FLORIDA PLANNING
Flocking TO
By: Corinne Arriaga, AICP, CPH and Nousheen Rahman, AICP
Every year birds from the north make their way down south to escape the cold. This same migratory pattern can be seen with people as travelers from colder parts of North America flock to Florida and settle until winter’s end each year.
The beginning of this trek usually takes place in October and ends just after Easter, once the soft dew and buds of Spring emerge
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[APA FLORIDA] KEY CONTACTS - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Name E-mail
APA Florida Executive Committee
President Allara Mills-Gutcher, AICP president@floridaplanning.org
Immediate Past President Whit Blanton, FAICP pastpresident@floridaplanning.org fx
President-Elect Edward Ng, AICP, MPP, MPA presidentelect@floridaplanning.org
Treasurer Brad Cornelius, AICP,CFM,CPM treasurer@floridaplanning.org
Secretary Jerry Bell, AICP secretary@floridaplanning.org
VP Communications Ali Palmer communications@floridaplanning.org
VP Continuing Education Lara Bouck, AICP, PE certmaintenance@floridaplanning.org
VP Conference Services Kathie Ebaugh, FAICP conferencesvcs@floridaplanning.org
VP Professional Development Melissa Dickens, AICP profdevelopment@floridaplanning.org
VP Membership/Outreach Tony Palermo, AICP membership@floridaplanning.org f
VP Section Affairs Juan Mullerat sectionaffairs@floridaplanning.org
Atlantic Coast Section Brad Parrish, AICP atlanticcoast@floridaplanning.org
Broward Section Hing Wong, FAICP broward@floridaplanning.org
Capital Area Section Kwentin Eastberg, AICP capitalarea@floridaplanning.org
Emerald Coast Section Melissa Ward, AICP emeraldcoast@floridaplanning.org
First Coast Section Casey Dendor, AICP firstcoast@floridaplanning.org
Gold Coast Section Jared Beck, AICP goldcoast@floridaplanning.org
Heart of Florida Section Julie Womble heartoffl@floridaplanning.org
Orlando Metro Section Roxann Read, AICP, CMA, FRA RA orlandometro@floridaplanning.org
Promised Lands Section Laura Tefft, AICP promisedlands@floridaplanning.org
San Felasco Section Gerry Dedenbach, AICP sanfelasco@floridaplanning.org
Sun Coast Section Nousheen Rahman, AICP suncoast@floridaplanning.org
Treasure Coast Section Scott Evans, AICP treasurecoast@floridaplanning.org
University Liaison Billie Ventimiglia university@floridaplanning.org
EPG Representative Fatima Elkott epg@floridaplanning.org af
Student Representative Kaitlyn Nieman students@floridaplanning.org
Chapter Office
Executive Director Stefanie Svisco ssvisco@floridaplanning.org
Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper Suzie Gray sgray@floridaplanning.org
Communications Manager Patti Shea pshea@floridaplanning.org
Legislative Representative Lester Abberger contact@floridaplanning.org Metz Husband & Daughton
Communications Intern Julia Sveen intern@floridaplanning.org
Graphic Design (Consultant) Summer Taylor summerapafl@gmail.com
All other inquiries, contact APA Florida at 850-201-3272 or e-mail contact@floridaplanning.org
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
WELCOME TO THE SPRING 2025 ISSUE OF FLORIDA PLANNING
I’m so honored to work with you all, and my first couple months as Chapter President have been a whirl of activity.
APA Florida recently hired the Metz, Husband, & Daughton (MHD) law firm to assist us with our legislative affairs efforts. This firm was selected through an RFP process and was interviewed by a sub-committee of our Executive Director and three executive committee members, led by former Immediate Past President Wiatt Bowers. We are pleased that MHD teamed with registered lobbyist Lester Abberger to provide consultation, who has acted as our legislative representative for the past several years. We were excited to have the opportunity for Lester to continue to serve us, while concentrating on initiatives with MHD to move us forward with new opportunities.
MHD has bipartisan registered lobbyists available to assist us, which I submit is important during these times. My goal, which was set during the early times of my President-Elect term, is to put us collectively in the appropriate circles to offer sound and experienced consultation when legislation is proposed. If we can get ahead of committee weeks and session, get asked to the table during the time when bills are drafted, the strategy is that we will be seen as an expert resource and can influence the draft prior to the bill(s) being heard in committee. We will look to our interested members to assist by being listed in an internal expert topic roster for various needs.
Every two years the chapter’s Executive Committee meets in a retreat in the early part of the year. This occurred after the Public Policy Workshop in Tallahassee in late February. During this year’s retreat, we will have discussed the chapter’s Strategic Plan while examining our purpose and mission. I’m excited to convene in this regard, with our newly seated executive committee and lots of new ideas. (The publishing deadline was before the retreat. I will give a report in the spring Florida Planning issue.)
