Florida Planning Magazine | Fall 2023

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

POST STORM RESILIENCY & REBUILDING - Fall 2023

florida.planning.org

2023 APA Florida Great Places in Florida

PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER

The Wellington Environmental Preserve at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Everglades Habitat The Wellington Environmental Preserve at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Everglades Habitat (Section 24) is a 365-acre rainwater storage area with nature trails and learning centers. It was built through a partnership between South Florida Water Management District and Wellington. In compliance with the 1994 Everglades Forever Act, rainwater from Wellington must be cleansed of phosphorus before it enters the Florida Everglades.

The preserve is owned, operated, and maintained by the Village of Wellington and, as a public space, embodies this year’s theme, Great Resilient Places. The preserve serves multiple functions as a water storage impoundment and filter marsh as well as a park and recreation amenity complete with walking and equestrian trails as well as upland and wetland areas and environmental education opportunities. Rarely does a facility check all the boxes, but this facility, coupled with this year’s theme and criteria, does just that. continued on page 4

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

6

First Charlie, then Ian. One Florida Planner's Takeaways

10

Rebuilding After Hurrican Ian

13

Elevating the Conversation on Voluntary Freeboard

14

2023 Florida Planning Conference Recap

23

Travel with a Planner's Eye

26

2023 Minority Scholorship Award: Renee Mack

28

Mastering the AICP Exam

29

Who's Afraid of Artificial Intelligence

OTHER FEATURES President’s Message - p. 3 In Memoriam- p. 27 Planners on the Move - p. 30 Executive Director Message - p. 31 APA Working for You - p. 32 Consultants Directory - p. 33 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 Whit Blanton, FAICP

727-464-8712

president@floridaplanning.org

Immediate Past President

Wiatt Bowers, AICP

904-363-8488

pastpresident@floridaplanning.org fx

President-Elect

Allara Mills Gutcher, AICP

850-319-9180

presidentelect@floridaplanning.org

Treasure Coast Section

Kori Benton, AICP

727-462-2518

treasurecoast@floridaplanning.org

Professional Development

Henry Bittaker, FAICP

561-523-0687

profdevelopment@floridaplanning.org

VP Continuing Education

Lara Bouck, AICP, PE

407-481-5672

certmaintenance@floridaplanning.org f

San Felasco Section

Juan Castillo

352-393-8698

sanfelasco@floridaplanning.org

Sun Coast Section

Katrina Corcoran, AICP

suncoast@floridaplanning.org

VP Membership/Outreach

Ennis Davis, AICP

904-396-5727

membership@floridaplanning.org

Gold Coast Section

Fabian De La Espriella, AICP

786-245-5202

goldcoast@floridaplanning.org

VP Communications

Amy Elmore, AICP

813-273-3774

communications@floridaplanning.org

Capital Area Section

Macy Falcon, AICP

850-380-2812

capitalarea@floridaplanning.org

Promised Lands Section

Jason Green, AICP

863-255-3212

promisedlands@floridaplanning.org

Broward Section

Daniel Keester-O'Mills, AICP

954-786-5541

broward@floridaplanning.org

University Liaison

Van Linkous, Ph.D.

813-503-2797

university@floridaplanning.org

Heart of Florida Section

Laura Lockwood-Herrscher, AICP, CPM

863-860-5105

heartoffl@floridaplanning.org

VP Conference Services

Eddie Ng, AICP

401-524-3263

conferencesvcs@floridaplanning.org

Orlando Metro Section

Luis Nieves-Ruiz, FAICP

407-245-0300

orlandometro@floridaplanning.org

VP Section Affairs

Ali Palmer

850-553-3528

sectionaffairs@floridaplanning.org

Atlantic Coast Section

Brad Parrish, AICP

321-567-3776

atlanticcoast@floridaplanning.org

Secretary

Jill Quigley, AICP

954-641-5680

secretary@floridaplanning.org

Treasurer

John Roach, AICP

561-822-1448

treasurer@floridaplanning.org

EPG Representative

Jarrell Smith

407-839-4006

epg@floridaplanning.org af

First Coast Section

Ray Spofford, AICP

904-265-3189

firstcoast@floridaplanning.org

Student Representative

Sabrina Viteri

407-488-6971

students@floridaplanning.org

Emerald Coast Section

Randy Woodruff, AICP

850-689-7347

emeraldcoast@floridaplanning.org

Executive Director

Stefanie Svisco

850-201-3272

ssvisco@floridaplanning.org

Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper

Suzie Gray

850-201-3272

sgray@floridaplanning.org

Communications Manager

Patti Shea

850-201-3272

pshea@floridaplanning.org

Legislative Representative

Lester Abberger

850-524-2779

lesterabberger@gmail.com

Communications Intern

Tyler Hast

850-201-3272

intern@floridaplanning.org

Graphic Design (Consultant)

Summer Taylor

727-452-2416

summer@exaktmarketing.com

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

2 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ALIGNING OUR ACTIONS AND VALUES FOR FLORIDA’S FUTURE The return of cooler air and the end of hurricane season brings the ramping up of the political process for the next Legislative Session. Ahead of its Jan. 9 start, bills are already being filed as legislative committees hold their fall meetings. With a strong economy and rapid in-state migration continuing, look for plenty of money and influence to be wielded in the run-up to a big election year.

Through its Legislative & Policy Committee and governmental affairs advocate, APA Florida will closely track and take action where necessary on bills of interest to the planning profession and our members. I’ll highlight a few areas of interest for now: LIVE LOCAL ACT – Through the APA Florida Housing Clearinghouse, we’re gathering information on its implementation, challenges, and workarounds from our members so we can share those with legislators and their staff as a possible “glitch bill” or other action emerges. We’ve also begun receiving your ideas for potential refinements or carve-outs in the law as bill opportunities emerge. If you are interested in all aspects of housing affordability, feel free to join the Clearinghouse to contribute or just keep in touch.

TRANSPORTATION – Despite record levels of funding in the state budget going toward easing traffic congestion through the Moving Florida Forward initiative, state legislators and the truly all-powerful highway lobby are placing additional constraints on transit funding. An industry bill, SB 266, would cap public transportation expenditures at 20 percent of the State Transportation Trust Fund.

There’s already a minimum spending requirement of 15 percent toward block grant allocations to transit providers and the state’s share for matching transit grants, but this bill keeps coming back. This time, they’ve added another hurdle sure to pit cities vs. counties with a provision that public transportation projects would not count against the cap if they had super-majority support from the Board of County Commissioners. With state funding policy requiring local matches for grants and major transit projects advancing in Southeast Florida, that cap may quickly be reached, leaving little for the rest of the state unless they win over the high-threshold support of their Board of County Commissioners.

Those won’t be the least of our concerns during the upcoming session, so stay tuned to our Legislative Reporter. We are in the process of planning the 2024 Public Policy Workshop, to be held as a virtual meeting on January 25 and 26 (information here). In the meantime, if there’s a bill or topic of legislative interest, please contact LPC Chair Allara Mills-Gutcher or APA Florida staff.

CLIMATE CHANGE, THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR, AND CARBON REDUCTION If recognizing a problem is the first step, then there’s good news coming out of recent Florida Atlantic University public opinion research that shows Floridians overwhelmingly believe in climate change and want government action to address its effects. Floridians polled 16 percent higher than national surveys on those points, perhaps reflecting a geographical sense of awareness and the effects of recent storms. That helps explain some of the state’s actions on the topic of resilience and other policy changes, but there’s still plenty of resistance; for instance, the poll revealed fewer Floridians believe in human-caused climate change (57% vs. 64% in the prior survey), which may lead to less emphasis on mitigation strategies relative to adaptation strategies.

I got to thinking more about this topic at a recent Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation meeting in St. Petersburg, where presentations on the state’s Shared Use Non-motorized Trail (SUNTrail) program and non-profit Live Wildly Foundation reinforced the support we have for conservation lands, habitat preservation, and public access to scenic and natural lands. While we don’t have the structured statewide growth management framework of a prior generation of planners, we do have plenty of initiatives, directed policy actions, and funding to carry out our responsibilities in strategic and innovative ways.

By establishing the Florida Wildlife Corridor program in 2021 and passing SB 106 in 2023, there’s ample legislative support to pay for trails and wildlife crossings. The recent law authorizes a one-year infusion of $200 million and a doubling of annual funding to $50 million for the SUNTrail program, including expanded wildlife corridor support. With those policy directives and funding, it’s clear we are going to have to guide growth and development away from conservation lands and habitats through planning and strategic investments. Aligning water quality, habitat migration, environmental preservation, housing and economic development, transportation, and utilities is a massive challenge as Florida grows to 30 million residents by 2050.

We can’t keep counting on federal funds like the Carbon Reduction Program and other elements of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Inflation Reduction Act to solve our problems. We’re going to have to work community by community and across regions to continued on page 30

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 3

[2023 GREAT PLACES] WINNER

continued from cover page

Section 24 is characterized by solutions that address problems across multiple sectors, including, water management, environmental enhancement, and public recreation. It was developed through intergovernmental cooperation and addresses issues that are local and regional in nature.

