AICP - Pennsylvania Chapter

August 2009 • Number 149 • www.planningpa.org
THE VANTAGE POINT
APA
Planning Association
PA American
Pennsylvania Chapter
A Publication of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association
Making Great Communities Happen
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
President Alexander J. Graziani, AICP
N
E X T YE A R , 2010, will
be the 25th anniversary
of the founding of the
Pennsylvania Chapter of
the American Planning Association. To help make good strategic
decisions in the coming years, the
leadership of PA-APA is currently
working on a new chapter development plan. Our current development plan covers the years
2006-2010. This fall chapter
leadership will begin the
process with a day-long
retreat to draft the next plan.
PA Chapter of APA Annual Conference
FAST
APPROACHING
New this year!
REGISTER
ONLINE
www.planningpa.org
Early Bird Deadline:
September 4
P L A N N O W TO J O I N your colleagues for the annual con-
I would like to encourage
you, our members, to take time to
review our current plan and offer a
critique of what you think we
accomplished and/or failed to
achieve.
The top two short term
priorities contained in
the 2006-2010 plan were to:
• Educate public, government,
non-profits, and developers about
tangible functions/benefits of
planning.
• Work with the sections to
enhance services to existing members.
The top two long term
priorities in the 2006-2010 plan
were to:
• Enhance status/role of planners.
• Improve recruiting of planning
officials and student members,
including setting up a mentoring
program for new planning officials
and student members.
In addition, think about what
the plan failed to address and what
items should be addressed in the
next 5-year plan.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Smart Growth initiatives,
including cooperative
planning ventures, smart
transportation improvements, innovative affordable housing and economic
development tools, and
green technology, have
emerged as critical issues
facing Pennsylvania.
ference of the PA Chapter of the American Planning Association —“Investing in a Sustainable Future.” The event
takes place October 4-6, 2009 at the Dolce Valley Forge in
King of Prussia, PA and is packed with compelling keynote
speakers, valuable workshops, relevant mobile workshops,
and many opportunities for networking with professional
planners and planning officials from around the state.
Take advantage of the early bird rate and register by
September 4!
The Delaware Valley, host of this year’s conference,
exemplifies the theme of this year’s conference:
Investing in a Sustainable Future. Smart Growth
initiatives, including cooperative planning ventures,
smart transportation improvements, innovative affordable housing and economic development tools, and
green technology, have emerged as critical issues facing
Pennsylvania. Hear from leaders working in sustainability both
regionally and nationally:
• Timothy Beatley, the Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable
Communities, Department of Urban and Environmental Planning,
University of Virginia School of Architecture;
• Jeremy Nowak, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of
The Reinvestment Fund; and
• Sandy Wiggins, Principal, Consilience Inc., a national consultancy
with a mission to build environmentally, socially and economically
sustainable communities.
The workshop sessions offered this year will also serve to challenge planners across the Commonwealth as we work towards
planning practices that prepare communities for a sustainable future.
Earn up to 13.5 CM credits
The conference committee has planned carefully to offer a conference packed with CM credit educational opportunities. During two
and a half days of educational workshops and keynote speakers,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
THE VANTAGE POINT
1
PA Chapter
Executive Committee
PA Chapter of APA Annual Conference
CONTINUED FROM COVER
PRESIDENT
Alexander J. Graziani, AICP
Smart Growth Partnership of
Westmoreland County
VICE PRESIDENT
Charnelle Hicks, AICP, PP
CHPlanning, Ltd.
Following Monday’s
evening reception,
join all your old and new
friends at Kildare’s Irish
Pub for drinks and snacks
and a rousing match
of the popular pub trivia
game Quizzo! Proceeds
go toward the Student
Scholarship Fund!
SECRETARY
John Pickett, AICP, PE
Delaware County
Planning Department
TREASURER
Mark Stivers, AICP
East Hempfield Township
LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION
REPRESENTATIVE
Anthony P. Toth, AICP
alfred benesch & company
NORTHEAST SECTION
REPRESENTATIVE
Peter T. Wulfhorst, AICP
Penn State Cooperative Extension
NORTHWEST SECTION
REPRESENTATIVE
Roy Brant, PhD
Crawford County Planning
Commission
Opening Keynote speaker Timothy Beatley
attendees may qualify for as
many as 13.5 CM credits
including Law and Ethics
requirements.
Networking Opportunities
Join us for this year’s opening
reception, held at the Welcome
Center in the Valley Forge
National Historic Park. Enjoy an
enticing mix of seasonal local
foods and drinks while socializing with new and old friends
APA
Planning Association
PA American
Pennsylvania Chapter
Making Great Communities Happen
587 James Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112
717 671-4510 (P)
717 545-9247 (F)
www.planningpa.org
Susan Shermer, CMP
Administrative Director
sshermer@shermer-assoc.com
Sarah T. Galbraith, CMP
Chapter Administrator
sgalbraith@shermer-assoc.com
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2
THE VANTAGE POINT
PAST PRESIDENT
alike in the midst of exhibits that
capture crucial moments of our
nation’s history. A guided tour of
the park is available prior to the
reception. See the preliminary
program for details.
Monday evening, enjoy an
exotic escape with our tropicalthemed evening reception in the
Carl Hess, AICP
Borough of State College
Section Chairs
Dolce Valley Forge ballroom.