I began thinking about how to better reach out to our members during my term as President-Elect, and accordingly I am beginning an initiative called Chapter Chats.
I began thinking about how to better reach out to our members during my term as President-Elect, and accordingly I am beginning an initiative called Chapter Chats. These will be virtual discussions aimed at addressing questions you have about chapter operations, membership, and programs. The first session was held on Feb. 21, and it seemed fitting that our Vice President for Membership and Outreach Services, Tony Palermo was the first to join me. Other executive committee members will join me every other month to speak to you, including Secretary Jerry Bell, in April to discuss this year’s bylaws update. Please join us by registering here for future discussions!
This year is an FAICP application year, which also occurs every two years. We hope that all eligible FAICP interested candidates have taken advantage of the resources made available to date. Those include APA Florida and APA national webinars to describe the steps and process. The application deadline is earlier in 2025 than in years past (July). In December 2024, APA Florida made a call for interest of those considering admittance into the College of Fellows, to collect candidate names who are interested in requesting the chapter’s endorsement. We received a healthy number of interested candidates! An FAICP committee was formed to help eligible and selected chapter members through the process, which is chaired by our Immediate Past President Whit Blanton, FAICP.
Finally, I want to offer a big thank you to Whit Blanton who preceded me. He will remain a valuable source of information for our organization as Immediate Past President. There is a great deal of passion involved with this position for people and what we do, and for that he is highly honored.
Allara Mills-Gutcher, AICP
APA Florida President
[FLOCKING] TO FLORIDA
continued from cover page
in the north. In fact, Sun Coast airports, specifically in Pinellas and Sarasota counties, there’s an average of approximately 265,500 people entering the area during peak tourism season, which is from January to March.
Who wouldn’t want to visit the Sun Coast? We have the best beaches in America with sand as soft as butter, hip downtowns with shopping and Michelin star restaurants, arts and theatres for different styles and tastes, and plenty of events whether sports, music, and even dancing! There’s a plethora of activities and fun for everyone of all ages. Additionally, there is a large service industry on the Sun Coast tailored around visitors and tourism. Tourism keeps these businesses operational, and people employed, and supports the local areas through increased revenues from the state Sales Tax and Tourism Tax – a critical component of a healthy economy in the Sun Coast region.
During this peak tourism season, there is an influx of people who use services, infrastructure, and amenities Florida cities and municipalities have to offer. What impact does this have?
This peak tourism season can expedite infrastructure wear and tear and increase volumes on roadways, stressing the transportation network and leading to potentially increased maintenance costs. While sales tax and tourist development tax generate revenue, in many cases, these dollars aren’t permitted to be used to maintain infrastructure.
Sales tax is collected by the state and the tourist tax is sent to the relevant county to spend on promoting tourism or other tourist related activities. Peak tourism season, attracts drivers from all over the country, changing the dynamics on our roadways. These drivers can increase travel times by at least 15 minutes.
In off-season, traveling from Bradenton to Sarasota takes 30 minutes. During peak tourism season, the same route takes 45 minutes. During this season, travel time can take anywhere from 50 to 60 minutes. Needless to say, commuters must take different seasons into account for their travel time. This doesn’t include incidents or events like, car crashes, spring season baseball games or other sporting events, concerts, theatre showtimes, among other
recreational and entertainment activities. Incidents and events like these tend to cause backups and chaos on the roadways.
TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
What can agencies do to mitigate these impacts and continue to serve all road users year-round, whether they are residents or visitors?
Offering a variety of transportation options allows people, regardless of length of stay, the choice of how to get around.
The Sun Coast provides a variety of transit options that locals and visitors can use to get around. Some of these services provide transportation from airports to hotels in the area, such as route 76 in Sarasota. Additionally, the Sun Coast transit providers offer services on the island, mostly free, and some even from downtown to the islands. These services are effective in moving people on and off the island without increasing the number of vehicles on the roadway.