As a public space, it provides access to recreational and environmental benefits across all populations. The intergovernmental approach utilized in its design and construction provides a best practice that can be replicated in other areas. The operation of Section 24 addresses not only the environmental aspects of water management but also reduces community risk and vulnerability by providing flood attenuation in the drainage basin. Lastly, the natural and created habits within the preserve benefit biodiversity and the natural systems in the community.

In order to accomplish this, Wellington’s drainage system was modified, including seven stormwater Pump Stations being built or renovated, along with the widening of nearby canals. Approximately one inch of rainwater from the drainage basin was re-routed to Section 24. It is then naturally cleansed as it flows through over two miles of combined wetland/marsh area, littoral shelves, and deepwater sediment traps.

Interior uplands and native landscaping provide an exhibition of natural Florida from the paved pedestrian path and boardwalk to seven designated learning areas. There is a large decorative trellis and a six-story observation tower located at two of these learning areas. The area also includes a 3.6-mile perimeter equestrian trail that is an extension of the approximately 65-mile Wellington bridle trail system.

Wellington is a 45 square mile, mostly residential community and world-class equestrian destination, located in Palm Beach County. The primarily equestrian area located in the southern half of the Village historically drained south directly into the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, which is part of the Florida Everglades. The 1994 Everglades Forever Act, included a mandate that waters discharging into the Refuge after Dec. 31, 2006, must comply with the State of Florida surface water quality standards. As part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Wellington Environmental Preserve at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Everglades Habitat was planned and constructed to comply with EFA requirements while maintaining historical levels of flood protection. An additional benefit included the provision of natural areas for recreational benefit and enjoyment by the public.

The synergistic result of numerous engineered improvements is a high-functioning water management system that serves the dual purposes of providing flood protection and enhancing stormwater runoff quality. The innovation in its design comes largely from the multi-faceted combination of the components. In order to maintain flood protection within Wellington, canal improvements and the creation of a surface water impoundment were necessary. The impoundment provides the drainage basin with an additional 255 million gallons of offline water storage.

The project includes: • a 365-acre water storage impoundment 4 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

• a structural perimeter berm (levee) • a 90,000 gpm stormwater pump station and operable control structure • interior uplands and landscaping • hardscape areas with educational • viewing areas and tower, equestrian and pedestrian trails and boardwalks.

The project achieved increased water quality and wildlife use through wetland plantings, construction of the 365-acre wetland/ marsh area, construction of littoral shelves and sediment traps within the canals, as well as automated trash racks/rakes at the stormwater pump stations.

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@AARPFL In a livable community, people of all ages can …

• Live safely and comfortably • Enjoy public places • Spend time outdoors • Get around without a car • Go for a walk • Ride a bike • Work or volunteer • Shop, socialize and be entertained • Access healthy food • Find the services they need and … make where they live a lifelong home.

Learn more about AARP Livable Communities by visiting aarp.org/livable.

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 5

FIRST CHARLEY, THEN IAN. One Florida Planner’s Takeaways

By Tony Palermo, AICP

“There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.”

Vladimir Lenin probably never actually said this, but it is apocryphally attributed to the Russian revolutionary anyways. No matter. It was Pravda in Southwest Florida during weeks of the late summer of 2022.

Good riddance to that whole year, by the way.

I wrote “Change After Charley” for the AugustSeptember 2005 issue of Planning magazine in the aftermath of a terrible storm - Hurricane Charley. In the summer of 2004 Charley was followed by Frances, Ivan and Jean, also punishing Florida - because, why not?

Less than 20 years later another epic catastrophe, Hurricane Ian, blasted its way through a large swath of Southwest Florida causing more death, destruction, and misery in the region again – the deadliest tropical system to hit Florida since the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.

Took vengeance on Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Florida, and the Carolinas Ian came to us by way of the Gulf of Mexico, followed by its companion pal pony Hurricane Nicole, ramming the Atlantic Coast of Florida in November just for good measure.

That’s when we canceled our subscription to the Hurricane of the Month Club. continued on page 7

6 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

[CHARLEY] IAN

continued from page 6

Last year I was one of two liaisons representing the City of Fort Myers at FIRST TAKEAWAY the Lee County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) – the other being City LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF Engineer Nicole Monahan, PE, from the EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. Public Works Department.

Masters of disaster speak an entirely Briefings for Tropical Depression different language than planners, #9 began on Sept. 23 and continued engineers, and other less-than-normal through the weekend, and far beyond. people. Warning: Acronyms are Lee County EOC in the middle of Hurricane Ian. BritThe official EOC Situation Status everywhere. Some examples: ton Holdaway, EOC Planning Manager, is standing Reports tell us on Sept. 28, Lee County in a grey shirt with a baseball cap. FEMA Nate sits in DRC – Disaster Recovery Center. was impacted by the slow-moving the foreground. Behind him sits Nicole Monahan, PE, “Disaster Recovery Centers provide City Engineer for the City of Fort Myers.

Category 4 Hurricane Ian. The eye of disaster survivors with information from the hurricane made landfall at Cayo Florida state agencies, FEMA, and the Costa with winds of 155 mph.

U.S. Small Business Administration.

The rest is history.

Survivors can get help applying for federal We heard and monitored the storm assistance and disaster loans, update from the safety of the bunker that applications, and learn about other was the EOC building. Storm surge resources available.” These turned out to inundation was reported on Fort Myers be very important to the communities we Beach, Sanibel Island, Pine Island, serve, so people could get help from flesh Cape Coral, Captiva, Bonita Springs, and blood human beings and not voices on Sanibel Matt at the Lee County Emergency Operations and downtown Fort Myers.

Center in the City of Fort Myers. the phone, or forms on a computer screen.

EOC documents explain it in POD – Point of Distribution. This is where pretty clinical terms: “The storm people can get the bare necessities in the conditions critically impacted utilities, aftermath of a disaster - food, water, ice, and communications, transportation tarps. They are like a drive-through – only infrastructure, and residential and you don’t pay anything for the invaluable commercial structures.” goods you have loaded in your vehicle.

For some 40 days and 40 nights (I The MREs – meals ready to eat – were lost count) our waking and sleeping surprisingly tasty. The POD at Fleamasters moments were devoted to the Fleamarket in the City of Fort Myers was up challenges of utility restoration, debris Sanibel Matt at the Lee County Emergency Operations and running quickly after the storm hit – and removal, damage assessment, shelter, Center in the City of Fort Myers. people were grateful for its daily presence in feeding, infrastructure repair, and those first weeks of recovery. communications.

In EOC speak: “Local, state, and federal agencies continue to RR - Resource Request - not rest and relaxation. Resource coordinate response operations in an effort to restore and stabilize Requests within WEBEOC emergency management software is critical community services and support the needs of affected where the magic happens. Lee County EOC is a master in the community members while beginning to transition into a recovery logistics of getting resources from FEMA, from the State of Florida posture.” and from Lee County – and getting it to where it is needed most – Lee County damage assessment maps tell me in Lee County whatever it is – a tent, a generator, a body bag. There’s a Resource alone more than 5,000 homes were destroyed and 50,000 were Request for that. Don’t forget the “wrap-around-services” either damaged. Over 280 commercial businesses were destroyed as when you order portable toilets, or a comfort station with showers well, over 5,500 damaged. Total commercial and residential or laundry machines. damage in Lee County was calculated at $7.3 billion. continued on page 8 I have a few takeaways from the experience.

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 7

[CHARLEY] IAN

continued from page 7

THE TALE OF THE TAPE SECOND TAKEAWAY The friends you make along the way will get you through times like this.

Sandra Tapfumaneyi is Director of Public Safety at Lee County EOC. Most memorably she was a fixture at daily briefings with the “Word of the Day.” Often inspirational – wise and wonderful words like kindness, moxie, camaraderie, stamina, synergy, flexibility, endurance, self-care were chosen. Every day there was a new and appropriate word or phrase to carry you through to the next. Sandra’s word of the day was a memorable part of Lee EOC. Britton Holdaway, Planning Manager for Lee EOC, gave us our morning and evening briefings. His team’s briefings were well-organized, punched up with good humor, bad puns, and slow claps. Occasionally he would provide the Word of the Day including the October 18 SAT-worthy “purdurable” – which means enduring, imperishable. Britton’s briefings were a memorable if not purdurable part of the Lee County EOC experience.

Some friends – you only learned their first names. FEMA Nate. Sanibel Matt. All memorable parts of the Lee EOC experience, even without a last name to remember.

Tony Palermo, AICP, is the Assistant Director of Community Development for the City of Fort Myers. He can be reached at

8 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

HURRICANE CHARLEY Born: Aug. 9, 2004; Died: Aug. 15, 2004 High winds of 150 mph At least 15 killed $16.9 billion in damage Visited its wrath upon Jamaica, The Cayman Islands, Florida, and the Carolinas

HURRICANE IAN Born: Sept. 23, 2022; Died: Oct. 2, 2022 High winds of 155 mph At least 157 killed $50.2 billion in damage

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 9

Rebuilding After

Above and below: The damage of Fort Myers Beach Elementary from Hurricane Ian in September 2022. All photos courtesy of Lee County School District.

