Call for Submissions for the Annual Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award

Get Recognized!

Deadline: Friday, February 7, 2014

The annual Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award from the APA Economic Development Division is awarded to a community that shows innovation and success with an economic development plan or project. Award winners receive a plaque as well as recognition at the annual Division business meeting at the APA National Planning Conference, a featured article in the Division's newsletter, News & Views, and distribution through social media outlets. Honorable Mentions have been awarded and promoted in the past as well.

Eligibility
Any economic development plan or project implemented in the United States or Canada within the last 10 years is eligible. Any member of the American Planning Association may make a nomination, with at least one individual being a member of the Economic Development Division (either the person making the nomination and/or a member of the agency or organization submitting the application). Members of the Economic Development Division Executive Committee and Awards Committee, APA Board Members, and AICP Commissioners are ineligible.

Submission Information
Applications should be submitted by email (or FTP/file sharing site) to Julie Herlands at julie@tischlerbise.com. Please indicate in the subject line: "[Your Jurisdiction] Economic Development Division Award Application."

Contact information for questions:

Julie Herlands, AICP

TischlerBise

Email: julie@tischlerbise.com

Phone: (301) 320-6900, ext. 15

For more information, please see the submittal guidelines on the EDD's website. Learn more about prior winners here.

Please forward to others who may be interested. Thank you for your membership in the Economic Development Division!

APA Community Planning Assistance Teams

 

The Community Planning Assistance Team (CPAT) initiative is an AICP component of a broader APA Community Assistance Program.

By pairing a multidisciplinary team of expert planning professionals from around the country with community members, key stakeholders, and relevant decision makers, the place-based initiative seeks to foster community education, engagement, and empowerment.

Each team is selected for the specific expertise needed on the project to offer pro bono assistance in developing a framework or vision plan that promotes a sustainable, livable, economically vibrant, and healthy community.

Communities facing a range of challenges including, but not limited to, social equity and affordability, economic development, sustainability, consensus building, and urban design are well-suited for assistance through the program. Projects focus on localities with a demonstrated need for assistance, where planning resources and expertise may not otherwise be available.  Learn more at http://www.planning.org/communityassistance/teams/. 

FREE Webinar September 27

The Economic Development Division presents a FREE Webinar on "Incentivizing Your City Centers: Regional Connections Through Mass Transit and Redevelopment," on Friday, September 27, from 1:00-2:30 EDT.

Description: This session will focus on the kinds of incentives and planing tools that can be used to promote both redevelopment in the traditional centers of a city — those outside downtown — and the unification of those areas through mass transit. The session will cover the use of a variety of economic development incentives, form-based codes implementation, and use of the Institute for Transportation Engineers "Walkable Urban Thoroughfares Manual" as a package for revitalization in El Paso, Texas.

About the Presenter: Mathew McElroy, AICP, is Director of the City Development Department for the City of El Paso and oversees the Planning, Building Permits and Inspections, and Economic Development divisions. Prior to joining the City of El Paso, he served as the Associate Director of the Institute for Policy and Economic Development (IPED) at the University of Texas at El Paso. In his work at IPED, Mathew oversaw research operations. His work extended from redevelopment studies and housing to econometric forecasting, input-output based economic impact analysis, and geographic information systems (GIS). In his final year at UTEP, he co-led the team that won the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) National Award for Excellence in Policy Analysis for a bi-national industry cluster study. Mathew is a University of Texas at El Paso graduate of the English (BA) (1997), Master in Public Administration (2000), and Master of Science in Economics (2008) programs.

Register today!

NOTE: Attendees do not have to be an APA member; enter "N/A" when asked what Division or Chapter you belong to. However, if you wish to become a Division member to stay up to date on events like this, please visit our site HERE.

Airport Land Use Compatibility Guidance Update

Please join APA in a free webinar September 12, 2013 at 2 pm EDT. APA wishes to utilize the experience of the Economic Development Division's members to help improve national standards for development around airports.

This webinar will be facilitated with FAA officials, and participants will be given a short survey to provide feedback.