These Sun Coast services include the Jolley Trolley in Pinellas County, Siesta Key Trolley in Sarasota, Anna Maria Island Trolley in Anna Maria, and the Bay Runner Trolley in City of Sarasota. In 2023, the Jolley Trolley carried an average of 34,725 passengers during peak tourism season while the Anna Maria Island trolley averaged 38,842 passengers, reinforcing the ability of transportation options in taking cars and passengers off the roadways. On the same note, free trams are available for visitors in Dunedin and St. Pete Beach. These options are fare free, making them convenient and accessible. Another travel option is by waterway. Being surrounded by water on multiple sides of the Sun Coast region, we have a distinct opportunity to provide even more transportation options that can reduce congestion on our roadways. In Tampa Bay, the Cross Bay Ferry will carry people from Tampa to St. Pete. The Cross Bay Ferry moved an average of approximately 7,400 people across Tampa Bay during peak tourism season in 2023, reducing the number of vehicles and passengers on the Courtney Campbell Causeway and Howard Frankland Bridge. The Clearwater Ferry provides travel between Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach and Downtown Dunedin. In Manatee County, the Gulf Island Ferry travels from City of Bradenton to the Barrier Islands including stops continued on page 5
[FLOCKING] TO FLORIDA
continued from page 4
in Anna Maria and Coquina Beach. Since its maiden voyage, the Gulf Island Ferry service has averaged 360 riders per day. Last, but not least, active transportation is an option, such as a connected sidewalk network for people walking and a connected, low stress bicycle network. These can include a variety of different bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure including sharrows, bicycle lanes, buffered bicycle lanes, protected bicycle lanes, trails, multi-use recreational trails, off-road paths, the list can go on and on. Investing in these options during resurfacing projects, maintenance work, or other opportunities can create a system where people don’t have to rely on their car to get to their destination. It also shows people visiting that they have more opportunities to enjoy the great weather and be outside during their stay – it’s why they came, right?
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Effective, lasting solutions require funding. There are several funding opportunities that localities can implement including a penny sales tax and enter into private public partnership agreements. A penny sales tax, or any increased sales tax, would need to be voted on through a referendum on the ballot. These types of taxes can be used to help fund infrastructure projects. Various communities throughout the State have implemented a penny sales tax, including Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hillsborough County, and Sarasota
County to name a few located in the Sun Coast.
Another funding opportunity includes private public partnerships (PPP), such as development agreements. New development, or redevelopment projects, in the area provide opportunities to work with developers to include different infrastructure options or add elements that support positive experiences. Alternatively, partnerships can be formed with Transportation Demand Management organization or entities working toward maximizing transportation choices thereby reducing congestion on the roadways. These could include partnerships for vanpooling or promoting carpooling for commuters or partnering with the tourism industry to support common goals.
To thrive during this annual migration, Florida’s Sun Coast must balance the needs of its seasonal visitors with the year-round residents who call it home. By investing in creative transportation solutions and sustainable infrastructure, the region can continue to shine as a winter haven for snowbirds while preserving its charm for all.
Corinne Arriaga, AICP, MPH, is a Senior Transportation Planner for the City of Sarasota. She can be reached at corinne.arriaga@sarasotafl.gov. Nousheen Rahman, AICP, is a Principal Planner for Forward Pinellas and the APA Florida Sun Coast Section Chair. She can be reached at nrahman@forwardpinellas.org
Aligning Tourism Planning with Community Needs
By Kelsi Jackson and Hadley Peterson, AICP
For many communities, tourism is a critical driver of quality of life and economic growth, especially for small communities like Jackson County in the Northwest Florida Panhandle. Tourism, community, and economic development are interconnected, and together they represent the full life cycle of a community:
• A better place to play is a better place to live.
• A better place to live is a better place to work.
• A better place to work is a better place for businesses to invest in.
Strategic tourism planning balances economic growth, preserves character and resources, and supports local populations. When done thoughtfully, it attracts investments that improve infrastructure and create opportunities for small businesses to thrive.
The key to success in these efforts is planning with intention.
As Florida’s third oldest county, Jackson County is rich in outdoor amenities, historical sites, and agricultural heritage. While metropolitan areas may focus on expanding big entertainment districts and theme parks, Jackson County’s planning must emphasize preservation – protecting historic and natural resources while promoting economic growth.
While tourism planning largely focuses on the visitor experience, it must balance that with the needs of residents and businesses. Without this balance, the visitor lifecycle mentioned previously can’t come full circle.
Tourism thrives when it supports the businesses and people that make a destination unique. When we align tourism planning with the needs of our local communities, we create a cycle of sustainable growth where visitors contribute to our community, businesses prosper, and residents enjoy a higher quality of life.
continued on page 8
Photos courtesy of the Jackson County Tourist Development Council
So why should urban planners be concerned with tourism planning?
Tourism impacts the development and use of cities, towns, and rural areas, and thus requires strategic and intentional planning to ensure visitors can be effectively accommodated while sustainably managing the destinations and promoting sustainable growth for the local community.
Through the Jackson County Strategic Tourism Plan process we have worked to hear from community residents, partners, and stakeholders to ensure the delicate balance of economic development, branding and marketing, mobility, capital improvements, and cultural heritage. Creating and maintaining places is critical to maintaining quality of life while also helping communities understand their inherent value as destinations – and how these are intrinsically linked.
Learn more about the Jackson County Tourist Development Council and their impact on placemaking, land stewardship, and economic development here
Kelsi Jackson is the Executive Director of Jackson County Tourist Development Council. She can be reached at jacksonk@jacksoncountyfl.gov. Hadley Peterson is a Community Planner with Kimley-Horn. She can be reached at hadley.peterson@kimley-horn.com.
