Planning Skills | Spring 2020

FLORIDA PLANNING A publication of the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association

Spring 2020

florida.planning.org

My wife Susie and I ride motorcycles for fun and adventure.

rental bike Terry and Susie on a Scotland. ss, last year in Applecro

I ride in front and she rides on the back of the bike (pillion). We have been riding for several years including trips through Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego, the Alps, the Balkans, Ireland and Scotland, and Newfoundland and other Canadian maritime provinces. It’s been a blast and has really expanded our horizons personally and professionally.

You may be wondering what our motorcycle travels have to do with project management for planners. Often, when Susie and I tell people about our trips on a motorcycle, they look at us funny (we don’t necessarily look like crazy motorcycle adventurists) and then say something like, “Wow, aren’t you scared?’ or “I could never do that!”. And our response is that it is all about managing risk. We always wear

Project Management

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FOR PLANNERS

By Terry Clark, AICP, PMP

OTHER FEATURES

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

8

Planning Remotely

12

Adventures in Public Speaking: My Toastmasters Journey

14

Thoughtful Constructive Criticism

16

2020 Florida Planning Conference Update

20

VOTE: Nominations

By Petition for APA Florida 2020 Elections

21

Meet the 2020 Florida FAICP Class

24

Mission of APA Florida's Diversity & Inclusion Committee

President’s Message - p. 3 Planners on the Move p. 20 Planner Q&A p. 23 APA Working for You - p. 25 Consultants Directory - p. 26 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 E-mail

APA Florida Executive Committee President Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., LEED GA

813-327-5450

president@floridaplanning.org

Immediate Past President

Andre Anderson, AICP

407-957-8428

pastpresident@floridaplanning.org fx

President-Elect

Wiatt Bowers, AICP

904-363-8488

presidentelect@floridaplanning.org

Treasure Coast Section

Kori Benton, AICP

727-462-2518

treasurecoast@floridaplanning.orgf

Secretary

Lara Bouck, AICP, PE

407-481-5672

secretary@floridaplanning.org

San Felasco Section

Terry Clark, AICP, PMP

561-346-6392

sanfelasco@floridaplanning.org

Atlantic Coast Section

Mike Disher, AICP

386-236-2183

atlanticcoast@floridaplanning.org

Capital Area Section

Macy Fricke, AICP

850-380-2812

capitalarea@floridaplanning.org

EPG Representative

Sofia Garantiva

561-366-1100

ypg@floridaplanning.org

Promised Lands Section

Jason Green, AICP

941-505-1700

promisedlands@floridaplanning.org

University Liaison

Christopher Hawkins

407-823-2604

university@floridaplanning.org

VP Communications

Michelle Heinrich, AICP

813-276-2167

communications@floridaplanning.org

VP Section Affairs

Doug Kelly, AICP, CSI

321-319-3213

sectionaffairs@floridaplanning.org

Student Representative

Kayla Lloyd

813-727-9953

students@floridaplanning.org taf

Sun Coast Section

Stefanie McQueen, AICP

813-282-2300

suncoast@floridaplanning.org

VP-Professional Development

Allison Megrath, AICP

352-415-1933

profdevelopment@floridaplanning.org

Gold Coast Section

Juan Mullerat

305-444-4850

goldcoast@floridaplanning.org

Orlando Metro Section

Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP

407-245-0300

orlandometro@floridaplanning.org

Broward Section

Kristen Nowicki, AICP

954-660-2432

broward@floridaplanning.org

VP Certification Maintenance

Jill Quigley, AICP

954-641-5680

certmaintenance@floridaplanning.org

Treasurer

John Roach, AICP

561-822-1448

treasurer@floridaplanning.org

VP Membership/Outreach

Yexsy Schomberg

561-299-0508

membership@floridaplanning.org

First Coast Section

Ray Spofford, AICP

904-265-3189

firstcoast@floridaplanning.org

VP Conference Services

Thuy Turner, AICP, LEED AP BD+C

954-828-2400

conferencesvcs@floridaplanning.org

Heart of Florida Section

Tom Wodrich, AICP, MPA

863-838-8511

heartoffl@floridaplanning.org

Emerald Coast Section

Randy Woodruff, AICP

850-689-7347

emeraldcoast@floridaplanning.org

Executive Director

Julia “Alex“ Magee

850-201-3272

fapa@floridaplanning.org

Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper

Denise Johns-Smith

850-201-3272

adminbk@floridaplanning.org

Communications Coordinator Patti Shea

850-201-3272

staff@floridaplanning.org

Legislative Representative

Lester Abberger

850-524-2779

lesterabberger@nettally.com

Webmaster (Consultant)

Summer Taylor

888-949-5487 x706 summer@exaktmarketing.com

All other inquiries, contact APA Florida at 850-201-3272 or e-mail fapa@floridaplanning.org.

2 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I want you to know that the APA Florida Board, Section Boards, and APA Florida staff are working very hard to ensure a minimum of disruption to our services from COVID-19.

We have been meeting regularly with APA National staff and leaders from other chapters. We are preparing ourselves to shift how we deliver services as needed.

I can assure you that the organization is well positioned to navigate these uncertain times.

Just a few examples of our efforts: • The APA Florida Conference Committee and Local Host Committee is moving forward with planning for our in-person conference in September while at the same time researching options/vendors so that we are prepared to convert to a virtual conference, if needed; • APA Florida leadership is working with National APA to share our experience hosting virtual conference sessions after Hurricane Irma and to offer support to lesser resourced/smaller chapters; • APA Florida staff is monitoring the new COVID-19-related legislation affecting our organization and updating policies as required; and • APA National is working with our testing provider on the mechanics of the May AICP exam.

In summary, I can assure you that the organization is well positioned to navigate these uncertain times. We are prepared, and continue preparing, to make decisions in a thoughtful, deliberative manner. As decisions are made, we will communicate them to you through our usual outlets: eblasts, website, social media, Florida Planning, etc.

In the spirit of continuing to provide services to our members, this issue of Florida Planning focuses on enriching your work experience. We explore project management, public speaking, due diligence, and more. To complement the material here, we will be hosting a webinar on Project Management for Planners on May 22 (stay tuned for more info).

And finally, congratulations to our new FAICP members!

• Alissa Barber Torres, FAICP, Ph.D., CLTD • Henry F. Bittaker, FAICP • Alan D. Reynolds, FAICP • Stephen Tocknell, FAICP • Paul Van Buskirk, FAICP, Ph.D. • Silvia Vargas, FAICP Learn more about the exceptional professionals on page 21.

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 3

[PROJECT MANAGEMENT] FOR PLANNERS

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protective gear, don’t drink and ride, generally follow the speed limits, constantly communicate with each other (using Bluetooth helmet devices), plan our routes and make adjustments in response to the changing environment.

Managing planning projects is very similar to going on motorcycle adventures – it’s all about managing risks. The tools and techniques we use and the risks are different but the overall objective is the same – to produce a final deliverable within time and resource constraints that meet our desired goal. For our motorcycle trips it means having a fun and adventurous trip within our timeframe and getting home safely while not busting the bank.

For planning projects it means producing a final comprehensive plan, project review, or land development code within time and resource constraints that meets pre-determined objectives.

