APA Transportation Planning Division Offers Cash Awards For Papers

The National APA Transportation Planning Division has announced a student paper competion with cash prizes to be awarded. The deadline for submittal is Friday, February 4, 2011. Winners will be announced at the APA National Conference in Boston on April 9-12, 2011. Rules and critera are available from the flyer or from the Transportation Planning Division Website: www.apa-tpd.org.

Reminder! 2010 Award Nominations and 2011 Officers

This is a reminder that the deadline for nomination submissions is this Friday, December 17, 2010. If you have any questions about a submittal, please email Clayton Husband, AICP or call at 817-459-6668.

Additionally, 2011 Midwest Section Board positions are up for election - Director-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary and Newsletter Editor. If you are interested in running for one of these posisions or have any questions, please email Curvie Hawkins, AICP or call at 817-215-8600.

Open Position - City of Arlington

The City of Arlington – Planning Manager I

THIS POSITION WILL CLOSE ON JANUARY 7, 2011. $6,193 – $7,742 per month depending on experience. Full -Time position available - M-F 8am to 5pm. Under general direction, manages the work of professional and technical personnel engaged in planning activities needed to carry out and ensure the department’s work plan and city’s policies and standards are met. Develops project objectives, development programs, design guidelines, comprehensive, neighborhood and transportation plans, and budgets based on Council priorities, the department’s work plan, and public input. Assists the Assistant Director in the management of the Division.

BA in urban and regional planning, geography/GIS, or related field and seven (7) years related experience including two (2) years progressively responsible supervisory experience; or a Master's Degree in urban and regional planning, geography/GIS, or related field and five (5) related experience including two (2) years progressively responsible supervisory experience. AICP required.

Must successfully complete pre-employment screen including criminal background check.

For more information and to apply, please visit www.arlingtontx.gov. The City of Arlington is proud to be an EOE.

The City of Arlington – Assistant Director Development Services

THIS POSITION WILL CLOSE ON JANUARY 7, 2011. $7,231 – $9,039 per month depending on experience. Full -Time position available - M-F 8am to 5pm. Under general direction, responsible for managing One Start Process, zoning, site planning, building permit processing, inspection, and all construction activities.

BA in Business, Public Administration, Civil Engineering required plus five (5) years of related and management experience. Master’s Degree preferred. AICP strongly preferred. Possession of a valid Texas Operator's License, Class C, required.

Pre-employment screening includes criminal background and motor vehicle record.

For more information and to apply, please visit www.arlingtontx.gov. The City of Arlington is proud to be an EOE.

North Central Texas APA Section Hosts Events

RIDE THE NEW DART GREEN LINE - December 17th at 3:00 p.m.
Join the North Central Texas Section members for an informative ride on the newly opened DART GREEN LINE. Five members of the DART Planning Team will be in the car riding with us from the Carrollton station to the West End, and presenting a short rolling course on Transit Oriented Development. CM credits pending.

APA HOLIDAY PARTY - December 17th at 5:30 p.m.
Freese & Nichols is hosting the North Central Texas APA Section annual Holiday Party at their loft location in the historic West End (1701 N. Market Street). The Section will provide drinks, including beer, wine and soft drinks, along with an array of festive food. If you can’t ride the rails with us, there is ample parking in the West End.


FOCUS NORTH TEXAS - PLANNING SYMPOSIUM January 28, 2011 - Doubletree Hotel, Dallas
The North Central Texas Section of the American Planning Association is proud to announce its first annual one-day planning symposium to be held on January 28, 2011 at the Doubletree Hotel in Dallas. The purpose of this event is to not only educate our members with CM approved course material, but also offer a short course for Planning and Zoning Commission members which fulfills their state mandated training requirements (a certificate will be awarded at the completion of the course). In addition, the APA is partnering with the North Texas section of the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) and they will be providing four courses related to SmartGrowth and New Urbanism. Speakers include:

