunity to spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. We enter 2012 with new challenges and opportunities resulting from changes to Florida’s growth management requirements. The New Year began at a hectic pace with an early start for the 2012 legislative session on January 10th and a pre-filed bill intended to address “glitches” in last year’s HB 7207. APA Florida is involved in the legislative process to help ensure that any proposed changes are limited to glitches. On a much broader level than the specific changes to the state’s growth management requirements, we are at the dawning of a new era. It may be an era when unemployment is high and economic growth is slow, but it need not be an era that sees planners as irrelevant and planning as obsolete. Instead, we are uniquely positioned to be the leaders in this new era. We are the profession that not only guided growth in the boom times, but fosters appropriate growth in all times. We are the profession that integrates, facilitates, coordinates, collaborates and, most importantly, creates a long term vision of the future and makes it so. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”
We need a new vision that includes people collaborating to find solutions, where needs can be met within a local region, where community is valued, where the long term health of the planet is considered, and where the health and well-being of individuals (not corporations) are paramount. Mitch Silver, APA President, has given us the challenge to Lead, Inspire and Innovate. Today’s long term vision will not be— and cannot be—the same one that drove the boom years of the last 20 (or even 50) years. Our planet’s resources simply cannot support that type of growth and that level of consumption for the world’s increasing population and the standards of living that all people desire. We need a new vision that includes people collaborating to find solutions, where needs can be met within a local region, where community is valued, where the long term health of the planet is considered, and where the health and well-being of individuals (not corporations) are paramount. Mitch tells us, “We need to have the courage to embrace all of the change that is going to need to happen in order to help better the lives of people in our cities.” Our challenge can be summarized in 5 major areas: 1. Prepare for emerging trends, so as not to be blindsided. What are the emerging trends and challenges in the 21st century? What are the implications of those trends? With changing demographics, shifting political landscape, outdated development codes, crumbling infrastructure, increased mobility needs and new demands for energy, what’s the new role for the planning profession? 2. Lead communities to a more just and sustainable future, emphasizing smart planning and sustainable places. 3. Inspire the next generation of planners. Cultivate leaders. Do a better job of training and mentoring young planners—what activities are relevant to them. 4. Innovate – get creative. Are current planning techniques and principles still relevant given the changes we see? Stimulate and implement new ideas and ways to plan. Initiate and implement new strategies to attract a broader audience. Develop plans and implementation strategies that are relevant to a changing economy and political attitude. 5. Communicate. It’s time to show your value. Our profession and work has and will continue to have a huge, profound impact on our community, our region and even our state. Become a lasting legacy and testimony of the planner’s value. More and more, planners are beginning to realize the important role they play in these uncertain economic times. After decades of focusing on the planning process and continued on page 17
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 3
[FLORIDA’S] SUNRAIL continued from cover page
establish the spine of a regional rail network that eventually can be expanded to serve other areas of Central Florida and the state. Additionally, SunRail makes economic sense for Central Florida. SunRail, for example, has the capacity to carry as many passengers as one lane of I-4 during peak travel periods. If only 5 percent of the traffic traveling on certain areas of I-4 used SunRail, it would result in a 30 percent increase in SunRail ridership. But large public works projects don’t spring from the ground overnight. And SunRail is no exception. A feasibility study for commuter rail in Central Florida was first completed in 1992. And a light rail proposal was studied extensively in the late 1990s. SunRail developed from both of those planning efforts. The project was formally launched in 2002 – a full decade ago – when local leaders requested that the Florida Department of Transportation conduct an Alternatives Analysis study – the first step in the federal funding qualification process. That study was completed in 2004, with identification of a locally preferred alternative for commuter rail that would operate along the existing CSX Transportation tracks through the urban heart of Central Florida. Fortunately, CSXT in 2004 presented a long-range strategic plan to the Department, which designated the CSXT corridor in Central Florida (known as the A-Line) as a primary corridor for future passenger rail service and an alternate line (known as the S-Line) west of the Orlando as a primary corridor for freight. That set the stage for negotiation, which lasted nearly two years. During that period, public support for commuter rail service continued to grow. In 2005, for example, Metroplan Orlando and the Volusia County Metropolitan Planning Organizations included SunRail in their Long Range Transportation plans, identifying the project as a top transportation priority for the region. SunRail celebrated its first public milestone in August of 2006, when Florida’s governor announced that the Department had reached a detailed Agreement in Principle with CSXT to purchase 61.5-miles of the CSXT A-Line – facilitating the long-awaited introduction of commuter rail service to Central Florida. Planning and implementation efforts immediately kicked into high gear. In 2007, the Department completed an Environmental Assessment for the project and, following months of additional negotiations and reams of required reports, the Federal Transit Administration approved the Locally Preferred Alternative for SunRail (from DeBary in Volusia County to Poinciana Boulevard in Osceola County) into Preliminary Engineering. Throughout the planning process, the Department also worked closely and transparently with local stakeholders to answer questions, solicit input and create unprecedented regional support 4 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
for SunRail. Those efforts culminated in the summer of 2007 with unanimous agreements by elected officials representing SunRail’s five local funding partners in the counties of Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties, as well as the City of Orlando, to not only pay 25 percent of SunRail’s capital costs, but to set up local governance, and long-term operations and maintenance agreements for the project. Contracts also were signed with CSXT for purchase of the SunRail corridor; operations and maintenance activities; and transition details following the purchase. With those details agreed upon, another important milestone was reached in 2008, when the Federal Transit Administration approved the first 32-mile phase of SunRail for Final Design. At that time, SunRail was one of only five rail transit systems in the country to achieve that extraordinarily difficult goal. continued on next page
[FLORIDA’S] SUNRAIL continued from page 4
Making Great Communities Happen
American Planning Association - Florida Chapter
SUNCOAST
As often is the case with public works projects of such magnitude, SunRail also weathered its fair share of challenges. State lawmakers, for example, needed to approve liability provisions that would permit freight and SunRail services to operate on the same rail corridor. Once that agreement was reached, in December of 2009, the Department formally submitted a Full Funding Grant Agreement request to the Federal Transit Administration to secure federal funds for half of the project’s Phase I capital costs. A celebratory event featuring U.S. Transportation Ray LaHood and Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff was held at Florida
Hospital in downtown Orlando on July 18, 2011 – when the Full Funding Grant Agreement was signed, officially paving the way for SunRail construction! As Administrator Rogoff said during the signing ceremony, “persistence” is the word he would use to describe SunRail planning efforts. And now that SunRail construction is underway, that persistence has clearly paid off! Noranne Downs, P.E. is the Florida Department of Transportation District 5 Secretary, overseeing transportation development projects in nine Central Florida counties. She also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of SunRail.