Lee County School District Planning Challenges and Shortfalls

By Joel DeGuzman, CST-III

Hector Cafferatta Elementary suffered extreme roof and flood damage.

10 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

Hurricane Ian struck Lee County on Sept. 28, 2022, devastating homes, businesses, lives, and schools throughout Southwest Florida.

The School District of Lee County suffered nearly $300M worth of damage. Among the most impacted campuses were Fort Myers Beach Elementary, which was submerged by a 12-foot storm surge, Sanibel K-8 School took on 4 feet of standing water, and Hector Cafferata Elementary flooded after winds ripped off its entire roof.

Housing Students in 30 Days or Less. While the district’s finance staff assessed damages and worked with insurance carriers and FEMA to fund rehabilitation demands, the planning team focused on getting the district’s 95,000 students back into buildings in 30 days or less.

Having tracked student enrollment trends and facility capacities, our planning team determined that San Carlos Park Elementary could provide for the students from Fort Myers Beach Elementary and the Sanibel School. It also helped us know that there was no local capacity available for the students from Hector Cafferata Elementary.

Located in one the country’s fastest growing communities, school campuses near Hector Cafferata were already filled with portables and had no room for additional continued on page 11

[REBUILDING] AFTER IAN

continued from page 10

students. With nowhere else to go, a portable campus was erected on the fields while the buildings were being rebuilt.

Having determined where to set up the temporary campus, the next challenge was locating 30-40 portables and setting up a temporary campus that met the state’s school planning requirements.

Despite concerns raised by the district’s Planning Department, a national continuing services vendor was hired to complete the task.

The planning staff’s concern was that a national vendor not familiar with Florida’s State Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF) standards would result in sub-standard accommodations, and we were right. The portable campus was delivered on time but with several problems.

First, the campus was not designed to meet Florida class size standards, which resulted in a campus for 660 students, not 725.

And the quick installation of the temporary generators led to several power failures. Additionally, the lack of proper ADA access ramps, covered walkways, and campus connections created trip hazards and leaky roofs. Several classrooms were only 500 square feet —300 to 400 square feet less than SREF requirements.

Despite the challenges, all students from Lee County went back to school within a month of Ian’s attack on our coastline.

Housing Students Long Term. After addressing the district’s immediate needs, the focus turned to providing for displaced students long-term. The decision to rebuild The Sanibel School and Hector Cafferata was made pretty quickly. However, the future of Fort Myers Beach Elementary led to a debate about rebuilding costs, student capacity needs, and community value.

With a capacity of just over 250 students and enrollment of fewer than 80, Fort Myers Beach was the smallest school with one of the highest costs per student in Lee County. Despite being smaller than the district’s typical K-8 school, for more than 60 years the school was a cornerstone of the beach town’s identity.

Now, in the wake of Ian’s fury, the value of the school to the community was higher than ever. The district thought to shut the campus down was met with anger, angst, and desperation as the community was looking to hold on to any piece of its history that survived the storm. After considerable discussion, Lee County School District agreed to rebuild the Ft Myers Beach Elementary and the Town of Fort Myers Beach agreed to work with its community to improve enrollment.

Planning Lessons Learned. Hurricane Ian shined a critical light on every aspect of Lee County School District’s planning process. The light taught us the importance of 1) having emergency remediation firms already on retainer rather than depending on national continuing contracts; 2) having an accurate and detailed analysis of our student populations; and 3) understanding the location of available land. More importantly, we learned that the lack of planning increases the cost of and problems caused by catastrophic events.

Hector Cafferatta Elementary suffered extreme roof and flood damage

Lee County School District Planning Department has always tried to apply two very basic principles to our work: 1) The six Ps (Propper Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance) and 2) “Plan for the worst but work for the best.”

Moving forward from Ian, we will continue to push for this type of rational thinking so that next time our district will be better prepared.

Joel S. DeGuzman, CST-III, is the District Planning Coordinator for the Department of Planning, Growth, & Capacity of the School District of Lee County. He can be reached at joelsd@leeschools.net.

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Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 11

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12 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

ELEVATING the Conversation on Voluntary Freeboard Alec Bogdanoff, Ph.D.

An essential facet of resilience is ensuring that a hazard, like storm surge, does not become a disaster.

Elevating structures, especially for new construction, is a foundational resilience element. More and more communities are grappling with how to let residents build higher without sacrificing the community’s character or unintentionally devaluing property due to height restrictions. Voluntary freeboard is an additional height to elevate a structure with the ability to exceed height restrictions by a similar amount.

In 2015, Key West voters approved a referendum allowing voluntary freeboard in flood zones with the ability to exceed height restrictions based on that elevation.

Miami Beach adopted a voluntary freeboard ordinance in 2016, which allowed structures to be built up to 5 feet above the Base Flood Elevation without sacrificing the allowed height of the structure.

Broward County adopted a Future Conditions 100-Year Flood Elevation Map in 2021, which created a more resilient planning and design requirement for the lowest habitable floor.

And just in September of this year, Lee County recently voted in favor of a “resiliency cushion” of up to 4 feet for buildings in the Coastal A and V Zones.

In each case, residents see financial benefits to elevating structures through reduced flood insurance premiums. There are also additional costs of a flood that no insurance can cover and when disaster does strike, and being able to build back stronger and more resilient just makes sense.

Elevating a home so it does not flood may seem like an easy concept but there are challenges. In many communities with relatively low height restrictions, especially in residen-

tial communities near the coast, elevating a home to protect it from flooding can substantially sacrifice livable height.

Florida Building Code requires all habitable buildings to be constructed to the designated Base Flood Elevation (BFE) + one foot of so-called freeboard.

Some communities go beyond the Florida Building Code and require structures on the lowest floor to be two feet above the BFE. But these requirements only apply to homes within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Further, there is still a risk of flooding outside of an SFHA, where a BFE is likely not provided.

Communities are quick to utilize BFE as a metric for resilience because it is readily available and generally understood.

It may not always be the best metric. The flood maps we use to decide the elevation of new buildings often need to be updated. They do not account for future conditions like sea level rise and heavier rainfall and can have multiple-foot jumps in BFE across an artificial boundary that is unrealistic.

For Hurricane Harvey in Texas, nearly three-quarters of the homes flooded were outside the SFHA, also known as the 100-year floodplain. Hurricanes Irma and Ian revealed the risk of flooding in areas not officially identified as SFHAs. By addressing voluntary freeboard now, communities can incentivize resilience, reduce the likelihood of homes and businesses flooding, and be well-prepared to build back strong in the face of a flood event. And these conversations should occur before a flood because rebuilding after a disaster is already challenging enough. continued on page 32

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 13

2023 FLORIDA PLANNING CONFERENCE

IN PHOTOS

14 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

THANK YOU TO THE 2023 FLORIDA PLANNING CONFERENCE SPONSORS We had a record 40 sponsors and exhibitors this year. We are thankful for all who continue to support planning and the planners in Florida through sponsoring this event annually.

We hope to see you all in Tampa for FPC24!

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Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 15

Congratulations to the

2023 Leadership Award Recipients!

Each year APA Florida, through its Planning Leadership Awards, recognizes individuals or organizations for their leadership on planning issues. These awards are APA Florida’s highest honors.

APA Florida’s Planning Leadership Awards Program consists of the Leadership Awards and the Chapter Award for Best EDI Workplace. Please read about this year’s recipients.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE CHAPTER

Laura Everitt, AICP, ESQ., LEED GA During her six-year presidential cycle, Laura Everitt, AICP, Esq., LEED GA, dealt with two major issues: the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to a new Executive Director.

Laura took personal ownership of both issues and addressed them early, and without her diligence and commitment to holding the 2020 Florida Planning Conference through a virtual platform, we may have skipped that conference altogether.

Anticipating a change at the chapter office with a retiring executive director, Laura led efforts to establish an Employee Handbook and other written policies and guidance for the incoming Executive Director as well as spearheading the Executive Director search.

She tirelessly worked on the search committee, conducting most of the leg work of reviewing candidate resumes, scheduling interviews, and creating a scoring worksheet as a committee tool in helping choose the best candidate. With a short time to seat a new director, her organizational skills were the key to a successful offer to our current director in a timely manner.

Laura showed the same dedication to establishing the chapter’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee, and personally committed to this effort through her work with the Nominating Committee and completing EDI training. While dealing with all these issues is part of the job of the President and Immediate Past President, Laura did it under extraordinary circumstances with professionalism and grace.

Before her presidential stint, Laura led the Sun Coast Section and reshaped the and Vice President of Membership Services position. In that role, she authored APA Florida’s first Membership Strategy to understand and combat the impacts of the recession of the late 2000s to our membership numbers. From that analysis, she put forth strategies to attract and retain members. Her subsequent implementation of these strategies was beneficial to our organization.

