Winter 2020 | The Changing Face of Transportation in Florida | Florida Planning Magazine

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

Winter 2020

florida.planning.org

M-CORES 101 By: Grayson Taylor

The Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) program’s legislative purpose is intended to revitalize rural communities, encourage job creation and provide regional connectivity while leveraging technology, enhancing the quality of life and public safety, and protecting the environment and natural resources. The program was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 17, 2019. continued on page 4

OTHER FEATURES

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

6

M-CORES: A Significant Expansion of Florida’s Transportation System

8

New Corridors: A Planner’s Perspective

9

M-CORES & Wildlife

10

Planning Better for Florida’s Future

12

How Central Florida is Preparing for Automated Vehicles

15 17 19

Changing Routes in Miami

Orlando’s Rebuilding a Under Highway I Project Reconnects Best a Divided Practice for Historic Collaboration Community

26

APA Florida Election Opportunities

President’s Message - p. 3 Newest AICP Members - p. 21 2020 Call for Presentations - p. 22 Minority Scholarships Awarded - p. 24 Planner Q&A p. 25 Planners on the Move p. 26 APA Working for You - p. 27 Consultants Directory - p. 30 Events - back page

The Florida Chapter of APA provides statewide leadership in the development of sustainable communities by advocating excellence in planning, providing professional development for its members, and working to protect and enhance the natural and built environments.

[APA FLORIDA] KEY CONTACTS - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Name

Phone E-mail

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

813-327-5450

president@floridaplanning.org

Immediate Past President

Andre Anderson, AICP

407-957-8428

pastpresident@floridaplanning.org fx

President-Elect

Wiatt Bowers, AICP

904-363-8488

presidentelect@floridaplanning.org

Treasure Coast Section

Kori Benton, AICP

727-462-2518 x2518 treasurecoast@floridaplanning.orgf

Secretary

Lara Bouck, AICP, PE

407-481-5672

secretary@floridaplanning.org

San Felasco Section

Terry Clark, AICP, PMP

561-346-6392

sanfelasco@floridaplanning.org

Atlantic Coast Section

Mike Disher, AICP

386-236-2183

atlanticcoast@floridaplanning.org

Capital Area Section

Macy Fricke, AICP

850-380-2812

capitalarea@floridaplanning.org

EPG Representative

Sofia Garantiva

561-366-1100

ypg@floridaplanning.org

Promised Lands Section

Jason Green, AICP

941-505-1700

promisedlands@floridaplanning.org

University Liaison

Christopher Hawkins

407-823-2604

university@floridaplanning.org

VP Communications

Michelle Heinrich, AICP

813-276-2167

communications@floridaplanning.org

VP Section Affairs

Doug Kelly, AICP, CSI

321-319-3213

sectionaffairs@floridaplanning.org

Student Representative

Kayla Lloyd

813-727-9953

students@floridaplanning.org taf

Sun Coast Section

Stephanie McQueen, AICP

813-282-2300

suncoast@floridaplanning.org

VP-Professional Development

Allison Megrath, AICP

352-415-1933

profdevelopment@floridaplanning.org

Gold Coast Section

Juan Mullerat

305-444-4850

goldcoast@floridaplanning.org

Orlando Metro Section

Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP

407-245-0300 x 308 orlandometro@floridaplanning.org

Broward Section

Kristen Nowicki, AICP

954-660-2432

broward@floridaplanning.org

VP Certification Maintenance

Jill Quigley, AICP

954-641-5680

certmaintenance@floridaplanning.org

Treasurer

John Roach, AICP

561-822-1448

treasurer@floridaplanning.org

VP Member Services

Yexsy Schomberg

561-299-0508

membership@floridaplanning.org

First Coast Section

Ray Spofford, AICP

904-265-3189

firstcoast@floridaplanning.org

VP Conference Services

Thuy Turner, AICP, LEED AP BD+C

954-610-1633

conferencesvcs@floridaplanning.org

Heart of Florida Section

Tom Wodrich, AICP, MPA

954-610-1633

heartoffl@floridaplanning.org

Emerald Coast Section

Randy Woodruff, AICP

850-689-7347

emeraldcoast@floridaplanning.org

Executive Director

Julia “Alex“ Magee

850-201-3272

fapa@floridaplanning.org

Ad. Assistant/Bookkeeper

Denise Johns-Smith

850-201-3272

adminbk@floridaplanning.org

Communications Coordinator Patti Shea

850-201-3272

staff@floridaplanning.org

Legislative Representative

Lester Abberger

850-524-2779

lesterabberger@nettally.com

Webmaster (Consultant)

Summer Taylor

888-949-5487 x706 summer@exaktmarketing.com

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

2 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE At the beginning of 2020, Lyft sent me my year in review.

In 2019, I ordered 166 rides from Lyft. That doesn’t even include the trips I took where my husband ordered the ride. 166 trips! Talk about gobsmacked! I ordered my first Uber on May 5, 2015. In five years, I went from never having set foot in a transportation networking company (TNC) vehicle to averaging a TNC ride every other day. I can’t think of any other product that has invaded my life so pervasively in such a short time frame.

This issue of Florida Planning focuses on transportation, a topic near and dear to our urban planning hearts, but it’s also a topic near and dear to the hearts of every single Florida resident and visitor.

This issue of Florida Planning focuses on transportation, a topic near and dear to our urban planning hearts, but it’s also a topic near and dear to the hearts of every single Florida resident and visitor. We have a deep dive into one of the most significant and potentially impactful projects in the state: the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) project. The name alone speaks volumes regarding the state of transportation in Florida. There isn’t even a “T” in that acronym!

We also have articles about collaboration and transportation planning happening in Orlando and Tampa’s Ybor City and how Miami is addressing its bus scheduling problems. Hint: they asked a LOT of people what to do. And we take a look at connected and autonomous vehicles pilot happening in Central Florida.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the Public Policy Workshop (PPW) in Tallahassee! For those who haven’t attended a PPW yet, it is a great way to learn about new legislative developments, including M-CORES. We always have an update on the state of the Florida economy, which is fascinating. And of course, you get to catch up with everyone from across the state.

We hope you join us in 2021.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 3

[M-CORES] 101

continued from cover

The objective of the program is to advance the construction of regional corridors that are intended to accommodate multiple modes of transportation and multiple types of infrastructure.

The intended benefits include, but are not limited to, addressing issues such as: • Hurricane evacuation • Congestion mitigation • Trade and logistics • Broadband, water and sewer connectivity • Energy distribution • Autonomous, connected, shared and electric vehicle technology • Other transportation modes, such as shared-use nonmotorized trails, freight and passenger rail, and public transit • Mobility as a service • Availability of a trained workforce skilled in traditional and emerging technologies • Protection or enhancement of wildlife corridors or environmentally sensitive areas • Protection or enhancement of primary springs protection zones and farmland preservation areas.

The program is composed of three specific corridors: • The Suncoast Connector, extending from Citrus County to Jefferson County • The Northern Turnpike Connector, extending from the 4 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

northern terminus of Florida’s Turnpike northwest to the Suncoast Parkway • The Southwest-Central Florida Connector, extending from Collier County to Polk County Projects undertaken in the corridors must be tolled facilities, are approved turnpike projects that are part of the turnpike system and are considered as Strategic Intermodal System facilities. During the project development phase, FDOT must identify opportunities to accommodate or co-locate multiple types of infrastructure addressing issues, such as those listed above, within or adjacent to the corridors.