For more information, and to register for the webinar, please follow this link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/936466146

Submit Session Proposals for the 2014 APA Conference

Dear Economic Development Division Members:

Conference planning for the 2014 National Conference in Atlanta is underway! Share your expertise and help shape the practice of planning by submitting a session proposal through your own Economic Development Division. See http://www.planning.org/conference/proposals.htm to get started.

Background: Each APA Division is granted one "by-right" session. This means that a session proposed through the Division will be compared against fewer proposals than in the much larger, open process. And if your proposal does not get selected in this round, it will automatically go into the larger pool for consideration by APA.

Here are the details:

• DEADLINE for submitting proposals through the Division is July 31, 2013.
• Any Economic Development related topic is welcome, however, we are especially interested in topics pertaining to immigration/migration and effect on economic development. See the description of the track "Immigration and Changing American Communities" at http://www.planning.org/conference/program/tracks.htm.
• Note: Only APA members will be able to submit proposals. Non-members wishing to submit should team up with members to submit a proposal.
• All proposals must be submitted through the APA website. Begin your proposal at http://www.planning.org/conference/proposals.htm, then scroll down to “Division Sessions." Be sure to select "Economic Development Division" from the drop-down menu.
• The 2014 National Planning Conference is in Atlanta on April 26-30, 2014.

We look forward to seeing your submittals. Please contact me at Julie@tischlerbise.com or Mark Lundgren, Economic Development Division 2014 Conference Session Coordinator, at mark.lundgren@landpointerltd.com with questions or to talk about your session ideas.

Thank you for your membership in the Economic Development Division!

Best regards,

Julie Herlands, AICP
Chair, Economic Development Division 

FREE Webinar - June 14

“What NOT to do: Lessons Learned from the Failure of Others”

Friday, June 14, 2013 at 1:00 pm EDT

A wise person once said, “Learn from others' mistakes, you can’t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.” No one who has been a party to a failed development or was taken in by a fraudulent real estate scheme thought that the project would turn out badly for them or their municipality. Unfortunately, in the world of economic development there are plenty of examples of poorly-designed projects, terrible advice, real estate fads, and clear fraud. As planners and economic developers, we have a duty to our clients to provide sound advice and analysis to protect the interest of the municipality, and ultimately the taxpayers. In this webinar we examine a few failed projects that damaged the financial position of the municipality that undertook them and consider what lessons we can learn from these unfortunate situations.

“The wise learn from other people's mistakes and fools from their own.” –Old Proverb

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” –King Solomon, Circa 950 B.C.

Speaking will be Andrew Z. Murray, AICP, LEED GA. Andrew is a Project Manager for PGAV Planners and has experience in assisting communities with particularly complex and challenging issues, requiring innovative and collaborative strategies to bring redevelopment and revitalization. His projects have encompassed transit-oriented developments, brownfield issues, historic preservation, and both urban and suburban redevelopment contexts. His experience includes authoring neighborhood, regional, redevelopment, transportation, and bicycle / pedestrian plans. Andrew’s range of interdisciplinary experience has given him the opportunity to draft model policies and best practice guides for sustainable development, community engagement, and redevelopment in rural communities, small towns, and urban settings.

Register here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/483333218

Economic Development Division at the 2013 National Planning Conference - Chicago

Please join the Economic Development Division at the following events during the 2013 APA Conference:
And on Twitter! @APA_EDD #APA13

Saturday, April 13• 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Can Planners “Create” Jobs (Facilitated Discussion)

If you don't have a job creation “story,” is your work missing the mark? A recent national survey released by APA indicates that the general public believes planners can facilitate job creation. But how do jobs get created—and what is really meant by terms like economic development? This session will explore how planners in both the public and the private sectors impact the job-creation process.

Sunday, April 14• 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Local Fiscal Challenges and Planning Solutions

As most local governments continue to face fiscal challenges, planners must be able to grasp the direct link between land use and fiscal conditions and craft realistic ways to implement plans despite shrinking coffers. This session will focus on current national efforts to better understand how planning decisions affect the fiscal viability of localities. Learn how to assess your community’s “cost to serve” and explore how to increase revenues without raising property taxes.