Agrotourism as an Economic Tool IN MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY
By Alex Dambach, AICP
Tropical fruits, potted plants, winter vegetables, and palm tree clusters are examples of many everyday items produced by Florida farms.
Agriculture builds wealth for farmers, but global competition and increasing costs reduce financial viability and stability. Operators must contend with environmental challenges, varied weather patterns, and invasive pests. To stabilize their incomes, many farmers combine agricultural operations with tourism. Agritourism, including wedding barns, pick-your-own farms, winery tours, and farmstands, is a growing industry. Agritourism revenues more than tripled nationally between 2002 and 2017, reaching $950 million in 2017, representing 5.6 percent of total income. Florida Statute s.570.85, et. al., support agritourism and prevent local governments from restricting or limiting it on agricultural land, except to address substantial offsite impacts or emergencies. Agritourism activity, as exempted from local regulation by the state, does not include attractions requiring the construction of new or additional structures or facilities intended primarily to house, shelter, transport, or otherwise accommodate members of the general public.
For planners, agritourism is an economic development tool, but it includes major land use challenges. Attractions at farms can choke rural roadways with traffic that can conflict with farm vehicle movement; noise from tourism events can annoy rural residents and disturb livestock; and light glare from venues can disrupt crop growth. Conflicts also arise when tourism operators complain about legitimate agricultural activities at neighboring farms, such as spraying or dusting. This forces some farmers to defend their normal business practices.
True agritourism is tourism activity consistent with a bona fide farm, livestock operation, ranch, or working forest that educates the public about farming activities and may contribute to the farming economy. Some rural tourist attractions, however, have no relationship with agriculture and may instead contribute to farmland loss in a manner similar to urban sprawl. Planners need to make sure tourism activity in agriculture areas does not reduce farmland.
Miami-Dade County, with the state’s second highest overall farm production value, actively preserves farmland through its planning and zoning regulations, including its Urban Development Boundary.
In March 2024, it updated zoning regulations to support
continued from page 10
and manage agritourism in its farming area. After a charrette where participants generally supported agritourism but warned against nuisances and traffic, county commissioners adopted regulations to liberalize agritourism regulations, such as to allow food trucks at farms and to allow structures to be built specifically for events and attractions. The new regulations also restrict noise, require parking, and have permitting requirements to manage agritourism impacts as well as require agritourism to be ancillary to active farming. These regulations aim to reduce the concerns of area residents while providing additional income streams for farmers.
Agritourism will continue to be valuable tool for farmers to profitably operate. It can benefit the local economy and the viability of farming businesses and expand knowledge about agriculture for the public. Proper management is critical to its effectiveness and to limit negative impacts.
Alex Dambach, AICP, is a Planning Development Manager and the Long Range Planning Supervisor for Miami-Dade County. He can be reached at alexander.dambach@miamidade.gov.
All photos courtesy of Miami-Dade County.
FILM PRODUCTION
as Economic Development
Susan Swift, AICP
Among the myriad of tasks for local planners is working with economic development teams to enhance and promote the communities they have been entrusted to guide into a prosperous future for all its residents and business owners. Protecting the charm and character of a community can be a difficult challenge for us planners, but you never know when or where the benefits of such steadfast guardianship may transpire. For example, when Hollywood comes knocking.
Twenty years ago, Florida was third in entertainment production, after California and New York.
Today, industry leaders claim the state has lost 75 major projects estimated as a $2 billion loss to local economies.
RESOURCES
• Find cities and counties with their own film commission here
• Jurisdictions providing local incentives here
• Film Florida is a great resource on how to attract productions to your town!
Although not considered a targeted industry by the state, numerous cities and counties recognize the economic development benefits of television, film, commercial and music video production. Like so many “people-focused” industries, there are vast indirect benefits and secondary jobs, in addition to the direct benefits and primary jobs such as actors, camera operators, makeup artists, etc. When filming, these ripple effects go deep into the local economy – from hotels and catering to florists, dry cleaners and off-duty police officers.
Film Florida suggests that those 75 projects would have contributed 300,000 hotel nights and 150,000 cast and crew jobs had Florida not cut its incentive program and its film office.
Between 2010-16, the Florida Entertainment Industry Financial Incentive Program distributed $296 million in tax credits to businesses producing film, television, commercials and music entertainment in Florida. The
program was sunsetted in 2016 and the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment was disbanded in 2018. The legislature did keep the Florida Entertainment Industry Sales Tax Exemption, which has existed since 2001.
There are only five states without statewide film industry offices. Although many Florida counties have agencies tasked with attracting, facilitating and even incentivizing these entertainment projects, there is no statewide marketing program to attract filming to a state with God-given scenery and weather that allows year-round production.