The primary reason I wrote my book, Project Management for Planners: A Practical Guide was that I was frustrated. I knew planners were great at establishing a vision, a goal or a plan for the future but we were not so good at producing tangible results to achieve those goals. We knew where we wanted our communities to be in 20 years we just had a difficult time taking the necessary steps to implement the plans. I really like project management because IT GETS STUFF DONE! Managing projects successfully, like going on motorcycle adventures, is not rocket science. In fact, project management has been described as “organized common sense”. Anyone can do it, it’s just a matter of learning and applying tools and techniques. One excellent place to start learning about project management is the Project Management Institute (pmi.org). PMI is the professional organization for project management much like the American Planning Association is the professional organization for planning.

The PMI website offers a tremendous collection of information about project management ranging from publication to remote learning opportunities. PMI administers the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification process and has developed the professionally accepted standards for project management. This article is consistent with PMI standards and practices.

THE BIG PICTURE When Susie and I started seriously to consider going on motorcycle trips we didn’t know where to start. We did a lot of research and landed on Horizons Unlimited (HU), a group centered on taking long term adventure motorcycle trips. Through HU events and rallies we met people who could help us get our mind around what we were thinking of doing. PMI fills a similar niche for Project Managers.

The official PMI definition of a project is “A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service – with a definite beginning and end.” Key words are TEMPORARY and UNIQUE PRODUCT OR SERVICE. Temporary means that there are calendar 4 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

dates identifying the project start and project completion. A project is not a process. A project is not a career – it does not go on forever.

Also, a project produces a UNIQUE PRODUCT OR SERVICE called a deliverable. I have found defining a reasonable and acceptable project deliverable to be one of the most important and difficult (risky) tasks for a Project Manager. I’ll say more on that later.

PMI identifies five processes of project management: 1. Project Initiation 2. Project Planning 3. Project Execution 4. Project Monitoring and Controlling 5. Project Closing For purposes of this article I am going to limit my discussion to three key topics that I think are most important in managing projects. The first is how to start a project, the second is how to construct a work breakdown structure (WBS) and the third is communication. Please be aware that this is a short synopsis of the topics. You can now get a master’s degree in project management, there are hundreds of books on project management and there are a wide variety of training sessions focusing on various aspects of project management.

HOW TO START A PROJECT Remember that project management is all about managing risk.

And one of the most important ways to manage risk is by properly defining and starting a project. The best tool for starting a project is a Project Charter. A Project Charter is a document that clearly and succinctly defines the project requirements (time, resources and major tasks) that are needed to produce the final deliverable. The Charter is not a detailed description of every task that needs to be accomplished nor does it include a detailed timeline for completing the project. Instead, it usually contains the following: • The name of the project and the name of the Project Manager.

There should only be one Project Manager. The Project Manager is the person in charge of the project and the “go to person” for management to consult to find out the status of the project. The Project Manager represents the project to all internal and external stakeholders.

• A clear definition of the project deliverable. This may seem overly simplistic or even a little insulting. You may be thinking, “Everyone knows what the deliverable is.” It has been my experience that this is not true. Clearly defining the project deliverable is one of the most difficult responsibilities of a Project Manager. The deliverable must be a UNIQUE and tangible product or service. It is the musthave product coming out of the project. The deliverable is the thing that if it is not produced then the project is deemed a failure. It is an output, not an outcome. I think this is especially challenging for continued on page 5

[PROJECT MANAGEMENT] FOR PLANNERS

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planners who focus on the outcome of a project – reduced crime, improved pedestrian access, more affordable housing. These are all important and desirable outcomes or results of a project. But they are not the deliverable. The deliverable is the planning document, the completion of traffic calming improvements or a plan for developing and funding affordable housing.

• The project timeline with a completion deadline. The timeline should include both the duration of time to complete the project (days, months) and also the anticipated project completion date (day on the calendar).

• Required resources. Project resources include dollars, staff time, consultants, external agencies and equipment. Be sure to identify any consulting work that is proposed and estimated fees.

The most important requirement for a Project Charter is that it be reviewed and approved by management. You don’t have a project until you have an approved Project Charter. The Charter can take various forms depending on the complexity of the project – an email may suffice for a relatively simple project or a 20-page document may be appropriate for a complex project. But the most important requirement is that it be approved by management PRIOR to starting the project.

HOW TO CONSTRUCT A WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE The project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a list of all tasks required to produce the final deliverable. Only those tasks directly linked to producing the deliverable should be included. Each task in the WBS should be written in a verb + object format. For example, write parking standards is an appropriate task in a WBS. The number of tasks in a WBS should include all work necessary to produce the deliverable and only that work, nothing else.

For planning projects it is extremely important to include any public and stakeholder engagement work. This project work is necessary for successful planning projects but often overlooked when constructing a WBS. Another potential key component of some planning projects is work being done by a consultant. The WBS shouldn’t include the detailed work of the consultant; that should be in the consultant’s contract. But the work necessary to properly manage the consultant should be in the WBS. Tasks such as Prepare a Contract, Get City Council Approval of Contract, Review Contract Deliverables should all be included in the WBS. We often don’t include this work or seriously under estimate its level of effort.

My favorite technique for developing a WBS is to use sticky notes.

When I’m conducting project management training I have each team develop a WBS using sticky notes with one task per note and then have them put them in a logical order on a piece of flipchart paper.

This is a great teambuilding technique and the final WBS is always better if a variety of people are involved in its preparation.

The WBS tasks can then be put into a project management software program like MS Project to produce a Gantt Chart. The Gantt Chart includes all of the work necessary to produce the project deliverable and can portray timelines and milestones in a horizontal graph format.

COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE Based on research conducted by PMI in 2013 “Ineffective communications is the primary contributor to project failure one third of the time, and had a negative impact on project success more than half the time.” Projects don’t fail due to a poor WBS, they fail due to poor communication. The primary responsibility of a Project Manager is to communicate – to upper management, to the project team and to key stakeholders. According to The Gardner Group, 90% of a Project Manager’s time should be spent on communication.

If you think about it, almost every responsibility of a Project Manager includes communication. When developing the Project Charter, the Project Manager communicates with her team in continued on page 6

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 5

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identifying key tasks and timelines. She also communicates with management in refining the definition of the final deliverable. When developing the WBS the Project Manager communicates with the project team and should review it with the more experienced staff members that may have managed a similar project.

After the project is up and running, the Project Manager must regularly communicate on the status of the project to team members, management, stakeholders and often times elected officials. The form, frequency and content of project communication must be decided by the Project Manager and team.

It is important to not overly rely on one form of communication.

How many times have you heard (or said) “What do you mean you don’t know, I sent you an email!” Every form of communication has its strengths and weaknesses including verbal, meetings, email, texting and reports. Some are more formal than others and some create a permanent record and others don’t. Some examples of more creative communication methods include: • Stand-up meetings with available team members in the hallway to recognize an accomplishment or communicate an urgent message.

• Walking meetings with a few folks to break monotony and get some fresh air.

• Video meetings with Zoom Meeting, GoToMeeting or Microsoft Teams.

• One-page project status reports using a simple traffic light format for red (in trouble, action required), yellow (be aware of potential issues) and green (no action needed).

• Podcasts • Webinars • Webpages • Web-based project management tools like Zoho Projects, LiquidPlanner, Teamwork Projects, MS Project (Project Plan 1) or Smartsheet.

My main advice when choosing a project management software tool is keep it simple. Each software program requires some amount of care and feeding – garbage in, garbage out. An enterprise-wide, web-based program may fit large consulting firms but is overkill for a small local government project team.

Sometimes a simple Excel spreadsheet will suffice to develop project status reports for communication.