Projects will be subject to requirements relating to economic and environmental feasibility and specified environmental and other evaluation requirements. Decisions on matters such as corridor configuration, project alignment, and interchange locations must be determined in accordance with the FDOT’s rules, policies, and procedures.

To the greatest extent practical, corridor configuration, project alignment, and interchange locations shall be designed so that project rights-of-way are not located within conservation land acquired under the Florida Preservation 2000 Act or Florida Forever program.

To the maximum extent feasible, construction of the projects shall begin no later than Dec. 31, 2022, with the corridors open to traffic no later than Dec. 31, 2030. continued on page 5

[M-CORES] 101

continued from page 4

During the project development phase, FDOT must utilize an inclusive, consensus-building mechanism for each corridor.

FDOT has convened a task force for each corridor comprised of representatives from state agencies and other stakeholders; task force members were appointed by the FDOT secretary last autumn.

The task force meetings are currently underway. Each corridor task force will coordinate with the FDOT on pertinent aspects of corridor analysis, including accommodation or colocation of multiple types of infrastructure, addressing issues such as the intended benefits listed above as part of the bill. Each corridor task force must evaluate the need for, and the economic and environmental impacts of, hurricane evacuation impacts of, and land use impacts of, the related corridor. Each task force must hold a public meeting in each local government jurisdiction in which a project within an identified corridor is being considered.

To the maximum extent feasible, FDOT shall adhere to the recommendations of the task force created for each corridor in the design of the multiple modes of transportation and multiple types of infrastructure associated with the corridor. The task force for each corridor may consider and recommend innovative concepts to combine right-of-way acquisition with the acquisition of lands or easements to facilitate environmental mitigation or ecosystem, wildlife habitat, or water quality protection or restoration. FDOT, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, may incorporate those features into each corridor during the project development phase.

The bill identifies additional specific issues that each task force must consider and evaluate: 1) Southwest-Central Florida Connector: address the impacts of the construction of a project within the corridor on panther and other critical wildlife habitat and evaluate in its final report the need for acquisition of lands for state conservation or as mitigation for project construction; and evaluate wildlife crossing design features to protect panther and other critical wildlife habitat corridor connections.

2) Suncoast Connector and Northern Turnpike Connector: evaluate design features and the need for acquisition of state conservation lands that mitigate the impact of project construction within the respective corridors on: • the water quality and quantity of springs, rivers, and aquifer recharge areas; • agricultural land uses; and • wildlife habitat.

Each task force must issue its evaluations via a written report by Oct. 1, 2020. FDOT shall provide affected local governments with a copy of the applicable task force report and project alignments. Not later than Dec. 31, 2023, a local government that has an interchange within its jurisdiction shall review the applicable task force report and its local comprehensive plan as adopted under Chapter 163. The

local government review must include consideration of whether the area in and around the interchange contains appropriate land uses and natural resource protections and whether the comprehensive plan should be amended to provide such appropriate uses and protections.

Grayson Taylor is APA Florida’s Graduate Intern and is a master’s candidate in urban planning at FSU.

IMPORTANT DATES July 1, 2019

M-CORES becomes law.

August 1, 2019

The Secretary of FDOT appointed the members of the three corridor task forces.

October 1, 2020

The task forces must submit their reports.

December 31, 2022

To the maximum extent feasible, construction of the projects shall start no later than this date

December 31, 2023

Each affected local government with an interchange within its jurisdiction shall review the applicable task force report to determine whether its local comprehensive plan should be amended “to provide appropriate land uses and natural resources protections”.

December 31, 2030

The corridors shall be open to traffic no later than this date.

RESOURCES Read the M-CORES bill in full: (CS/SB 7068 ER) FDOT M-CORES homepage

We asked a handful of task force members to give us their opinion on the M-CORES process and what they’re looking for to help better plan Florida.

Their insights are on the following pages. Please note that their opinions do not reflect the views of their respective task force.

We encourage you to get involved and attend a task force meeting or open house.

You can see the list of events here.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 5

IN MY OPINION...

M-CORES

A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF FLORIDA’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM By: Kevin J. Thibault, P.E., Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation

Florida, known for its beautiful beaches, natural wonders and vibrant tourist attractions, continues to grow rapidly. In fact, more than 900 people move to the Sunshine State every day.

Such robust growth means we need to find smart multi-use ways to prepare for future neighborhoods and commercial areas where families and businesses can prosper while protecting our precious natural areas. To meet these increasing demands and to plan for growth 20-25 years into the future, it’s critical that our state invests in infrastructure initiatives. Our state leaders are doing just that – by embarking on what could be the most significant expansion of Florida’s transportation system since the inception of the interstate program in the 1950s.

The program, known as Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES), could help further develop Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), which includes trails, rail, utility development and on-demand options such as bike and car sharing. Furthermore, M-CORES could help foster additional travel technologies including self-driving cars, connected vehicles and electric cars using charging stations as well as expand Wi-Fi or broadband connections, water and sewer services and more efficient and accessible hurricane evacuation routes.

Earlier this year, the Governor and Legislature came up with a visionary framework to promote these challenges. The program involves three proposed corridors that could help set the stage for Florida’s future: • Suncoast Connector – 150 miles from Jefferson County to Citrus County • Northern Turnpike Connector – 40 miles through Citrus, Levy and Sumter counties • Southwest-Central Florida Connector – 140 miles from Polk County to Collier County Last summer, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) kicked off a 13-month evaluation phase with task forces to develop guiding principles for M-CORES. The purpose of the program is to: • Protect the environment and natural resources • Improve regional transportation connectivity throughout Florida • Create a robust multimodal transportation infrastructure, including other travel choices such as freight and passenger rail, public transit, and paved trails for hiking and biking • Leverage technology to enhance the quality of life and public safety • Revitalize rural communities, and, • Encourage job creation. continued on page 7

6 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

[M-CORES] SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION

continued from page 6

Evaluating the three corridors involves gaining the valuable insights and perspectives from a broad cross section of the community. Each M-CORES corridor has a task force made up of subject matter experts from the Departments of Environmental Protection, Economic Opportunity, Education, Health, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Agriculture and Consumer Services; the Florida Farm Bureau; the local water management districts; regional planning councils; colleges and universities; local governments; community members and environmental groups.

The task forces are conducting public meetings to discuss various program components and to develop guiding principles and recommendations regarding the potential economic and environmental impacts for their respective study area. Each task force will submit a final report to the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House of Representatives by October 1, 2020. If the department finds that a corridor is economically and environmentally feasible, consistent with Florida law, it could move forward for further development.

FDOT urges public participation during the M-CORES planning process. Open houses and community presentations allow the public to learn about the program and provide comments. The goal is to work with diverse community members to determine successful transportation solutions for everyone and ensure the state’s infrastructure is best prepared for generations to come.

Kevin Thibault, P.E., has spent half of his professional career in the private sector providing transportation engineering services for states like Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Indiana, Kentucky, California and Virginia. For more than 16 years, Thibault has served in various roles within FDOT from project management to executive leadership.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 7

IN MY OPINION...

New Corridors: A Planner’s Perspective

If you have ever found yourself seeking to find a medical diagnosis and various doctors send you to endless and sometimes repeat medical tests where everything seems to stay in their own silos, you also understand how most large-scale infrastructure planning occurs. We do planning and data analysis over and over for particular purposes, but rarely do in-depth planning on a large scale and multi-faceted level.