Ann Bagley, FAICP
William Dahlstrom, Jackson Walker, LLP
Rick Leisner, Jacobs Group
Scott Polikov, Gateway Planning Group
Cameron Walker, AICP City of Midland
Mark Goode, P.E. Dunaway
David Gattis, FAICP, City of Benbrook
Marc Kubansade, AICP, City of Rowlett
Alan Lathrom, Brown & Hofmeister
Jeff Moore, Brown & Hofmeister

Due to the generosity of sponsos, admission to the symposium, including lunch and a reception following the classes, will be offered for $75.00 per person (student price is $50.00). Check the North Central Texas APA website: www.nctapa.org for registration details and for the complete posting of sessions being offered.

The New Economics of Place

Economic Development Through Form-Based Coding. In this 1.5 hour webinar, Scott Polikov of Gateway Planning will lead a dynamic, interactive discussion, offering insights into how form-based codes can harness the power of a neighborhood-based economy and a sustainable region. The form-based approach is key to harnessing the power of a neighborhood-based economy and a sustainable region. It allows communities and developers to leverage the near term market without sacrificing flexibility and creativity over time.

Sponsored by Form-Based Codes Institute www.formbasedcodes.org

When: Monday, December 13, 2010 – 11:30 am

Cost: $75

Register: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=914753

AICP: 1.5 CM credits are available for this event

2010 Awards Program

Nominations for the 2010 Awards Program are now open. The awards program is intended to recognize projects and individuals that have made a significant contribution to planning in the Midwest Section during 2010. There are three categories of awards: planning advocate, student project and project planning. Details can be found in the attached nomination form. The deadline for submittal is Friday, December 17. Award recipients will be honored at the annual awards banquet in January 2011.

If you are interested in serving on the awards jury, or have any questions about a submittal, please email Clayton Husband AICP or call at 817-459-6668. The nomination form is available in the documents link to the right.

2011 Officer Elections

Officer elections are around the corner. The Section Board is seeking members interested in running for an officer position for 2011. The positions up for election are Director-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary and Newsletter Editor. If you are interested in running for one of these positions or have any questions, please email Richard Schell AICP (phone 817-748-8602) or Curvie Hawkins AICP (phone 817-215-8600)

Modern Streetcar Town Hall Meeting - City of Fort Worth

The City of Fort Worth will be hosting an informational open house and town hall meeting on Thursday December 2, 2010 to discuss the implementation of a Modern Streetcar within the City. A flyer is available to download from the available documents. For more information, visit: FortWorthGov.org/streetcar.

Implementing North Texas 2050

Please join us as we welcome John Walsh, president of TIG Real Estate Services and a member of the Vision North Texas Advisory Committee, for a networking lunch to hear an update on Vision North Texas.

Vision North Texas is a public, private, non-profit and academic partnership headed by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the Urban Land Institute, and the University of Texas at Arlington. Building on expert research, stakeholder dialogue and leadership discussions, Vision North Texas has created "North Texas 2050", which was released in March 2010. Its vision, guiding principles and preferred development pattern contain policy recommendations for all areas of the region and for key investment topics including natural assets, transportation, health economy and others. The action toolkit provides a set of implementation measures to make this vision a reality. Join Midwest Section TXAPA members for a discussion of what comes next for the region and how your community and clients can benefit from the important new tools created through this initiative.

A box lunch will be available. See the flyer in the downloadable documents for more details.

When: Friday, December 10, 2010 - 11:30am registration, Noon to 1:30pm program
Where: Intermodal Transportation Center - Downtown Fort Worth - Map
Cost: $15 APA members; $20 non-APA members
RSVP: by December 8 to Clayton Husband at clayton.husband@arlingtontx.gov or 817-459-6668
AICP: 1.5 CM credits have been requested. Approval is pending.