The main point is that you cannot over-communicate on a project. And it takes time to define your specific communication needs to minimize your risk. Each project produces a UNIQUE product or service and requires its own project management tools and techniques.

6 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

The dynamic duo soaking up some sunshine during a 2016 ride through the Alps. Photos courtesy of Terry Clark

CONCLUSION To conclude with a motorcycle adventure analogy, your project will be a success if you get home safely, on time and with a few bucks left in the bank. Project management is not rocket science, anyone can be a successful Project Manager after learning and applying a few key tools and techniques. Enjoy the adventure!

Terry A. Clark, AICP, PMP is owner and lead consultant with

StaffConnections, LLC a professional services firm specializing in project management training and consultation. Terry has over 35 years of project experience in the public and private sectors and wrote “Project Management for Planners: A Practical Guide” published by APA. A blog of Terry and Susie’s motorcycle adventures can be accessed at https://terryandsooz.blogspot.com

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 7

Planning Remotely

By Allison Megrath, AICP

For me, the past 10 days have been like any other day for the most part. I’ve gotten up, dressed, eaten breakfast with my husband, and headed off to work by 7 am. The only real difference is that my commute has gone from 7.5 miles to 15 steps. Why? Because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m sure by now most, if not all of you are working from home. Some of you are on the frontlines, serving our communities as part of your government’s local Emergency Response Team. For this, I want to say thank you. I think it is safe to say, life as we all knew it has changed over the past couple of weeks.

With this in mind, I thought it appropriate to share my thoughts, experiences, and observations about working remotely. This might be a very new experience for many of you – maybe even scary. Thoughts you might be having are “How can I concentrate on work when my parents live in another state and I don’t know if they are taking the stay at home requests seriously?;” “What if all of the work I have dries up and my company no longer needs me?;” “How am I supposed to work with my significant other, kids, pets all around me?” I mean, 24/7 at home for an unspecified number of weeks, or months, is a lot for most people to even begin to comprehend.

While I have worked at home for much of my career and feel disciplined to do what I need to do for my job, I, too, have a lot of concerns during this time. My concerns are not about me, they are about my friends and colleagues.

• First, are they and their families healthy and educated on what to do and not do during this time?

• Do they have a buddy they can reach out to for socialization, to vent, or for peace of mind?

• Are they becoming depressed because they feel isolated?

(This is probably the biggest worry I have and I’m not trained to know what to do here so I feel a little helpless.)

• Are they able to manage their time and to balance their time?

By that I mean, are they able to function as if they were at their company or agency’s physical office and manage their day the same as they would have two weeks ago? Are they able to walk away from the home office and not be inclined to overwork and run the risk of getting burned out?

• Are they so relaxed that Quality Control of work product suffers?

I have been working on finding ways to connect to those I care about during this time. I have a certain group of buddies I check in on daily (those are the ones I’m most worried about because they are very social people and this self-isolation is already crushing their spirits). I have another list of friends, I text or email a couple of times a week, just to let them know they are not alone (these are my fringe buds, those I’m pretty sure are doing fine, but I’m not certain I fully understand the impacts of what we are experiencing and how it will affect others). Finally, I have the remainder who are business as usual. Nothing has changed in our worlds except we continued on page 9

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[PLANNING] REMOTELY

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haven’t had any night meetings for a few weeks. I finally get to see what my family does in the evenings and it’s been an eye-opener!

Anyway, here are some suggestions for ways to adapt to the new working environment if you are working from home: 1. I know you don’t want to, but get up, get dressed just that you would be going to your office. Adopt a regular schedule. It will benefit you in ways you don’t even realize.

Routine helps calm anxiety. It’s also your responsibility to your employer who is counting on you to be productive while working remotely. Think of it this way, if you are not performing now, employers will be forced to consider terminations. Again, this is not a vacation.

2. When I suggest getting dressed, I recommend getting dressed to go to the office, not the beach. Your subconscious will remind you that you are at work and not on vacation and your productivity and concern for quality will rise without you even noticing. (This one will help to calm my worry with the last bullet point above.) This also comes in handy when you find yourself on five Zoom calls like I did on Friday…

3. Shut it down. Shut your computer at the time you would normally shut it down if you were at the office. So many times in the past couple of weeks, I have heard that people feel tethered to their computer – “Oh, I’ll just go check my

emails and next thing I know I’m there for an hour or two hours.” While that might sound good to employers, it really is not. In a time like this you need mental separation. You need to refresh and be able to properly focus on the next day.

Most importantly, you need to connect with those in your household. They have tried to avoid you all day and allow you to work. Give them the attention that they need during this time. I shut my cell phone ringer off at 6 p.m. and focus on my family.

4. Get some exercise. There are many temporarily free apps available right now to help people move their bodies and not feel so trapped during this time. Here are a few examples I use: • Peletondigital • Down Dog 5. Now, as your Professional Development Officer, I would be remiss in not suggesting that you use this time to catch up on your CM credits. There are many free courses available online.

• APA’s Free Webinars • Ohio Planning Webinars Visit florida.planning.org and planning.org for more resources that available at your fingertips. continued on page 10

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888.274.0081 · www.cgasolutions.com Fort Lauderdale · Miami-Dade · West Palm Beach · Clearwater/Tampa · Estero · Port St. Lucie Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 9

[PLANNING] REMOTELY

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In addition to thinking of you folks currently working from home, I wanted to also address the students graduating in May. I hate that you have to finish your degree online, but look, at least you are finishing your degree! I recognize that it is an unnerving time to know that you are going to be trying to enter the workforce when we are all kind of living day by day right now. It is stressful enough to be searching for your first professional job. Here is what I would suggest to you: 1. The absolute first thing you should do is become an APA member if you are not already (no, they don’t pay me to say that, I really believe it!). Student memberships are free!!

That in and of itself should be a reason to join, but seriously, joining connects you to career services for planners, as well as resources such as trends in planning/ information/ articles, networking opportunities, and much more. Trust me – just join.

2. Many of you may have had internships already. Think back to what you learned there and use that as a place to start. Were there connections made that you can reach out to for advice during this time? A mentor? A buddy?

3. Spend some time thinking about yourself. Yes, that’s what I said – think about yourself.

• Understand yourself; • Think about the things that ARE within your control; • This is a marathon, not a sprint. You have a whole career ahead of you and while this bump is one foreign to most of us, there will definitely be other bumps along your journey.

Think through these things that may be limitations on your opportunities: • Is there a specific geographic area you want to be in?

• Is there a specific type of planning you think you’d excel at – public versus private sector; entitlement work versus environmental planning, for examples.

Are any of these things absolutely necessary, or can you afford to be more flexible and take on a new adventure by relocating for an opportunity and experience.

4. Tap into your network. Reach out to people you know – in planning and not in planning. You would be surprised who others may be able to put you in contact with and/or give a positive recommendation about you. Unfortunately, you are not top of mind in people’s thoughts right now, so make the first move.

Call them and have a virtual coffee. You can even offer to treat because it will be free! Think about your strengths prior to these calls and be able to articulate them in the conversation.

10 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

For heaven’s safe, if you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up. Access to so many contacts is available there. Believe me, employers use it to look for you, too. www.linkedin.com Know that during this time, patience is the key. We don’t know how long it’s going to last. We just know things are going to be different for a while. Think of others – friends, family, coworkers, and be a lifeline to someone who may need it. Maybe reach out and mentor a student. Use this time to challenge yourselves to do better and to be better. Above everything, please do your best to stay healthy. For more information on stay safer at home advice, go to www.cdc.gov.

