April 29, 2011

E-News & Notes: A Monthly Bulletin from APA Florida

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State & Federal Highlights

The Value of Green Infrastructure

The Center for Neighborhood Technology, with assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and American Rivers, recently published a guide to inform decision-makers and planners about the multiple benefits green infrastructure delivers to communities. The guide was drafted out of research into the type of benefits green infrastructure produces within the urban context. Green infrastructure is a network of decentralized stormwater management practices such as green roofs, trees, rain gardens and permeable pavement that can capture and infiltrate rain where it falls, thus reducing stormwater runoff and improving the health of surrounding waterways. Download the guide here .

What Americans Are Looking For When Deciding Where to Live

Last month, the National Association of Realtors released their 2011 Community Preference Survey, an update of research originally conducted in 2004. The research covers characteristics consumers are looking for in a community, the reality of their current communities, and what policies they would support to improve their communities in the future. The 2011 Community Preference Survey reveals that, ideally, most Americans would like to live in walkable communities where shops, restaurants, and local businesses are within an easy stroll from their homes and their jobs are a short commute away; as long as those communities can also provide privacy from neighbors and detached, single-family homes. If this ideal is not possible, most prioritize shorter commutes and single-family homes above other considerations. To read the report, click here.

Don't delay! Become a 2011 Conference Sponsor or Exhibitor
Click here for more details on both

Reports, Publications & Briefings

Best Cities for Small Business

The Business Journals recently used a six-part formula to analyze the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas, searching for the places that offer the best climates for small business. A small business is defined as any private-sector employer with 99 or fewer employees.

Austin, Texas was ranked the highest, followed by Oklahoma City and Charleston. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, at #21, was the highest ranked Florida area. Lakeland was ranked 93rd, dropping from its 2009 rank of 81st. To see the rankings, click here.

Gas Prices And Urban Sprawl Linked

Two Canadian researchers recently conducted a multivariate analysis of the potential impact of higher gas prices on urban sprawl in the 12 largest Canadian Metropolitan Areas for the period 1986-2006. Controlling for variables such as income and population, the study showed that higher prices of gas have contributed significantly to reduce urban sprawl. On average, a 1% increase in gas prices has caused: i) a 0.32% increase in the population living in the inner city and ii) a 1.28% decrease in low-density housing units. Higher incomes have played a significant role in increasing urban sprawl. increase. View the report here.

JobMart

APA Florida/APA/AICP News & Info

Latest Job Postings

SENIOR PLANNER (Keith and Associates);
PROJECT DIRECTOR (Southeast Florida Regional Partnership);
PROGRAM MANAGER (Southeast Florida Regional Partnership);
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR City of Coral Gables);

We encourage you to visit APA Florida's JobMart website at www.floridaplanning.org/jobs2.asp for salaries, descriptions, minimum requirements and application deadlines.

Also, don't forget about APA Florida's resume posting feature at www.floridaplanning.org/membership/
resume_select.

APA Florida Project Awards Application Period Open Through May 26th!

This program provides APA Florida the opportunity to recognize outstanding planning projects in the State of Florida at its annual conference. Eligible planning projects are those completed within the last two years in Florida and fall within the following categories: Planning Project; Comprehensive Plan (Large Jurisdiction, Small Jurisdiction); Best Practices; Grassroots Initiative; Neighborhood Planning; Great Places in Florida – Public Spaces. Go to www.floridaplanning.org for more details and submission requirements.

APA Florida Student Minority Scholarship Application Deadline Extended Until May 27th

This $1,000 scholarship is meant to celebrate planning and foster increased interest in planning by providing financial support for graduate students who are members of underserved ethnic groups and who attend a PAB-accredited planning institution in the state of Florida. The deadline has been extended from April 15th until May 27th to allow additional time for students to apply. Eligibility criteria and the application form can be found here. Please contact the Chapter Office at fapa@floridaplanning.org if you have any questions.

Nominations Sought for 2011 Planning Leadership Awards

APA Florida is looking for your assistance in identifying potential nominees for consideration for the 2011Planning Leadership Awards. Formerly know as Chapter Awards, the Planning Leadership Awards are the APA Florida Chapter's highest honors which recognize individuals for their leadership on planning issues. The APA Florida Chapter Office must receive all nominations by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, May 17, 2011. For more information, go to www.floridaplanning.org.

RFPs/RFQs, Grants, ETC.