Monday, April 15• 9:15 am – 1:15 pm

“Chicago Lakeside” Economic and Physical Redevelopment (Mobile Workshop)

The site of the former U.S. Steel Southworks on the southeast side of Chicago presents an opportunity to reuse brown fields for more than 500 acres of fallow land. Tour this site and find out more about the proposed redevelopment project—a master planned undertaking coined “Chicago Lakeside” that includes residential, retail, commercial, and recreational areas. Explore the key elements of this highly complex development plan and learn about the political and governmental relationships that enabled it. Transportation: Motorcoach, walking. Includes lunch.

Monday, April 15 • 1:00 p.m.-2:15 p.m.

Value Capture

“Value Capture” helps communities capture a portion of the economic value created by entitlements and development to finance public improvements, infrastructure, and public goods. When does value capture work, and when does it not? Who pays, and who benefits? And is it an effective financing approach? This session will answer these questions. Learn how to capture value for public improvements and goods — and explore this tool at work in Arlington, VA, and Vancouver, Canada.

Monday, April 15• 2:30pm – 3:45pm

Turning the Economic Development Game Upside Down

Without much fanfare, the economic development game has pivoted. The primary focus of site selectors on low-cost, shovel-ready sites and incentives has shifted to include considerations about talent and quality of life. A successful ED strategy is now a "blend ED" strategy, requiring marketing, diagnostics, and a more sophisticated understanding of what businesses are searching for. This session will utilize the experiences of the presenters, along with their survey of prominent site selectors, to help planners understand how the "Game" is played today. The session will feature the use of electronic polling to help reinforce the lessons from the Site Selector Survey.

Monday, April 15 • 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Economic Development Division Business Meeting & Reception

Hyatt Regency Chicago, “Soldier Field” Room

Tuesday, April 16 • 4:00PM - 5:15PM
The Economics of Smart Growth

What factors most influence the fiscal impact of different land uses? And how can planners pinpoint the right mix of land uses to achieve fiscal sustainability? This session considers these questions. Learn how to encourage smart-growth development, including high-density planned communities that reap greater fiscal rewards than low-density sprawl. Case examples of cities in Arizona and Virginia will be used to contrast and compare different smart-growth techniques.

SARASOTA COUNTY AND CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO: CO-WINNERS OF THE 2013 EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AWARD

The Economic Development Division of theAmerican Planning Association (APA) is pleased to announce co-winners of the 2013 Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award: Central Market Economic Strategy, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development; and Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota County.

Nathan Benderson Park, located in unincorporated Sarasota County, Florida, is a former unimproved borrow pit lake that is being transformed into a 600‐acre regional park with a world‐class rowing venue. The project is a partnership of the county, state, private developer, local economic development corporation, recreation experts, schools, rowing clubs, and local citizenry. A sports tourism opportunity was identified in the design of the park in which the rowing venue element plays an important role in attracting international attention for world‐class aquatic competitive events. The rowing events bring in economic, quality of life, and health benefits that far exceed the financial investment. Sarasota County’s conservative estimates of economic impact in today’s market are approximately $13 million of direct spending by participants and attendees with a total regional economic impact of almost $25 million.

The panel was impressed with the Nathan Benderson Park project’s innovative and unique approach, establishment and pursuit of a vision, ongoing and incremental implementation and results, and the collaboration of a wide-range of stakeholders to produce a public-private partnership that is adding economic value to the community where it may not have otherwise occurred.  (Local contact: Adriana Trujillo-Villa; (941) 861-5140; atrujill@scgov.net.)

The Central Market Economic Strategy is the culmination of ten months of community outreach, technical research, and collaboration of a diverse group of stakeholders focused on creating a clear and unified plan to improve the Central Market district of San Francisco. While the area has historically been a regional center for arts, entertainment, and retail, the area has struggled over the past several decades with high vacancy rates, physical blight, a lack of private investment, and a variety of social challenges such as homelessness, drug activity, and a concentration of extremely low income single room occupancy housing. The Economic Strategy reflects a unified framework from over a dozen entities that prioritizes activities, programs, and policies. The approach has produced visible results over the past year such as: 9 tech companies and one venture capital firm have occupied almost 1 million square feet of space in the district; 8 new small businesses have opened and 2 have expanded; 3,300 residential units are under construction; 9 performance/gallery venues have either opened or are in the pipeline; and vacancy rates have decreased significantly.