Allison Megrath, AICP, is a Senior Land Planner with Kimley-Horn and currently serves as the chapter’s Vice President of Professional Development. She can be reached at allison.megrath@kimley-horn.com.

We combed through the emails coming through the chapter office and have compiled an eclectic group of tips, information, articles, and opportunities that might help you traverse these challenging times. We hope you find something in here that is useful or interesting — we did!

We are updating this page as we find interesting tidbits and information, so if you have anything interesting to share, please send it to fapa@floridaplanning.org and we will add it to the page. And remember, be physically distant, not socially distant!

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 11

ADVENTURES IN PUBLIC SPEAKING: MY TOASTMASTERS JOURNEY

By Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP

Public speaking is one of the most critical soft skills that professional planners must develop in order to be successful. Our profession requires us to communicate frequently with a diverse set of audiences in a variety of settings. More importantly, we are tasked with explaining the basis of our recommendations to elected officials making important decisions on behalf of the community.

The effectiveness of our message decreases when we can’t speak confidently in front of an audience and/or use too many crutch words in our presentations. It also looks unprofessional.

Finally, the fact that most public hearings are either recorded or televised should prompt planners to consider developing stronger communication skills.

My journey to becoming a better public speaker started eight years ago when I joined the Downtown Orlando Toastmasters Club. Since 1924, Toastmasters has been assisting professionals worldwide to improve their public speaking skills. New members are required to complete ten speech projects where they learn the importance of organization, proper word usage, body language, and vocal variety. During a typical meeting, members are timed and corrected for the use of crutch words when delivering a speech.

While this may sound intimidating, all this feedback is provided in a supportive manner. At the end of this beginner’s journey, the member is awarded a Competent Communicator certificate and can then go on to complete more advanced manuals.

As an experienced Toastmaster, I have witnessed many shy people blossom into confident speakers through this program.

Moreover, I have been able to reflect about the parts of this experience that have been most beneficial to my work as a planner.

• Extemporaneous Speaking: Because of the nature of the profession, planners are often put in situations where they need to deliver off the cuff remarks. Toastmasters practice how to provide short and coherent answers to impromptu questions during the meeting’s Table Topics section.

Planners can use this process to develop confidence in front of an audience and brave the most difficult questions.

• Vocabulary and Word Usage: Experienced Toastmasters are very proficient at identifying crutch words and other unnecessary uses of the language during a speech. Because of this, they tend to be very intentional about using precise words to communicate their ideas. Planners should also follow this approach to become better communicators and illustrate planning concepts more effectively • Meeting Facilitation: Toastmasters are taught how to run effective and engaging meetings in a short amount of time. continued on page 13

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They also practice how to maintain good eye contact and listen intently to others presentations. These are small details that could make a difference when planners are facilitating public meetings and workshops.

• Clear Messaging: After completing a speech, Toastmasters are provided feedback by an experienced evaluator. This can help the speaker understand what worked and what did not work about the speech. I used several of my speaking opportunities to present about my planning projects. Since none of the other club members are planners, this has helped me to better tailor my message to different audiences.

Public speaking is an invaluable skill that all planners must develop. Toastmasters is a great resource for anyone interested in becoming a more confident public speaker. The first step in starting your Toastmasters’ journey is to identify a club near you by going to www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club.

Luis Nieves-Ruiz is a planning and economic development professional in the Orlando area. He has been awarded the Advanced Communication Bronze designation by Toastmasters International.

MICHELLE HEINRICH EARNS CHAPTER VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD APA Florida VP of Communication Michelle Heinrich, AICP, was awarded the APA Chapter Volunteer Service Award during an online ceremony on April 26, in what would have been an in-person fete at NPC20. In addition to shepherding the chapter’s editorial coverage (including e-News & Notes and Florida Planning Magazine), Michelle’s efforts to develop and implement a video communication strategy to support and help educate the public about the planning profession are a key highlight of her four-year tenure at the communications helm. The Planners on the Job video suite, for our members to use with the public, elected officials, and other stakeholders has been tremendously helpful in supporting the planning profession. “Our APA Florida board has talked for years about creating a video like this, but we needed Michelle to make it happen,” APA Florida Executive Director Alex Magee said when nominating Michelle.

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 13

THOUGHTFUL CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

By Jill J. Quigley, AICP

At the end of last year, during a groupwide planning session, a young planner stated that he would like to receive more constructive criticism. Although not directed to me specifically, I realized I was not providing feedback as often as needed or desired. Probably not by coincidence, one of our next corporate communications pieces contained a link to “How to Give Constructive Criticism Using Emotional Intelligence” by Jennifer Fabiano, published on TheLadders.com. Following are highlights of the article; the full article can be found here.

Unconsciously, our brains are always working to determine if our current situation is a place of risk or safety. When providing constructive criticism or feedback, you want the recipient to feel safe so he/she is more open to receiving the message. To ensure feelings of safety, the article references the TERA (Tribe, Expectation, Rank and Autonomy) quotient: • Tribe – Convey the concept of “we are in this together” by sitting next to instead of across from the person and using “we” statements rather than “you” statements.

• Expectation – Make it clear what is about to happen, which helps the brain feel safe. Instead of saying “we need to talk” or “come to my office,” say “I’d like to give you some feedback on this project, which is going well and needs a few minor enhancements.”

• Rank – If the recipient feels lower in rank to the presenter with less sense of importance, he/she will feel less engaged.

To level rank, ask questions such as “What do you think we could have done differently?”

14 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

• Autonomy – Give the employee some level of control in the conversation by asking questions, such as seeking feedback before you offer your comments.

Early in my career, a mentor taught me the Oreo Method for giving feedback—sandwiching negative information between positive. This may not be the best approach; people either catch on to this method and brace themselves for the negative (place of risk) or the message is not properly received and is lost in the sugar-coating. Separate these conversations altogether; address the correction in one and the positive feedback in another.

The four steps for delivering constructive criticism are the following: • Define the right moment, before too many questions are asked and one of you gets irritated.

• Diminish harshness by making it more of a conversation so the recipient feels more engaged.

• Deliver the feedback. continued on page 21 • Debrief by asking questions such as “Did this help?”

The article ends with some “don’ts” for delivering constructive criticism: • Don’t be too vague or general.

• Don’t use third person or hearsay opinions; use firsthand examples.

• Don’t wait until a mid-year or annual review; do it as soon as possible after the need arises.

The article was a good refresher for me and taught me some new approaches. Did you find it helpful?

Jill J. Quigley, AICP, is a Senior Associate at Tindale Oliver. She can be reached at JQuigley@tindaleoliver.com.

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 15

2020 FLORIDA

PLANNING CONFERENCE Orlando l September 8-11, 2020

While our conference planning continues to move forward for Orlando, our fabulous volunteers have also begun contingency planning in the event that we cannot do an in-person conference.

The team is working on plans to ensure that, no matter the format, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from plenary speakers, learn by attending sessions, earn much needed CMs, build your own skills by presenting, and market your businesses through sponsorships. In essence, we will do our best to ensure that you get the same quality experience you are used to even if the format needs to change. We hope that we can count on your patience and flexibility during this time.

In the meantime, let’s all Dream Big because we have some terrific featured speakers lined up and great mobile tours planned. Take a look!

DAMON RICH, AICP, PP Damon Rich, AICP, PP, is an urban designer and planner creating vivid and witty strategies to help organized communities exercise power to shape places.