The financial strength of the organization stayed a healthy course during a global economic stoppage. A new director was successfully chosen, and a high-attendance conference continued 16 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

on during a global pandemic. Laura’s lasting contributions to the chapter allowed us to remain stable through a time of uncertainty.

OUTSTANDING LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR

Kristen Shell, AICP Kristen Shell, AICP, is a valued asset to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners, who rely on her as Walton County Planning and Development Services Deputy Director and her two decades of expertise and experience.

Her dedicated service during the planning and execution of numerous countywide development projects will forever leave an indelible mark on Walton County, its communities and residents alike.

Kristen demonstrates exceptional strategic thinking and planning skills, through developing creative solutions to the complex challenges associated with increased public well-being, meeting the needs of local constituents, ensuring future development compatibility, and increased environmental considerations. She has been instrumental in the designing, revising and adopting of the county’s zoning districts, land development code, comprehensive plan, mobility plan, short-term rental certification program, stormwater guideline implementation, numerous grants, and project reviews.

She fights for the citizen’s right to understand and implement solutions on their property. This kind of effort ultimately reduces the cost for owners of single-family homes for permits and construction. It plays an important role in impacting the overall costs of permitting in our county. In doing this, she exemplifies the values of the American Planning Association in all that she does.

Kristen’s approach, and how she views the world, empowers the public in decision-making and sustainable growth in their communities. Numerous groups and individuals have relied on her to understand the rules, regulations, plans, and goals of the county and communities to aid in presenting wishes before each committee or board representing the county. Her actions in her role as a director and leader within the community reflect her character and her beliefs in good planning, sustainable growth, and consensus building. continued on page 17

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OUTSTANDING MEDIA LEADERSHIP

The Tampa Bay Times, Tracey McManus, and Olivia George Tracey McManus is a veteran newspaper reporter who primarily covers the cities of Clearwater and Tarpon Springs, Florida, as well as has the Scientology beat, which is headquartered in the City of Clearwater.

As Tampa Bay’s third largest city with just over 100,000 residents, Clearwater is a leading international tourism destination and manufacturing employment hub stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Old Tampa Bay. Tarpon Springs. While much smaller, Tarpon Springs is a distinctive city steeped in Greek culture from its history as a leading sponge diving location for 100 years. Both cities have experienced major planning and development decisions that have influenced election outcomes. “I have found her to be a thorough and reliable reporter, who does her homework and reads your quotes back to you to make sure they’re accurate,” said APA Florida President Whit Blanton, FAICP, who nominated Tracey.

Reporter Olivia George’s transportation coverage has affected change throughout Tampa and Hillsborough County. Her enterprise story coverage of a week of deadly crashes in Tampa “brought several of our staff members to tears,” said Sun Coast Section Katrina Corcoran, who nominated Olivia.

“She consistently reports on local government issues in a clear, straightforward, and empathic manner,” Katrina continues.

At a time when the work we do matters, we need journalists to explain how planners can positively change communities and understand what we do and how we do it.

STUDENT PLANNER OF THE YEAR

Beneetta Mary Jose Beneetta is a second-year student in the University of South Florida Master of Urban and Regional Planning program.

Among Beneetta’s many notable achievements, perhaps the most significant is her leadership in APA’s national Student Design Competition. Entirely above and beyond her full-time course enrollment and fellowship position at the Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization, Beneetta organized a team to participate in this competition, rallying a group of four busy students to take on the challenge of redesigning a long-neglected brownfield in the Logan Triangle neighborhood of Philadelphia. Beneetta served as chair of the team, overseeing the work of Team Bulls — composed of herself as well as USF MURP students Aditi Hoti, Samad Agha, and Varshini Renikunta.

Following a presentation at the National Planning Conference, the project placed third in the nation!

The national Student Design Competition was not the only intensive planning project Beneetta participated in this year. Beneetta was also a team leader for the inaugural USF studio project. For the first time ever, USF launched a dedicated studio course designed to allow students to create planning solutions for a real-world client. For Spring 2023, the studio partnered with the St. Pete Innovation District. The six-student studio team developed mobility and identity solutions for the district and addressed critical planning issues including activating district edges, pedestrian mobility, institutional partnerships, placemaking, and wayfinding. Beneetta focused on parking solutions for the District—one of the core concerns for area stakeholders. Her concepts for wrapped parking garages and parking coordinated with mobility hubs were received enthusiastically at the final project presentation.

As a result of these connections, she made at the National Planning Conference, Beneetta was invited to serve as student representative for the APA National Awards jury effective from January 2023 to December 2023.

• Beneetta is also the recipient of USF MURP Fellowship, the top graduate funding opportunity for MURP students. This award comes with a tuition waiver and 20-hour/week internship opportunity.

• She is entering her second year as a fellow working with the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization. In this role, Beneetta does various mapping products for Hillsborough TPO that feature prominently in the Nondiscrimination & Equity Plan, 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan, and Transportation Improvement Program.

• She is also the recipient of the top academic scholarship within the USF MURP program—the Mark Bentley APA Sun Coast Section Scholarship.

• Finally, Beneetta will serve on the USF MURP Student Planning Organization this academic year. This group interacts with national and local APA members and provides critical leadership around issues for emerging planners.

Dr. Van Linkous, who nominated Beneetta, states: As these many accomplishments richly illustrate, Beneetta is an incredible supporter of the planning profession. She embraces opportunities to serve and showcase planning. She is a natural leader who takes on responsibility and works hard to ensure project success.

BEST EDI WORKPLACE

Miami-Dade County Regulatory & Economic Resources Planning Division The Miami-Dade County’s Regulatory & Economic Resources Planning Division’s 26 full-time employees include a range of backgrounds, continued on page 18

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ethnicities, and nationalities and its management is as diverse. The staff is nearly evenly divided between male and female, and is also representative of several historically excluded communities, including the Black/ African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian American, and LGBTQ+ communities. Nearly half of the staff was born outside the mainland U.S. Beyond the staffing and hiring practices, the division has shown its dedication to equity, diversity, and inclusion through its work. In January 2021, the division made a concerted decision to center its historic preservation program on equity, leveraging the power of the county’s historic places to build a more equitable community for our residents.

The program started with an audit of county-designated historic sites to determine what level of diverse representation was included in the designations. It found that Miami-Dade County is 70 percent Latin, but only 1 percent of designated sites reflect this heritage. As part of this effort, the division’s historic preservation staff also analyzed statelevel data, which reflects a similar lack of diversity.

This audit led to a broader discussion of equity in planning and zoning, prompting staff to undertake a deep research dive into the history of planning and zoning policies and how those have resulted in decades of inequitable policy implementation.

As a result, the division broadened its equitable raining beyond historic preservation to include planning and zoning issues. The expanded program investigates the origins of planning and zoning ordinances and policies nationwide.

The program also identifies specific target areas and potential programs and plans for implementation and/or expansion within existing county agencies. Identified targeted subject areas include: 1. Affordable Housing 2. Gentrification/Displacement 3. Planning 4. Development Services 5. Historic & Cultural Preservation 6. Resiliency 7. Community Development Potential programs and plans to implement or expand upon include: 8. Cultural Equity Planning & Mapping 9. Equitable Development Scorecard 10. Displacement Mitigation Strategy 11. Cultural Development Plan 12. Heritage Business Ordinance 13. Dade Heritage Trust Revolving Fund for Affordable Housing 14. General evaluation of existing policies with equity lens To date, Miami-Dade County RER Planning has held more than 10 EDI in planning and zoning training sessions, which have ranged from internal staff training to external local, statewide, and national sessions.

Effective public policymaking requires consideration of long-neglected issues related to equity and inclusion and the Miami-Dade County’s Regulatory & Economic Resources Planning Division 18 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

is creating a framework that not only provides information, but specific action items and next steps towards real progress.

BEST EDI WORKPLACE

Village Of Wellington Through thoughtful community planning efforts, and supported by innovative programming, outreach activities, and employee training, the Village of Wellington’s culture of engagement and belonging is far-reaching. Wellington’s approach provides a safe space for all who live, play, and work in our community. Village leaders are proud of its inclusivity and belonging efforts that addresses both employees as well as residents.

Wellington’s roughly 62,000 residents are served by a diverse staff of approximately 385 employees (depending on the time of year). Over the last seven years, Wellington’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have resulted in a number of positive outcomes including: more females holding the highest-level positions, the percentage of multi-national employees, and the median age of Wellington employees surpassing the median age of its residents.

The Village of Wellington is committed to the principles of equal employment in regard to all aspects of employment, and strives to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation based on a variety of factors that stretch beyond those protected by federal, state, or local laws. In order to support values centered around inclusivity and belonging, training is focused on multiple aspects of inclusion, including LGBTQ and ally-inclusive diversity training, “Differences Matter” training, and training on topics such as neuro-diversity and mental health.