Feast on Caribbean-style food
and dance to the music of The
Flying Mangos, a local band
featuring the talents of several
planners from southeastern
Pennsylvania.
Following Monday’s evening
reception, join all your old and
new friends at Kildare’s Irish Pub
for drinks and snacks and a
rousing match of the popular
pub trivia game Quizzo! ProPitkin Luncheon and Lecture
speaker Jeremy Nowak
Plenary Session speaker
Sandy Wiggins
ceeds go toward the Student
Scholarship Fund!
Additionally you’ll find
opportunities to network during
breaks with the exhibitors and at
luncheons on Monday and
Tuesday.
Green Meeting
Finally, we’re pleased to note
that this year’s conference will be
a Green Meeting, and employs a
number of Green Meetings initiatives to reduce the impact of
the conference on the environment. We encourage attendees
to participate in these efforts
through activities such as the
hotel’s linens reuse program, carpooling, and paper recycling.
Registration for the conference
is available now, online, at
www.planningpa.org!
Remember to register in time
for the early bird deadline of
September 4, 2009. ¡
Central
William Gomes, AICP
Mifflin County Planning
Commission
Lehigh Valley
Anthony Toth, AICP
alfred benesch & company
Northeast
Christine Dettore
Monroe County Planning
Commission
Northwest
Roy Brant, PhD
Crawford County Planning
Commission
Southeast
Graciela Cavicchia, AICP
The Reinvestment Fund
Southwest
Jeff Grim, AICP
Southwestern Pennsylvania
Commission
Committee Chairs
Professional Development
Officer/Professional Development
Committee Chair
Susan Elks, AICP
Planning Officials Development
Officer/Chair of the Planning Officials
Development Committee
Shirley A. Yannich, AICP
Communications Committee Chair
Dennis Martinak, AICP
Education Committee Chair
Cliff Kanz, AICP
2009 Conference Co-Chairs
Graciela Cavicchia, AICP
Brian O’Leary, AICP
David Ward, AICP
Legislative Committee
Richard Bickel, AICP, Chair
Susan Smith, Esq., AICP, Vice Chair
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
CONTINUED FROM COVER
market to planners
through conference sponsorships,
exhibits, and advertising opportunities
Many opportunities exist for companies and organizations to market
to your targeted audience through advertising and exhibits.
Information for sponsors, advertisers, sponsorships, and exhibitors
may be found on the PA Chapter website at
www.planningpa.org.
‘10
Nominate 2010 AICP Fellows
Do you know an AICP member who has made outstanding contributions to
the planning profession over an extended period of time? Nominate this stellar
planner for membership in the AICP College of Fellows, Class of 2010.
F E L LO W S O F A I C P A R E H O N O R E D I N R E CO G N I T I O N of the achievements of the
planner as an individual, elevating the Fellow before the public and the profession as a
model planner who has made significant contributions to planning and society. Fellowship
is granted to planners who have been members of AICP and have achieved excellence in
professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service,
and leadership. Those chosen become members of the College of Fellows. The College of
Fellows is concerned with mentoring and future advancement of the profession of planning. As outstanding professionals in the field of planning, Fellows of AICP will address
student organizations, state APA conferences, and professional development programs.
Nomination guidelines are now available online at APA’s website, www.planning.org.
The deadline for submission is November 17, 2009. ¡
PA Chapter of APA
‘09
2009 Election of Officers
2 0 0 9 I S A N E L E C T I O N YE A R for the PA Chapter and between August 14 and
September 18, 2009 members will be voting for the Chapter Officers who will hold those
positions for the next 2 years. Ballots will be delivered on August 14, 2009 via electronic or
paper means as indicated by your preference in our membership records. We encourage
you to watch for these materials and be sure to make your voice heard with your vote!
Results of the election will be announced at the Annual Meeting, which takes place on
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 during the Annual Conference in Valley Forge, PA. ¡
One of our goals is to seek to
make our plan consistent with the
American Planning Association
2010-2022 development plan
adopted this past April in Minneapolis. Please take time to visit
the APA website and review their
current plan. As requested above,
critically look to see what elements
from the National development
plan should be a priority for our
State Chapter. Share with me your
thoughts about what is missing in
their plan or any items that should
not be considered in our plan.
Help inform us by beginning
to share with me (alex@smart
growthpa.org) your ideas about
what direction the chapter needs
to take. The Pennsylvania Chapter
of the American Planning Association is a membership organization.
Help us better serve you, the planning professional and planning
official, by sharing your feedback
during the plan development
process.
Remember, we are the
“planning association”, not the
“planners association”. Therefore,
beyond working to support planners we also look to advance the
cause of planning in our communities and in the Commonwealth.
Give us your ideas on how to
advance the cause of good longterm decision making.
The goal of Chapter leadership
is to have the draft plan ready for
review in late 2009. Over the next
3-4 months we will work to solicit
comments from membership,
including at this fall’s 2009 Annual
Conference in Valley Forge, PA. All
feedback received will be analyzed
to help shape the final plan. The
PA APA Board of Directors will
seek to adopt the new plan before
the end of the year.
If you desire to participate in
the one-day planning retreat let us
know. Limited space will be available for non-Board of Directors to
participate. Please contact me or
the Chapter Office expressing your
interest and we will try to accommodate your participation.