As a planner who has worked in urban and rural neighborhoods, cities, and counties, and in regional planning organizations, I have come to understand the difference in scale and ownership of vision. Along the way, I have worked in four Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO/TPO’s)

By Patricia M. Steed

go, and alternative alignments were developed? How would it look if we established high priority environmental systems and considered impacts on animal and plant habitats before developing alignments?

How would it look if we considered the economic implications for the community and regional investments and priorities at the beginning of project planning? How would it look if we anticipated not only what modes would be served in the corridor but included utilities in the envelope as opposed to disturbing new rights of ways and easements?

And, perhaps most importantly, what if we gave not just two or three opportunities for citizen input workshops, but provided over 20 opportunities before the traditional project development began?

As we repeatedly under predicted our transportation demand for

As we repeatedly under predicted our transportation demand for residents, visitors and commerce in Florida, I believe we must plan our transportation systems on a larger scale. and understand how transportation plan ning is conducted throughout the country and in Florida which frames my perspective on future large-scale corridor planning in Florida.

We have most often looked at localized environmental impacts of projects. Rarely do we look at the overall ecological systems before we plan the projects. The same is true of the economic impacts of major infrastructure projects. Although we may use the return on investment approach, we rarely look at the future of a community or regional economic investment and its vitality. Each mode of transportation is planned in detail and historically layered over time in ways that are often not inviting to users or cost-effective.

How would it look if we started with developing guiding principles before we decided where a new corridor might

residents, visitors and commerce in Florida, I believe we must plan our transportation systems on a larger scale. It is not just how we move people and goods across our state and connect our regions, but how that supports our local, regional, and statewide visions.

If our transportation system is ever-expanding in ways that affect the quality of life and safety in our neighborhoods and downtowns, then planning new transportation projects that can lessen that need deserves serious consideration.

The Multi-Modal Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) legislative initiative has framed those data and policy analytics. It has further prescribed a rigorous community and public involvement process that is informed by a variety of voices and interests on three 40 plus member Task Forces. This process is a “prequel” to the usual transportation planning steps that is required of any new transportation capacity project developed by the Florida Department of Transportation. Establishing a purpose and need for the corridor, incorporating it in Long Range Transportation Plans continued on page 28

8 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

IN OUR OPINION...

M-CORES & Wildlife

By Elizabeth Fleming and Kent Wimmer, AICP

In 2019, Florida’s governor signed the Multi-Use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-CORES) bill requiring Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to plan, develop and fund three new toll highways and utility corridors in the western half of the Florida peninsula from the Everglades to the Florida-Georgia line. If realized, this proposal would result in the largest highway expansion in Florida since creation of the Interstate System in the 1950s.

Since Defenders of Wildlife opened an office in Florida in 1994, we have been a leader in state transportation policy and project work to ensure that wildlife conservation and habitat protection are an integral part of transportation planning. We advocate for the inclusion of wildlife crossings in road designs, as well as modifications to existing roads where necessary, to allow safe passage across roadways to maintain habitat connectivity and allow for range expansion for Florida panthers, bears and other wildlife. We serve on the Florida Panther Recovery Team and its transportation sub-team to help further panther recovery and ensure that transpor-

tation projects do not undermine continued progress. As members of each of the three M-CORES task forces, we are working to ensure these projected highways and associated planning processes integrate conservation priorities and consider land use impacts. The proposed highway and utility projects would pass through some of the last undeveloped lands in Florida and have the potential to transform intact landscapes undoing decades of conservation gains and dramatically affecting habitat for the endangered Florida panther and many other wildlife and plant species.

During the first three task force meetings, our comments emphasized avoidance of conservation lands, utilizing existing road alignments and compatibility with local comprehensive plans. Prior to passage of the M-CORES legislation, Defenders of Wildlife produced a web map for the public showing the significant biological, natural and cultural features that may occur within the three study areas. FDOT has since created its own mapping tool, modeled after Defenders’ map, and has committed to adding future land use layers from local comprehensive plans and optimal management boundaries for public conservation lands. Because these projects will have extensive impacts on wildlife, its habitat and workcontinued on page 28

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 9

IN MY OPINION...

PLANNING BETTER For Florida’s Future

By Christopher Emmanuel

The start of a new decade is a good time for reflection, and what a decade Florida has had. For the Sunshine State, the last 10 years were a success story, moving from one of the states that the Great Recession hit the worst to the envy of the nation for economic prosperity. During that same time period, Florida has seen new technologies safely deployed at scale, record numbers of tourists visiting, and more and more people calling Florida home. In these good times, it is important to plan and invest in the future.

That’s why the Florida Chamber of Commerce has spent time and resources in planning for the decade ahead. Our work product, the Florida 2030 Blueprint, touches on what we need to get right in order to continue on Florida’s path towards great prosperity. One of the key issues identified is the need for greater connectivity between rural and urban centers, especially as Florida adds an additional 4.5 million new residents in the next 10 years.

Because of Florida’s geography and demography, the Florida Chamber sees a solution through smarter and more deliberate corridor planning. By better connecting our growing urban centers, we can expect more economic growth in each urban community and more opportunity along the connections. For growing urban areas with high rental costs, a new artery will attract some residents and businesses to consider moving out to a rural city’s center.

The M-CORES is the right kind of project for our growing state – a forward thinking, responsible, and appropriate plan for connecting communities, increasing opportunity, and preparing Florida for the future. The three task forces responsible for guiding these projects need your input today.

Looking at it from another point of view, the reward for a good economy and affordable quality of life can be more people wanting to be a part of it. Success in this context requires constant thought, planning, and execution to keep the status quo. Florida needs to 10 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

build smarter infrastructure now so that it’s still a great place to live, work, and play in 2030.

Christopher Emmanuel is the Director of Infrastructure and Governance Policy for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at cemmanuel@flchamber.com. Christopher is a member of the Sun Coast Connector Task Force. This article does not reflect the views of that task force.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 11

HOW CENTRAL FLORIDA AND BEYOND

IS PREPARING FOR CONNECTED AND AUTOMATED VEHICLES

By Lara Bouck, AICP, PE, and Simone Babb, GISP

Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) represent a potentially disruptive, yet beneficial change to our society.

Emerging technologies have the potential to impact vehicle safety, congestion and travel behavior. The pro-business regulatory climate within the State of Florida, welcoming policies for ride-sharing providers and autonomous vehicle testing, and record investments in infrastructure – including four straight years of $10+ billion funding allocated to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) – ensures we are a welcoming state for autonomous vehicles.

To prepare Florida for the next generation of transportation, MetroPlan Orlando has commissioned a study to assess the readiness for arrival and integration of CAVs in Central Florida.

As the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for Osceola, Orange and Seminole counties, MetroPlan Orlando coordinates closely with elected officials, industry experts, and the community to sets priorities and determine how federal and state transportation dollars are spent in the region. The study

findings and recommendations will provide a knowledge base for MetroPlan Orlando to increase its planning expertise and prepare Central Florida for the integration of CAV technologies into the region’s transportation system.

The approach MetroPlan has taken to advance CAV readiness is organized around six tasks focused on education, outreach, and next steps: EDUCATION The project team reviewed best practices in planning for CAVs nationwide (Task 1) and completed an interview-based evaluation of existing local CAV planning and capabilities (Task 2).