The panel was impressed with the Central Market Economic Strategy’s attentiveness to local conditions, transferability, short-term results, and the collaboration of a wide-range of stakeholders to produce results that are overcoming challenges to produce long-lasting economic value to the community. (Local contact: Jordan Klein; (415) 554-6645; jordan.klein@sfgov.org.)

The Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award will be presented at the Economic Development Division’s annual meeting and reception on April 15 (7-8:30pm, Hyatt Regency Chicago) during the 2013 National Conference of the American Planning Association in Chicago. 

The Economic Development Division of the APA provides an opportunity for APA members to join others who share an interest in and responsibility on matters related to economic development. The mission of the Economic Development Division is to advance the practice and state of the art of economic development by:

·         Increasing the understanding of economic development as a key element of public policy formulation at all levels of government;

·         Promoting economic development as a critical element of neighborhood community, regional, and national planning processes;

·         Disseminating materials and information about current economic development practice and theory to members of the division;

·         Assisting APA in positively influencing economic development policy; and

·         Promoting professional communication among members of the division through a variety of member services, including, but not limited to newsletters, web page, conference sessions, workshops, and other publications.

The Excellence in Economic Development Award is named for Donald E. Hunter, who passed away in late 2009.  He was a long time and very active member of the American Planning Association, always urging greater attention for economic development planning.  He was President of Hunter Interests Inc., and served as a board member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and the International Downtown Association (IDA).  

The awards committee consisted of members of the Economic Development Division of the APA:  Julie Herlands, AICP, Principal, TischlerBise (www.tischlerbise.com) and Chair, Economic Development Division of the APA; Lance Harris, AICP, Senior Associate, AECOM (www.aecom.com) and Secretary/Treasurer, Economic Development Division of the APA; and James Stevens, Senior Associate, ConsultEcon Management & Economic Insight (www.consultecon.com)

For more information:

Economic Development Division

Julie Herlands, AICP, Chair, Economic Development Division of the APA

c/o TischlerBise, 301.320.6900 x15, julie@tischlerbise.com

www.tischlerbise.com

                www.planning.org/divisions/economic

FREE WEBINAR February 22: MAPS: Oklahoma City’s Renaissance through Self-Investment and Economic Development

Friday, February 22, 2013 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EST

Oklahoma City has set a standard for thriving communities by never slowing down its progress. 
Its reinvention is ongoing and gaining momentum with dozens of new investment projects either 
forthcoming or already being constructed. Since the creation of MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) in 
1993, over $5 billion in private investment has occurred in downtown, with much more on the horizon. 
MAPS has made Oklahoma City a place where people want to live, entrepreneurs want to do business 
and companies want to grow. 

MAPS 3 is a 10-year program designed to improve the quality of life in Oklahoma City through the 
construction of eight projects funded by a limited term, one-cent sales tax initiative that began in April 
2010. Russell Claus, Director of Planning for the City of Oklahoma City, and Cathy O’Connor, President 
of The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City, will discuss the history of the MAPS 
initiatives, private investment that has occurred as a result, and ongoing planning for leveraging private 
investment from MAPS 3 projects.

Register for the webinar here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/409179050

Unique Economic Data Set Available for Coastal Communities

Zac Hart, Coastal Management Specialist, NOAA Coastal Services Center

Everybody knows that the oceans, Great Lakes, and their associated coastlines serve as economic engines. We play on the beaches, ship cargo on the surface of the water, catch fish from the oceans and Great Lakes, and extract oil, gas, sand, and gravel from beneath their surfaces. The economic activity stemming from these resources can serve as main sources of economic development in a community.

Historically, data and information specifically on the economic contributions of the oceans and Great Lakes have been difficult to find because they’ve been buried in much larger, national data sets. The Coastal Services Center, an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has tackled this problem by creating the free Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW) data set.