Trained as an architect, he is committed to enlivening bureaucratic systems and applies a democratic approach to a wide variety of projects, including designs for public spaces and exhibitions, civics curricula, and regulatory systems.

Damon is a partner at HECTOR, an urban design, planning, and civic arts practice whose recent projects include a youth-centric neighborhood plan for Detroit’s west side, a neighborhood park in one of Philadelphia’s most diverse neighborhoods, and constructing a housing crisis learning center at the Queens Museum.

He formerly served as planning director & chief urban designer for Newark, New Jersey, where his team’s achievements included completing the city’s first riverfront parks, launching a municipal public art program, and winning the 2015 National Planning Award for the first comprehensive update to the city’s zoning regulations in over fifty years. Damon also was chief of staff for capital projects at New York City Parks & Recreation and founded the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP), an internationally recognized nonprofit organization that uses art and design to increase meaningful civic engagement, where he served as president for ten years.

He teaches architecture and planning at schools including Barnard College and Harvard University, and his designs have been exhibited at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Queens Museum, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Netherlands

16 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

Architecture Institute, and the 11th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. His work has been recognized by the MacArthur Fellowship, American Planning Association National Planning Award, Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, Loeb Fellowship in Advanced Environmental Studies at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies, and MacDowell Colony. Damon is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a licensed Professional Planner in the State of New Jersey.

CARLTON ELEY Carlton Eley is President of The Eley Group, LLC, and he is in the business of giving sustainability a push. Committed to ‘putting people first’ during the planning process, he has become an accomplished expert on the topic of equitable development.

Carlton is a former civil servant whose career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spanned twenty years.

At EPA, he created and managed a portfolio on equitable development for thirteen years, and he was the first urban planner hired by EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice.

Carlton is credited for elevating equitable development to the level of formal recognition within U.S. EPA as an approach for encouraging sustainable communities. He was appointed by the President of the American Planning Association (APA) to serve as Chair of the Social Equity Task Force. Also, he re-energized APA’s focus on social equity by publishing a Planning Advisory Service Memo in March 2017 that was release to APA’s 45,000 members.

He has managed national workshops; coordinated national continued on page 17

[APA FLORIDA] ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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recognition programs; conducted community technical assistance; and published multiple articles on the subject. Carlton nominated State Representative Harold Mitchell, Jr. and the ReGenesis Project for the 2015 National Planning Excellence Award for Advancing Diversity and Social Change (in Honor of Paul Davidoff).

In 2003, Carlton participated in the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowship in Public Policy. Following the fellowship, he wrote a chapter on Wellington, New Zealand for the book, Local Sustainable Urban Development in a Globalized World. Carlton has served on community advisory service teams for Pamlico County, NC; Princeville, NC; Gary, IN; Birmingham, AL; and the Vecht River Valley in the Netherlands. His technical assistance work, professional writing, and public engagement efforts have earned citations from the American Planning Association; the National Organization of Minority Architects; and former U.S. Representative Julia Carson. Since 2005, Carlton has offered numerous lectures on equitable development, including presentations in New Zealand; British Columbia; and the United Arab Emirates. Carlton has a B.A. in Sociology/Social Work Curriculum from Elizabeth City State University and a M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa.

TIFFANY CHU Tiffany Chu is a designer, planner and the CEO & co-founder of Remix. She and her team work with 325+ cities around the world to plan their mobility future. She has been named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30, LinkedIn’s Next Wave of Leaders Under 35, Curbed’s Young Guns, and has spoken at SXSW, Helsinki Design Week, the New York Times Cities for Tomorrow Conference and more.

Tiffany serves as a Commissioner of the San Francisco Department of the Environment, and sits on the city’s Congestion Pricing Policy Advisory Committee. Previously, Tiffany was a fellow at Code for America, the first UX hire at Zipcar, and is an alum of Y Combinator. Tiffany has a background in architecture and urban planning from MIT and hopes to never own a car.

2020 FLORIDA PLANNING CONFERENCE

MOBILE TOURS

RIGHT-SIZING CENTRAL FLORIDA STREETS: COMPLETE STREET CASE STUDIES This mobile tour will feature some of the latest complete streets projects in Central Florida, built by the cities of Casselberry and Winter Park. The tour will include (in order) North Oxford Road and Casselton Drive in Casselberry, and Denning Drive in Winter Park. All of these projects were the result of multi-year efforts that culminated in the “right-sizing” and enhancement of these streets in order to improve safety and comfort for people walking and biking. The tour will include three walking tours to highlight the features of the projects, contrast them with previous conditions, and identify future opportunities.

TOUR OF CREATIVE VILLAGE AND UCF/ VALENCIA DOWNTOWN CAMPUS This mobile tour will highlight the history and future of development in Creative Village, an urban infill project in the heart of Downtown Orlando. Developed on the former Amway Arena site into a 68-acre, mixed-use, transit oriented, urban infill neighborhood, Creative Village has seen tremendous growth since the opening of the UCF/Valencia Downtown Campus. Creative Village

was established as a public/private partnership between the City of Orlando and Creative Village Development, LLC (CVD) as the Master Developer, both of whom will be represented to provide their insights. They will discuss the exciting revitalization opportunities Creative Village has brought to Downtown Orlando, including the relocation of high-profile companies and the universities to support employment and an educational ecosystem in the community of Parramore. Representatives from UCF will be on the tour to provide information on innovative, high-tech degree opportunities offered at the UCF/Valencia Downtown Campus and the Parramore Education and Innovation District initiative, with grant funding opportunities to support life-long educational opportunities for local youth. The tour will also include an overview of the Creative Village Parks and Open Space Master Plan, which provides a framework for the development of an integrated system of parks and open space in Creative Village to be shared by residents, students and employees, as well as Parramore residents, surrounding communities and visitors to the area.

continued on page 18

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 17

[APA FLORIDA] ANNUAL CONFERENCE

continued from page 17

SUNRAIL TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT TOUR Planning staff from the City of Longwood and the City of Lake Mary will provide insight on lessons learned from the SunRail project. Ranging in an area of topics from Transit Oriented Development, Parks development, and downtown redevelopment, learn how staff from these two cities of less than 20,000 residents worked to capture the value added from new mass-transit service. The presentation will outline strategies used to encourage and create TOD projects, as well as outline how their cities have changed since the opening of SunRail and what the path is moving forward.

AGRICULTURE IN THE CITY Did you know that Florida produces the second highest value of vegetables in the US? As Florida’s population continues to surge, we have more people to feed than ever before with a limited supply of land and farmers. Farms in urbanizing counties face special challenges making it difficult to find sustainable long-term solutions. We will tour farms big and small, rural and urban, and learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities to plan for feeding a growing Florida!

ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK TOUR This mobile tour will feature an internationally renowned, successful reconstructed wetland project. Spread over 1,650 acres, the park provides advanced treatment for approximately 14 million gallons of reclaimed water daily, and habitat for multiple wildlife, including birds (more than 230 species), deer, turtles, and alligators.

The guided tour, led by the park manager, will begin with a brief overview of the park’s creation and function in the Education Trailer, with an opportunity to see permanent and seasonal exhibits. Then tour members will explore the park on a truck-pulled trailer to see the inflows and outflows; the transition of wetland cells from vegetated deep marsh, mixed marsh, to hardwood swamp; and the abundance of flora and fauna. As this is an outdoor tour, we recommend closed-toe shoes.