OUTREACH MetroPlan engaged the public through a series of public workshops to increase CAV awareness and seek public input (Task 3). continued on page 13

Photo courtesy of Global-5

12 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

[CENTRAL FLORIDA] AUTOMATED VEHICLES

continued from page 12

NEXT STEPS MetroPlan Orlando will use information gathered during the workshops and research to develop short-term (2-3 years) and mid-term (4-8 years) recommendations to advance the region’s readiness to support CAVs (Task 4). Staff will present the recommendations for CAV preparedness to the MetroPlan Orlando Board and committees and document them in a final report to be distributed to leaders in the region (Tasks 5 and 6) in Spring 2020.

Based on the findings to date, safety, privacy, workforce training, data storage and security, and equity considerations are anticipated to be the biggest challenges in the region as the adoption of CAVs increases. Preliminary recommendations for advancing CAV preparedness include prioritizing funding to educate the public and forming a cross-agency consortium to share knowledge and make recommendations about future CAV testing and deployments.

Preparing for CAVs is, of course, not unique to Central Florida.

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) recently completed a three-phase Connected Vehicle (CV) Readiness Assessment. During Phase I, FTE assessed the current state of the industry and underlying motivators for various CV deployments nationwide. During Phase II, FTE analyzed their existing infrastructure to determine needs, and in Phase III, a CV deployment plan was developed to evaluate potential pilot project roadways, and the agency’s readiness to deploy CV applications. Next, FTE will enter the design phase of their pilot project being deployed along portions of SR 528 and SR 91 in Orange County in year 2020.

Beyond strategic planning, entities throughout the state are testing various technologies for accuracy and interoperability. Several agencies have already facilitated CV pilot deployments in their respective jurisdictions. Among current testing efforts is a focus on integrating units that will broadcast safety messaging (think: traveler information messages (TIM) and wrong-way driver notifications) into existing roadway infrastructure and ITS devices. FDOT is spearheading and facilitating CV testing – in addition to actively approving CV devices as part of the FDOT’s Approved Product List (APL), FDOT has created a test lab in Seminole County to conduct ongoing interoperability testing of CV devices. They will also continue to deploy and test CV devices as part of several FRAME (Florida’s Regional Advanced Mobility Elements) projects throughout the state.

Each of these focus areas – big picture strategic planning versus incremental knowledge building through pilot projects – will be integral to developing the roadmap to keep Florida on the path towards incorporating CAV-related technology into our planning processes and lives. Stay tuned.

Lara Bouck, AICP, PE, is a Transportation Planner at MetroPlan

Photos courtesy of US DOT

Orlando and the APA Florida Chapter Secretary. She can be reached at lbouck@metroplanorlando.org. Simone Babb, GISP, is the Software Solutions Manager at Metric Engineering in Orlando. She can be reached at simone. babb@metrigeng.com.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 13

14 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

CHANGING ROUTES IN MIAMI

By Azhar Chougle & Scudder Wagg

Miami-Dade County’s bus system has been steadily losing riders over the past few years, representing one of the steepest ridership declines in the country – from 78 million boardings in 2008 to 52 million boardings in 2018.

Like many cities, the county’s bus network has been affected by several national trends – from the declining cost of car ownership, to ride-sharing services tapping the more affluent riders, to a vicious cycle of service cuts in response to the decline.

Compounding the ridership decline, several municipalities have begun operating free trolley routes that often overlap with, and compete with, county routes, instead of complementing a county-wide network.

Dig a little deeper however, and it becomes clear that at its core, the system isn’t designed to be very useful for most people it serves. For transit to be useful for most people, it needs to get them to many useful destinations in a reasonable amount of time. The primary factor in transit travel time is the wait for a vehicle, or the wait to transfer between vehicles, which is even more critical in systems designed to follow a grid of streets, like the network in Miami-Dade.

Thus, how soon the next bus is coming, the frequency of service, is essential to the usefulness of the network. Only five routes operated by the county arrive every 15 minutes or less for most of the day. So most people find it difficult to make connections, since most routes arrive every 30, 45 or 60 minutes. continued on page 16

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 15

[CHANGING ROUTES] IN MIAMI

continued from page 15

Bus networks are an often underestimated resource. It is difficult to replicate the efficiency of a fixed route bus service, especially when it follows a ridership recipe that connects dense, walkable places with frequent service. Many cities and counties have been focused on the latest new technology like micromobility or ondemand services like TNCs. Yet, no remotely functional city in the world lacks a transit system, and the bus is always a critical layer – the thing that goes to all the high-demand places that rail can’t go, or serves as the primary transit layer in places where rail capacity isn’t needed.

PROPOSED ROUTES

The average resident can reach 51% more jobs by transit in 45 minutes and the average person in poverty can reach 50,000 more jobs in 60 minutes, a 44% increase. Twenty-eight percent of residents are near high frequency transit service, compared to 10 percent today. Trolleys and buses work better together in Miami and Miami Beach. Uses the same budget we have today, with only one contracted route. More consistent hours and frequencies throughout the day.

EXISTING ROUTES

Red lines arrive every 15 minutes or less Purple lines arrive every 16 - 24 minutes Blue lines arrive every 25 - 30 minutes Light blue lines arrive every 31 - 60 minutes

This is a map of our bus network today. The color of the route tells you how often the bus arrives during the day. For example, on a red line, a bus arrives every 15 minutes. More people tend to use the red lines (a bus every 15 minutes) because the next bus is always coming soon. However, the County runs only five red lines, so we have very few of these frequent bus routes. Most of our bus routes arrive every 30 minutes, and many arrive every 60 minutes.

City trolleys and County buses also run similar routes – which makes the system inefficient, less useful and more confusing. Both trolley and bus routes can be improved to work better together.

Many cities and counties are recognizing the tech hype for what it is and are finally doing the math to see why, for any dense place to function for everyone, buses simply must be allowed to succeed.

Transit Alliance, a local non-profit advocacy organization, released a campaign called “Where’s My Bus?” which explored some of these core issues. They recommended a redesign of the bus network, and eventually proposed to lead the project. After fundraising for a challenge grant from the county, they partnered with Jarrett Walker + Associates to lead the technical analysis and planning, with Transit Alliance leading the outreach and stakeholder engagement.

The two network concepts released by the project demonstrate the enormous transformative potential of the redesign, even though the plan will be cost neutral in terms of annual operations. The first concept focuses on coverage – ensuring that buses keep serving all areas served today. The Coverage Concept still makes big continued on page 28

16 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

Under I vision board.

Orlando’s Under I Project Best Practice for Collaboration

By Ennis Davis, AICP

Who says the widening of an interstate through the heart of a community must be viewed as a negative? Orlando’s proposed 9.75-acre Under I project sets the precedent on what can be achieved when a local municipality coordinates with the Florida Department of Transportation.

Intended to serve as a centralized landmark, bridging the divide that the original 1960s construction of Interstate 4 caused through Central Orlando, Under-I is a proposed 9.75-acre urban park that will be constructed under the ongoing $2.3 billion Interstate 4 Ultimate construction project. Planned and funded in collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation, construction of the unique urban park is anticipated to begin in summer 2021 with a 2024 completion date.

Here is a brief look at the five-block park headed to Orlando, bridging the gap between Downtown and the historic AfricanAmerican community of Parramore.