Policies supporting Wellington’s diverse employee population include policies for anti-bullying, extended medical leave, domestic partnerships, paid parental leave, and standard medical coverage for treatments and procedures for the gender diverse community, such as medically necessary gender-reassignment surgeries and treatments, as well as gender re-assignment.

Wellington has also adopted numerous proclamations in support of diversity and inclusion such as Transgender Day of Visibility, Transgender Day of Remembrance, National Down Syndrome Month, Juneteenth, National Hispanic Heritage Month, and many others.

Wellington’s relationship with its community is widespread and evident in the support and participation shown by its residents, businesses, non-profit agencies, and faith-based organizations.

It truly “takes a village” to address the needs and wants of all factions of the community, and Wellington’s hometown approach allows everyone to feel a sense of belonging.

Congratulations to the

2023 Project Award Recipients

The 2023 APA Florida Project Awards were celebrated at the annual conference. These awards recognize the development, conservation, government, or environmental projects where planning has had a positive impact on the outcome. This year there were five Awards of Excellence and five Awards of Merit. Let’s meet this year’s winners!

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE City of Groveland’s Dark Sky Initiative

(L to R) Andrew Landis and Regan Armstrong

Category: Implementation Project In June 2023, Groveland was named the first IDA-certified Dark Sky Community in Florida by curbing light pollution, safeguarding wildlife and their habitats, and preserving the natural charm of the night sky through its Dark Sky Initiative. The program has tremendous community and business support. The city plans to retrofit all city-owned lighting within five years. New developments must meet dark sky standards, and staff educates applicants and reviews plans to ensure compliance with the ordinance. Groveland’s commitment to environmental preservation and community engagement inspires other local governments and communities to protect Florida’s night sky.

Healthy West Orange Wellness Park

(L to R) Ginger Corless, AICP

Category: Implementation Project Healthy West Orange Wellness Park was created based on planning/urban design studies to enhance community health, connectivity and green infrastructure within the Citys redevelopment district. Partnering with the Foundation for a Healthier West Orange, Ocoee transformed two of its stormwater ponds into a wellness destination. The five-acre park features a multipurpose trail, four shaded wellness stations with a combined total of 10 fitness equipment pieces, a ceremonial plaza for various events, and a boardwalk with a shaded pavilion. The stormwater ponds turned park is beautifully landscaped with 308 trees and 800 shoreline plants to help improve the ponds water quality.

Cascades Trail Skateable Art Park

(L to R) Eliza Chase and Tatiana Daguillard

Category: Implementation Project The Capital Cascades Trail Skateable Art Park in Tallahassee is a world-class, award-winning skate park that exemplifies the result of innovative and collaborative planning. The Skateable Art Park is unique, featuring Floridas longest snake run at 225 feet long and a variety of skating amenities that double as public art sculptures. Sited on a small strip of land that previously had little utility due to its proximity to transmission lines and box culverts, this project now serves as an example of how transformative, quality-of-life improvements can be implemented despite significant challenges and complex physical features.

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AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE Special Committee on Critical Quality of Life Issues

(L to R) Councilmember Boylan and Elizabeth Payne, AICP

Category: Best Practices The City of Jacksonville undertook a comprehensive process to address quality of life involving affordable housing, homelessness, and access to healthcare. This process lasted four months, included more than 670 meeting attendees, nearly 30 substantial presentations, provider and public input, and 16 recommendations. These suggested actions together have already started improving lives throughout Jacksonville, including for those without a permanent home and/or who need physical and mental treatment. The consideration of all three issues in one effort is merely the first step in a greater process.

Wimauma Downtown Revitalization Action Plan

(L to R) Matt Lewis and John Patrick

Category: Neighborhood Planning In 2007, Hillsborough County collaborated with residents and community partners to create a Wimauma Community Plan, which was subsequently updated in 2020. Wimauma is experiencing a population boom. The town, which has over 16,000 residents, is on pace to double in the next 20 years. An Action Plan was created to implement the Community Plan that strategically lays out the foundational sequence of specific steps with timelines that are attainable to complete. These steps build upon each other and will help the community to move forward to make their larger vision a success.

Livable Orlando: An Age-Friendly Initiative Action Plan 2022 - 2025

(L to R) APA Florida Executive Director hands Jim Burnett, AICP, his award as President Whit Blanton observes.

Category: Innovation in Planning for All Ages The Livable Orlando: An Age-Friendly Initiative Action Plan 2022-2025 is Orlandos blueprint to make Orlando the best city in which to live and age well. Developed under the auspices of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities and the World Health Organization, Livable Orlando features strategies designed to create a more age-friendly community based on eight domains of livability that address both the built environment and the social environment. The Action Plan integrates arts, culture, place-making, and technology, and can be considered a model for other local governments in their own efforts to become more age-friendly.

North Star Legacy Communities: Gadsden County Heritage

(L to R) The Florida State University studio project students.

Category: Outstanding Student Project Gadsden County Heritage: A North Star Legacy Communities Project represents the second iteration of the North Star Legacy Communities project and stems from the partnership of Legacy Communities of North Florida, Inc., the FSU Barnebey Planning and Development Lab, FAMU, and the Florida Department of State. Following resounding success in Jackson County in 2020, Gadsden County Heritage created several public-facing deliverables and effectively expanded the framework for conducting historic preservation and economic activities in Black communities in north Florida, aiming to preserve the rich stories of rural Black residents and bolster economic prospects in the region. continued on page 21

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AWARDS OF MERIT The Bay: One Park for All in Sarasota

(L to R) Alvimarie Corales, AICP; Alison Christie, AICP; Rebecca Webster; and Corinne Arriaga, AICP

Category: Implementation Project A compelling first phase following an unprecedented and inclusive master planning process, The Bay is the City of Sarasotas first signature waterfront park. Located where the citys iconic Boulevard of the Arts meets the Sarasota Bay, The Bay is a living demonstration of 21st-century sustainability principles, a memorable community gateway to and on the water, and a strong commitment to community-driven planning and implementation. This 10-acre park brings together active, changing spaces for Sarasotas diverse community, regional trail and mobility connections, and intimate places of deep nature immersion within the City.

Lake Ridge BTactical Pilot Project

(L to R) Milos Majstorovic; Maritza Daniel; Karen Warfel; James Cromar; and Ben Rogers

Category: Implementation Project The Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (BMPO) partnered with the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Lake Ridge Civic Association, and Street Plans to implement multimodal safety improvements along NE 15th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The installed treatments used low-cost, temporary materials to test the impacts of this transformation to prioritize safety and accessibility, and encourage the use of sustainable modes of travel. The project transformed a car-centered arterial into a people-centered street, including the creation of curb extensions, protected bike lanes, crosswalks, and other pedestrian amenities. The project resulted in a 98% reduction in speeding and a 168% increase in bicycle usage.

Resilient Ready Tampa Bay

(L to R) Alana Todd and Courtney Wright

Category: Best Practices The Resilient Ready Tampa Bay project involved multidisciplinary design charettes to develop solutions that address current and future flood challenges in three exemplary sites across the region. The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council worked closely with local stakeholders and regional, national, and international experts to assess the sites and design resilient multifunctional green infrastructure interventions during three, three-day intensive workshops. The innovative planning process and resulting design concepts developed for each of the three study areas help to advance project development and implementation by demonstrating a menu of flood solutions for short and long-term mitigation.

SPARC-ing Community Spaces for Arts and Wellness

(L to R) Adrian Santiago; Richard (Drew) Borzi; and Emre Tepe, Ph.D.

Category: Outstanding Student Project This study analyzes demographic and land use information, inventories, arts, and wellness resources. Also, it characterizes the nature of existing policy from governing bodies and nonprofits to identify generalized opportunities and constraints throughout Alachua County and the City of Gainesville. These analyses ultimately led to three area and site recommendations for community stakeholders to pursue as alternative approaches to the previously proposed Downtown Firehouse Restoration site for SPARC352s community activity headquarters. As students of the community, our role is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the physical and human capital that would best serve the ideals of SPARC352. continued on page 22

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St. Petersburg Innovation District Neighborhood Master Plan

(L to R) Varshini Renikunta; Connor Baird; Rachel Kling; Beneetta Mary Jose; and Abdul Samad Agha

Category: Outstanding Student Project The USF MURP Studio contracted with and executed a master plan vision for St. Petersburgs Innovation District. The vision was to create an innovative, vibrant, and interconnected urban district that fosters connections, activates open space, enhances mobility, and expands greenspace. The students collected best practice resources, reviewed meeting notes for stakeholder input, met with key players in the citys planning and zoning, parking, and economic development departments, Forward Pinellas, and conducted two expansive walking audits of the entire area. The collection of their efforts and recommendation were presented in a professional quality report.