RFQs/RFPs are listed in this newsletter and posted to APA Florida's website at no charge. APA Florida does this as a service to its members. Please take advantage of it. Email a one paragraph summary to the Chapter Office at fapa@floridaplanning.org for posting. Include deadline and web link.

RFPs:

Evaluation and Appraisal Report Preparation Services: The City of Clewiston is seeking sealed proposals from qualified and interested planning consulting firms or individuals to provide professional planning services to prepare the City's Evaluation and Appraisal Report as required by Section 163.3191, F.S. Bids will be accepted at City Hall until Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. To obtain a copy of the Request for Proposals, please contact Travis Reese or Debbi Towner, City of Clewiston, at 863-983-1500.

Design Challenge for Image for First Coast Vision: The Regional Community Institute of Northeast Florida, Inc. supported by the Northeast Florida Regional Council, has launched a design challenge to create the image for First Coast Vision, a vision for growth and development in the seven county region for the next 50 years. Details and forms are available at http://www.firstcoastvision.com/DesignChallenge.html .

Calendar

News Clips

May 5, 2011: The APA Florida Orlando Metro Section will be holding an Ethics Brown Bag Lunch & Learn at the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. AICP CM credit is pending.

May 11, 2011: The APA Florida San Felasco Section will host a webinar on Renewable Local Energy at the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council. It is approved for AICP CM credit.

May 11, 2011: The APA Florida Promised Lands Section will host a webinar on Renewable Local Energy at the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council. It is approved for AICP CM credit.

May 13, 2011: The Florida Planning and Zoning Association will hold a workshop on Sustainable Food Systems in Central Florida at the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. It is approved for AICP CM credit.

May 15, 2011: This is the deadline for submitting nominations for the FPZA State Planinng Awards.

May 15-20, 2011: The 25th Annual Governor's Hurricane Conference will be held in Fort Lauderdale.

May 18, 2011: The APA Florida First Coast Section will host a Legislative Breakfast in Jacksonville. AICP CM credits are pending.

May 20, 2011: The Palm Beach County Planning Congress will host the "Putting Florida to Work- the Planner's Role" seminar in Boca Raton. AICP CM credits are pending.

June 8-11, 2011: The Florida Planning and Zoning Association will hold its FPZA Annual Conference in Naples.

June 15, 2011: This is the deadline for submitting presentation proposals for the 2012 Livable Cities Conference in Portland.

September 7-10, 2011: APA Florida will hold the 2011 Annual Conference at the Breakers in Palm Beach.

-more events-

Aligning Historic Preservation and Sustainable Design
The Dirt ASLA, SustainableCitiesCollective, March 28, 2011
http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/dirt/22809/aligning-historic-preservation-and-sustainable-design

Census 2010 Offers Portrait of America in Transition
Aaron Renn, NewGeography, March 26, 2011
www.newgeography.com/content/002153-census-2010-offers-portrait-america-transition

Blue Urbanism: The City and the Ocean
Timothy Beatley, Places, April 18, 2011
http://places.designobserver.com/feature/blue-urbanism-the-city-and-the-ocean/26328/

Getting’ Paid: Placemaking and the Importance of Compensation
Nathan Norris, Placemakers, April 22, 2011
http://placeshakers.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/gettin-paid-placemaking-and-the-importance-of-compensation/

Cities Use Brownfields to Go Solar
The Dirt, ASLA, SustainableCitiesCollective, April 13, 2011
http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/dirt/23753/cities-use-brownfields-go-solar

New York’s Green Grid
Alec Appelbaum, Op-Ed Contributor, New York Times, April 16, 2011
www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/opinion/17Appelbaum.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=green%20grid&st=cse

Hot-and-cold running crisis: cities, water and climate change
Robert Lalasz, Grist, March 31, 2011
www.grist.org/infrastructure/billions-in-cities-could-face-water-shortages-by-2050-if-we-dont-get-smart

The coming housing calamity
Robert Steuteville, New Urban Network, April 28, 2011
http://newurbannetwork.com/news-opinion/blogs/robert-steuteville/14620/coming-housing-calamity

How Mountain View revived its downtown
Bruce Liedstrand, New Urban Network, March 30 2011
http://newurbannetwork.com/news-opinion/blogs/bruce-liedstrand/14395/how-mountain-view-revived-its-downtown

Jane Jacobs and the Death and Life of American Planning
Thomas J. Campanella, Places, April 25, 2011
http://places.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=25188

APA Florida Annual Sponsors

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