The Under-I will be a vibrant Orlando landmark that bridges our diverse community and unites all of our citizens by delivering active, creative and engaging facilities that promote health, education, art, play and fellowship. continued on page 18 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 17

[ORLANDOS] I-PROJECT

continued from page 18

The Under-I is envisioned to be a 9.75-acre urban community park beneath the I-4 bridge decks in downtown Orlando. This area is generally bound on the north by West Washington Street, West Church Street on the south, Hughey Avenue on the west and Garland Avenue on the east. This area is also known as The Bridge District.

Construction is tentatively scheduled to start after the completion of the I-4 Ultimate construction project.

The community park will likely be developed into five conceptually programmed blocks.

For more information: https://www.orlando.gov/Initiatives/Under-i-Project This article originally appeared on The Jaxson Magazine website, which is a joint multimedia project dedicated to urbanism and culture on Florida’s First Coast launched by Modern Cities and WJCT Public Broadcasting.

Ennis Davis, AICP, is a co-founder of Modern Cities and TransForm Jax, and a former citizen member of the Florida Times-Union editorial board.

Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com.

Under i timeline April 2014

Summer 2020

Conceptual design with FDOT

100% design RFP and completion of joint project agreement with FDOT

May 2016 Memorandum of agreement executed between FDOT and the City of Orlando

Summer 2121

2016 - 2017

2024

Preliminary engineering design

Project completion

Construction start

Click on this image to go to a 3-D rendering of the Under-I project.

Under-I project with bridge rendering.

Under-I project without bridge rendering.

Bridge District neighborhoods

18 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

Ybor City was founded in the 1880s by cigar manufacturers from Key West, Florida, and grew into a successful town almost entirely populated and owned by immigrants, mainly from Cuba, Spain, and Italy. The city of Tampa annexed Ybor City in 1887, and, for decades, the cigar industry employed thousands of well-paid workers, giving Tampa the nickname “The Cigar City.”

Fifty years ago, the coming of the Interstate Highway System through Tampa promised economic revitalization and urban renewal for portions of the city, but for the Ybor City historic district, the new Interstate meant further degradation. Decline in the U.S. manufacture of hand-rolled cigars had already taken a toll on the vibrant multi-cultural community, but Interstate 4 (I-4) cut through the community in the 1950s, removing multiple historic structures and dividing the neighborhood in two. In the 1970s, the part of Ybor City south of I-4 saw something of a renaissance after being placed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Increased investment in the area brought additional brick streets and iron streetlamps, originally found in Ybor City, as well as trendy clubs and urban shops to the

commercial section. However, the edges of the residential areas bordering I-4 and the section of Ybor City to the north continued to decline.

THE PROJECT By the early 1990s, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) were planning an expansion of the original four-lane highway. Although the new plan would remove heavy trucks from city streets and correct other existing problems, Ybor City faced the removal of even more of its historic fabric. In 1991, however, Ybor’s historic significance and the needs of its residents would be in the forefront as highway plans were developed.

THE 106 PROCESS FHWA, the federal agency funding this project, was responsible for conducting the Section 106 process under the National Historic Preservation Act. Section 106 requires that federal agencies identify historic properties and assess the effects of the projects they carry out, fund, or permit on those properties. Federal agencies also are required to consult with parties that have an interest in the historic property when adverse effects may occur. continued on page 21

REBUILDING A HIGHWAY RECONNECTS

A DIVIDED HISTORIC COMMUNITY By Mary Ann Nabor and Elaine Illes Editors note: This article was originally posted on the ACHP website. We have repurposed it with permission.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 19

[REBUILDING HIGHWAY] CONNECTS COMMUNITY

continued from page 19

Five years of extensive public involvement and close coordination of all the public agencies, including the city, Florida State Historic Preservation Officer, FDOT, FHWA, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) resulted in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that laid the groundwork for success in providing needed improvements to the highway while enhancing the surrounding community. An exemplary, interactive public involvement initiative, including bilingual meetings, provided updates on project study results and received recommendations. The resulting MOA had the full support of all parties and implemented innovative steps to mitigate impacts to historic resources. Measures included relocation, rehabilitation, and re-sale of 64 historic structures that otherwise would have been lost. Forty of the relocated structures were placed in the neighborhood north of I-4 to reconnect and rebuild the community where the original Interstate had been put through decades earlier.

Others were moved to vacant lots south of I-4, further consolidating the community and enhancing the Ybor City State Museum. The project continues to reap benefits as the proceeds from the sale of the relocated and restored buildings is reinvested in the community through a revolving trust fund.

THE SUCCESS The Section 106 process succeeded through planning, interagency cooperation, context sensitive design solutions, and strong partnerships between government and the local communities. The project partners’ understanding of, and respect for, the public involvement process was evident in their creation of materials for presentation to the public, including a succinct summary of the Section 106 process that was even incorporated into the ACHP’s national Section 106 training. An active Cultural Resources Committee, created by the MOA, successfully guided the housing relocation project. Even with the rehabilitation work still underway, all of the homes were sold or under contract, with a waiting list for the remainder. The relocation project became a catalyst for revitalization of the whole community as homeowners in the area began their own rehabilitation projects, which can be seen all around Ybor City.

Ybor City streets before

Ybor City streets after

CONSULTING PARTIES • Florida Division of FHWA • Florida State Historic Preservation Officer • ACHP

• Florida Department of Transportation • City of Tampa

For more about Section 106 and the ACHP go to www.achp.gov 20 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

Reduced AICP Exam Scholarship Deadline MAR. 27 The 2020 Reduced AICP Exam Fee Scholarship program is available to current members of APA Florida. This program was established to assist individuals who may defer taking or are unable to take the AICP exam because of the cost. Four (4) scholarships are available. The application deadline has been extended until March 27, 2020.

Individuals who are approved to take the exam will pay $75 instead of $425. If an award is given to an AICP Candidate participant, they will pay $75 instead of $100. If a scholarship applicant has already paid the exam fee, the difference will be refunded. Refunds generally take up to five weeks to process.

Please note that the awarding of a scholarship does not guarantee that a recipient will be approved to take the AICP Exam.

The exam application will be evaluated like any other.

To be considered for this scholarship, please email APA Florida Professional Development Officer Allison Megrath, AICP describing your financial hardship (including financial hardship caused by a budget cutback in a firm or agency), which necessitates the request.

• Members of minorities should be given preference.

• The applicant(s) selected will be otherwise unlikely to take the exam without the reduced fee.

• The applicant’s employer will not subsidize the exam fee.

Final decisions on scholarships shall be at the sole discretion of the APA Florida Professional Development Officer and shall be final. Recipients will be notified as soon as possible.

All nominations/selection of scholarship recipients shall be strictly confidential.

See all FAICP, AICP & AICP Candidate members here.

COngratulations newest AICP members!

Speaking of AICP exam, please join the APA Florida Executive Committee in congratulating these Florida planners who passed the AICP exam in November.