B-Hive

(L to R) Varshini Renikunta; Beneetta Mary Jose; and Abdul Samad Agha

Category: Outstanding Student Project We envision Logan a B-HIVE community as: B- Balanced in terms of redevelopment program that enhances livability; H- Healthy by providing access to outdoor areas for breathing clean air, to facilities for walking and bicycling, and to fresh food at the weekly market; I- Inclusive for all age ranges, all ethnic groups, and all socioeconomic backgrounds by offering a portion of affordable housing; V- Vibrant mix of uses that create opportunity and attract residents and businesses; E- Empower the community with new assets.

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T R AV E L W I T H A P L A N N E R S E Y E We asked our members to send us pictures from recent travels and tell us if they noticed

Netherlands

something unique about the city/town/village from a planner’s perspective.

Karla Ebenba ch, AICP: Som e views around Amsterdam in the Netherland s, where the Dutch figur ed out long ag o how to live with water. Al so, the public realm is high valued and lif ly e on the street s is dynamic pedestrians an ... d bicycles rule the roads here !

a Colorado, Wyoming & Florid th strian street lined wi lo., is a popular pede Co n. su er, er uld Bo mm in su e ll th Ma l Street a respite from Christi Elflein: Pear shade sails provide d an s ee Tr s. t nt ee ra str tau en over the local shops and res town Denver have tak wn do in s nt ra tau shops and res The Larimer Square ere. d a festive atmosph an ing din alternative way to or with outdo n, Wyo., provide an so ck Ja of n tow e th ach rides through Traditional stageco g through st Florida stretchin tour the town. st Street in Northea Fir er ov e tak ts lis ly, bicyc tic Beach.

On the Fourth of Ju ne Beach and Atlan nville Beach, Neptu so ck Ja of ns tow e th continued on page 24

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California

Nevada

s Mountain en Magic v lic e b S u e p h f T o son: allation Ann John -scale, inst just outside e rg la l u is a colorf e desert cated in th atures 7, artwork lo The installation fe t in height s. a fee of Las Veg ms ranging 30-35 ing te rs consist to lo o w c dayglo e various th t in n d se te re in p a ers to re ld that are p l u ia o c b fi d ti e r ourc and a of locally-s f both the natural . o e area confluenc as Vegas es of the L landscap

Colorado

Jayme L opko, A ICP: On I was at ar San Jua n Hills H ecent trip to Ca located lifornia, igh Scho in rough ol. The s te views o chool is f the sur rrain in the hil ls ro there fo r my da unding area. W with beautiful ugh hile par able to e ked njoy the ter’s softball p ractice shade d lot bein I was ue to th g cover e entire with sola dual use parking rp of the p arking lo anels. It is a gr to vehic ea t that pr les park ed below ovides s t power s hade and sup upply of plemen the scho ts the ol.

Arizona Emily Johnson, AICP: Found this Shakespeare quote on the side of a government building while strolling through Denver, Colorado. The shadow of the American flag casts a poignant reminder as to why I chose and continue to embrace my profession.

Turkey

ue, er, AICP: Tlaquepaq Allara Mills Gutch example an is , ge lla Vi s Craft Sedona’s Arts and ine tw er d culture int of how shopping an ovides strian only spot pr de pe is Th y. ull beautif e lag vil an ditional Mexic an example of a tra y. lon co t tis ar nt ra d a vib with restaurants an

Hungary

key Lower Duden Waterfalls in Tur Luis Nieves-Ruiz, FAICP: The er spills off Riv en Dud the as rs occu is a spectacular cascade that the Mediterranean Sea. Besides the Antalya City cliffs into the of amenities iety var a s ude incl also k Par amazing views, Duden visit. that make it a great place to

Ian Siko nia vacation , AICP: My fam il to Hung ary and y took a summ grate in er I notice Budape d th st. of this tr ee grate I liked the desig is tree n aesthe and sna pped a p tics hoto.

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Germany

Louisiana

Carol V an Guil de New Or leans W r AICP: arehou Arts dis se/ tr wareho ict: reuse of uses in to apar hotels, tme re venues staurants and nts, in the N a ew Orle rt Wareho an us Walkab e & Arts Dist s ric le walkin neighborhood t. gd : conven istance to tion ce nte waterfr ont and r, downto wn.

l ultimoda , ACIP: M estin ll b e s id it p t S a Cynthia tioning c n fu . The n s o le tati re bicyc transpor cles s and mo y le c ic y b ic d e B of park Berlin! ts lo e c th li b ith pu picture w ont of the Berlin t fr the stree is right in atsbibliothek) on ta librar y (S n” en Linde “Unter d

California

and San Francisco’s Castro Elisabeth Staten, AICP: sswalks cro n ter s. The red pat Chinatown neighborhood were y the as ng aki be placem in Chinatown seemed to s eet str e Th . ood orh ghb nei only present within the of ent vem was a constant mo were bustling and there o str Ca e Th . ood orh t the neighb pedestrians throughou sswalks cro low yel the d an s alk was full of rainbow crossw city. the in e her ew els t sen pre

Austria Stefanie von Paleske -Bush, AICP: T his of many is one be found th nches roughou t Innsbru ck really p . It is lea sit and r sant to es the love t among ly flowe rs.

England

I are touring Europe Terry Clark: My wife and cycle and seeing and the UK on our motor planning. This is a lots of great examples of the town center of in t bou nda picture of a rou scale of the buildings, Staunton, England. The sidewalks, and ds, roa , ent central monum bikeways is perfect.

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2023 ANDRE ANDERSON MINORITY SCHOLORSHIP AWARDED TO

RENEE MACK By: Patti Shea

APA Florida is excited to announce Renee Mack as the recipient of the 2023 Andre Anderson Minority Scholarship.

Currently, Renee is pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Central Florida (UCF), having already earned a Master of Public Administration. Renee’s dedication, passion, and commitment to making a positive impact in her community made her the top candidate.

The scholarship is named after Andre Anderson, APA Florida’s first Black president.

Renee’s journey into the field of urban planning began during a transformative experience while volunteering at a local hospital.

Looking out from the hospital’s top floor, she was moved by the striking contrast between the thriving downtown area and the disadvantaged neighborhoods nearby. This revelation inspired her to become an agent of change for communities in need.

Reflecting on her passion for urban planning, Renee shared, “I want to help foster trust between community and government, which means that I will engage daily in that community. I will live in that community, not commute forty-five minutes away. I believe that it will help me become the kind of planner who makes the changes that people have been begging for. Not only for them, but for me as well.”

Renee’s internship experience with Orange County Government’s Planning Division has further enriched her understanding of planning processes and prepared her for her upcoming Master of Urban and Regional Planning at UCF. Her dedication to fostering inclusivity and celebrating diversity shines through as she expressed, “The world is populated with people of every race, creed, sexuality, gender, and perspective. I want voices like mine to not only be heard but taken seriously and celebrated. I want girls who look and think like me to be able to see a path for themselves in the field, should they choose it. I want to be their trailblazer and forge a way forward for them — for us — where highways never ran.”

Renee’s outstanding achievements, unwavering commitment, and the potential she possesses will have a meaningful impact in the field of urban planning. With her passion for creating positive change and her dedication to empowering underrepresented voices, Renee’s journey inspires us all to envision a more equitable and inclusive future.

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Renee Mack

In Memoriam Rob Magee Robert Alan Magee, 74, passed away on Oct. 2 in Tallahassee surrounded by his loving family and friends.

Rob was born in Plainfield, N.J., to Bob and Bea Magee on Jan. 29, 1949. At a young age, the family moved to Glenview, Ill., where Rob was raised and proudly claimed Chicago as home. His lifelong love of sports was fueled by his high school football career playing center for the Glenbrook South Titans. He went on to receive a Bachelor of History from the University of Tennessee, followed by a Master of Education from Arizona State University and a Master or Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. He also served in the Navy for a short period and was based at the Naval Air Station Pensacola. Rob spent most of his life working as a professional urban and transportation planner at the local and state levels, finally retiring from the Florida Department of Transportation in 2013.

Rob loved life. He always had a smile on his face and a joke or story to share; in fact, no one laughed harder at these than he did himself. He never met a stranger and when you became a friend, you were one for life. He was also a loving and involved husband, father, and grandfather. Rob’s later years were filled with following and attending games for the Tennessee Volunteers, Florida State Seminoles, Chicago White Sox (everyone knows Cubs are for kids), Bears, and Blackhawks. He also enjoyed optimistically managing his fantasy baseball team in hopes of avoiding finishing in the dreaded “lunch line”, walking his dog, honing his palate as a craft beer connoisseur, and spending happy hours and Sunday dinners with friends and family. He was overjoyed to welcome his first grandchild to the world late last year and thrilled to adopt the moniker of “Poppa”.

Rob was preceded in death by his father, Robert F. Magee, and his mother, Beatrice Magee. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Julia; son, Kyle (Elizabeth) of Tallahassee; daughter, Lindsay (David) of Statesville, N.C.; sister, Patricia (Stan) of Shelbyville, Ky.; granddaughter, Claire Magee; and a number of nieces and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Leon County Humane Society.

