Promised Lands Section

WELCOME BACK TO THE PROMISED LANDS - THE SWAMP PEDDLERS PLANNNING  SYMPOSIUM – PUNTA GORDA 

APA Promised Lands Section and FPZA Calusa Chapter are co-sponsoring a welcome back program Aug. 6, 2021 at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center. All members of APA, FPZA and the public are all welcome to participate and enjoy a partial day program featuring a presentation by author Jason Vuic. 

Jason Vuic is a writer and historian in Fort Worth, Texas, who specializes in creative nonfiction. Raised in Punta Gorda, his parents were educators in Charlotte County. He will be focusing his discussion of his recent book - The Swamp Peddlers: How Lot Sellers, Land Scammers, and Retirees Built Modern Florida and Transformed the American Dream.

This program - including lunch - will also feature discussion with local planners, attorneys and historians about the history of Charlotte County, General Development, and how it relates to the present - including the redevelopment of Punta Gorda and the legacy of the Promised Lands in Charlotte County in relation to the Southwest Florida story.

APA Promised Lands and FPZA Calusa Chapter invite you to join speaker David Farmer, AICP, PE for a free online webinar on Becoming an Effective Public Board Member - May 5 @ Noon

This webinar aims to teach skills and provide insight on the mechanisms of public boards, interacting with the public, pursuing leadership opportunities, and contributing unique skillsets. Attendees will also learn to navigate common challenges of participating on a public board. Time is provided to interact with the speaker and ask questions specific to your organization.  This event is registered for 1 AICP CM credit for planners.  David Farmer, AICP, PE is a well-researched and energetic presenter with a background in planning, engineering, land development. David was formerly an elected district commissioner in Collier County for over 10 years. In 2020, David was honored as an Outstanding Elected Official by the Florida Planning and Zoning Association. He frequently develops and teaches content for the Urban Land Institute on topics of public policy and development finance.  RSVP to Sarah@metroforecasting.com

Thank you to the Calusa Chapter of FPZA for sponsoring and organizing a walking tour of City Walk and downtown Fort Myers.

Special thanks to Jeremie Chastain of Hole Montes for his work on this event.

AICP/CM credits for this Friday January 29, 2021 program are here. 

https://www.planning.org/events/eventsingle/9211097/

Jared Beck, AICP, of Stantec leads a tour of Downtown Fort Myers.

Thank you for attending the Hybrid and Virtual Public Input Meetings Webinar December 9, 2020. You can claim your AICP/CM credits by logging event ID 9209995 at the link below. Thank you to FPZA and Ms. Amanda Martin of Johnson Engineering for her work organizing this event, attended (virtually) by more than 30 people. 1.5 AICP/CM credits available including Law.

https://www.planning.org/login/?next=/cm/log/

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It was with sadness that we inform our Promised Lands Section membership that our annual Holiday Party will not be held this year. We are taking this approach out of an abundance of caution. Many of our members are already challenged with remote work schedules and juggling family obligations. Unfortunately, COVID continues to challenge our normalcy and push us to change the way we interact. We are hopeful that in the coming year we can host a virtual networking event if in-person options continue to be unavailable.

In the spirit of giving during this holiday season, we are asking that our members support our Section’s efforts to collect teddy bears on behalf of the Florida Highway Patrol. The FHP provides teddy bears to children at the scene of automobile accidents to help soften what is often a devastating circumstance. We do so in honor of all those who have lost someone or been lost to a tragic accident.

FHP Teddy Bear Steps:

Purchase and mail at least one teddy bear no later than December 18^th.
Mail the teddy bear to: 
Josh's Warehouse
3200 Hanson Street
Fort Myers, FL 33916

Include your name so the Promised Lands Section can enter you into a raffle for a free annual conference registration next year. One raffle entry PER teddy bear donated.
 
Bylaws

We are updating our bylaws. Most of the changes are cleanup but includes a change to the timing of the election cycle for when our local Executive Committee begins and ends. The change aligns with APA FL calendar and schedule. Please REVIEW HERE and VOTE HERE.
 
 Sincerely,

Jason Green, AICP, CFM
Promised Lands Section Chair 

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” St. Mother Theresa