REGULAR AICP EXAMINEES

(66% pass rate Florida/ 62% pass rate nationwide)

Junita Jones, AICP Justin King, AICP Heather Allen, AICP Blair Knighting, AICP Amee Bailey-Speck, AICP Erica Lindquist, AICP Jennifer Ballard, AICP Laura Lockwood-Herrscher, AICP Channing Bickford, AICP Alejandro Casa Valencia, AICP Trisha Logan, AICP Carlos Markovich, AICP Katrina Corcoran, AICP Ryan McCaffrey, AICP Jacques Coulon, AICP Tanya McCormick, AICP Meredith Crawford, AICP Dawn McDonald, AICP Heather Danforth, AICP Robert Modys, AICP Briana Dobbs, AICP Zachary Parnas, AICP Patrick Dougherty, AICP David Savarese, AICP James Ehrmann, AICP Lindsay Slautterback, AICP Desiree Estabrook, AICP Nicholas Torres, AICP Emily Ferguson, AICP David Tyler, AICP Taylor Filaroski, AICP Abigail Weiss, AICP Caroline Glass, AICP James Wood, AICP Karlanne Grant, AICP Jenna Woodward, AICP Michelle Greene, AICP Haitao Yu, AICP Katherine Hagemann, AICP AICP CANDIDATE EXAMINEES

(46% pass rate Florida/ 55% pass rate national)

Alexander Ahrenholz, AICP Candidate Chelsea Brandon, AICP Candidate Jared Jones, AICP Candidate James Hartsfield, AICP Candidate Janelle Guzman, AICP Candidate Dara Osher, AICP Candidate Allison Reagan, AICP Candidate Amanda Sapala, AICP Candidate Andrew Van Valin, AICP Candidate

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 21

2020 APA FLORIDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS Orlando l September 8-11, 2020

Hello and welcome to Dream Big, Imagine Florida!

The Orlando Metro Section is pleased to host the APA Florida Annual Conference in Orlando!

We will be meeting September 8-11, 2020 at the Hilton on Destination Parkway in Orlando. Located in an ideal location, within walking distance of the international tourist attractions along I-Drive and centrally located to the City Beautiful, Kissimmee, Sanford, the Villages and other growing Central Florida cities, there will be opportunities to discover the best Central Florida has to offer. Spectacular international attractions that have made the area a world-class destination include Disney, Universal Studios, Sea World, and Kennedy Space Center. We are also home to a wide array of iconic preserves and state parks, from the Orlando Wetland Preserve to Wekiwa Springs State Park, there are plenty of oak hammock trails and cypress-lined waterbodies to explore and appreciate.

The Orlando Metro Section is comprised of Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Sumter Counties. Our municipalities range from rural communities to urban cities including bustling downtown transit-oriented cores, quaint main street villages, and a growing locavore culture with agriculture practices that support community identity, sustainability, resiliency and economic vitality. The region is a strong economic engine focused on tourism, cultural and historic preservation, technology, manufacturing, distribution/logistics, and retail. This regional planning area confronts many of the same topics reflected throughout the state including the integration of technology in planning, natural disaster readiness, environmental justice, economic development obstacles, affordable housing, mobility and mass transit, and the search for innovative urban or rural design.

This year we call on you to Dream Big and Imagine Florida! We are looking for dynamic and interesting session proposals that will facilitate future ready cities. This year, special attention will be paid to sessions that support inclusivity and diversity within the planning profession and provide a “lessons learned� aspect for the enrichment of attendees. We have provided topics of particular interest on the following page and welcome research projects at the university level from both professors and students that would be of interest to our membership and allied professionals. continued on page 23

22 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

[APA FLORIDA] ANNUAL CONFERENCE

continued from page 22

URBAN PLAYMAKERS AND PLACEMAKING VISIONARIES

Bringing to life dynamic built environments to support meaningful and engaging places by incorporating cultural and social identities, creating connectivity, reinventing public spaces, and promoting a more active and diverse public realm.

FUTURE THINKERS AND INNOVATION CHASERS

Engaging in innovation and the use of applied technologies and planning future ready cities that enhance community connections, transportation systems and logistical functions.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS AND HABITAT GUARDIANS

Consciously and comprehensively planning for all man-made and natural systems to create more resilient, sustainable, and habitable communities and integrating a holistic approach to restore communities affected by natural disasters.

COMMUNITY PROTECTORS AND RURAL ALLIES

Working towards protecting cultural and historic community assets and to create resilient and productive communities by protecting valuable community assets, employing strategies to improve public engagement and supporting local champions.

CHANGE MAKERS AND CAREER MENTORS

Giving back to the planning profession and our allied communities, supporting the education of new and future

planning professionals, and serving as champions of best management practices and continued research in the field.

INCLUSION SEEKERS AND DIVERSITY ADVOCATES

Employing inclusive outreach and uplifting the ideas of all persons to generate holistic, community-oriented goals, adopt inclusive policies and implement initiatives that support diverse perspectives, transparency and accountability.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: • Session proposals should be 75 minutes (90 minutes for law and ethics sessions).

• All sessions must have at least two presenters.

• Session proposals are due by 5:00pm on March 31, 2020.

CONFERENCE SESSION SUBMITTAL FORMS Download the panel submission practice form at bit.ly/fpc2020practice. (Will download as a Word doc.) Once you’re ready to file your submission, do it online at bit.ly/fpc20form. All online forms must be received by no later than 5 pm ET on March 31, 2020.

QUESTIONS? All updates and announcements will be posted on floridaplanningconference.org. Or, contact Alex Magee, APA Florida Executive Director, at 850.201.3272 or fapa@floridaplanning.org

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 23

SILVA, FLORES AWARDED

minority STUDENT scholarships Adriana Silva and Melanie Flores are the recipients of the 2019 APA Florida Minority Scholarships. Adriana and Melanie will receive $2,000 and 1,500 respectively, to apply towards

$

education expenses.

Adriana is a first year Urban and Regional Planning graduate student at Florida State University. She recently received her Bachelor of Science with Honors in Environment & Society from Florida State.

Prior to graduate school, Adriana held positions with ReThink Energy Florida, a statewide nonprofit that promotes renewable energy, and the Kranz Lab, a research lab in FSU�s Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science. As a program coordinator for ReThink, she led their advocacy day at the Florida State Capitol and worked to educate citizens on current environmental issues. While at the Kranz Lab, Adriana assisted in research on phytoplankton and biogeochemistry. Now in the field of planning, Adriana wants to focus on affordable housing.

Melanie, who is the daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, is a first-year graduate student in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida State University. In August she received a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from FSU. Her graduate studies specialties include transportation, land use, and GIS. Currently Melanie is interning with StarMetro, the transit service in Tallahassee.

After graduation, Melanie hopes to push innovation to improve transportation systems, in order to be more integrated, resilient, and accessible. She intends to focus on data sharing, multi-modal transportation planning, technological impacts to the transportation field, and to ensure communities and residents from all backgrounds are heard and valued in the process.

Congratulations to both Melanie and Adriana!

24 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

Melanie Flores

Adriana Silva

Executive Committee Spotlight Q&A: What is your current position on the State’s Executive Committee?

I am currently serving as the Vice President (VP) of Conference Services.

How do you help our members in this position?

I work closely with the host committee and the Executive Director to coordinate, plan and host the annual state conference. Our goal for the conference is to bring as much value to the membership as possible. Therefore, we thrive on bringing in exciting speakers who hold informative sessions while making sure everyone has a great time.

Thuy Turner

What might members not know about your work as the current position of VP-Conference Services?

Members may not know the amount of effort and planning that takes place in advance of the annual conference. We scout and tour prospective conference venues and negotiate the contracts at least 2 years in advance. The negotiations are surprisingly detailed. We even take into account the cost of coffee (about $80 a gallon) offered during session breaks!!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy my running group, reading a good spy novel and loving my orchids in my spare time.