While Orlando’s entertainment infrastructure attracts significant projects, many of the big-budget projects (movies and television series) film the outdoor scenery and building exteriors in Florida but shoot the bulk of the production elsewhere. This eliminates many cast and crew roles and indirect business opportunities that would participate in larger, longer filming projects. Bad Monkey and a few others being the exception due to Carl Hiassen’s insistence.
The bottom line is – it’s tough to analyze the bottom line and there isn’t much local data.
Palm Beach County may be the overachiever, their investment in the industry over the last 33 years has yielded $199 million return on investment.
Should Hollywood come knocking, are you prepared enough to open the door?
Susan Swift, AICP is Director of Planning at BBE-Boggs Engineering & Boggs Design Partners. She can be reached at sswift@boggseng.com.
TOUGH QUESTIONS
After Hurricanes Helene and Milton
By: Susan Swift, AICP
Florida Gulf Coast planners are busy issuing thousands of permits for damage and demolitions from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This is nothing new for other areas of Florida who have been hit in years past.
The Greater Tampa Bay region got the one-two hurricane punch last fall, the most devastation it has received in decades. As of Dec. 31, the City of St. Petersburg has issued 1,013 hurricane-related permits and Pinellas County issued nearly 2,000. This is double the number issued in a typical year and the numbers continue to rise.
In the meantime, many are making a mental list of the long-range planning and policy implications to be considered when they come up for air. The recurring theme from planners and economic development professionals I’ve spoken with is concern as to how we rebuild while preserving the character of the region’s beach communities. Given the number of demolitions and the concentration of them, what will happen to the character, massing, ownership patterns, and identity. This is true for both residential and commercial areas.
While allowing these communities to focus on permits, we can contemplate the tough questions that lie ahead as future agenda items:
• Will current plans and zoning regulations be adequate to preserve the design and massing of commercial areas?
• Will the economics of redevelopment cause these communities to lose their uniqueness?
• Will the beachy vibe with local restaurants and small retailers become national chains occupying non-descript buildings?
• Will neighborhoods that were primarily home-ownership transition to rentals?
• Will there be pressure to combine lots to accommodate large vacation rentals?
After gathering the data in the aftermath of these two storms, these local governments will be discussing the magnitude of change, and the level of impact on their community character, tourism and budgets. This underscores the importance of comprehensive plans and why we need to periodically revisit them.
Susan Swift, AICP is Director of Planning at BBE-Boggs Engineering & Boggs Design Partners. She can be reached at sswift@boggseng.com.
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock/Del Harper.
2025 Florida Planning Conference
DAYTONA BEACH l SEPT. 16-19, 2025
Welcome to Liftoff! Into Florida's Future
The APA Florida Atlantic Coast Section is pleased to host FPC25 from Sept. 16 – 19, 2025 . Known for its iconic beaches and motorsports legacy, Daytona Beach reflects a unique blend of progress and heritage, setting the stage for inspiring discussions on Florida’s evolving landscape. Join us in exploring the future of planning across the state.
As communities navigate a time of rapid transformation, planners are key to guiding sustainable growth and progress. Liftoff! Into Florida’s Future seeks to equip planning professionals with essential, skills-based training, offering sessions on practical tools for everyday challenges and the leadership skills necessary to inspire teams. Alongside hands-on workshops, the conference will continue to feature the core coursework and traditional sessions that attendees have come to expect, ensuring a well-rounded experience that meets the varied needs of all participants. See you soon in Daytona Beach!
AREAS OF FOCUS
RESILIENCY
This area focuses on resiliency topics, especially those focused on hazard mitigation, green infrastructure, water resources, parks planning, etc.
HOUSING
These sessions will explore affordability, accessibility, scalable solutions, short-term rental regulations, etc..
TECHNOLOGY + DATA
Anticipate sessions on technology and data in planning, including AI, GIS, new applications, etc.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
These sessions will give instruction on ethics, grant writing, community engagement, leadership skills, etc.
OUT OF THE BOX
These creative sessions will help attendees with public engagement problem-solving skills, collaborative techniques, adaptive project management, etc.
COMMUNITY-CENTERED ISSUES & SOLUTIONS
These sessions will focus on placemaking, economic development, historic preservation, and community health, as well as mobility and land-use, including transportation, transit, and zoning.
continued on page 16
All photos courtesy of the Daytona Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
[FPC25] CONFERENCE
continued from page 15
FPC25 Q&A
WHEN WILL REGISTRATION OPEN?
Early June.
HOW MUCH WILL REGISTRATION COST?
For members, Early Registration is $475. Students: $160
WHEN WILL I FIND OUT IF MY SESSION PROPOSAL WAS ACCEPTED?
By mid-April.
WHAT HOTEL HAS DISCOUNTED RATES
Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort @ $169 a night.