2012 AICP EXAM PREP SEMINAR Presented by Sun Coast Section
March 23-24, 2012 Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Working professionals will present a wide range of topics, including planning history, theory & law, plan making & implementation, functional and spatial areas of practice, planning ethics & more! Held at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council in Pinellas Park, Florida, the seminar includes comprehensive study materials and continental breakfast and lunch each day. Fee - $140.00.
For more information and to register visit:
www.suncoastplanning.org Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 5
Transit in Central Florida A REGIONAL LOOK
By Gary Huttmann, AICP
W
ith construction on SunRail beginning this month, Central Florida’s first commuter rail line is moving full speed ahead and propelling the region to a whole new level of transportation. Local government planners, engineers and metropolitan planning organizations are preparing to make the most of passenger rail. Transportation planning provides an opportunity to create spaces that promote interaction, with transit at the forefront. Additionally, transportation projects are now thought of as catalysts for great places. Well-designed streets and transit facilities encourage economic activity, nonvehicular travel and human-scale development. From a regional perspective, SunRail is the centerpiece of a much broader transit vision for Central Florida. MetroPlan Orlando, the metropolitan planning organization for Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, has embraced the opportunity to plan for an expanded transit system supporting SunRail. Through strong partnerships and coordination with local governments, transportation operating agencies and business leaders, MetroPlan Orlando and the entire community are working together to move people and goods more efficiently throughout the area. Long Range Planning A major local paradigm shift occurred in 2009 when the MetroPlan Orlando Board adopted the Year 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan. The 2030 plan addresses the transit emphasis in federal law by making major policy decisions supporting transit’s role in Central Florida’s future transportation system. This approach acknowledges that future transportation plans have a direct impact on land use decisions. Adoption of the plan was supported by an integrated analysis of transportation and land use alternatives. Recognizing the importance of How Shall We Grow? (the adopted regional growth vision), the 2030 plan focuses on elements central to the region’s vision – smart growth strategies and a balanced transportation system. The plan envisions a future land use scenario with jobs and housing located closer together, making the most of transportation options, including transit, walking and cycling. Subsequent analysis of the alternative land use approach showed significant improvements, including fewer vehicle miles/hours traveled and considerable air quality benefits. 6 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
The alternative land use approach also supports a stronger commitment to transit by concentrating growth along key transit corridors. Research conducted on MetroPlan Orlando’s behalf by the University of Central Florida shows strong public support for a wider variety of transportation choices in the region, with 78 percent of respondents believing the region needs a more balanced transportation system – including increased transit options like passenger rail and buses. The transit section of the 2030 plan contains a Transit Systems Concept Plan identifying several specific projects and corridors suitable for transit in the future. The concept plan includes projects in both the cost feasible and needs portions of the 2030 plan. Several of these projects are making progress. continued on next page
TRANSIT IN FLORIDA] A REGIONAL LOOK continued from page 6
Alternatives Analyses Underway In 2007, the MetroPlan Orlando Board identified the region’s next rail priority after SunRail – a line connecting International Drive to Orlando International Airport and then to the Medical City/Innovation Way area. The Florida Department of Transportation is ready to begin the alternatives analysis process for both this line and the US 441 corridor, which connects to SunRail in downtown Orlando and goes through northwest Orange County and into Lake County. LYNX, the local transit agency, has an alternatives analysis underway along US 192 in Osceola County. Recently, LYNX also received a federal grant for an alternatives analysis along SR 50 from the West Oaks Mall to the University of Central Florida. Once these analyses are complete, the region will have a better idea of financial feasibility, appropriate technology and community impacts for each of these projects. Bus Rapid Transit Expansion LYNX is also busy with plans to expand the LYMMO bus rapid transit (BRT) system in downtown Orlando and will soon be starting design-build processes on two expansions. The first major expansion to LYMMO is the East/West corridor, adding connectivity to the new Amway Center, Orlando City Hall, Orange County Administration building, Orlando Police Department headquarters, and the new performing arts center. This corridor runs from Westmoreland Drive in the west to Summerlin Avenue in the east and north-south from Central Boulevard to South Street. A $10 million TIGER II grant is advancing another LYMMO expansion project in Central Florida – the Parramore BRT. This 2.1 mile route, expected to be operational in 2013, runs west of I-4 and serves the Parramore area and Creative Village development. Both expansion projects start the design process this month, with construction scheduled for fall. These are major investments in the three-county MetroPlan Orlando area supporting SunRail.
