March 2, 2006 Volunteer Planning Team to Assist City of Mandeville CHICAGO — A five-member volunteer planning team is heading to Mandeville, Louisiana, at the request of the city's planning department to offer assistance with post-hurricane recovery planning work. The team will work with the city's planners March 5 through March 10. The American Planning Association's (APA) Planning Assistance Team is made up of expert planners who will volunteer their time to help Mandeville continue its post-hurricane recovery and establish the foundation for guiding future development within the city. The team's priorities for the weeklong visit include satisfying the increasing demand for a variety of housing and complying with FEMA flood standards while maintaining the historic context of old Mandeville. During the visit, the team will meet with local officials, residents, and community leaders to further assess community needs. The team will conclude its work with recommendations to the city and a growth strategy that will maintain Mandeville's heritage. The volunteer planning services are offered through APA's professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). All members of the team are certified planners that hold various planning positions throughout the country and offer unique expertise. "We are pleased that APA has offered to help," said Mandeville Mayor Eddie Price. "This reflects well on our reputation as a community that is serious about good planning and growth management and is willing to use every tool available to maintain our quality of life. We certainly plan to listen and learn from these professional planners. We appreciate them coming." APA's Planning Assistance Team will be led by Roger Blevins, AICP, a national principal with HDR, Inc. in San Antonio, Texas. "We look forward to working with the Mayor and his staff to provide planning assistance. This will be very hard and exhausting work, but the outcomes will benefit Mandeville and its residents for years to come." Team members include: Mary Anne Bowie, AICP, President, Bowie Urban Planners, Sarasota Florida; Karen Hundt, AICP, Director, Planning & Design Studio, City of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Brad Johnson, AICP, Senior Planner/Principal, Ground Rules Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana; and Tara Paxton, AICP, Assistant Planner, Township of Brick, New Jersey. The team's weeklong assessment and work will be presented to Mandeville's staff at 10 a.m. Friday, March 10 at City Hall. APA and the City of Mandeville will share the team's travel expenses. All labor has been volunteered by each team member's respective business or agency. The team's progress may be followed on APA's website at: www.planning.org/cap/katrinapat.htm. Contact |
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