As always please take time to
read the rest of this edition of The
Vantage Point! ¡
THE VANTAGE POINT
3
2009 IRVING HAND
Aw a r d R e c i p i e n t s S h a r e U p d a t e s
The Irving Hand Excellence in Planning Professional Development Award
is presented annually by the PA Chapter of APA to support planners and
the planning profession by defrayng a portion of the rising cost of higher
and continuing education courses related to the field of planning. The
deadline for submissions for the 2010 award is September 11, 2009.
Below, the recipients of the 2009 award share how this scholarship has impacted their planning education.
From BRANDON R. PORINCHAK,
Masters of Science student,
Temple University
Community and Regional
Planning Department
I W O U L D L I K E to take this
opportunity to thank the PA
Chapter of APA for the generous
scholarship which I was awarded
at the 2008 Annual Conference
in Pittsburgh, PA.
Currently, I am attending
Temple University as a student in
the Masters of Science program
for Community and Regional
Planning. This past spring I
APA and the Irving Hand Award
make this a reality through their
generous contributions to professional development. I would
encourage anyone interested in
furthering their knowledge
within the planning profession
to complete an award application
during the next submission
period (see page 7). I also
encourage PA APA members to
consider making contributions to
the scholarship fund. This will
help to ensure that current and
future planners may benefit from
the generosity of others as much
as I have. Thank you! ¡
“I also encourage PA APA members to consider
making contributions to the scholarship fund.”
utilized the award to supplement
a portion of my tuition which
included courses in Planning
Politics and Administration, and
Sustainable Business Practices.
These courses helped to further
my knowledge of current and
relevant issues in planning and
to aid in my professional development. Lessons learned in
these courses have aided me in
my daily work assignments.
The fluidity and ever
changing environment of planning make it vitally important
for planners to continue learning
throughout their careers and
take every opportunity possible
to broaden the limits of their
knowledge. The PA Chapter of
4
THE VANTAGE POINT
From RICHARD REDDING,
Director of Community
Planning, Philadelphia City
Planning Commission
W I T H T H E F U N D S received
from the 2009 Irv Hand Award, I
was able to attend a 2-day course
in Cambridge, MA: the MITHarvard Public Dispute Program.
The program proved to be very
valuable. A major strength was the
expertise of the instructors:
• Larry Susskind, Professor of
Urban and Environmental
Planning at MIT and author of
several books on negotiation
• Mike Wheeler, a Professor at
Harvard’s School of Management
• Jeff Ansell, a media relations
consultant and former TV
journalist
Attendees at the program
represented government, military, utility companies, labor
unions, corporations and non-
for unintended effects
• Accept responsibility; admit
mistakes and share power
• Act in a trustworthy fashion at
all times
• Focus on building long term
relationships
The professors asked the attendees
this question, “when faced with an
emotional, angry questioner in a
TV news interview, do you want to
be able to think well on your feet?”
profits. In addition to standard
lectures and PowerPoint presentations, we also benefited from
many role-playing exercises and
simulated TV interviews. All
attendees received a copy of
Susskind’s book, “Dealing With
An Angry Public,” and a thick
binder containing the course
materials.
One of the key points learned
in the program includes the
Mutual Gains Approach, a
method for resolving disputes
based on the following 6 principles:
• Acknowledge the serious concerns of the other side
• Encourage joint fact-finding;
establish an advisory committee that includes activists/
opponents
• Offer contingent commitments
to minimize impacts if they do
occur; promise to compensate
The professors asked the attendees this question, “when faced
with an emotional, angry questioner in a TV news interview,
do you want to be able to think
well on your feet?” Most people
would say “Yes,” but as the
instructor shared with us, “No”
is by far the best choice. Listen
to the complaints, acknowledge
that they are serious, and
promise to consider the information. Presenting the facts at this
juncture will be futile because of
the emotion present in the questioning. The most successful
responses (from corporate or
government) are responses that
simply acknowledge the concerns of the other side.
Thank you to the PA Chapter of
APA for the generous scholarship
which made my participation in
this program possible. ¡
2009 Professional Development
WEBCASTS
The following series is sponsored by the Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Missouri, New York Upstate, Ohio, Orange County, Pennsylvania, Texas,
Utah, Virginia, Western Central and Wisconsin Chapters of APA.
For registration information, visit: http://www.planningpa.org
and click on CM Training. To access the monthly webcasts participants will need an internet connection and a telephone.
The following is a summary of the upcoming sessions. Registration for each webcast is limited to 1,000. Please register
early to reserve your spot. If a group of people will be
watching the webcast from one location, only one member
needs to register. Contact the PA Chapter of APA office at
717-671-4510 to request a sign-in sheet to record other members’ attendance. Since the PA Chapter is a participant in this
program, there is no cost to our Chapter members for participating in these programs. A complete description of each program is available on the PA Chapter website. CM credit
approval is pending for these programs.
September 4 – 1:00 – 2:30 PM
1.5 CM*
The Future of Transportation: Providing Sustainable Choices for the
Public
Matthew Click, AICP, Cambridge Systematics; Aileen Boucle, AICP,
Florida Department of Transportation
APA
Update
APA Releases New PAS Report,
Transportation Infrastructure
T H E N E W E S T PA S R E P O R T, Transportation
Infrastructure, will go on sale shortly at
APAPlanning Books.com. (If you’re a PAS subscriber, your copy went in the mail on July 1.)