Transit-Oriented Development Transit-oriented development planning for SunRail received a welcome boost at the end of last year when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council a $2.4 million HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant to support development around SunRail stations. The grant will support detailed station area planning for six of the 12 phase one SunRail stations, affordable housing assessments for all 12 station areas, and regional collaboration to share best practices and guide future transit planning in Central Florida. Good transitoriented development historically attracts economic development around stations, making transit a more attractive and convenient transportation option for the community. As transit-oriented development plans progress, local governments have expressed an interest in establishing quiet zones throughout the SunRail corridor. MetroPlan Orlando is taking the lead in working with federal, state, and local partners to determine necessary steps to bring rail crossings up to a quiet zone ready state. The next step in the process will involve identifying potential funding sources for the safety improvements. The tri-county MetroPlan Orlando area includes top-notch attractions and has global commerce connections. However, MetroPlan Orlando’s transportation planning efforts must look beyond the borders of its planning area and consider how the region will continue to develop, not just in connections between housing and employment, but also in the movement of goods and freight. As MetroPlan Orlando begins to develop the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan, planning efforts will continue to build a diverse, sustainable network of travel options, including a strong transit component. The result? A world-class transportation system for Central Florida. Gary Huttmann, AICP, is the Deputy Executive Director at MetroPlan Orlando. He can be reached at ghuttmann@metroplanorlando.com
CORRIDORS IN THE TRANSIT VISION CONCEPT PLAN Corridor
Transit System Type
Corridor
Transit System Type
SunRail
Commuter Rail Transit (CRT)
Bus or BRT
I-4 Light Rail Corridor
Light Rail Transit (LRT)
LYMMO Circulator Expansion
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Convention Center/Orlando International Airport/ Medical City/ Innovation Way
Light Rail North Expansion Corridor
LRT
Southwest Orlando Multi-Modal District
Bus or BRT
South Orange/North Osceola Circulator
Bus or BRT
US 441 Corridor
CRT
University of Central Florida Circulator
Bus or BRT
International Drive Corridor
Bus or BRT
Osceola Parkway Corridor
Bus, BRT, or LRT
US 192 Circulator
Bus or BRT
Narcoossee Corridor
Bus, BRT, or LRT
US 192 Circulator East Extension
Bus or BRT
High Speed Rail Corridor
High Speed Rail
Light Rail South Expansion Corridor
LRT
Seminole Way
Bus or BRT
East-West Circulator
Bus or BRT
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 7
STEPPING OFF THE CURB A Look at Florida’s Pedestrian Safety Problem by Stephen Benson In recent years, the Sunshine State bore the brunt of national criticism regarding roadway safety due to our alarming record of pedestrian fatalities. While it’s true that we carry the highest pedestrian fatality rate when compared to our population, headlines seem to ignore the fact that this pedestrian safety problem is not unique to Florida. According to the 2011 ‘Dangerous by Design’ report released by Transportation for America, 9 of the top 10 states with the highest pedestrian fatality rates are “Sun Belt” states. The superficial response to this statement is that our beautiful, mild climate is the cause; sunshine and flat terrain promotes recreational demand and increases pedestrian activity. However, while mild climate certainly influences the lifestyles of this region, this conclusion falsely implies that nothing else can be done to improve pedestrian safety. Indeed pedestrian activity is influenced more by culture and the built environment than by the weather. This explains why densely populated northern cities like Seattle, New York, Boston and the District of Columbia have some of the nation’s highest walking, biking, and transit-riding populations, despite their harsh winters and challenging topography. Since pedestrian activity is high, it’s not a surprise that these denser urban centers experience more annual pedestrian fatality counts. But when population is factored into the equation, northern cities fare from low to about average in pedestrian fatality rates, and southern cities and states jump to the top of the list. The real curiosity comes when you consider that even the largest metro areas in the South – Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, Miami – are still largely suburban in nature and thus dominated by automobile travelers. This begs the question, how is it that states with relatively low pedestrian activity generate higher pedestrian fatality rates when normalized by population? The answer lies in the built environment and its impact on mobility.
8 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
The complex pattern is more evident when approached from a macro perspective. The pedestrian fatality problem can be traced to three primary trends: overwhelming levels of (suburban) growth since the 1960s, large communities of economically disadvantaged citizens with lower educational attainment, and higher proportions of transportation disadvantaged persons (children and the elderly). These land use and socio-economic conditions heavily influence the transportation system – and directly impact pedestrian safety issues. The vast majority of growth in the South since 1960 has been typically suburban in nature – characterized by an intentional separation of land uses and hierarchical street systems with low connectivity and wide 6-lane (or more) arterial roadways. This type of built environment is simply not conducive to pedestrian travel because walking distances are much farther and wide roadways are more challenging for pedestrians to safely cross. Very often, pedestrians choose to cross mid-block simply because it is easier to evaluate fewer automobile movements at once. Major arterial intersections may be built precisely to engineering standards and possess upgraded pedestrian features, but if a pedestrian feels intimidated by an intersection they will choose to cross elsewhere. Suffice it to say that transportation disadvantaged and economically disadvantaged populations – who rely on transit, walking, and bicycling to get around – are often overwhelmingly present in these areas and are forced to use a system that might not have been designed with their mobility in mind. continued on next page
[STEPPING OFF THE CURB] FLORIDA’S PEDESTRIAN SAFETY continued from page 8
Neighborhood design has a direct impact on pedestrian safety and the overall pedestrian experience. One of the most important factors lies in crossing distances – generally the fewer lanes a pedestrian must cross, the better. With each additional travel lane comes higher auto-travel speeds and a greater crossing distance for a pedestrian. This translates to a higher safety risk. If a protected median is not present to provide a safe place to pause when crossing, pedestrians must evaluate and avoid automobile traffic traveling in both directions – a task that is often impossible to do while crossing one hundred feet of asphalt on a 6-lane (or more) roadway. In the South, these wide suburban roadways are far more common than in the North, and southern suburban development patterns provide fewer alternate routes along safer “side streets” more common in the street grids of northern cities. Most northern metro areas were built out well before 1950, and their built environments are uniquely characterized by denser development patterns – mixed-use zoning and gridded street systems. While at the heart of some southern cities lay pockets of relatively dense street grids, these southern pre-industrial neighborhoods are quite small, and usually house a miniscule proportion of metro populations. Southern metro areas were built out much later in the 20th century - at the height of suburbanization - and are largely characterized by these development patterns. Even in the small dense urban centers of the south, we have worked tirelessly to redesign existing urban transportation infrastructure to meet new suburban roadway design standards – widening to eleven-foot travel lanes, busting curbs to increase turning radii at intersections, installing continuous right-turn lanes, etc. Only recently have transportation professionals begun to consider “context sensitive” roadway design solutions and develop standards for implementation. According to a 2010 report released by Brookings on ‘Suburban Poverty,’ over the last decade poor populations in major American metropolitan areas increased by nearly 6 million and the vast majority of that growth occurred in suburban areas. Furthermore, over the last few years the metro areas with the highest increases in poverty rates were “Sun Belt” cities throughout Florida and California. It’s no coincidence that Florida and California are also the top two states for pedestrian fatality rates. Indeed pedestrian safety is not only a transportation problem, but a fundamental social justice issue. The passing of the American’s with Disabilities Act adopted national standards for pedestrian mobility in the name of civil rights. It is our responsibility as planners to recognize the significance of pedestrian mobility and safety in our daily work. The long-term solution lies in the way we plan, design and redesign the built environment. This calls for a reevaluation of fundamental land use and transportation principles that have guided development patterns for the last half-century. Indeed, denser mixed-use areas with smaller roadways and more street connectivity have societal benefits from many perspectives – public health, urban design, public utilities and services, and affordable housing. But, these places also tend to be
Good planning and good design includes planning for a safe pedestrian environment.