ENOW features 2005-2010 data on the “ocean and Great Lakes economy,” which is made up of six economic sectors that depend on the oceans and Great Lakes. The following graphic summarizes the ocean and Great Lakes economy detailed in ENOW.

ENOW uses common economic indicators, such as employment and gross domestic product, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Bureau of Economic Analysis. The data are available for coastal counties, states, regions, and the entire coastal United States. Best of all, the data are available in a wide variety of formats:

• Coastal County Snapshots, easy-to-understand stories about each coastal county, complete with charts and graphs
• The ENOW Explorer, a tool that allows users to see economic changes from place to place and over time
• The ENOW Data Wizard, a tool that allows users to download or copy subsets of the data that interest them most

Economic development professionals and other officials can visit the ENOW website to find out more about the importance of coastal, Great Lakes, and ocean resources in their areas. The Center provides additional economic data sets, including data from the U.S. Census Bureau on self-employed people, and offers support to help properly apply ENOW data and economic methods to individual communities.

DONALD E. HUNTER EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AWARD

APA Economic Development Division

The annual Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award from the APA Economic Development Division is awarded to a community that shows innovation and success with an economic development plan or project.

Award winners receive a plaque as well as recognition at the annual Division business meeting and reception at the 2013 APA National Planning Conference (in Chicago). In addition, the award winner will be featured in the Division’s newsletter, News & Views, and announcements will be disseminated through social media, email, and other digital outlets. In the past, Honorable Mentions have been selected and recognized in a similar manner.

Application/Nomination Deadline for 2013 Award: Friday, February 15, 2013

Eligibility

·         Any economic development plan implemented in the United States or Canada within the last 10 years is eligible.

·         Any member of the American Planning Association may make a nomination. At least one individual who is nominating or submitting an application must be a member of the Economic Development Division. (Click here to join the Division http://www.planning.org/divisions/join/)

·         Members of the Economic Development Division Executive Committee and Awards Committee, APA Board Members, and AICP Commissioners are ineligible to make a nomination or submit for an award.

Submission Information

Deadline: Friday, February 15, 2013

Please submit to the Chair of the Award Committee:

Julie Herlands, AICP

TischlerBise

4701 Sangamore Road, Suite S240

Bethesda, MD 20816

Email: julie@tischlerbise.com

Phone: 301-320-6900 x15

Applications should be submitted by email (or FTP site):

·         Email to:  julie@tischlerbise.com. Please indicate in the subject line:  “[Your Jurisdiction] Economic Development Division Award Application”

Application Requirements

There is no formal application form.  Please follow these guidelines:

I.                    Overview: Narrative Description of the Plan or Project

Provide description (up to 250 words) of the plan or project and describe how the project fits one or both of the following definitions:

·         Economic Development:  The creation of new employment and wealth-generating activities through the mobilization of human, financial, physical, and natural resources.

·         Economic Development Planning:  A series of deliberate activities leading to initiatives that enhance the jurisdiction’s economic opportunities and quality of life.

II.                  Attachment A: Nominee's Fulfillment of Award Criteria

For each of the following criteria, provide up to a 50- to 100-word description of the project.  The entire attachment (all six criteria) should be no more than two pages (500 words).

1.                   Originality: Unique concept or appreciable refinement of existing techniques or procedures.

2.                   Transferability: Potential application to other areas or projects.

3.                   Quality: Excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and professional character of the presentation.

4.                   Implementation and Results: Effectiveness of work proposals that have been carried out or show the promise of being carried out. (If applicable, quantify results.)

5.                   Comprehensiveness:  Submittal demonstrates a thorough and in-depth approach.

6.                   Contribution to Community:  Demonstrates application to community needs and desires.

III.                Attachment B (Optional): Supporting Materials

Applicants may provide relevant supporting material such as news clippings, brochures, slides, videos, etc. Please be judicious with supporting materials and only include documentation that clearly supports the application.

Past Award Winners

See http://www.planning.org/divisions/economic/awards/ for 2012 Award Winners.