San Felasco Section
Planning Officials Training in Marion County
Are you an appointed advisory board member, elected official, utilities, historic preservation or water board member, or a local government employee who is eager to learn more about making local planning, zoning, and related recommendations or decisions?
If so, this one-day workshop organized by the APA Florida San Felasco Section and Marion County is tailored just for you!
Attendees will receive basic instruction and information about:
- Comprehensive Planning Basics
- Public Participation
- Land Use Law
- Economics of New Development/Redevelopment
- Growth Management Techniques
- Current and Future Planning Trends
- Transportation Planning
Alachua County Planners Talk with APA National About Stepping Up During COVID
As planning departments across the country grapple with revenue loss and frozen staff positions, planners are leading community recovery while also ensuring that critical infrastructure development continues moving forward.
In the latest installment of APA's "Planning Is Essential" video series, APA Florida San Felasco members, senior planner Kathleen Pagan, AICP, and growth management director Missy Daniels, AICP, share how planners are stepping up in Alachua County to keep local economies running.
UF URP and San Felasco Section Colloquium
Students in the UF URP program asked the San Felasco Section if we would consider meeting with their students to pass on our experience, knowledge and insight about transitioning from the student environment to the professional planning environment. We designed a 2-hour program to do just that. It was an informal format centered on discussion and dialogue between section professional planners and UF URP students.
That Colloquium was held at the offices of CHW, Inc. in Alachua, Fla. Food and drinks were provided by the section.
(left to right) Andrew Morris, Dean Mimms, Terry Clark, Seth Wood, Austen Dole, Donald Buaku, Kadair Brissett, Lauren Yeatter
Below is a listing of topics discussed during the Colloquium:
- Writing a Resume
- Interviewing Skills & First Impressions
- Public vs. Private Sector Jobs
- The Role of GIS
- AICP Exam
- What to Expect in Your First Year
Eight members of the Section and four UF URP students participated. Feedback from the students was very positive. They felt they received a lot of real world information and that they were more comfortable and confident in leaving the University and moving into the planning profession. The Section professionals also indicated they enjoyed the session. They appreciated being able to pass on lessons learned and experiences gathered during their professional career. The San Felasco Section plans on offering the Colloquium again next year.
UF URP Fall 2018 Studio Course Presentation on Transportation Risks
The San Felasco Section was invited to attend a UF/URP student presentation on Dec. 5, 2018 on Transportation Risks as part of their Regional Planning Fall 2018 Studio Course.
Austen Dole, Section Student Representative, and several of her fellow students gave excellent presentations on their class project investigating transportation risks in Florida associated with climate change and sea level rise. Potential impacts to public roads, mass transit and freight transport were presented for the year 2060
Their work was partially funded through a Florida Department of Transportation contract.
Celebrating NCPM:Elementary School Event
On Oct. 23 and 30, Angeline Jacobs, Leslie McLendon and Sandra Joseph from the San Felasco Section of APA FL were guest speakers/presenters at two second-grade classes at Williams Elementary School in Gainesville, Florida.
Utilizing the K-12 Teaching Guides curriculum created by APA Florida, they taught the second graders:
- the elements of their neighborhood and city;
- that there is an organization that is responsible for planning the elements of their community; and
- that there is a reason for why community elements are where they are.
Special thank you to Lauren Yeatter of the section for creating awesome maps for the event!
We are happy to report that the presentation on both days was successful. The students were extremely engaged and enjoyed the class activity very much. Additionally, both teachers provided positive feedback.
Next October for National Community Planning Month, we hope to present once each week for the entire month. We also plan to recruit additional volunteers from the Section to participate in the event.
