Orlando Metro Section

Women and Planning Group

In line with one of the APA-FL Chapter’s newest initiatives to increase diversity within our organization, OMS is looking to start a Women and Planning Group. The group will be focused on women’s issues in the planning field.  The Women and Planning group will be meeting sometime in the next few months to discuss getting organized and how best to work with the two other Women and Planning groups in the state. At the FL APA state level, a Diversity & Inclusion committee has been started that will focus on diversity issues that covers more than a strict focus on women’s topics.  

If interested, contact Roxann Read at rread@wildwood-fl.gov

The 2020 APA FL state conference will be held at the Hilton on Destination Parkway in Orlando Sept. 8-11.  We are looking for volunteers who can help with our committees.  Committees are mobile tours, speakers, logistics, volunteers, program sessions, receptions, finance and marketing.   Please contact Roxann Read at rread@wildwood-fl.gov for more information.

In case you missed the announcment, the 2020 APA Florida Annual Conference is going to be in City Beautiful and planning is already underway! 

All committee chairs are in place and more committee members are welcome to join.  The speaker and marketing committees will begin work after the first of the year to identify speakers and create a conference theme and logo.

Please contact rread@wildwood-fl.gov for more information on joining a committee!

Planning for the Food Economy

When: Wednesday, October 23, 2019, 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Where: Celery City Craft, 114 S. Palmetto Ave., Sanford, FL 32771

RSVP by October 21, 2019 to: snoto@lakemaryfl.com or call Steve Noto at 407-585-1440. 

Description of the Event: This event will discuss the role of planners in the development of regional food systems including how they can use food production industries like breweries, restaurants, and farmers markets to catalyze redevelopment and generate economic opportunities. The City of Sanford will be used as the session’s main case study.

Speakers: Luis Neives-Ruiz, Economic Development Manager, ECFRPC; Alicia Burke, Goldsboro Farmer’s Market Coordinator, Florida Department of Health; Greg Piecora, Owner of Wop’s Hops Brewing; Paul Williams, Owner of Celery City Craft and West End Trading Company, Sanford Tourism Board member; Moderator, Stephen Noto, City of Lake Mary Community Development Director.  

Presented by: Eliza Harris Juliano (Canin Associates), Ian Lockwood (Toole Design Group), and Gus Castro (City of Orlando)

When:  Friday, October 11, 3:30 - 5:00 pm (followed by happy hour)

Where:   Bitters & Bottles, 861 N. Orange Ave. Orlando, FL 32801

What:  North Quarter Transportation Vision 

RSVP Required: By October 9 to Sastuart@kcgcorp.com or call Scott Stuart at 407-898-7858

Orlando had a record-setting 75 million annual visitors in 2018, increasing 4.2% over 2017. What are the impacts of these visitors on our transportation system? How do we plan for them through our regional planning process?

On Wednesday, July 31, 2019, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., FDOT invites you to participate in this lively discussion focusing on the impacts of tourism on Central Florida’s transportation network and how their needs are accommodated by the public and private sectors. Bring your questions about how future planning efforts will address the millions of tourists that come to the region annually.

1.5 AICP CMs Approved! 

RSVP and Speaker information can be seen on the full event flyer by clicking here.

Get a comprehensive look at the success of the Orlando Metro Section in 2019.  You'll see a complete breakdown of the section's:

• Strategic highlights
• Financial highlights
• Operating highlights

Please join the Orlando Metro Section of APA-FL on Thursday, July 11, 2019 at 5:00pm for both the Annual Meeting of members, as well as a chat with representatives from Orange County, Florida Department of Transportation, and LYNX about autonomous vehicle transit in Central Florida. You may RSVP by July 6, 2019 by e-mailing oms.apa.fl@gmail.com. 

1.5 AICP CMs Requested.

The full event flyer PDF,  can be reviewed here. 

The voting period for the 2019 APA Florida Orlando Metro Section Executive Committee election cycle is now open. And you have until July 5, 2019 to submit your vote! The online ballot can be accessed via Survey Monkey here.

The positions up for election are:

• President
• 1^st Vice President (Professional Development)
• Secretary
• Orange County Director
• Sumter County Director
• Lake County Director
• Director At Large

The current Section Bylaws include a description of the responsibilities for each position (found here and downloads as a pdf.)

Elected officers will begin their term of office after the July 11, 2019 Annual Meeting, will serve on the Executive Committee for two (2) years as voting members, then as an ex-officio member until the APA Conference 2021 to allow for a smooth transition for any incoming officers.

If you have questions, please contact Jason Burton at oms.apa.fl@gmail.com.

Get a comprehensive look at the success of the Orlando Metro Section in 2018.  You'll see a robust breakdown of the section's:

• Strategic highlights
• Financial highlights
• Operating highlights

The Orlando Metro Section members voted for updates to the section bylaws. Those changes with approved on March 20, 2019.  Read or download the update bylaws here. 

Orlando Section Chair Josh DeVries, AICP, recently presented this ceremonial check on behalf of APA Florida and the section to the UCF MSURP Program, which is now a PAB Accredited Planning Program!

This Endowment will provide scholarships to many future planners and help further advance the profession! Truly an honor! Learn more about the UCF MSURP Program.