This report showcases the very latest in the
national conversation about transportation
infrastructure, and it includes work by some of
the most influential people in the field,
including Robert Cervero, Reid Ewing, Petra
Todorovich, and many others. In an effort to
ensure that this dynamic material reach a broad
audience quickly, transcripts from the National
Planning Conference in Minneapolis this past
April have also been included. The report is an
up-to-the-minute snapshot of an issue that is so
important to communities in every state. ¡
September 18 – 4:00 – 5:30 PM
1.5 CM*
Creating Truly Collaborative Planning: Future Melbourne’s Collaborative Plan Writing Initiative
October 2 – 1:00 – 2:30 PM
1.5 CM* Law Credit
Practical Application of Takings, Exactions and Constitutional Procedural Requirements in Local Land use Decisions
Dan Vogel, JD; University of Virginia and founding shareholder,
Cunningham, Vogel and Rost PC
November 6 – 1:00 – 2:30 PM
1.5 CM*
Community Visioning: Creating the Framework for Tomorrow’s
Florida
Rich Unger, FAICP – MSCW, Inc.; Curt Ostrodka, AICP, LEED, AP –
MSCW, Inc.
December 4 – 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Creating Sustainable Communities
Speaker to be determined
1.5 CM*
December 10 – 2:30PM
1.5 CM*
Community Strategies for Dealing with Distressed Properties
*CM Pending
earnCMcredits
Recipient Announced!
Fall AICP Exam Reduced Fee Scholarship
T H E PA C H A P T E R is pleased to announce that Liang Guo
is the recipient of the reduced fee scholarship for the fall
AICP exam testing cycle. Good luck to all applicants for the
fall exam! See page 6 for details on the AICP Prep Session
Webcast scheduled for September 18, 2009.¡
Inclusion in this newsletter of ads does not imply endorsement by PA APA.
THE VANTAGE POINT
5
CM3
Tips
EVENTS &
Training Opportunities
T H E C M P R O G R A M has created an increased focus on
If you are considering dropping your AICP credential for
reasons such as retirement, health, cost, or family care, please
note the following information regarding available exemptions that may allow you to retain your AICP at this time.
The AICP designation is both a hard-earned indicator of
3 professional
accomplishment, and a sign of your contin-
uing education to and support of planning and its role in
creating communities of lasting value. APA grants exemptions from CM requirements for a variety of reasons. APA
also offers all members a direct-debit installment payment
program as well as reduced APA and AICP dues to unemployed members.
AICP members in certain life and career situations may be
3 temporarily
or permanently exempt from the requirement
to earn Certification Maintenance credits. To determine if
you qualify for an exemption, visit the AICP section of
www.planning.org and review the Exemptions section
found under AICP / Certification Maintenance. Please
note that if you anticipate the need for an exemption, APA
highly encourages you to apply as far in advance as possible since it may take up to six weeks to receive exemption
approval. To qualify your AICP, APA, and chapter dues
must be paid and up to date.
1 Exemption opportunities exist for:
3 Category
• Retired and Life Members
• Foreign Practice
• Unemployment
2 Exemptions offer temporary inactive member3 Category
ship status to support members during various life and
career situations including parental leave, military service,
health, family care leave, foreign residency, and on a caseby-case basis.
For the details on available exemptions, including how to
apply, visit http://www.planning.org/cm/exemptions.htm ¡
Planner notes...
Congratulations to member Tara Hitchen
Maggie Hitchens, 6 lbs, 15.9 ounces arrived early
in the morning July 16, 2009. Both mom and
baby are doing well! ¡
6
THE VANTAGE POINT
Urban Design and Equitable Development Webinar – 1.5 CM
September 17, 2009
2:00pm – 3:30pm EST
Presented by Rutgers University Continuing Education
AICP Prep Session Webcast
September 18, 2009
12:30pm – 3:30pm
Presented by PA Chapter of APA Professional Development
Committee
Good Design Makes Dollars and Sense – 5.5 CM*
October 15, 2009
9:00am – 4:30pm
Pittsburgh, PA
Presented by Mt. Lebanon Preservation Board and Community
Design Center of Pittsburgh
PA Chapter of APA Annual Conference – 13.5 CM*
“Investing in a Sustainable Future”
October 4-6, 2009, Valley Forge, PA
TrainingOpps
training from which everyone can benefit. Since this is a new
program, questions are common. CM Tips seeks to provide
helpful information to aid you in navigating this new process.
Visit www.planningpa.org for all event and registration details.
AICP Prep Session
Scheduled for September 18, 2009
T H E PA C H A P T E R of APA Professional
Development Committee will present a
3 hour webcast prep session for the AICP
Exam on September 18, 2009 from 12:30pm
to 3:30pm. The session is intended for those
planners who are planning to take the
exam in November 2009 or May 2010.
Test tips and a general review of the test
subject areas will be provided. Online submission of questions during the session is
encouraged. The session will be presented
by Susan Elks, AICP, Chester County Planning Department and PA Chapter of APA
PDO, and Christine Bartleson, AICP, City
of Bethlehem.
There is no fee for PA Chapter members.