Pedestrians often percieve crossing mid-block as safer than crossing at an intersection - no turning movements and no intersecting roadway.
Would you feel safe crossing the street at this location? Would you allow your child to?
safer for pedestrians. Ensuring that new development follows these pedestrian-friendly guidelines will be the challenge of the future. The short-term solution to pedestrian safety requires a holistic approach that reaches across many professions and disciplines. The first step begins in identifying the top five corridors in your area that carry the most severe-injury pedestrian crashes and fatalities. The challenge is then to implement aggressive educational outreach, law enforcement activities and innovative engineering strategies to reduce pedestrian crashes based on the individual crash patterns on these corridors. Every community has unique safety challenges and a sustained, coordinated multidisciplinary approach is the best strategy to solve these problems. However, nearly every community has a handful of roadways that combined carry the majority of the pedestrian crashes. Focus on making the largest impact on these corridors. Florida’s pedestrian safety problem is not simply another statistic to lament over, or a problem for “the engineers” to fix, and it’s certainly not a side-effect of too much sunshine. As planners, we are guided by the AICP Code of Ethics: “We shall seek social justice by working to expand choice and opportunity for all persons, recognizing a special responsibility to plan for the needs of the disadvantaged and to promote racial and economic integration. We shall urge the alteration of policies, institutions, and decisions that oppose such needs.” Addressing pedestrian safety should serve as another opportunity for us to promote building better communities that truly serve everyone. It is not simply our job to plan for the needs of all populations, but it is our duty to take action, be proactive, and do everything within our ability to ensure these needs are fulfilled. Stephen Benson is pursuing a Master’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning at the University of South Florida and works as a transportation planner for Tindale-Oliver & Associates in Tampa. He can be reached at sbenson@tindaleoliver.com.
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 9
Call for presentations September 12-15, 2012 / Waldorf Astoria, Naples Presentation proposals for the 2012 APA-FL Conference being held at the Waldorf Astoria Naples are due by 5:00 PM on March 23, 2012. Please complete an APA Florida Conference Presentation Summary Form available online at www.floridaplanning.org. Are you charting a new course in the face of gale force winds, perfect storms, and attacks? Share your tales with your mates and colleagues! The APA Florida Promised Lands Section invites you to answer the call for presentations for the 2012 APA Florida Conference in one of the following tracks. Discovering Buried Treasure: Creating Great Places Diminishing availability of open greenfield development areas, reductions in natural, financial, and public resources, declining economic development, and sprawling patterns of development are creating some interesting challenges for planning and developing urban places, downtown areas, and suburban communities. Do you have successful redevelopment success stories about your community? Are you working on cutting edge ideas and projects about how to retrofit suburbia into great places? Inform your colleagues about how they can achieve great land use planning and development projects such as: successful adaptive reuse projects, historic preservation, Main Street initiatives, vision plans that became reality, real world examples of form based code implementation, the future of downtown redevelopment, suburban retrofits, brownfield redevelopment, development incentives, established sense of place, and reinvigorated communities. Sail the High Seas: Transportation Opportunities Rising fuel costs and failing infrastructure are ever impacting how we plan for the future and provide community connections. Are you providing new opportunities for linking your community together? Do you have successful examples of alternative transportation modes? Is your community exploring new concepts that will lead the future of transportation? Inform your colleagues of your efforts and highlight how they accomplish similar goals through projects focused on: increasing pedestrian and bicycle mobility; implementing Complete Streets, freight and passenger rail projects, car sharing, bus rapid transit, and regional multi-modal connections; developing alternative vehicular fuel sources, successfully utilizing public resources; and upgrading or reinvigorating older infrastructure. Clean Bill of Health: Health and the Built Environment The vital link between health and the built environment is quickly expanding the planning profession. Planners are eager to learn about this new field and the implications and possibilities for their communities and work projects. If you are working in this cutting-edge planning area, inform your colleagues about your work including: land use planning projects that promote a healthier lifestyle, interconnected parks, bicycle, and pedestrian paths, successful transportation nodes, implementation of transit oriented developments, and new ideas for collaboration between health and planning professionals. Beacons in the Night: Professional Planning Skills & New Technologies
Planning is an ever changing horizon. Expanded professional skills and new technologies including web-based planning techniques, computer simulation programs, form-based scenarios, and design-based planning programs such as Community Viz and GIS have become the norm. Planners are increasingly working in “the cloud� using webinars, on-line meetings, blogs, Twitter, Foursquare, You Tube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. How can anyone keep up with it all?! Tell us how you are expanding your professional development skills or navigating technology to engage the 10 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
public, attract new businesses, and support planning initiatives. Maybe you’ve started your own firm, used social media in innovative ways to reach out to prospective clients, led an interactive design based planning effort, or changed the direction of your career. How will changes in the planning field alter the way we work in the future? This track is specifically for those who need a crash course in 21st century planning techniques and technology and how to use them to meet the changing tides. Inform your colleagues about: the future of community engagement, mobile apps, interactive code enforcement, engaging youth, advertising and marketing community projects, online review of code and comprehensive plan revisions, and on-line submittal and tracking of applications. Sweet Trade: Economic Development The buzz word of the recession and the following uptick may be economic development. Are you leading a community that is successfully assessing their situation and implementing effective economic development and planning strategies? Share your success stories and innovative ideas. Inform your colleagues about: successful use of economic incentives, the future of market sector support and expansion, regional programs, buy local programs and incentives, discount programs, tax reductions or funding support for local businesses, marketing and advertising for business districts, local business expansion incentives, flex zoning and use categories that remove barriers to economic development, Sustainable Communities, economic partnerships, implementation of regional and mega region plans, business incubators, and attraction of target industries. Land ho!: Agriculture/Natural Environment/Food Security Is your community setting aside space for urban gardening? Have you resolved how to allow farm animals as pets? Are you successfully incorporating local agriculture and preservation of the natural environment into your community development strategies? What is the future of food systems planning? Inform your colleagues about initiatives they can utilize that successfully: conserve and preserve water and land resources; address natural environment challenges; encourage community gardens, urban agriculture, urban chicken farming, local farmers markets, and food quality and safety; and provide for local food distribution and regional food systems planning. Each session should cover 1.25 hours except law and ethics sessions, which should cover 1.5 hours. Be sure to provide all of the required information. Preference will be assigned to sessions that appear to be eligible for AICP Certification Maintenance (CM) credits. Do not attach any additional information beyond what is required. Please respect identified word limitations.