DFW Connector Networking Luncheon

Please join us as we welcome Dan Lamers, P.E. of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Selma Stocksill of Northgate Constructors, Jerry Hodge of the City of Grapevine, and Greg Royster, P.E. of DFW International Airport for a networking lunch to learn about the DFW Connector project and its impact on the region.

The DFW Connector is an 8.4-mile, $1.02 billion project that will rebuild portions of four highways, two interchanges and five bridges just north of DFW Airport. How does this project tie in with the regional transportation system? What all is included in the project? How will it impact the City of Grapevine and DFW Airport? Our speakers will cover these issues and take questions on this major transportation project.

A catered lunch from Corner Bakery is available. See the flyer on the sidebar for more details.

When: Friday, September 10, 2010 - 11:30am registration, Noon to 1:30pm program
Where: Southlake Town Hall, 3rd Floor Training Rooms C and D
Cost: $10.00 APA Members; $15.00 non-APA members
RSVP: by September 8 to Amanda Wilson at awilson@nctcog.org or 817-695-9284
AICP: 1.5 CM credits have been requested.

Houston Land\Water Sustainability Forum - LID Design Competition

Date: Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Time: 8:30am registration - 9:00am to 11:00am program.

Location: City of Arlington City Hall 101 W Abram Street Arlington, TX

The City of Arlington, Walter P. Moore and the Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum is sponsoring a discussion at the City of Arlington City Hall on Wednesday, September 1, 2010. This presentation is a discussion of Low Impact Development (LID) Design competition held in Houston. Founded in 2007, the Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum (HLWSF) was formed to provide exposure to sustainable practices, encourage adoption through education, encourage adaption of sustainable practices to Texas condistions, and to foster creativity in both sustainable development and regulatory structure.

Earlier this year, the HLWSF held a LID Design Competition to promote learning through design, coordination, presentation and recognition. The challenge consisted of the preliminary design of real projects including a residential development, an urban re-development site, and a roadway. The prizes were small, but the effect on Houston was huge.

The purpose of the presentation is to de-mystify the concepts of LID and to encourage municipal planners to consider adoption of LID principles in their standard development codes.

The event is free. Please RSVP audra.valamides@arlingtontx.gov on or before August 27, 2010 to be a part of this event.

AICP members: 2.0 Certification Maintenance hours were approved for this event.

Elected and Appointed Officials Workshop

Each year, the Midwest Section - Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association hosts a workshop for local Elected and Appointed Officials regarding the basics of development regulations, the role officials play in the urban planning process and an overview of challenges and innovations facing planning and development deparments within our communities. This year, the Section has put together a panel of speakers that will provide insight and moderate discussion among attendees concerning a variety of topics facing those who deal with the development process. Speaker topics will include:

• Nuts and Bolts of Development Regulations (Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances)
• Ethics (Roles and Responsibilities of Officials)
• Alternative Energy
• Retail Sustainability
• Legal Responsibilities

The workshop includes a catered lunch and opportunities from other communities to network and discuss challenges and opportunities in the development process. See the flyer link in the documents section for more details.

When: Monday August 30, 2010 - 10am to 4:30pm

Where: Brookside Convention Center 1244 Brookside Drive Hurst

Cost: $25.00 per person

RSVP: by August 24, to Amanda Wilson at awilson@nctcog.org or 817-695-9284

Map:


View Larger Map

Welcome to the New Home of the Midwest Section Texas APA

The Midwest Section of the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association is one of the most active sections within the state. Sponsoring or conducting at least 10 to 15 events, classes, seminars or networking luncheons a year, one of the primary goals of the Midwest Section is to provide "value added" resources and connections to your APA membership.

This new blog and subsequent connections to other social media will enable the section to connect more directly to its membership and provide up-to-date information regarding events, job postings and other pertinent information to planning professionals within the Section.

If you have questions, concerns or would like to contribute information to the blog - please contact Stephen A. Cook, AICP - Midwest Section Newsletter Editor at: midwest.texapa@gmail.com or at 817-685-1648.