SPONSOR FPC25
HELP US LIFTOFF! BE AN FPC25 SPONSOR
For 2025, we are thrilled to announce that the APA Florida Annual and Conference Sponsorship Program has been updated with opportunities for all organization sizes and budgets.
While several benefits have been added and others revised, the same conference level sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are also still available that will place your brand in front of a captive audience.
Once again this year we will offer a 25 percent discount for Florida-based minority-, woman- or veteran-owned businesses for annual and conference packages.
Take a look at our updated packages to see which one best fits your budget!
Student Call for Posters & Presentations DEADLINE: March 31
This year’s conference will include two distinct student competitions: Multimedia Session and Poster Competition
Student Members can submit for the multimedia session, poster competition, or both. Your presentation or poster doesn’t have to be completed to submit, but you'll need to submit a working idea. All that’s needed to apply is a working title, abstract/summary of work, and a faculty endorsement.
Please note: In order to participate, you must be an APA Member in good standing. You can check your status here
Review the poster and session criteria here
Sign up for a FREE student membership here
Project Awards Nomination Window Closes on May 2
APA Florida is pleased to announce the opening of its 2025 Project Awards Program application cycle. This program provides APA Florida the opportunity to recognize outstanding planning projects in the State of Florida at its annual conference.
The program provides APA Florida members with the chance to see and learn about development, conservation, government, or environmental projects, where planning has had a positive impact on the outcome.
The Project Awards Committee will be looking for innovativeness and quality, and the potential for use in other areas.
All non-Student Project Award submissions must be submitted by 5 pm ET on Friday, May 2, 2025. The Student Project Award deadline is 5 pm ET on Friday, May 9.
PLANNERS ON THE MOVE
BALTER NAMED INDIAN RIVER COUNTY PLANNING CHIEF
Chris Balter is one of the youngest Directors of Planning and Development Services at Indian River County, bringing more than decade of experience in urban planning and government administration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Public Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Among Chris’s duties is to spearhead the county’s sustainable growth initiatives and champion affordable housing—experience honed as a SHIP Administrator, providing housing solutions for low- to moderate-income families. As staff liaison for the Economic Development Council, he drives local business opportunities by forging strategic public-private partnerships.
Previously, Chris served as Chief of Long-Range Planning for Indian River County, overseeing Comprehensive Plan amendments and Land Development Regulations. At the City of Palm Bay, he administered the Comprehensive Plan, land development codes, and zoning ordinances.
BARBER TORRES NAMED OC’S CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER
Alissa Barber Torres, PhD, FAICP, CLTD, has been appointed as Orange County’s Chief Innovation & Emerging Technology Officer by Mayor Jerry L. Demings. Her responsibilities include driving and managing organizational innovation initiatives and leveraging emerging technologies to enhance the quality of life of Orange County residents.
Alissa joined the Mayor’s Office from the County’s Transportation Planning Division, where she served as project manager or technical lead on projects to plan and implement advanced air mobility, micromobility devices, electric vehicles, mobility hubs, and other transportation technologies with various county divisions, the Innovation and Emerging Technologies Office, and the Office of Sustainability and Resilience.
Alissa has 30 years of experience in transportation planning, technology, economic development, land use, policy and code development, public outreach, and intergovernmental coordination with local government, private sector, and regional planning agencies.
HDR TAPS EVERITT TO LEAD ITS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PROJECTS
Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., recently stepped into the Office Principal role for HDR’s Southwest Florida region. Based in Tampa, she is responsible for managing and growing HDR’s operations across southwest Florida.
In addition to her day job, Laura serves as Vice Chair for APA’s Chapter Presidents Council. Laura was APA Florida’s President from 2019-20.
HENN JOINS JONES FOSTER
Peter Henn, AICP, JD joined the Jones Foster law firm in West Palm Beach as Senior Counsel in its Land Use & Governmental Practice Group. He will support the firm’s work in crafting land development codes and enhancing its representation of municipal clients while continuing his role as an educator at Florida Atlantic University, where he teaches in its Department of Urban & Regional Planning. Peter has more than 30 years of experience in land use and zoning law, local government relations, urban planning and design, and real estate development. He served as the Florida operating partner for Blackstone Real Estate Advisors on several major redevelopment projects where he designed, developed, and planned luxury hotels and condominiums. Peter has worked with local governments and led the approval for redeveloping commercial and residential properties throughout South Florida where he holds a real estate broker license. Additionally, Peter has served on local government advisory boards addressing planning, zoning, and affordable housing issues, including rewriting the zoning code for the City of Fort Lauderdale. He recently assisted the Village of Palm Springs with community visioning prior to zoning code reform.
MEGRATH CONSULTING MOVES TO ATLANTIC COAST
Allison Megrath, AICP, announced that her company, Megrath Consulting, has relocated from Gainesville to Ormond Beach.