Have you held any other positions on the State’s Executive Committee?

Prior to the serving as VP of Conference Services, I served on the Broward Section Board. I began as an at-large member and then served as Vice Chair. I eventually became Chair and headed the organization until my term ended in 2017.

What’s your favorite part of being on the Executive Committee?

My favorite part of serving on the Committee is the opportunity to connect with other planners across the state and to hear what is happening in their cities and communities. I benefit from their input by learning about current trends and issues that are important to our members.

Who is your current employer and what is your position/duties? Has membership in APA Florida helped you in your career?

After 15 years with Broward County Planning, I recently joined Kimley-Horn and Associates as their Senior Land Planner in the Fort Lauderdale office. I now assist private clients and developers throughout the regulatory process so they can expedite their construction plans. My membership has brought me a lot of support and guidance from my personal connections during this period of transition, and many of those connections have been key in enabling me to best serve my new clients.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 25

APA Florida

PLANNERS ON THE MOVE Anna Cava Grosso, AICP, has left her job as Senior Planner with the City of DeLand and is moving to Newark, Del. for new opportunities. We wish her all the best!

Luis Nieves-Ruiz, AICP, was recently selected as chair of the WFME 90.7 Community Advisory Board. The purpose of the advisory board is to advise the public station’s management about programming matters and provide advice and input for community engagement opportunities. Luis currently serves as Economic Development Manager for the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and as Chair of APA Florida’s Orlando Metro Section.

Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams and assists buyers, sellers, and investors with land transactions. His full-service land planning and real estate development company combines these two areas of expertise and specializes in balancing real estate development with community vision and character. Tom has expertise in comprehensive planning and land development policy, corridor and multi-modal planning, entitlements, site planning and urban design, community engagement and mediation, and strategic planning. He currently serves as Heart of Florida Section Chair.

Tom Wodrich, AICP, who has more than 20 years experience developing community plans throughout Central Florida, launched his own real estate and land planning business, TDW Land Planning, in October 2019. In addition to providing community planning and development services, Tom is also a Licensed

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

Election Opportunities in APA Florida Looking for a way to get more involved in planning issues and your professional planning organization?

Consider running for statewide office in APA Florida. The election of statewide officers for APA Florida takes place every two years and 2020 is an election year. A nominating committee appointed by the President presents a slate of at least two candidates for each of these nine positions: President-Elect Vice President for Professional Development Vice President for Membership Services Vice-President for Conference Services Vice-President for Section Affairs

Vice President for Certification Maintenance Vice President for Communications Secretary Treasurer

The list of duties associated with each office is described in the Chapter Bylaws. A summary of the duties can also be viewed by clicking on the specific position in the list above. (Note: They will download as .pdfs) After reviewing the position descriptions, if you are interested in being considered to run for office, please click HERE and indicate your interest no later than March 4, 2020. If you need further information, contact the Chapter Office at 850-201-3272 or fapa@floridaplanning.org.

We look forward to hearing from you!!!

26 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

APA FLORIDA WORKING FOR YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANNING FOR A HEALTHY FLORIDA Free CM opportunities are now available through the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association’s website about public health planning.

Visit our Free CM page to access APA’s Planners4Health’s webinar series. Additional CM webinars on the subject are also available for on-demand credit from allied organizations such as AARP and the Urban Land Institute. APA Florida’s Plan4HealthyFlorida website provides members with a wide variety of resources and up-to-date information how to address health planning at the state level.

2019 MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS AWAREDED Adriana Silva and Melanie Flores have been selected to receive APA Florida’s 2019 APA Florida Minority Scholarships. Adrianna is a first year graduate student in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida State University. Melanie is also a first year graduate student in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida State University. Congratulations to both Adriana and Melanie! (Read more about these two remarkable students on pp. 25)

MEET YOUR NEW EMERGING PLANNERS GROUP Per last year’s approved bylaws revision, the Young Planner’s Group is now the Emerging Planners Group (EPG). This update in name is to reflect the recent change to broaden the group’s membership criteria to include those who are new to the profession, despite age. APA Florida’s Emerging Planners Group is a great resource for networking, specialized events and knowledge sharing, including AICP test prep. For more information, contact your Section’s EPG ambassador or the APA Florida’s EPG Chair, Sofia Garantiva at sgarantiva@udkstudios.com.

POP INITIATIVE SECTION GRANTS COMING SOON In an effort to increase APA Florida’s outreach to communities at the Chapter and Section levels, we are excited to soon offer POP (People-Oriented Projects) Initiative Section Grants in 2020.

This grant will provide funds to interested Sections throughout the state to carry out small scale planning projects that can have a big impact in our communities. Projects are to promote placemaking and citizen engagement such as parklets, pop up dog parks, community murals, neighborhood clean ups, temporary bike lanes and playground projects. The possibilities are endless and we look forward to many creative projects throughout the state initiated by our members through these grants.

APA FLORIDA PARTNERS WITH FLORIDA CIVIC ADVANCE APA Florida is continuing its support of Florida Civic Advance (FCA) by becoming an official FCA Organization Associate. FCA is a collaborative network of local, regional and statewide organizations working to help Florida communities strengthen civic capacity. FCA’s mission is to improve civic life and increase involvement to improve their communities. As an organization associate, APA Florida will be able to participate at FCA workshops and receive up-to-date information on FCA activities.

APA FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE VISITS STATE CAPITOL Members of APA Florida’s Legislative Policy Committee visited the State Capitol on Tuesday, February 4th. Thanks to State Senator Bobby Powell, an APA Florida member and certified planner, the group was recognized by the Senate during their afternoon session.

Senator Powell has also filed a proclamation declaring February 5, 2020, the date of this year’s APA Florida Public Policy Workshop in Tallahassee, as Community Planning Day in Florida.

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 27

[M-CORES] & WILDLIFE

[NEW CORRIDORS] PLANNERS PERSPECTIVE

continued from page 10

continued from page 9

ing lands, we are encouraged that FDOT is focusing on “avoidance, minimization, mitigation and enhancement,” and the task forces have voiced support for targeting existing rights-of-ways instead of creating entirely new highways. We estimate that over 50,000-acres will be impacted directly by the M-CORES projects, plus magnitudes more indirectly once the roads open new areas to sprawling development.

The current planning process for the three proposed highways aims to move forward as quickly as possible even though FDOT has yet to quantitively or qualitatively justify their need. FDOT has not demonstrated whether they are financially feasible, nor has the agency shown how the benefits outweigh the costs, especially the opportunity costs. Instead of diverting funding to these ill-considered highways and utility corridors, our position is Florida’s limited transportation and mobility funding should be directed to projects already on FDOT’s 5-Year and Long-Range Plan priority lists. Funds are desperately needed to improve transportation systems that serve Florida’s highly populated and rapidly growing areas maintenance backlogs and safety issues.

Through our task force appointments, we will continue to advocate for maximum protection of wildlife and habitat. Defenders is seeking a holistic and proactive approach to shape the proposed alternatives, which should include no-build alternatives for each proposed study areas.

(LRTP), conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study, developing design plans, getting all required permits, acquiring rights of way and finally constructing the project are all yet to come. Whether these steps occur on an accelerated timeline or the usual decade or more timeline, there are many reevaluation steps that also invite public input.

Will M-CORES result in the construction of three new transportation corridors in Florida? Only time will tell. Will the M-CORES process bring new planning opportunities to the development of large-scale transportation projects? Stay tuned!