DRIVING ECONOMIC IMPACT THROUGH PUBLIC PARKS This mobile tour will feature some notable, high impact parks projects in Central Florida. The tour will include (in order) the Rolling Hills Park Site still under development; Crane’s Roost Park in Altamonte Springs; and the Boombah Sports Complex in 18 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

Sanford. Each park is of a very different type: a former golf course redeveloping into a public passive park; an ‘urban’ park; and a tournament-quality ballfield complex. However, each of these projects have a strong common thread – each contributes greatly to the quality of life of local residents, and each has a measurable economic impact to the community. The tour will include three short walking tours to highlight the features of the projects, a discussion of the evolution of each, and how each plays a part in the economic vitality of Seminole County and Central Florida.

REIMAGINING MOBILITY IN LAKE NONA Lake Nona, a 17-square mile innovative community in Orlando, Florida, is the beneficiary of a $20-million BUILD Grant awarded to Orange County by the Federal Department of Transportation. The Grant will help implement a local alternative mobility network (“LAMN”) that will be used as a model for future alternative mobility networks throughout Orange County. This tour will familiarize attendees with Lake Nona and the LAMN plan, and will include a ride on Lake Nona’s fleet of autonomous vehicles (“AVs”).

The tour will demonstrate how the AVs and other multi-modal components will tie into existing and future infrastructure and provide multi-modal options to the community. Speakers will also discuss how GIS is being utilized as a project management tool and delve into the logistical, regulatory, and implementation challenges to overcome while implementing the LAMN. DOWNTOWN WINTER GARDEN URBAN LIVING ROOMS Winter Garden’s historic downtown has experienced a renaissance over the past 30 years, transforming from a blighted area known locally as “Winter Garbage” into a charming, vibrant downtown that is beloved by residents and visitors alike. Part of the City’s redevelopment strategy has involved activating the urban realm by creating a series of comfortable outdoor spaces that entice visitors to stay and engage.

This placemaking strategy of creating a series of “outdoor living rooms” will be explored on the walking tour, covering several locations in Historic Downtown including the Splash Pad, Plant Street Market, Downtown Fountain, the SOBO Art Gallery, and more.

continued on page 19

[APA FLORIDA] ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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CONNECTIVITY AT WDW Join us for a peak into the history, operations, and planning of the Transportation systems at the Walt Disney World Resort.

On this tour you will learn first-hand how we create experiential connections for millions of guests across six different modes of transportation. WDW Transport is the connective tissue that touches nearly every guest experience as we enable the freedom of movement across our nearly 40 square mile resort. Join us as we explore more about how we do it and how we think about planning for the future of connectivity at Walt Disney World Resort.

BIKE ORLANDO In this mobile tour, participants will hop on HOPR bikes and explore a portion of the route which makes up Bike 5 Cities ride through Central Florida. The Bike 5 Cities ride is a 28 mile-route through 5 different cities in Central Florida; Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Eatonville and Casselberry. Each year, a growing number of participants join Bike/Walk Central Florida on a safe and family friendly ride along bike-friendly streets, trails and parks throughout the region, showcasing infrastructure and routes that are easy to use for people on bikes. The Bike 5 Cities ride movement illustrates the growing need for better infrastructure and signage for people on bikes. Join the Bike/Walk Central Florida team as they show you why this ride is instrumental in getting families outdoors showing them where they can ride safely in their communities.

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Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 19

Nominations by Petition for APA Florida 2020 Elections Pursuant to the Chapter Bylaws, the Nominations Committee has presented the proposed election slate to the APA Florida Executive Committee.

Nominations for any office may be added to this slate by petition of at least 20 members. Petition forms may be downloaded at here or by contacting the Chapter Office at fapa@floridaplanning.org.

Please submit the petition to the 2020 Nomination Committee c/o APA Florida, 2017 Delta Boulevard, Suite 201, Tallahassee, FL, 32303 by 5:00 PM EST on June 4, 2020. Each petition form should clearly identify the proposed candidate and office for which their name is being offered. Each member signing the petition form must both print and sign their name, and include their membership number. If you have any questions about the petition process, please contact the chapter office.

2020 APA Florida Election Slate President-Elect Treasurer Secretary VP-Membership/Outreach VP-Section Affairs VP-Professional Development VP-Certification Maintenance

Whit Blanton, FAICP Allison Megrath, AICP Allara Mills Gutcher, AICP Ali Palmer Lara Bouck, AICP Jennifer Vail, AICP Ennis Davis, AICP Yexsy Schomberg Chuck Barmby, AICP Tony Palermo, AICP Jim Barnes, AICP Edward Ng, AICP Brad Parrish, AICP Jill Quigley, AICP Melissa Dickens, AICP

VP-Communications

VP-Conference Services

Dara Osher, AICP Candidate John Roach, AICP Thuy Turner, AICP

APA Florida

PLANNERS ON THE MOVE GILES AWARD SECTION SCHOLARSHIP Congratulations to USF MURP student Christopher “Beau” Giles, who has been awarded the inaugural Mark Bentley APA Sun Coast Scholarship! Beau has a top-notch GPA, works for the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce, and has an interest in promoting economic development through community connections as exhibited in his service on the board for the Tampa Bay Mobility Alliance and the Marketing Committee for the Tampa Bay History Center.

20 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

MCGILLIS NAMED WINTER PARK EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Allison McGillis, AICP, a Planner III with the City of Winter Park’s Planning & Community Development Department, was named the city’s 2019 employee of the year.

City leaders say Allison continually goes above and beyond the call of duty, working diligently on various city project that require an extreme amount of knowledge and close attention to detail. Allison’s expertise in Geographic Information System mapping has slowed her department to complete many projects in a more timely manner. Her innovative work and public presentations skills helped her play a large role in the Orange Avenue Overlay District design. She was instrumental in bringing this vision to the public and city commission.

meet the 2020 florida

FAICP CLASS

The highest honor that the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) grants a member is election into the College of Fellows, which is bestowed to planners who have provided outstanding contributions to the profession for an extended period of time and have been a member of the AICP in good standing for a minimum of 15 years. Those nominated have demonstrated excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service, and leadership. These planners exhibit exceptional leadership, innovation and excellence, creating a legacy for their community, and exceptional accomplishments in planning over the extent of their careers. Recognition of these professionals as model planners who have made significant contributions to planning and society is shown by the AICP by elevating them among their peers and the public by inducting them into the College of Fellows.

On March 2, 2020, the APA Florida Chapter was notified that all four of their nominees as well as two planners supported by either the nomination of ten AICP planners* or the APA Private Practice Division** were selected to be inducted into the College of Fellows this year.

On behalf of APA Florida and your colleagues in Florida and elsewhere, thank you, Florida Class of 2020, for inspiring us to do better, to contribute more, and to advance planning as a profession and within our communities by leading by example.

By: Allison D. Megrath, AICP

MEET THE INDUCTEES Let’s learn more about the exceptional qualifications of the 2020 Florida Class of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

ALISSA BARBER TORRES, FAICP, Ph. D., CLTD Alissa Barber Torres, PhD, AICP, CLTD has dedicated her 25-year career to planning practice, planning education, professional and community service, and leadership, including extensive service to the profession at the local, state, and national levels. Her exceptional commitment to students and emerging planners includes teaching at two Florida universities, volunteer service, mentoring, and outreach to underserved K-12 students of color.

Dr. Torres’ professional experience, academic contributions, focus on inclusivity and equity for underserved communities, and planning projects in Orange County, Florida, have supported the practice of planning and generations of planners in Central Florida and enhanced the community’s development, facilities, and quality of life.