Register for this event by contacting the PA
Chapter of APA office at info@planning
pa.org or 717-671-4510. Please note, to
access this webcast participants will need
an internet connection and a telephone
(long distance charges will apply). ¡
Test tips
and a
general
review of
the test
subject
areas
will be
provided.
AROUND
Southeast Section
CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S to the
the State
mation is available at
www.nhslackawannapa.org.
The section is planning to
host a workshop this fall to
present one of the APA CD
trainings for CM credits.
new officers and members of the
Southeast Section Council. The
new chair is Graciela Cavicchia,
AICP from The Reinvestment
Fund. For other officers and
council members, visit
www.planningpa.org and click
on Southeast Section under
Sections.
Northwest Section
Northeast Section
W O R K I N G I N partnership with
I N D E C E M B E R , the NE
Section hosted their annual
Christmas Luncheon and Jesse
Ergott from the Neighborhood
Housing Service of Lackawanna
presented information regarding
the assistance provided by the
agency. The Neighborhood
Housing Service is a non-profit
housing counseling and lending
services agency that can assist
homeowners who are having
financial difficulties and who
may be going through foreclosure proceedings. The Agency
can provide assistance to the
homeowners that may prevent
the proceedings. More infor-
Digital Parcel Conversion Project
Highlights Planning and
Community Level Partnering in
Northwest Pennsylvania
the Northwest Commission,
Clarion, Crawford, Forest and
Venango Counties are engaged
in a regional parcel conversion
project with touches all four
counties and some one-hundred
and twenty individual municipalities. Crawford County Planning
Director Jack Lynch noted that
the notion of converting paper
maps and cloth tax maps to digital format has been around for a
decade, but individually the
counties could not cost justify
the conversion and there was
genuine concern that the region
would fall behind the rest of the
state in this important element.
By working together and in
tandem with the Northwest
Commission within a costsharing and leveraged platform,
this work is currently underway
— after many years of discussion
and debate. With this information soon to be converted in digital format the implications for
municipal planning, land use
studies, zoning and economic
development are beginning to
take form.
A working committee of various county officials with
expertise in Geographic Information Systems representing tax
assessments, economic development, planning, and emergency
services spearheaded the project.
Each of the four counties
involved had at least one
member on the Committee.
With respect to planning,
this will assist planners in rightof-way inquiries, parcel alignment and even have far ranging
uses such as liquid fuels allocation justification. In transportation planning the project will
assist with current and future
transit route planning, help
identify congested corridor
areas as well as how future land
developments will contribute to
congestion and highway LOS.
For economic development,
planners will readily identify
businesses and residents that
will be affected by transportation projects, be able to perform
land use analysis along current
transportation corridors and
assist in economic development
opportunities for transportation
related industries.
Because of the regional cooperation shown by the four counties, $225,000 in state funding
was secured to offset the
$428,000 project. Working
together, the counties were able
to complete the project at half of
what it would have cost them to
complete it independently. By
the time it is finished later in
2009, 136,000 individual parcels
will have been converted to digital format.
In closing, the unique cooperation shown by bringing decision makers from each of the
four counties to the table provided the foundation for the
project. All of the counties
working collectively toward one
goal helped to coordinate the
project across the northwest
region and also appeared more
attractive to various Commonwealth funding agencies. ¡
Irving Hand, FAICP
EXCELLENT IN PLANNING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD
W E A R E N O W ACC E P T I N G A P P L I C AT I O N S for the Irving Hand, FAICP Professional
Development Award, presented each year to a planner for his or her professional development.
Dr. Hand has long been a strong advocate of professional development. In his honor, Delta Development Group funds this annual award given in his name by the PA Chapter. The award is
intended for a planner in mid-career who does not have resources to fund professional development activities. A plan could include anything from graduate school or specialized training to a
study trip to learn of planning techniques in another part of the world. Applications for the Irving
Hand Award are available on the PA Chapter website at www.planningpa.org. ¡
Deadline to apply is 4:00 PM on Friday, September 11, 2009.
THE VANTAGE POINT
7
PDO
Corner
Logging of Certification
Maintenance (CM) credits
has at times been a
frustrating process, but
improvements have been
made to the APA website and
will continue. Keep in mind
that it is a member’s responsibility to log credits for
training sessions – not APA’s
or the training provider.
To log credits:
• On APA’s website, www.planning.org, login with your email
or ID number and password
(the login is on the right side
of the home page). There is a
“Login Help” if you forget
your password.
• Once you click “Login” the
same page will come up, but
now with your name and
“CM” on the right side.
• Click on “CM”, which brings
up a page titled “My CM
Member Log” that shows your
name, required credits, earned
credits, needed credits, carryover credits, and a “Add
Credits” box.
• Click on the “Add Credits” box
to log credits for CM sessions
that you have attended since
8
THE VANTAGE POINT
April 15, 2007.
• A “CM Activities” page will
come up where you can
browse for sessions by date,
provider, or distance education. Please note that sessions
may not be listed in the first
location you look. For
example, the Agriculture
Preservation webcast that the
PA Chapter hosted is best
located by provider and then
past events – not by date or
distance education. If you don’t
find it on the first try, check by
another method. Keep in mind
that events are not always
approved by the date they are
offered, so you may need to
check back later for a recent
event.
• Once you have found your session, click on it, which brings
up a pop-up box where you
need to rate the event, verify
your attendance, and submit.