Elizabeth Fleming and Kent Wimmer of Defenders of Wildlife serve as environmental/conservation representatives on M-CORES Task Forces that provide guidance and recommendations to FDOT regarding environmental and economic impacts for the respective study areas. Wimmer serves on the Northern Turnpike Connector and the Suncoast Connector task forces and Fleming serves on the Southwest-Central Florida Connector Task Force. This article does not represent the view of their respective task forces.

Pat Steed is the Executive Director of the Central Florida Regional Planning Council. She can be reached at psteed@cfrpc.org. Pat is a member of the SouthwestCentral Task Force. This article does not reflect the view of that task force.

Pat was one of three planners who recently participated on a M-CORES panel at the APA Florida Public Policy Workshop. You can watch the discussion and earn 1.5 AICP CM credits.

Click here for video and panel presentations.

[CHANGING ROUTES] IN MIAMI

continued from page 16

improvements in access to jobs across most of the county by changing how city trolleys and county buses are coordinated. The second concept focuses on higher frequency and ridership goals, by putting more frequent service in the places and corridors with the highest ridership potential, but with the cost of eliminating service in areas where ridership potential is low.

What could each concept achieve? In the Ridership Concept, the average county resident can reach 51 percent more jobs in 45 minutes, and 28 percent of residents would be within a ¼ mile of a bus that comes every 15 minutes, compared to only 10 percent today. You can learn more about the two concepts at www. betterbus.miami/concepts.

As planners, we should always be clear about what things are technical judgements versus where decisions represent different value choices. The Coverage and Ridership Concepts helped clarify the different value choices inherent in different bus network designs, so that everyone could make an informed decision about what they wanted for Miami-Dade.

28 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

The concepts were the focus of what has become the largest engagement effort around bus services in Miami-Dade County, ever. With 4000+ responses across two surveys, and over 100+ events, workshops and presentations reaching over 2500 people. From a text message line advertised on every bus to portable events at transit terminals, everyday riders and a broad group of stakeholders have been folded into the process of envisioning the new network. After extensive direct outreach and stakeholder collaboration, Transit Alliance recommended designing a final network in between the two concepts.

The final network will be released in late February, launching another round of outreach and preparing the network for final review by the Board of County Commissioners and the City of Miami Commission. You can sign up for updates at www.betterbus.miami and contact the project team at team@betterbus.miami.

Azhar Chougle is the Executive Director of Transit Alliance, a non-profit

organization advocating for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods and better public transit in Miami-Dade County. Scudder Wagg is a Senior Associate at Jarrett Walker + Associates, a leader in transit network planning, policy development, stakeholder involvement, and expert advice.

Rail~Volution 2020 | Sept. 20-23 in Miami, FL Call for Speakers – Open Jan. 27 - Feb. 28 Make sure your idea is in the mix!

The Rail~Volution transit and community development conference is seeking proposals in these tracks:  Technology and New Mobility Interfacing with Transit  Transit-Oriented Development and Communities  Transportation Policy Innovation, Communication and Leadership  Transit Modes and Corridors for People  Housing, Community Engagement and Social Justice For more information, visit railvolution.org/callforspeakers

Miami-Dade DTPW

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 29

[CONSULTANTS] DIRECTORY Advertise in the Consultants Directory The Consultant Directory is a fitting place to showcase your firm. $250 buys space for a year in the newsletter (five issues) plus inclusion in our webbased consultant directory. Display ads to promote your business, conference, projects and more are available. Contact the Chapter office at 850-2013272 for rates and details.

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

We provide exceptional solutions to help our clients achieve success.

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Creating great community places. gaiconsultants.com/communitysolutions

Statewide and State Wise

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

30 Winter 2020 / Florida Planning

[CONSULTANTS] DIRECTORY Advertise in the Consultants Directory The Consultant Directory is a fitting place to showcase your firm. $250 buys space for a year in the newsletter (five issues) plus inclusion in our webbased consultant directory. Display ads to promote your business, conference, projects and more are available. Contact the Chapter office at 850-2013272 for rates and details.

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

SAVE THE DATE Join us for the APA Florida 2020 Legislative Session Wrap Up webinar for a thorough review of the number of statutory changes that will affect planning in Florida.

March 24 | noon - 1:30 pm ET 1.5 Law CM will be sought

Winter 2020 / Florida Planning 31

[FLORIDA] PLANNING

[THANK YOU] TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS

Published by the Florida Chapter, American Planning Association, the Florida Planning newsletter has a current circulation of 3,200 members, subscribers and other readers. Four issues are published a year.

CHANGES OF ADDRESS For APA members, Send to: Member Records Department American Planning Association 205 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1200 Chicago, IL 60601 Fax: 312-786-6700 or log onto www.planning.org/myapa

ARTICLES Florida Planning welcomes articles, announcements, letters, pictures and advertising. Call 850-201-3272 regarding articles.

The next issue will be published May 2020.

DEADLINES Article deadlines are generally four weeks prior to publication.

Ad deadlines are generally two weeks prior to publication. Consult the editor for any exception to this schedule.

ABOUT THE CHAPTER APA Florida is a non-profit organization funded through membership dues and fees.

Contributions are also welcomed for general purposes and earmarked programs. Please note that contributions are not tax deductible.

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

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

[UPCOMING] EVENTS FEB 28: WEBINAR This is the first in a series of webinars on sea level change. This session focuses on different choices for practitioners trying to use the best available sea-level change science for adaptation planning needs. Our panel will discuss the components of changing sea-levels, and identify areas where scientists are working to reduce uncertainty around major contributing factors like melting ice-sheets. Then, we will walk through some questions that users need to think about when planning for future inundation and using sea level projections. Information here. Free for APA Florida members. 1.5 CM for live viewing only.

MARCH 4: NAVIGATING AN URBAN PLANNING CAREER: STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS Webinar. Part of APA Career Reality Webinar series. New planners and students have many questions about the planning profession. Hear first-hand from a planning hiring manager and a career management specialist on how to be strategic in your job search. Learn what employers are looking for and how to increase your chances of getting hired. You’ll have an opportunity for Q&A. Walk away with an action plan and the confidence to land your first job or internship. Presented by Michael Blue, FAICP, and Krystyn Kitto, Career Management Specialist. Information here. Free for APA members.

MARCH 11: THE ECONOMICS OF DEVELOPMENT IN FLORIDA Webinar. Drawing on data from Collier County, West Palm Beach and other communities in Florida and beyond, Joe Minicozzi, AICP, will focus on the economic impacts of development and sprawl in one of the fastest growing states in the nation. A pioneer of an approach to planning and city design called Geoaccounting, Joe demonstrates how cities can use local data and simple math to understand the impact of development on their community economic health. Information here.

Free. 1.5 CM MARCH 24: APA FLORIDA 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP UP Webinar. Join us after the 2020 legislative session for a thorough review of the number of statutory changes that will affect planning in Florida. Register here. 1.5 CM Law will be sought.

APRIL 20-22: FDOT’S TRANSPLEX – TRANSPORTATION PLANNING EXCHANGE Orlando. Florida’s premier event for collaborating with transportation planners, engineers, and policy makers throughout the state to Plan, Connect, and Innovate our way into Florida’s future. This event focuses on providing sessions and networking opportunities that support the exchange of experiences, ideas, and best practices among attendees. Information here. Free.

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