Email the completed submittal form to submissions@floridaplanning.org. After you have submitted a proposal, you will receive an email acknowledgement of the receipt of your proposal. This email is your indication that the submittal process was successful. If you do not get this email, please contact the Chapter Office at 850-201-3272 or fapa@floridaplanning.org to ensure that your proposal was actually received. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the conference tracks or the submittal form, please contact the chapter office.
Election Opportunities in APA Florida Looking for a way to get more involved in planning issues and your professional planning organization?
If you are interested in running for office, please email your intent to Alex Magee, Executive Director, at fapa@floridaplanning.org no later than March 15, 2012.
Consider running for statewide office in APA Florida. The election of statewide officers for APA Florida takes place every two years and 2012 is an election year. A nominating committee appointed by the President presents a slate of at least two candidates for each of these eight 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 bylaws, which are posted on the APA Florida website under the subheading “About APA Florida�, as well as in the election information on our home page. When applying, please indicate the specific position you are interested in, or if you are willing to serve where needed. If you need further information, contact the Chapter Office at 850-2013272 or fapa@floridaplanning.org.
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 11
New Directions for Transportation: Florida’s Transportation Vision for the 21st Century by: kathleen neill
T
o grow, prosper, and create the conditions for the private sector to produce better jobs, Florida must have the best transportation and infrastructure system in the nation. In August 2011, Secretary Ananth Prasad announced the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), under the leadership of Governor Scott, together with local, state, and federal partners, has created a Florida Transportation Vision for the 21st Century. The Transportation Vision builds upon the 2060 Florida Transportation Plan (FTP), the state’s long range transportation plan, developed in 2010 with input from over 10,000 Floridians. The Transportation Vision uses creative financing alternatives, offers transportation choices, places strong emphasis on port development, reduces bureaucracy and streamlines decision making, calls for planning and development of future corridors, and provides faster project delivery to keep Florida moving and get our citizens back to work. “The Transportation Vision plan is the state’s bold, innovative roadmap for the future which will provide the most advanced and effective transportation system in the country,” said Secretary Prasad. “Florida is on the cutting edge to produce more transportation projects, to provide Florida’s taxpayers with a greater return on our investment, and to create the conditions for the private sector to invest, grow and provide good paying jobs.” Key elements of the Transportation Vision include: • Developing creative financing alternatives, such as expanding the use of public private partnerships as well as tolls for financing new capacity on interstates and expressways and widening and replacement of all major river crossings, recognizing the gas tax as a funding source for transportation is not sustainable; • Providing choices for commuters by developing a system of managed lanes in Florida, building on the highly successful express lanes on I-95 in Miami-Dade County; • Creating an Office of Freight and Logistics to play a role in advancing the Governor’s initiatives to transform Florida’s economy by becoming a global hub for trade, logistics, and export-oriented manufacturing activities; • Working in partnership with Space Florida, NASA and the private sector to strengthen Florida’s position as the global leader in aerospace research, exploration, and commerce; • Transitioning Florida’s planning process to focus on regional transportation issues in both urban and rural areas, including stronger metropolitan planning organization (MPO) partnerships or potential consolidation of MPOs within urbanized areas; • Further streamlining all stages of project delivery to reduce the time required for a project to move from idea to completion; and 12 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
• While continuing as a decentralized agency, revitalizing FDOT by operating in a more consistent, predictable, and repeatable manner so the Districts are more alike than not alike. To maintain our competitive edge, the state must not only maintain its existing system at the highest levels, it must also plan for a transportation system for decades to come. This means Florida must plan and develop our future corridors that will maximize the use of existing corridors and identifying, preserving and ensuring the funding of corridors that will support Florida’s future growth. The 2060 FTP recommends creating a statewide vision to coordinate existing plans and provide a unified view of Florida’s future. One important outcome of a statewide vision would be a context for planning the future or our major transportation corridors – for example, what are the present and future critical economic growth sectors of Florida that are and will be dependent on seamless transportation infrastructure connectivity? FDOT looks forward to working with our partners to develop consensus around these future corridor needs. Transportation connects not only places where we live, work, and play but also people and businesses to opportunities! Kathleen Neill is the Director of FDOT’s Office of Policy Planning. She can be contacted at kathleen.neill@dot.state.fl.us.