Comments are optional. Program details and instructors
can be viewed for sessions
prior to submitting if you need
to further check into if it is the
program you attended.
• Once you have selected
submit, your CM credits
should automatically update
with the new credits. If you
submit ethics or law credits
and they do not post as such,
please contact APA to have the
information corrected. These
credits are individually tracked
by Susan Elks, AICP, PA Chapter Professional Development Officer
on the “My CM Member Log”
page, along with your
reporting period and other
credit information.
Additional information on logging, reporting problems, and
other CM issues can be found
on APA’s website at www.planning.org/cm. As always,
upcoming training can be found
on the PA Chapter’s website,
www.planningpa.org, under the
Calendar of Events. ¡
News &
articles
for The Vantage Point
We are always seeking articles on current
planning topics and planning news!
The Vantage Point is published bimonthly and contributions
that are timely, newsworthy, and of statewide interest are welcome. Dated material should be submitted well in advance
according to our deadlines below. Submitted articles of 500
words or less in length should be sent by email to address
below. Articles that include artwork, illustrations or photographs will receive first consideration. Images must be scanned
at 300 dpi with a print size of at least 2.5 inches wide. The
author’s name, position, and employer’s name and city must
also be included to ensure proper credit. Shorter articles and
announcements of 100-150 words are also welcome.
D E A D L I N E S F O R U P CO M I N G I S S U E S :
October: September 4, 2009
December: November 13, 2009
February: January 8, 2010
Submit to: sgalbraith@shermer-assoc.com ¡
PMPEI Announces
Fall 2009 Training Schedule
by Stan Lembeck, AICP
Would you like to share your knowledge of planning with local planning
officials to help them more effectively carry out their responsibilities?
T H E N CO N S I D E R becoming a
Certified Instructor in the
PMPEI (PA Municipal Planning
Education Institute) Planning
and Zoning Course Program. A
train-the-trainer class to prepare
new instructors to teach The
Course in Community Planning
will be held October 30 and 31,
2009 in State College, PA.
PMPEI is the Pennsylvania
Chapter’s primary education outreach program for planning commissioners, zoning board members, zoning officers, and elected
officials. Annually PMPEI offers
more than 30 courses. The Course
in Community Planning is one of
PMPEI’s four in-depth courses
that are available across the state. A
teaching team of two certified
instructors from the area a course
is presented in are able to relate
the course material to the critical
planning issues in the region.
The train-the-trainer session is
a concentrated 16 hour program
over two days in which new
instructors review and discuss the
course materials, techniques for
teaching adults, how to team teach
with other instructors, and ways to
present the course material to
make it exciting and understandable. Hands-on exercises and problems are always a part of PMPEI
courses. Upon completion of the
training instructors become certified to teach The Course in Com-
munity Planning, for which they
receive compensation and travel
expenses.
The train-the-trainer class will
be held at the Hilton Garden Inn
in State College, Friday and Saturday, October 30 and 31. Citizen
and professional planners with a
minimum of five year’s experience
in planning are eligible to become
certified instructors. The registration fee for the training is $160,
which includes instruction, materials, meals and breaks. The deadline for applications is October 9,
2009 . For more information or an
application for the training contact
Stan Lembeck, AICP, at (814)
237-2382, or email sml1@psu.edu.
For information about the
Institute and its courses check the
PMPEI websitehttp://cax.aers.psu.edu/pmpei/. ¡
CLASSIFIEDS
Communications/
Special Projects Coordinator
Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, PA, is
accepting resumes for the fulltime position of
Communications/Special Projects Coordinator.
This position coordinates all major communication
and public information activities within the Township, including the Web site, newsletters and press
releases. Position also includes other responsibilities as assigned by the Township Manager, such as
grant writing and overseeing the Township’s land
preservation efforts. Must possess excellent
writing, communications and technology skills.
Requires Bachelor’s Degree with course work in
English, Communications, and Political Science.
Salary commensurate with qualifications and
experience. Forward cover letter and resume to:
Township Manager, 5500 Camp Meeting Road,
Center Valley, PA 18034. Deadline to apply is
September 11, 2009. EOE. ¡
PA C H A P T E R W E B S I T E
■ Do you have questions about CM?
■ Are you looking for training opportunities in PA?
■ Want to connect with your Section Leadership?
You can find all this information and more at the PA Chapter website, www.planningpa.org.
We update the website with new information daily.
Can’t find what you need? Please let us know! Send an email to info@planningpa.org.
Inclusion in this newsletter of ads does not imply endorsement by PA APA.