David Depew, AICP, Ph.D., LEED AP It is with great sadness the family of David W Depew PhD, AICP, LEED AP announced his passing on Oct. 2, 2023, after a courageous two-year battle with leukemia. David is lovingly remembered by Margaret, his adoring wife of 32 years, His brother, Kenneth, of Fort Myers, and by many other beloved family members and friends.

Before he established Depew Planning Services, David was the former Lee County Director of Community Development and the co-founder, principal, and former President of Morris-Depew Associates. For more than 40 years, David was involved in numerous land planning, development permitting, zoning, and comprehensive planning, as well as eminent domain-related planning issues and litigation assistance across the state of Florida. He was widely recognized as a leading expert in each field.

Accompanied at his side by his wife, Margaret, David had an adventurous life driven by his inquisitiveness, and filled with a variety of interests, including worldwide travel, scuba, diving, and boating. David was also a master chef and wine aficionado.

The dinner parties for family and friends were legendary. He will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

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Mastering the AICP Exam: Tips and Strategies for Success

By: Jared Austin, AICP, Sabrina Dugan, and Corinne Arriage, AICP, CPH

The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is a prestigious certification offered by the American Planning Association (APA), signifying a planner’s commitment to high professional standards, ethics, and expertise in urban planning. AICP certification is essential for planners aiming to address the complex challenges of American urban planning effectively.

In the ever-evolving landscape of American urban planning, AICP certification plays a vital role in elevating the credibility and competence of planners. Planners with AICP certification are not just experts; they are ethical professionals committed to creating sustainable, equitable, and prosperous communities. Furthermore, AICP certification provides career benefits, including opportunities for management positions and higher salaries.

The AICP certification process involves three key steps: registration for the exam, taking the exam, and applying for certification.

These steps ensure that planners possess the knowledge and skills necessary for ethical and effective urban, regional, and rural planning. More detailed information about eligibility, exam format, and topics, and the One Path process can be found on APA’s One Path to AICP webpage.

To succeed in the AICP exam, planners should adopt effective study habits, such as early and consistent studying, focusing on a concise array of study materials, enrolling in AICP preparation courses, creating notecards, and practicing with sample exams.

While many resources are available to succeed on the AICP exam we highly recommend the Henry Bittaker AICP prep course combined with the Planetizen AICP prep notecards and practice exams. It should be noted, however, that the Planetizen materials do cost around $255. While AI and chatbots like GPT can be useful study aids, they should not be relied upon as the sole source of preparation for the AICP exam. GPT lacks the specificity, interactivity, and up-to-date information required for thorough exam preparation. For a more detailed breakdown on how to maximize your study time with these materials, Jared has put together a study guide that can be accessed for free at tinyurl.com/AICPGuide.

Taking the exam can be costly, we highly encourage researching

28 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

scholarship opportunities. A good place to start is to reach out to your local APA Florida section.

Upon passing the exam, planners must complete the final step of submitting their experience and written descriptions demonstrating their qualifications in three AICP criteria. It requires planners to specify their experience in these categories in 100 words or less, so we recommend having your most up-to-date resume handy and to be as concise as possible. Using a Word document for this submission can be helpful in terms of organization and revision.

In summary, achieving AICP certification is a significant accomplishment that demonstrates a planner’s commitment to professionalism and competence in the field of urban planning. It requires careful preparation, effective study habits, and a comprehensive approach to learning. Applying these coupled with your experience in the field will lead to that illustrious certification.

Jared Austin, AICP, is a Principal Planner for Forward Pinellas.

He can be reached at jaustin@forwardpinellas.org.

Sabrina Dugan is the VP of Research and Development for AutoReview.ai. She can be reached at sdugan@autoreview.ai.

Corinne Arriaga, AICP, CPH, is a Transportation Planner for the City of Sarasota. She can be reached at corinne.arriaga@sarasotafl.gov.

Who’s Afraid of Artificial Intelligence?

By: Dr. Paul Van Buskirk, FAICP, Ph.D., PE, and David Farmer, AICP, MPA, PE

For the second year in a row, the American Planning Association’s annual publication “Foresight” named AI as one of the “7 Trends Knocking at the Planning Office Door.”

Although the media bombards us with dire warnings about AI, it helps to remember that James Russell Lowell quote – “Mishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or the handle.”

We have been researching potential uses of AI and had a strong hunch that it might be useful in compatibility analysis.

A general approach to determining the future use of a vacant parcel is to look at the zoning and future land use.

Unfortunately, when these sources indicate multiple land uses such as commercial and residential or commercial and multifamily, the future land use can be nebulous.

In these cases, as planners we turn to compatibility analysis – meaning that we look at the surrounding land uses to see what the probable land use might be.

When analyzing one parcel, this is a perfect procedure.

However, when analyzing thousands or millions of parcels, this approach is not very practical.

As part of our work for the Lee County MPO, two areas of particular interest are Lehigh Acres and Cape Coral. Both are pre-platted communities, and many of the parcels allow a variety of land uses.

For example, a Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) may have a thousand parcels that allow single-family or multi-family uses.

If we assume all the various lots will be developed as singlefamily but instead, they are developed as duplexes, we have grossly underestimated the future housing units and population.

Conversely, if we were to assume that all of the vacant parcels were going to be duplexes and they were developed as single-family, we have overestimated the future housing units and population.

However, with AI we can systematically analyze every adjacent land use and (based on compatibility analysis) suggest what the future land use of a given parcel will be.

Is AI perfect? NO! However, in about three hours AI was able to analyze over 500,000 parcels in Lee County, including Lehigh Acres and Cape Coral, to make intelligent suggestions as to which parcels would be single-family and which would be multi-family.

We believe this significantly increases the accuracy of our forecasts – leading to better traffic models and better prioritization of resources. continued on page 30

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 29

APA Florida

PLANNERS ON THE MOVE BESSER’S RESEARCH NOTED

BY LOCAL MEDIA Miami media outlets picked up Liliah Besser’s, Ph.D., MSPH, research on greenspace impacts on brain health. The University of Miami study concludes that providing more greenspaces can improve the long-term impacts on residents’ health, including dementia and chronic heart conditions. Those in lower-income or disadvantaged neighborhoods without parks and other greening amenities are linked to a higher risk of dementia.

News spots here and here.

HARBIN NAMED PLANNING MANAGER Laurel Harbin, AICP, PhD, LEED-AP, has been promoted to Planning Manager of the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department where she oversees three planning divisions of Land Use, Comprehensive Planning, and Neighborhood and Urban Design. Laurel previously served as principal planner with the department for eight years leading efforts in community engagement and special area planning.

[PRESIDENT'S] MESSAGE

KINGSTON TAPPED AS COLLIER PRINCIPAL PLANNER, GETS KEY ORDINANCE OK’D Shortly before being promoted to Principal Planner and achieving a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to accompany his AICP and CFM credentials, Sean Kingston led the development of a major economic development land use incentive, the Collier Boulevard Interstate 75 Innovation Zone Overlay (CBIIZO) with the adoption of Ordinance 2023-19.

This zoning overlay wasa created to implement the goals, objectives, and policies of the Interchange Activity Center# 9 and Collier Boulevard Interstate 75 Innovation Zone Overlay of the Growth Management Plan and to attract and retain qualified target industry businesses as defined by Florida Statute. The ordinance allows the addition of hundreds of economic development land uses in the large area specified, contained mostly by planned unit developments, of which each has their own individuated sets of land use controls.

[ARTIFICIAL] INTELLIGENCE

continued from page 3

continued from page 29

apply the skills and knowledge of professional planners to manage climate change, both through mitigation and adaptation solutions.

From recognition to action, we must align our goals with implementation of the Live Local Act, statewide transportation investment policy, and habitat conservation, around shared values, community concerns, and mutual interests.

As might be expected, our summer interns have welcomed the chance to explore and test how AI can automate time-consuming processes. With the assistance of a deep-learning model, one of them developed a deterministic logic algorithm to make predictions on how parcels should be categorized for future use. By looking at pre-existing structures whose designations we know, it becomes possible to figure out what should be placed in the vacant land around the structure.

These algorithms are operated through Python scripts that are imported and run in ArcGIS. The scripts then output a layer that shows its predicted areas and enhances the accuracy of development potential.

Whit Blanton FAICP APA Florida President

Paul Van Buskirk, FAICP, Ph.D., PE, is the chairman of the board of Metro Forecasting Models. He can be reached at paul@metroforecasting.com. David Farmer, AICP, PE, MPA, is the CEO of Metro Forecasting Models. He can be reached at dave@metroforecasting.com.

30 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Stefanie Svisco As the year comes to a close, I am thankful for a first productive year with APA Florida.

It was lovely to meet so many of you at the Florida Planning Conference in Jacksonville and to see this event in action!

City of Tavares - Future Land Use Map 2040

We implemented a few new ideas this year and overall, the conference was a great success.

Looking ahead to 2024 we are already into the committee weeks for the legislative session that will begin in January and the chapter office is busy planning for the Public Policy Workshop that will Lake Eustis take place in a few short months.