HENRY F. BITTAKER, FAICP Henry Bittaker spent his 28-year public service planning career at the state and regional levels overseeing Florida’s complex, often controversial, largest development projects and addressing environmental, water resource, emergency management and Everglades Restoration planning continued on page 22

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 21

[2020] FAICP CLASS

continued from page 21

issues that required extensive interagency, public, and private sector coordination. Through much of that time, he also maintained an extensive volunteer commitment to the planning profession, particularly in professional development. He has continued that volunteer commitment since retiring in 2011 with award winning AICP Exam prep activities and a wide range of APA activities at the national, state, and section levels.

ALAN D. REYNOLDS, FAICP Alan Reynolds has focused his planning career on three primary areas of interest: • Planning and designing communities in Southwest Florida to sensitively and successfully integrate natural and manmade environments and leverage development activities to preserve significant habitats and water resources.

• Leading and growing planning capacity and capabilities by hiring, training, managing and mentoring planning staff at companies where he has served as the Planning Director, CEO and Planning Discipline Leader.

• Engagement as a leader within professional, governmental, non-governmental and charitable organizations in Florida where his planning expertise, consensus-building and problem-solving skills can positively impact community needs through education, advocacy and action.

STEPHEN TOCKNELL, FAICP* Working with elected officials, engineers, stakeholders, and citizens - in Tennessee, Florida, and nationally - Stephen Tocknell has served with distinction as an advocate, practitioner, leader, and mentor. Steve helped start a transit system in Clarksville. He has made traffic sheds into an effective tool for growth management in Tennessee, and context sensitive design into a method for saving lives in Jacksonville. Steve has been the APA TN Chapter President, CPC Liaison to the Legislative and Policy Committee, Chair of a Section of the Year in Florida, and PPD Vice Chair. Steve was co-editor of the Policy Guide on Security.

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PAUL VAN BUSKIRK, FAICP, Ph. D.** Dr. Paul Van Buskirk is an accomplished engineer, strategic community planner, educator and author. He is a graduate of Rensselear Polytechnic Institute and received his PhD form Barry University of Miami. He is the author of book, “The Resurrection of an American City” and a contributing author of the book, ““School Board Effectiveness.” George Mason University selected his series of essays, “European Nations are Solving Their Urban Problems” for inclusion into the Baum Digital Collection. He is the recipient of the Charles Evans Hughes Award from the American Society for Public Administration for, courageous, resourceful and imaginative work in municipal government and its future development. He is chairman of the Board of Metro Forecasting Models, LLC. SILVIA VARGAS, FAICP During the course of her outstanding 26-year career, Silvia Vargas’ enduring commitment to social equity and inclusion has empowered disenfranchised populations and inspired individuals to engage in the civic process. Her groundbreaking plans have transformed communities across the U.S and abroad through innovative approaches, actionable outcomes, and leadingedge user-friendly plan formats. Silvia’s contributions as a planning practitioner, leader, mentor and volunteer embody dedication to the profession and consistently demonstrate work of the highest caliber that has positively influenced communities and populations, leading to successful outcomes. Silvia’s extensive volunteer efforts have built on her personal guiding principles of equity and inclusion.

Allison Megrath, AICP, is a Senior Land Planner with Kimley-Horn and currently serves as the chapter’s Vice President of Professional Development. She can be reached at allison.megrath@kimley-horn.com.

Executive Committee Spotlight Q&A: Where are you originally from?

I am a Florida native, born and raised in beautiful St. Petersburg.

What college/university did you attend?

My undergraduate degree is from Tulane University and my masters is from Florida State.

What is your current position?

I’m a Senior Associate with Tindale Oliver in the Fort Lauderdale office. My day-to-day activities are the same as any other senior project manager.

What is your current and any past positions in APA Florida.

I am currently the Vice President for Certification Maintenance for APA Florida and previously (more than 10 years ago now) served as the Chair for the Broward Section.

Are you a member in other planning or non-planning boards, committees or organizations?

I also serve on the Board of South Florida WTS. What are your hobbies and interests?

We love to travel and experience different cities. As a transportation planner, I enjoy riding transit whenever possible on these trips (my picture is a selfie on BART from the 2019 National Planning Conference). Though the main focus of our travel is to experience different cultures and explore nature.

Ever had your 15 minutes of fame?

The closest I came to that was winning an award from the Hillsborough County Planning Commission for the Northeast Plant City Master Plan.

Jill Quigley, AICP

What have you gained or learned by being a member of the APA Florida Executive Committee?

How dedicated the planners who volunteer for any of these efforts are to the profession. And how wonderful the staff of the APA Florida office is. APA Florida would not be what it is without their hard work and dedication.

Is there a particular state planning topic you’d like to comment on or feel fellow planners need to follow?

The coronavirus has taken a toll on our ability to offer in-person CM credits, even resulting in the cancellation of the National Planning Conference this year. At every level, APA is working to provide virtual CM opportunities so that certified planners can maintain their continuing education. For those planners in the CM Grace Period for 2018/2019, they now have until May 29, 2020 to log their credits. If you still need credits, visit the Florida Chapter’s website, Professional Growth page and learn more about available options.

INSPIRING FLORIDA’S FUTURE Gunster’s land use, environmental and property rights attorneys and planners have extensive experience representing clients before local, state and federal regulatory agencies throughout Florida, as well as state and federal judicial and administrative tribunals at both the trial and appellate levels.

Our attorneys also have extensive experience litigating land use and property rights issues before the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, as well as state and Federal courts around the state.

With attorneys and staff from Jacksonville to Miami and Tampa to Tallahassee, Gunster is helping to inspire Florida’s future.

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Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 23

Mission of APA Florida’s

By Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE In 2014, Florida surpassed New York to become the nation’s third largest state. Our state’s population growth has been mainly driven by migration from other states and countries. In fact, it is estimated that about 1,000 people move to Florida every day. These new Floridians bring a varied set of experiences, values, and abilities that enrich the state’s quality of life. As growth management and community engagement professionals, planners need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to serve the state’s increasingly diverse population.

tribal affiliation, nationality, immigration status, political beliefs and veteran status. As part of the national organization’s implementation strategy, the APA Florida Chapter started its own D&I Committee in 2019. Since its inception, committee members have worked diligently to develop the chapter’s D&I mission statement and a member survey that will be released soon to provide member input for creation of a chapterwide D&I strategy.

The D&I Committee welcomes your participation. To provide input to the committee or to volunteer as a member, please contact com-

APA FLORIDA DIVERSITY & INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT APA Florida celebrates equity, diversity, and inclusiveness and believe we can accomplish more through a genuine and authentic partnership with others and promote a commitment to excellence in service to Florida’s communities. We strive to make our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion integral to our organizational structure, policies, committees, staff, sponsors, goals, and vision. We want to engage people of all backgrounds and experiences and seek to foster a culture of respect, openness, learning, integrity, honesty and a sense of fun.

In April 2018, the APA Board of Directors approved a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy to promote the understanding and practices of diversity and inclusion, both within and outside the planning community and profession. Diversity encompasses, but not is not limited to race, ethnicity, class, gender, age, sexuality, ability, educational attainment, spiritual beliefs, creed, culture,

24 Spring 2020 / Florida Planning

mittee Chair Andre Anderson, AICP (andre.anderson@stcloud.org) or Alissa Vice-Chair Alissa Torres, FAICP (Alissa.Torres@ocfl.net).

Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP, is the chair of the Orlando Metro Section and the Economic Development Manager for the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. Originally from Puerto Rico, the author became a new Floridian in 2004. He can be reached at luis@ecfrpc.org.

APA FLORIDA WORKING FOR YOU FREE LEGISLATIVE RECAP OFFERED TO MEMBERS Providing our members will important legislative session information continued with the free 2020 Legislative Session Overview Webinar held on March 31. APA Florida Executive Director Alex Magee, APA Florida President-Elect and Chair of the APA Florida Legislative Policy Committee Wiatt Bowers, AICP, and APA Florida Legislative Representative Lester Abberger discussed a number of statutory changes that will affect planning throughout Florida and more than 200 members from around the state tuned in. This webinar provided 1.5 CM credits and was eligible to meet Law CM requirements. The webinar is now available as an online distance learning event, with 1.5 Law CM.

APA FLORIDA ASSISTS THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA’S PAB ACCREDITATION

The University of South Florida’s Master of Urban and Regional Planning has initiated the accreditation process with the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) and has most recently been granted candidacy status. Part of the accreditation process has been the formation of the USF MURP Advisory Board. This is a voluntarily board made of planning professionals from the Tampa Bay area to give the department feedback on the program and support its future.

Representing APA Florida on the board is President Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., LEED GA, who is a Tampa Bay resident and planner and excited to assist a program that has been a helpful resource for planning issues in the region. If approved, this will provide a total of five planning programs in our state accredited by the PAB.

APA FLORIDA REQUESTS VETO OF SB 410 On April 2, APA Florida sent a letter to Governor DeSantis outlining serious concerns with SB 410, and requesting a gubernatorial veto. This bill, if becoming law, will preempt and erode the authority of local government to effectively plan for their communities.

As stated in our member-adopted Legislative Polices, APA Florida supports local government authority to implement sound planning

practices and opposes the preemption or incremental erosion of local regulatory authority as this substantially diminishes the ability of local government to carry out comprehensive planning activities.

APA Florida also supports annexation legislation that provides coordinated land use, which this bill moves in the opposite direction.

APA Florida’s Legislative Policy Committee provided valuable guidance to our Leadership in recommending the veto request. A copy of the letter sent to the Governor can be found here.

If you would like to add your voice, you can reach Governor DeSantis in the following ways: • Phone him at 850-717-9337 • Email him at GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com • Mail him at Gov. Ron DeSantis, The Capitol, 400 S.

Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001

APA FLORIDA NAMED LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR FOR APA’S GIVING DAY To help fund programs to further and strengthen planning, members were asked to contribute to the APA Foundation during the recent Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3). The APA Foundation’s mission is to advance the art and science of planning through philanthropic activities that provide access to educational opportunities, enrich the public dialogue about planning and advance the social equity in the profession and in our communities. We’re excited to report that our state was the largest contributor to this campaign in the country. Thank you to our wonderful members and a special thanks to Mary Kay Delk, FAICP, who generously matched up to $1,000 of those donations.

RECENT ANNUAL PUBLIC POLICY WORKSHOP A CONTINUED SUCCESS Members took part in a full program of topics at the 18th Annual Public Policy Workshop in Tallahassee. The workshop discussed the state of Florida’s economy, the M-CORES projects, the 2020 Census, the 2020 election as well as reports on the legislative session and current legal issues in our state. APA Florida partnered with various agencies – such as the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, Florida League of Cities, FDOT, 1000 Friends of Florida, Florida Chamber of Commerce just to name a few – to create this informative program for our members. The Capital Area Section treated attendees to a pre-workshop mobile tour that included a tour of downtown Tallahassee and the Capital City’s Chain of Parks.

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 25

[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.

In a Livable Community, people of all ages can make their town or city a lifelong home. Learn about what’s happening in Florida. Contact Laura Cantwell at lcantwell@aarp.org.

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Statewide and State Wise

Joshua I. Long, AICP Certified Planner | jlong@gunster.com | (800) 749-1980

26 Spring 2020 / 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.

Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando www.WaldropEngineering.com (855) Waldrop

This issue of Florida Planning brought to you by the 2020 APA Florida Editorial Committee: Michelle Heinrich, AICP (chair) Lara Bouck, AICP, P.E. Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., LEED GA Melissa Hege, AICP Kim Ogren Alex Magee Carmen Rasnick Patti Shea

Spring 2020 / Florida Planning 27

[FLORIDA] PLANNING

[THANK YOU] TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS

Published by the Florida Chapter, American Planning Association, the Florida Planning newsletter has a current circulation of 3,200 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 July 2020.

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 contributions are not tax deductible.

For news and information on Chapter concerns, visit the APA Florida website at florida planning.org.

APA Florida 2017 Delta Boulevard, Suite 201 Tallahassee, FL 32303 Phone: 850-201-3272 Fax: 850-807-2576

[ UPCOMING] EVENTS MAY 6: VIRTUAL HEARINGS: STATEWIDE BEST PRACTICES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAND USE HEARTINGS. Webinar. Sponsored by APA Florida. Statewide stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines have forced local governments to move to virtual and remote meetings, including quasi-judicial land use and zoning hearings. This new way of operating raises many challenges as well as opportunities.

On May 6, this program, organized by the Florida Bar, brings together (virtually) land use practitioners and local government attorneys from across Florida to discuss the best practices and potential pitfalls of virtual local government meetings and quasi-judicial land use hearings. Information here. Free. 1 Law CM MAY 8: A NEW APPROACH TO PARKS AND RECREATION SYSTEM PLANNING FOR RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY Webinar. Hosted by the APA Florida San Felsaco Section. An increasing number of planners, elected officials, community leaders, and developers now understand the irrefutable relationship between great parks systems and sustainable, resilient, and livable communities. However, a new parks and recreation system planning (PRSP) approach is needed to actually realize desired sustainability and resiliency benefits – one that is more thoughtful, comprehensive, collaborative, scientific, and strategic than traditional planning approaches. Information here. Free 1.5 CM MAY 13: UNDERSTANDING LAND USE AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLANNING IN FLORIDA Webinar. Florida’s process of managing growth has evolved considerably over the years. This webinar will focus on the current process related to comprehensive planning and rezonings, legal options, and effective citizen engagement. Information here. Free. 1.5 Law CM. MAY 15: FOCUS ON MICROMOBILITY: INCORPORATING NEW METHODS OF TRAVEL INTO THE PLANNING LANDSCAPE Webinar. Attendees will hear from three leading practitioners in the emerging field of micromobility, each presenting a different angle on the changes that nimble, on-demand transportation options mean for street design and streetscapes, transit service, and travel patterns. Our presenters will be Jess Stetson – Head of Growth for Ride Report, Alvaro Villagran – Program Manager at Shared-Use Mobility Center, and Po Sun, AICP – Senior Transportation Planner at Sam Schwartz. Information here. Free. 1.5 CM when viewed live.

MAY 22: PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PLANNERS Webinar. APA Florida San Felsaco Chair Terry Clark is hosting the webinar as a part of the national Planning Webcast Series. He will provide participants with tools and techniques that planners can use to successfully manage planning projects. A five-phased process for managing projects based on industry standards adopted by the Project Management Institute will be discussed. The session is built around the five phases of project management: Initiating; Planning; Executing; Controlling; and, Closing. Information here. Free. 1.5 CM when viewed live.

For more information on these and other APA Florida events, please visit florida.planning.org/calendar/