As the firm continues to expand its land planning and grant writing services for municipalities, this move positions it to better serve communities across Florida and beyond.
Allison says that she is looking forward to new opportunities, stronger partnerships, and continued success in helping local governments secure funding and plan for the future.
ARE YOU AN APA FLORIDA MEMBER
WHO EARNED A PROMOTION, STARTED A NEW JOB, OR WON AN AWARD?
Whatever the cause for celebration is, we want to hear about it! Click here to fill out the form to be recognized in a future issue of Florida Planning Magazine.
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Stefanie Svisco
What a whirlwind 2025 has been!
Here we are in March, and we have already done so much this year, with a lot more to come!
Our Public Policy Workshop returned to in person here in Tallahassee, the first since 2020. I am proud to report that we had 100+ registrants for the 1½ days of events and phenomenal sessions with the top experts in disaster planning, insurance policy, affordable housing, policy communications, and more. The mobile tour showcasing the Southside Tallahassee Action Plan was a huge hit and I want to give a shoutout to Devan Leavins and Kwentin Eastberg for their hard work on this event! (You can see a tour highlights video below.)
Following the workshop, the Executive Committee convened for two days with business visionary Dave Clare to help us develop a new chapter voice and purpose. It was a much-needed exercise to have the chapter’s Mission Statement and Vision updated. We will have the results to share with the membership very soon.
WHAT ELSE IS IN STORE FOR APA FLORIDA IN 2025?
Here in the chapter office, we are looking ahead to FPC25 and getting ready for all things Daytona Beach. The Host Committee has some wonderful mobile tours ready for attendees that include the Kennedy Space Center, SunRail, Downtown DeLand, and Bethune-Cookman University, just to name a few.
I am thrilled to share that the locations for FPC26 and FPC27 have been approved by the Executive Committee. In 2026 we will once again be in Miami and for 2027 we return to the Treasure Coast. I will share more information once it is available.
And ICYMI in February, APA President Allara Mills-Gutcher and I hosted the inaugural Chapter Chat with our guest host, Vice President of Membership & Outreach Services Tony Palermo. We are meeting on the third Friday of even months. The next chat will be in April with guest Secretary Jerry Bell, who will discuss this year’s chapter bylaws update.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with anything you may need. I appreciate your support of APA Florida and look forward to the rest of 2025!
Congratulations to Florida’s 64 Newest AICP Members
APA Florida is proud of our 1,700+ members (55% of our total membership) who have joined our ranks as members of the American Institute of Certified Planners (designated as AICP). We want to congratulate our most recent members as well as celebrate those members who have committed to maintaining their certification through the years.
Congratulations to the following 64 members who passed the AICP Certification Exam in November:
Meredith Abel
Maria Bazemore
Robert Bernhart
John Bibler
Josh Blackman
Thomas Brandenstein
Cindy Leal Brizuela
David Caplen
Calvin Clarke
George Da Guia
Amish Dave
Slade Downs
Alex Eide
Braydon Evans
Benjamin Gordon
Bryce Grame
Michael Greco
Bethany Grubbs
Alaina Grundy
Stacey Hectus
Rama Hiba
Arianna Hilliard
Serena Hoermann
Alexia Howald
Elaine-Mae Ignacio
Angeline Jacobs
Simone Kenny
Ishan Keskar
Ahsan Khalil
Rachel Kling
Kurt Krier
Mara Latorre
Haiden Lewis
Tarek Lotfy Kamal
Connor Macdonald
Surieska Martirena
Sarah Mastison
Chloe McCrary
David Melito
Bert Miller
George Missimer
Armin Rahman Mouly
James Murphy
Patrick Murray
Sandra Narh
Harrison Nichols
Stephen O’Connor
Kelsey Olinger
Keaton Osborn
Anna Perry
Alexandra Quintero
Arceli Redila
Marylluvia Resendiz
Jason Sartorio
Lillian Savage
Jack Shad
Katherine Shafer
Jarrell Smith
Jesse Stokes
Emily Thomas
Max Van Allen
Sabrina Viteri
Robert Werthamer
Jennifer Willman
APA FLORIDA WORKING FOR YOU
WHAT A GREAT PLACE!
President Allara Mills-Gutcher, AICP, and Vice President of Conference Services Kathie Ebaugh, FAICP, presented the City of Palm Coast with the 2024 Great Places in Florida People’s Choice Award for its Waterfront Park.
The presentation, which usually occurs in October during National Community Planning Month, was delayed due to back-to-back hurricanes. Get to know the winning project here
Congratulations again to the residents and city of Palm Coast!
GETTIN’ CHATTY
The inaugural Chapter Chat was held on Feb. 21. Allara and Executive Director Stefanie Svisco hosted Vice President of Membership & Outreach Services Tony Palermo, AICP, to discuss the initiatives we have planned for 2025, including retooling the chapter’s Community Planning Assistance Team (CPAT).