www.planningpa.org
THE VANTAGE POINT
9
LEGISLATIVE
CED–Community and Economic Development; COM–Commerce and Economic Development;
ERE–Environmental Resources and Energy; FIN–Finance; G&F–Game and Fisheries; LAB–Labor
Relations; LOC–Local Government; RUL–Rules; STA–State Government; TOU–Tourism and Recreational Development; TRN–Transportation; URB–Urban Affairs and Housing
HB 10
HB 42
HB 60
HB 80
HB 93
HB 102
HB 128
HB 263
HB 429
HB 487
HB 505
HB 536
HB 606
HB 767
HB 774
HB 842
HB 947
HB 951
HB 977
HB 984
HB 1036
HB 1050
HB 1069
HB 1237
HB 1326
HB 1328
HB 1343
HB 1381
HB 1394
HB 1450
HB 1487
HB 1510
HB 1527
HB 1603
HB 1604
HB 1754
HB 1772
HB1798
HB 1807
HB 1831
SB 86
SB 172
SB 177
SB 235
SB 285
SB 298
SB 490
SB 552
SB 569
SB 599
SB 606
SB 617
SB 758
SB 801
SB 803
SB 884
SB 900
SB 905
SB 965
SB 966
10
Allows for taxation of gas extraction from Marcellus Shale
Creates Historic Preservation Incentive Program for commercial and residential sites with grants and tax credits
Amends Housing Finance Agency Law to establish the Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program
Amends Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards establishing a Carbon Dioxide Indemnification Fund
MPC amendment on appointment, term and filling vacancies of planning commission members
Amends Main Street Act regarding duration of grants
Allows acquisition of property by the state to mitigate flood hazards
Allows DCNR to protect and maintain the Appalachian Trail, and provides for zoning ordinances
Amends MPC relating to municipal capital improvements and impact fees
Provides for cooperation between political subdivisions and for grants to recognize such cooperation
Amends Agricultural Area Security Law relating to purchase of agricultural conservation easements
Allows state and local governments to hold land for open space
Amends MPC to provide for contents of subdivision and land development ordinances
Amends Sewage Facilities Act providing for official plans
Allows local governments to acquire property to mitigate flood hazards
Amends MPC to provide for municipal curative amendments after an appellate court decision
Creates Regional Efficiency Aid Program and Program Fund
Provides for local taxing options under state law allowing for local government to hold open space
Amends Oil and Gas Conservation Law for applicability, exclusions and construction
Amends Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act to provide for split-off, separation and transfer
Amends MPC further defining comprehensive plans and compliance, and providing for impact fees
Consolidates part of Conservation & Natural Resources Act to Oil and Gas Lease Fund
Amends powers of counties in waste planning and recycling
Allows municipalities to acquire highway corridor conservation easements and provides for highway corridor
zoning overlay
Creates Fair Share Nutrient Reduction Program and Nutrient Reduction Trading Board and Program
Creates Fair Share Nutrient Reduction Program and provides funding for waste water treatment plants
Amends MPC providing for mailed notice in certain proceedings
Sets powers and duties of DEP, EQB, PENNvest and Nutrient Credit Trading Program Board
Amends Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act to allow for split-offs, separations and transfer
Transfers provisions relating to environmental advisory councils within Title 53
Amends H2) PA Act relating to fund distribution
Creates public-private partnerships in transportation
Amends MPC providing for impact fees in school districts
Amends Infrastructure Investment Authority Act to provide for additional use of funds
Provides for spending of funds by municipalities for plans for sewage disposal systems
Amends MPC providing for notice to school districts of certain projects
Provides for acquisition, taxing and eminent domain of open spaces
Amends PA H2O Act on authority of Commonwealth Financing Authority for funding of water, sewer, storm water,
flood control and unsafe dam projects
Amends MPC on validity of ordinances and substantive questions
Amends MPC to provide for review fees
Creates the Water and Sewer Systems Assistance Bond Fund
Allows state and local governments to acquire or hold land for open space uses
Authorizes land bank programs and affordable housing programs with funding from a tax on the transfer of
real property
Sets powers and duties of DEP in eminent domain, flood control works and financing, under Flood Control Law
Amends MPC in interpretation of subdivision and land development ordinances
Amends Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act for split-off, separation or transfer
Mandates revenues from oil and gas leases go to a fund for conservation, recreation, dams and flood control
Amends MPC to provide for educational impact fees in certain school districts
Extends approvals granted by a government agency between Dec. 31, 2008 and July 2, 2011
Creates the Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program
Establishes the Urban Renaissance City Initiative
Allows for a Historic Area Program to stimulate development through heritage, outdoor recreation and ecotourism
Amends MPC providing for compensation for forced removal of a lawful sign
Amends waste planning and recycling act for powers of Department of Health, and for host municipality fees
Amends Solid Waste Management Act providing for submissions of plans and permits
Amends Agricultural Security Area Law on proceeds from sales by the Dept. of Agriculture and for grants for
agricultural land conservation assistance
Procedures for foreclosure and liens against unremediated blighted property
Allows for taxation of extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale
Amends Agricultural Area Security Law to provide for limitation of governmental actions
Amends Agricultural Area Security Law to provide for purchase of agricultural conservation easements
House LOC
House APP
House APP
On House floor
Passed 192-0
Passed 186-6
House STA
Passed 192-0
House LOC
House LOC
House AGR
House AGR
House APP
House ERE
House ERE
Passed 134-58
House COM
Passed 193-3
House ERE
House ERE
House LOC
House ERE
House APP
O’Neill
Hanna
Hanna
Stevenson
DePasquale
Houghton
Deasy
D. Evans
Geist
Grucela
Readshaw
Readshaw
Grucela
Matzie
House LOC
House AGR
House AGR
House LOC
House ERE
House AGR
House ERE
House APP
House TRN
House LOC
House ERE
House ERE
Passed 198-0
House LOC
Eachus
Santarsiero
Houghton
Musto
Brubaker
Passed 193-2
House LOC
House RUL
Senate APP
Senate APP
Greenleaf
Wozniak
Orie
Yaw
M. J. White
Rafferty
Pileggi
Yaw
Wozniak
Orie
Browne
Boscola
Boscola
Senate LOC
Senate ERE
Senate LOC
Senate AGR
Passed 33-17
Senate LOC
Senate APP
Senate APP
Senate URB
On Senate Calendar
Senate LOC
Senate ERE
Senate ERE
THE VANTAGE POINT
Waugh
Argall
Musto
Dinniman
Dinniman
GOVERNOR’S
ACTION
DeWeese
Freeman
Daley
Vitali
Staback
Freeman
Killion
Freeman
Petri
Argall
Ross
Hickernell
Kauffman
Petri
Caltagirone
McIlvaine Smith
Yudichak
Dally
Major
Kessler
Houghton
Reed
Scavello
KEY TO COMMITTEE ABBREVIATIONS: AGR–Agriculture and Rural Affairs; APP–Appropriations;
SENATE ACTION
HOUSE ACTION
PREPARED BY TIVE LOBBYING /JUNE 2009
PRIME
SPONSOR
BOX SCORE
Senate LOC
Senate CED
On Senate Calendar
Senate LOC
Senate LOC
On Senate floor
On Senate floor
House ERE
Senate AGR
Senate APP
Senate FIN
Senate AGR
Senate AGR
where’s the bill?