Meet FDOT’s New Secretary Ananth Prasad, on April 18, 2011, was named Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) by Governor Rick Scott. Secretary Prasad is responsible for managing the $7-billion agency which oversees infrastructure projects, including port dredging, highway expansion and maintenance projects. Prior to his appointment, Secretary Prasad served as the Assistant Secretary for Engineering and Operations for the agency. He rejoined FDOT in July 2010 after a brief twoyear stint as a vice president of a construction-services firm. Secretary Prasad has a total of 20 years of experience in the transportation industry, including 18 years with FDOT where he previously held the positions of the Chief Engineer and Director of Construction. He was responsible for implementing various innovative contracting techniques, including public-private partnerships, and holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Florida.
By: Lester Abberger, APA Florida Legislative Representative An unusually tumultuous legislative session is in store as the state’s now perennial budget challenges are overlaid by the thorny, politically sensitive, and potentially explosive issue of reapportionment. The lingering, recalcitrant real estate recession continues to wreak havoc on Florida’s economy, and, consequently, on the capability of Florida’s antiquated, regressive tax structure to generate sufficient revenues to meet rising demands for health care, education, and transportation services. The current deficit is projected at somewhere north of $2 billion, but could be higher still. Balancing the budget, as mandated by the state constitution, will require yet another round of hard choices and painful reductions in services. Some speculate that legislators could defer budget decisions to a special session later in the year, but before the June 30 2012 fiscal year end, in hopes of a more robust revenue forecast. Look for the results of the January 12 2012 revenue estimating conference for more clarity in the budget picture. To further complicate an already complicated budget and revenue situation, Governor Rick Scott has expressed adamant opposition to any tax or fee increases that might be used to close the budget gap. Moreover, the Governor’s proposed budget, which funds extra spending for education at the expense of deep Medicaid cuts, sets up a potentially explosive confrontation with the Legislature. Reapportionment, the once-in-a-decade process to redraw the boundaries of the state’s legislative and congressional districts to reflect growth and shifts in the state’s population, is always fraught with both uncertainty and political intrigue. This time around, as a consequence of voterapproved constitutional amendments that, in essence, prohibit gerrymandering, the process will be even more complicated.
Majority party legislators will be, at least theoretically, limited in their ability to draw district boundaries with the obvious intent of benefitting the majority or helping incumbents retain their seats. If history is any guide, look for these issues to be sorted out, at the end of the day, by the courts. After several years of contentious struggles to reshape the state’s growth management system and after the adoption in 2011 of dramatic, some argue radical, changes, it appears that both critics of and advocates for growth management are suggesting that a very limited and narrowly focused approach to these issues is appropriate for 2012 session. In short, a cooling off period is necessary. Although there is an apparent consensus that time is needed to assess the real-world implications of the 2011 legislation, it is clear also that a so-called glitch bill will be necessary to address practical, largely unintentional problems that have arisen as the new law has been implemented. As a result of careful and thoughtful analysis by APA Florida members, we have identified a number of these glitch issues. We have, and will continue to work with the professional staff of the substantive
committees that will be handling these issues, as well as with the key legislators, to bring these concerns to their attention. Consider though, that the determination of what to include in such a bill is highly subjective, and is, most certainly, in the eye of the beholder. In the past, the temptation to amend glitch bills with narrow, special interest provisions has been irresistible. A “clean” bill, limited to legitimate, purely technical issues is the desirable outcome from our professional perspective. Other planning issues that could draw attention in 2012 include proposals to restructure the DRI process, provide limits on local government ability to impose impact fees, restrict some activities of regional planning councils and further tweak transportation concurrency requirements. As always, these will arise as well as issues we are unable to anticipate at this time. The APA Florida Legislative Policy Committee, under the able leadership of Brian Teeple, will be working assiduously to evaluate and provide substantive guidance on issues of interest to the planning profession. To that end, we look forward to working with you, and appreciate, as always, the benefits of your experience and wisdom.
WHAT’S IN STORE IN
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 13
ation ll a t s n I Military er for im r P A : y ilit Compatib ernments v o G l a c Lo
Since 2004, Section 163.3177, Florida Statutes, has required that certain local governments must adopt policies in their comprehensive plans hn. AICP By: Mike Kloe to achieve compatibility with the State’s military installations. The military is big business in Florida. According to the Florida Defense Factbook, published this year by Enterprise Florida, “Fiscal year 2008 defense related spending was responsible for $58.1 billion in output, or gross state product in Florida.” In his whirlwind summertime workshop tour of the State, DCA Secretary Buzzett identified the military as one of the State’s top four priorities. Under the current version of s. 163.3177, a total of 43 cities and counties are required to adopt a military compatibility policy. The 2011 legislature added the former Rule 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code, definition of “compatibility”:
[A] condition in which land uses or conditions can coexist in relative proximity to each other in a stable fashion over time such that no use or condition is unduly negatively impacted directly or indirectly by another use or condition. This compatibility policy is sometimes referred to as a “base encroachment” policy, focusing solely on the extent to which local governments can restrict the use of land around military installations. However, the definition requires a balancing of the interests of the military and the community. The challenge for local planners is to avoid a unilateral approach and to balance the needs of the military installations with the community-at-large, including the development rights of the adjacent property owners. The 2011 legislature emphasized this need for balance by adding a requirement that, when considering military comments regarding land use decisions, local governments “must also be sensitive to private property rights and not be unduly restrictive on those rights”. Like all comprehensive plan policies, military compatibility policies must be supported by valid data and analysis. To assist local planners who must address military compatibility in their jurisdiction’s comprehensive plan and strike the proper balance, I have the following recommendations: continued on next page
14 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
[IN MY] OPINION
continued from previous page