2

I look forward to seeing what 2024 brings.

Enjoy the holidays!

US 441 4

5

Lake Harris

Lake Dora

SR 19

7

3

6

CR

44 8

1

CR 561

City Boundary

Great plans need great ideas.

From planning to implementation, we've got you covered.

ISBA Boundary

Wetlands

Community Redevelopment Area Lake Eustis

Community Grant Environmental Greenways Multimodal Mobile Home (not to exceed 8.7 du/ac) Public Facility/Institutional (not to exceed 0.5 FAR) Planning Mixed Use Assistance Planning Industrial (not to exceed 0.5 FAR) Parks and Trails (not to exceed 25 du/ac, 1.0 FAR)

Future Land Use Categories

Residential Estate (see Policy 1-1.1 (a)) Suburban (not to exceed 3 du/ac)

Low Density (not to exceed 5.6 du/ac)

Lakeside Mixed Use (see Policy 1-9.3)

Conservation (Wetlands)

Medium Density (not to exceed 12 du/ac)

Commercial (not to exceed 2.0 FAR)

Pending

High Density (not to exceed 25 du/ac)

Downtown Commercial (not to exceed 25 du/ac, 3.0 FAR)

Transportation Planning

Historic Preservation

Sustainability and Resiliency

Land Development

Areas of Unique Consideration - See Policy 1-9.2 1

Ordinance #2003-19

3

Ordinance #2009-14

5

Ordinance #2008-40

2

Ordinance #2006-44

4

Ordinance #2008-43

6

Ordinance #2018-04

7

Ordinance #2011-06

Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 31

The designation of Conservation and Wetlands on this Future Land Use Map will be for planning purposes only.

The exact location of the conservation lands will be determined in the field, using the criteria identified within the Conservation Element of this Comprehensive Plan.

If through field verification, land originally identified by the Future Land Use Map as Conservation is determined to be uplands, then that land will assume the Future Land Use Category of the adjacent property. Similarly, if field verification determines that wetlands are present where not previously identified, these areas may be designated as Conservation on the Future Land Use Map.

Lake Dora

APA FLORIDA WORKING FOR YOU FPC23 BY THE NUMBERS Thank you to all who attended FPC23 in Jacksonville. As shown by the photos on page 14, all had a wonderful time attending sessions, mobile tours, receptions, and workshops.

Here’s a snapshot of FPC23 By the Numbers; • 900+ attendees • 40 sponsors and exhibitors • 128 AICP CM credits offered • 3 epic nights of events See you next year in Tampa for FPC24!

STATEMENT ON JACKSONVILLE SHOOTING A little more than a week before FPC23 was set to start in Jacksonville, three black residents were murdered in a racially motivated shooting spree. APA Florida released a statement and listed the ways planners can help elevate the voices of those in disenfranchised communities, such as: • Cultivating safe and healing spaces in our work for each other. We are often the tools in our work, so how do we make the time and hold space for each other’s journeys and learn from each other? How do we heal?

• Centering and championing youth within the urban planning process and community engagement efforts. Our members should consider the need to prioritize making information or strategies interesting and engaging for youth.

• Adopting an approach that leans first on effective listening and creating a welcoming and safe environment for people to feel comfortable discussing their families, neighborhoods, cities, and the future.

Read the full statement here.

CHAPTER BYLAWS UPDATED Every two years, the APA Florida President appoints a Bylaws Committee, chaired by the chapter secretary, to review the bylaws and identify any changes needed for consistency with national APA bylaws or chapter practices and policies.

Emails containing the proposed changes were sent directly to members, posted on the chapter website and social accounts, and promoted heavily at FPC23.

Voting was held from Aug. 22 - Sept. 21. The proposed bylaw changes passed, 142 in favor and 11 opposed. Review the amended chapter bylaws here.

32 Fall 2023 / Florida Planning

PLANNING OFFICIALS WORKSHOP ROADSHOW SET TO GROW IN 2024 Each year at the conference, we host a Planning Officials Training for those who are elected or appointed planning or zoning officials. With the help of the Roxann Read, AICP, CFM, FRA RA, of the Orlando Metro Section, we established a roadshow to travel to communities that aren’t near conference host cities to help those who need basic insight and information about the comprehensive planning and zoning process, land use law, transportation planning, real estate planning, and public participation.

Thanks to Merle Bishop, FAICP, Owen Beitsch, FAICP, and Bob Cambric, we have been able to educate more than 150 officials in Fort Walton Beach, Pasco County, and DeLand. In 2024, we look forward to growing the program and already have training events slated for Marion and Miami-Date counties.

If you are interested in hosting a Planning Officials Training, please fill out this form.

FRIENDLY REMINDER: It was announced at the conference that we are moving up the FCP24 Call for Presentation submission window by two months. Submissions will open in early December and end on Feb. 16. We will send member emails, update the conference website, and post on the chapter's social media accounts once the window opens.

[VOLUNTARY] FREEBOARD

continued from page 13

There is no one-size-fits-all freeboard solution for every community, so considering policy changes will require community conversations. Many questions must be answered, including from what elevation do you start measuring the height of a building, and how much voluntary freeboard should be allowed? And legitimate questions about height restrictions do exist. There is also the challenge of how to allow residents who are not in a designated flood zone with a defined BFE to elevate their homes.

Implementing voluntary freeboard may be challenging, but an initial conversation can be easy. These decisions not only create more resilient structures but in the face of seemingly ever-increasing insurance costs, can help communities find ways to reduce flood insurance premiums.

Alec Bogdanoff, Ph.D. is the Principal and Co-Founder for Brizaga. He can be reached at alec@brizaga.com.

[CONSULTANTS] DIRECTORY Advertise in the Consultants Directory

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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.

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Fall 2023 / Florida Planning 33

[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.

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[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.

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Partnering with our clients to create healthy communities that promote a sense of place and identity through smart-community design and planning.

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[THANK YOU] TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS

[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.

[UPCOMING] EVENTS

CHANGES OF ADDRESS

DEC. 7: FUNDING IN THE LIVE LOCAL ACT

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 February 2023.

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 Fax: 850-807-2576

Webinar. Hosted by the Florida Housing Coalition. The training is focused on Live Local Act funding provisions for affordable housing. The training will be presented after processes/procedures are established for new provisions, which are the highest in the state’s history. Presenters will include FHFC and DEO staff discussing the extra $150 million a year for a SAIL-like program and DEO’s Job Growth Grant Fund. Learn how these new provisions will be operationalized and how to access these dollars for affordable housing purposes. Information here. Free. 4.75 CM

DEC. 8: UNLOCKING CIVIC DATA: SHAPING FUTURE CITIES THROUGH INFORMATION

Webinar. Hosted by the APA Technology Division via the Planning Webcast Series. The webinar will explore the transformative potential of data-driven urban planning and advancing technological best practices. This dynamic session will cover how we can humanize data, effective ways to communicate the use and risk of data and technology, how to build a data team, and case studies from the field. Key themes will include data responsibility, opening up the “black box” of the data and technology fields, and best practices in how data visualization impacts representation. Information here. Free. 1.5 CM (viewed live only)

DEC. 13: 2023 FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE SESSION PREVIEW

Webinar. Hosted by 1000 Friends of Florida. The 2024 Florida Legislative Session, slated to start on Tuesday, January 9, will have significant public policy impacts for planning, conservation, transportation, community design and other issues of concern to many Floridians. 1000 Friends President Paul Owens and Outreach Director Haley Busch will discuss key bills and budget recommendations related to planning and growth management, conservation, transportation and water that are likely to be up for consideration during the 2024 Session, including how legislation could impact Florida governance and planning practices. Information here. Free. 1 Law CM or 1.5 CM.

DEC. 14: USING PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS IN PRACTICE

Webinar. Hosted by the Florida LTAP Center. Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) is a practical and useful tool to assess the perceived comfort and safety of people walking or bicycling along a given roadway. This webinar will explore LTS history, data needs, methodology, and practical applications. The webinar will also cover a deeper dive into the latest guidance from FDOT on how to calculate LTS. Information here. Free. 1.5 CM.

PLANNING ACADEMY 102

Are you working as a planner, in either the public or private sector, and find you still need to know “the basics” or need a refresher to do your work well? Are you struggling to understand what other planners seem to automatically just “know”? Then this series of workshops is for you!

Each month, a Planning Academy 102 session will explore a different topic with a seasoned expert who will break things down on your level. Plan to join us for one, two, or all of our noon webinars to increase your knowledge about relevant planning topics and earn AICP CMs. $10 per session. $5 for students.

To register for January or February events, click on the date in the table.

Topics

Speaker

Date

Grant Writing: Entitlements, SHIP, CDBG, ESG

Jessica Frye, AICP

Jan. 25

School Planning

Heather Croney & Kathie Ebaugh, AICP

Feb. 15

Dealing with the Politics

Tammy Reque, AICP, MPA

Mar. 21

DRC Committees

Nic Thalmueller, AICP

Apr. 18

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