Southeast Section Planners and
Penn Graduate Students
TEAM
UP
by Jeffrey Barg and Faith Cole
FOR MENTORING PROGRAM
The idea was hatched, as great ideas often are, outside walking along a trail.
FAITH COLE, a recent graduate
of the University of Pennsylvania’s MCP program, and Jeannette Brugger, a fellow PennPlanning alum and planner with
Pennoni Associates, met last
summer while touring the
planned route for the Cynwyd
Heritage Trail stretching from
Philadelphia to Lower Merion
Township across the Schuylkill
River. Reflecting on their experiences, the two agreed that more
interaction with practitioners
could better prepare students
headed into the field, while
keeping planners connected to
academic planning, thus strengthening the professional planning
community overall.
When they parted ways, they
promised to reconnect and work
on establishing a mentoring program that would pair professional
APA members with graduate students in city planning programs.
Less than a year later—over
wine, cheese and guacamole—
the Southeast Section’s mentors
and mentees met each other for
the first time at a kickoff event
hosted at WRT’s downtown
Philadelphia office.
In an effort by Cole, Brugger,
Joe Luste, another Pennoni
planner; and Jeffrey Barg, a PennPlanning graduate student and
current student representative to
the Southeast Section, planners
were matched with students
according to expressed interests
and specialty, and given an
opportunity to cultivate a professional relationship beneficial to
both. The team set up a simple
and free online signup form for
mentors and mentees. All participants submitted resumes and
indicated their areas of interest.
Students were matched with professionals with corresponding
practice areas. Penn’s Department
of City and Regional Planning
sponsored the February kickoff
that began a semester’s worth of
fruitful relationships.
“I really liked this program,”
said one local planner after the
semester ended. “I felt I could
give the student real-world advice
and believe that I helped in
guiding them toward the right
career path.”
And at least one pair intended
to continue talking after the
semester was over.
“The relationship does not
have to end,” another planner
said. “I am happy to continue to a
relationship with a protégé after
the semester. The relationship is
beneficial to both parties.”
This notion of mutual benefit
arose repeatedly in comments
from participants. Besides the plus
side of “giving back” to a younger
generation of planners, numerous
mentors cited the amount they
learned by talking to students
who were both approaching planning problems from a different
perspective and who were
learning in classes what’s on the
cutting edge of the field.
In addition to the standard
advice about the job market,
mentors helped students network
with other professionals, gave
advice on how to improve their
resumes, and in a few instances
offered guidance on studio projects. The Southeast Section plans
to run the program again in the
fall semester, possibly with more
formal events in addition to the
initial kickoff and outreach to
additional universities. (Only Penn
participated in the mentoring program’s inaugural run. The team
hopes to expand to include other
planning programs in the future.)
Other sections interested in
setting up a similar mentoring
program with local universities
can contact Jeffrey Barg at
jbarg @design.upenn.edu for
more details on logistics and
operations.¡
THE VANTAGE POINT
11
APA
PA Making Great Communities Happen
587 James Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Harrisburg, PA
Permit No. 561
logon
www.planningpa.org
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Awards
Planning in the state recognized.
P
ennsylvania Representative Robert Freeman, D-Easton, recently received the Commonwealth Award for
Contribution by a Public Official from 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania. The award recognizes Rep.
Freeman’s leadership as the author and sponsor of the legislation that established Pennsylvania’s “Elm Street”
project to revitalize existing neighborhoods and compliment the “Main Street” program that assists older
commercial districts. Freeman was also honored for his 20 year-plus legislative career as a strong advocate of
“Smart Growth” policies.
PA APA member Becky Bradley, the director of planning for the City of Easton, also received a special jury
presentation at the 10,000 Friends Commonwealth Awards. She was honored as a public official for a revision of the
city’s zoning and development ordinances. The new ordinances, developed after a two-year task force led by Bradley,
reject suburban-style development and promote walkable neighborhoods, mixed use of properties and economic growth.
Congratulations to both, and for a full list of the Commonwealth Award winners, please visit www.10000friends.org ¡