1. Become intimately familiar with the literature related to the impacts of military installations on the offinstallation community. There is a vast wealth of studies and data prepared by the military discussing the effects of military operations on the nearby community. These studies and data are prepared in accordance with military regulations and programs, which are in turn, based on scientific studies on the effects of military operations on civilian communities. There are numerous sources of information, including “How To” manuals for local governments. Organizations such as the ICMA, NACO, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) are great sources of information. Installations may also have prepared Environmental Impact Statements and other such studies as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 2. Don’t assume that the military personnel are familiar with land use regulations, much less comprehensive planning. The military staff assigned to work with local governments on planning issues likely have numerous other duties and are likely unaware of the complexities of land use regulation, zoning, and comprehensive planning. They will likely not be as sensitive to the local government’s need to find a rational nexus between a regulation and a proposed policy. 3. Become familiar with the distinctions between the different types of activities at military installations. The types of activities at installations can have vastly different off-installation impacts and can in turn be perceived to be impacted by widely different off-installation land uses and activities. For example, noise impacts
to the off-installation areas will differ dramatically based on the type of noise, location of the noise generator, time of day the noise is generated and number of times the noise is generated. Military installations have studies of the magnitude of these offinstallation impacts, and should share them with the local governments. 4. Learn what obligations the military has in terms of mitigating impacts affecting property located outside of the boundaries of the installations. Military regulations and DOD and OEA Manuals clearly state that it is the installation commander’s obligation within the bounds of the installation’s mission to endeavor to minimize impacts upon the adjacent property. It is reasonable for a local government to assume that an installation will follow these regulations and directives to ensure a balance is made to achieve compatibility. 5. Recognize that the missions of military installations will change over time. Activities at installations obviously will not remain static. NEPA requires analysis of increases in off-installation impacts on the environment (e.g. noise). The analysis will have four potential outcomes: (i) an exemption; (ii) a finding of no significant impact (fonsi); (iii) the publishing of an Environmental Assessment; or (iv) the publishing of an Environmental Impact Statement. Local governments must be notified when the analyses are being conducted, and should participate with the military installation in the review of the outcome. 6. Become familiar with the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) process. The OEA enthusiastically advocates the use of JLUS’s and offers grants to conduct them. The process is intended to be participatory and to provide a vehicle for a constructive dialogue between a military installation, and all affected local governments and other parties regarding conflict between activities at the installation and land use activities on surrounding properties. When a JLUS is scheduled, local planners need to actively
participate in the process to ensure all issues are addressed. A good base source of information is the JLUS Program Guidebook Manual published in 2006 by OEA. 7. Include the community in the compatibility discussions. Since achievement of compatibility may result in the adoption of land use restrictions, property owners who will potentially be affected should be involved in the process from the start. Depending upon the nature and scope of the issues, other community organizations should be considered for a seat at the table, e.g., the Chamber of Commerce. Participation by the community will provide them with a greater appreciation for the military installation’s plans and challenges. 8. Keep abreast of military compatibility policies in other jurisdictions. As with any other issue, it is useful to compare notes with your local government counterparts throughout the state. Learn from each other’s successes and failures. 9. Go into the situation with a win/ win attitude. This may be a challenge, but planners are trained to deal with competing interests. The overarching compatibility goal should be to assist the military installation in the accomplishment of its mission without unduly burdening adjacent property owners. It remains to be seen how Comprehensive Plans will evolve in response to the 2011 legislation. It is unknown how the State Planning Agency will address military interests as one of Florida’s four priorities. Regardless how the comprehensive planning process changes in the near future, adherence to the aforelisted recommendations will serve local planners in their efforts to adopt comprehensive plan policies which achieve the proper balance between the interests of a military installation and other interests within the community. Mike Kloehn, AICP is the Clay County Planning & Zoning Director and can be reached at mike.kloehn@co.clay.fl.us .
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 15
LAND USE & PLANNING: Law Case Update by: David Theriaque, Esq. Graves v. City of Pompano Beach, 74 So. 3d 595 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011) Several neighbors challenged a plat approval by the City of Pompano Beach on the grounds that the plat approval was inconsistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The trial court concluded that a plat was not a development order for the purposes of a consistency challenge pursuant to Section 163.3215, Florida Statutes, and dismissed the neighbors’ lawsuit. Initially, the Fourth District Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s decision, concluding that “a plat approval is not a development order under section 163.3215.” The Fourth District stated that the neighbors “will need to wait until later in the process, if the plans continue, to challenge the proposed facilities and uses.” On rehearing, the Fourth District reversed its decision, stating that “[u]pon further review and consideration of the development rights consequent to a plat approval under the City Land Development Code, we find that the plat approval in the instant case is a ‘development order’ under the statutory scheme.” The basis for this reversal appears to hinge upon the fact that the plat approval authorized “an 8,497-square-foot expansion for casino use, a 54,094-square-foot expansion of commercial uses, and a new hotel.” The Fourth District noted that the statutory definition of “development permit” includes “any other official action of local government having the effect of permitting the development of land.” Thus, the Fourth District reversed the trial court’s dismissal of the neighbors’ consistency challenge pursuant to Section 163.3215, Florida Statutes, and remanded the case for further proceedings before the trial court. St. Johns River Water Management District v. Koontz, 2011 WL 5218306 (Fla. Nov. 3, 2011) This decision by the Florida Supreme Court provides an excellent analysis of regulatory takings law, including exactions. The analysis is too lengthy to set forth in this column, other than the following key points. The property owner filed an application for a permit to dredge wetlands. The St. Johns River Water Management District (“SJRWMD”) indicated that it would approve the application if the property owner would agree to certain conditions regarding placing a portion of the property into a conservation area, performing some off-site mitigation, and/or reducing