The chats are held on the third Friday of even months. The next chat will be in April with guest chapter Secretary Jerry Bell, AICP, who will talk about this year’s bylaws update. Sign up here
UF’S FOUNTAIN NAMED 2025 ANDRE ANDERSON SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
Victoria Fountain is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning student at the University of Florida looking to deepen her expertise in transportation, housing, and economic development.
While attending Spellman College, Victoria's passion for urban planning was sparked after examining economic disparities in her predominantly Black hometown of Conyers, GA.
Frustrated by the lack of diverse businesses, she sought to understand the root causes of limited development.
The FPC25 Host Committee is busy finalizing mobile tours, sessions, and receptions that will ensure a great learning and networking experience for all. (Hint: Vrooom!) Don’t miss the general information that can be found on pp. 15.
For upcoming conferences, we are returning to Miami in 2026 and heading back to the Treasure Coast for 2027. More information will be shared once it is available.
If you are interested in volunteering, both the FPC25 and FPC26 host committees would love it if you signed up: 2025 here and 2026 here
Victoria researched economic stagnation in Black communities, particularly Atlanta’s West End, and uncovered the lasting impact of past planning decisions.
That's when she decided to become a planner! Get to know this future planning star here
continued on page 21
Photo courtesy of the City of Palm Coast
BACK IN THE CAPITAL CITY
It was a whirlwind day and half of policy, tours, discussion and problem-solving at the 23rd Annual Public Policy Workshop.
More than 100+ registrants convened to hear from the top experts about the issues facing Florida’s communities. And a huge thanks to our host city, the City of Tallahassee, for providing a wonderful backdrop for an inspirational mobile tour and to its leader, Mayor John Dailey, who opened Thursday’s sessions. This was the first in-person workshop since 2020, and folks were happy to be back.
We are lucky to have sponsors continue to support our events and initiatives. We could not continue to host such important events without them!
We would like to thank our sponsors:
ENVISIONING OUR VISION
Following the Public Policy Workshop, the APA Florida Executive Committee convened for its biannual retreat.
This all-volunteer board spent two days with Dave Clare (seen squatting taking a group selfie) of Circle Leadership to update the chapter’s Mission and Vision as well as to help us strategize for 2025 and beyond.
There were plenty of fruitful conversations and ideas. Great things are happening, and we are excited to share with the Florida planning community very soon!
FREE WEBINARS
In December and January, we hosted two highly attended webinars to give our members access to free AICP CM. In fact, we had hundreds of attendees from across the nation as APA National picked up on these stellar webinar topics and helped us promote them.
You can watch the webinars by clicking below. Thank you to our presenters from Stearns Weaver Miller and Florida Technical Consultants for their valued expertise.
Photo courtesy of the City of Tallahassee.
[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 (four 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.
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
[FLORIDA] PLANNING
Published by the Florida Chapter, American Planning Association, the Florida Planning digital magazine has a current circulation of 3,000 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 June 2025.
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 101 Tallahassee, FL 32303
Phone: 850-201-3272
Email: connect@floridaplanning.org
[THANK YOU] TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS
[UPCOMING] EVENTS
APRIL 16:
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING POLICY
Webinar. Hosted by the Florida Housing Coalition. Properly structured land use policies, development regulations, and additional programs are key to support development of “missing middle” housing, small-scale development projects typically with fifty units or fewer serving households priced out of the single-family home market. This webinar will cover the range of housing policies that can facilitate greater production of missing middle housing. Topics discussed will include regulatory barriers to missing middle housing, designing local land use strategies to unlock small scale development, and structuring local funding strategies to unlock small unit development. This webinar will feature local policymakers and small-scale developers who have successfully implemented missing middle housing efforts Register here. Free.
JUNE 10: HEIRS PROPERTY
Webinar. Hosted by the Florida Housing Coalition. The prevalence of heirs’ property as a housing equity issue has been a key issue on policymakers’ radar in recent years. Heirs’ property, a term used to describe property that is passed via inheritance from an owner(s) to next of kin without clear ownership, can be difficult to sell, repair, or improve, and leads to challenges relating to property ownership and generational wealth. Because of inherent problems of heirs’ title, identifying, preventing, and remediating heirs’ property is key to improving low-income neighborhoods and generational wealth building in Florida. This webinar is focused on how the housing ecosystem can address heirs’ property issues from various entry points and will feature legal aid attorneys and housing professionals to explore how communities can help ameliorate heirs’ property issues. Register here. Free.
SAVE THE DATE!
Make plans to attend the 2025 Florida Planning Conference in Daytona Beach, Sept. 16 - 19
All updates and announcements will be made on the conference website
Registration opens in early June!