the size of the proposed development. The property owner refused to agree with the SJRWMD’s proposed conditions. Consequently, the SJRWMD denied the permit and the property owner sued. The circuit court concluded that the SJRWMD had caused a regulatory taking of the property. At that juncture, the SJRWMD issued the permit to the property owner without the above-referenced conditions, in part, because the SJRWMD had received additional information which demonstrated that the amount of wetlands on the property was less than originally believed. The circuit court determined that the delay in the issuance of the permit constituted a temporary taking and awarded $376,154 to the property owner. The Fifth District Court of Appeal affirmed the circuit court’s decision. The Florida Supreme Court reversed the temporary takings determination, concluding that the United States Supreme Court’s decisions regarding “exactions” are applicable “only where the condition/ exaction sought by the government involves a dedication of or over the owner’s interest in real property in exchange for permit approval; and only when the regulatory agency actually issues the permit sought. . . .” Moreover, the Court noted that any other conclusion would result in “[l]and development in certain areas of Florida . . . com[ing] to a standstill” because the regulatory entities would “be unwilling to subject [themselves] to potential liability for discussing mitigation options” and would simply deny the permits outright. Martin County Conservation Alliance v. Martin County, 73 So. 3d 856 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011) This case involves the imposition of sanctions against Martin County Conservation Alliance (“MCCA”) and 1000 Friends of Florida (“1000 Friends”) by the First District Court of Appeal. The First District concluded that, while MCCA and 1000 Friends had a legal right to challenge certain amendments to Martin County’s comprehensive plan in an administrative hearing, they did not have the legal standing to appeal the Final Order approving such amendments. Thus, the First District determined that MCCA and 1000 Friends had filed a meritless appeal and ordered MCCA and 1000 Friends to pay the attorneys’ fees incurred by the other parties. continued on next page
16 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
[LAND USE & PLANNING] LAW CASE UPDATE continued from page 16
This was a two-to-one decision, with the dissenting judge strenuously objecting to the majority’s decision to impose sanctions. MCCA and 1000 Friends have requested that the Florida Supreme Court hear this case – there is no legal obligation that the Court agree to do so. Due to the potential chilling effect of this decision on citizens who seek to exercise their legal rights under the Community Planning Act, APA Florida has agreed to support the efforts of MCCA and 1000 Friends to overturn the First District’s imposition of sanctions against MCCA and 1000 Friends. David Theriaque is with the firm of Theriaque & Spain in Tallahassee. He can be contacted at dat@theriaquelaw.com.
National APA Elections Coming Up! Not only is this an election year for APA Florida, it is also an election year for our National Officers at APA. The election slate can be found on the APA website at http://www.planning.org/elections/. Biographical information and position statements are also found there. Four Florida planners are on the slate as follows: APA Region III: Merle Bishop, FAICP (FL); Whit Blanton, AICP (FL) / AICP Commissioner Region III: Val Hubbard, FAICP, (FL); Stephen Villavaso, FAICP (LA) / APA At Large: Marcie Stenmark, AICP (FL); Kara Drane, AICP (MS); Kurt Christiansen, AICP (CA); David Woods, AICP (NY). The APA Florida Executive Committee endorses all of the Florida candidates.
Please make sure you review all the candidate materials and remember to vote in March!
[PRESIDENT’S] MESSAGE continued from page 3
administering zoning codes, we are beginning to wake up to a greater role to sustain the economic health and prosperity of our communities. Meeting these challenges is addressed in APA’s Communications Boot Camp, which included webinar presentations and “how-to guides.” I hope many of you took advantage of this excellent opportunity to learn techniques and best practices to communicate the value and relevance of planning by engaging citizens, planning boards and elected officials. Although, the Book Camp concluded on January 31st, the material is available on the APA web site (Key word: bootcamp) Your Chapter’s Executive Committee will explore the role that APA Florida can play in meeting these challenges through a comprehensive review of the Chapter’s Strategic Plan at the Chapter’s biennial retreat this year in May. Your comments and input are welcomed and can be offered through your local section chair. This year, the Chapter will conduct the biennial election of Chapter officers. Anyone interested in serving on the Board is encouraged to submit your name and interest to the Chapter office. More information about this opportunity is included in this newsletter. Finally, as we enter into the New Year, I am particularly thankful for all of the hard work so many of you have volunteered at the Section and Chapter levels. The value and relevance of APA as a professional organization providing you with the services and resources you need to be a better planner can only be realized through the support and involvement of its members. I continue to be optimistic about the future and the opportunities in 2012 for the work that we do to make a difference. I want to leave you with this quote from APA President, Mitch Silver, “Planners are the guardians of our common future because they have a special concern for long term consequences of present actions.”
Merle H. Bishop, FAICP APA Florida President
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 17
[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 web-based consultant directory. Display ads to promote your business, conference, projects and more are available. Contact the Chapter office at 850-201-3272 for rates and details.
18 Winter 2012 / Florida Planning
[CONSULTANT’S] DIRECTORY CONTINUED
Winter 2012 / Florida Planning 19
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[UPCOMING] EVENTS FEBRUARY 8, 2012: 2012 APA Florida Public Policy Workshop Tallahassee. Don’t’ miss this popular and informative workshop! Details and registration at www.floridaplanning.org. FEBRUARY 22, 2012: DEFINING THE REGION Fort Lauderdale. This is the fifth part of the Rethinking Planning in Florida lecture series. Alain Thierstein will be speaking. Please RSVP to dmorri47@fau.edu.
Article deadlines are generally four weeks pior to publication. Ad deadlines are generally two weeks prior to publication. Consult the editor for any exception to this schedule.
FEBRUARY 27-28, 2012: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING CONTROLS Tampa. This encore presentation from APA’s Planners Training Service brings you the latest information from leading experts in the field. Registration is open. 14 AICP CM credits approved. More information at www.floridaplanning.org/calendar.
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APRIL 11, 2012: ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING Orlando. Craig Pittman, journalist and environmental author of Paving Paradise: Florida’s Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss and Manatee Insanity: Inside the War Over Florida’s Most Famous Endangered Species, will speak. SEPTEMBER 12-15, 2012: 2012 APA FLORIDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Naples. Save the Date and make plans to attend this outstanding conference - Charting A New Course! Visit www.floridaplanning.org for more details. For more information on these and other APA Florida events, please visit http://www.floridaplanning.org/