FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

PLANNING, TEXAS STYLE, AND THE PASSING OF A MAJOR FIGURE IN PLANNING
Steve Butler, AICP
sbutler@ci.seatac.wa.us

The National APA conference in San Antonio was an excellent one, and APA’s Texas Chapter did a great job of hosting almost 5,000 planners. Washington State had a good showing at this conference, both as attendees and as session speakers.

Being the “Northerner” that I am, I was amazed to learn that San Antonio was first established by Spain in 1718, and is currently the eight largest city in the United States. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear about how much high quality planning is occurring in the state of Texas. Molly Ivins, the nationally syndicated political columnist and Texan, was the Opening Keynote Speaker. She praised the difficult yet important work done by planners and pointed out that “you can save the world and have a good time.” She added that it worked best, if done the Texas way, through the use of “imagination and beer.”

Eminent domain legislation and “so called takings” initiatives were a major focus of the conference, with several excellent presentations. It was heartening to learn that defeating I-933 in Washington State is a top priority of the National APA, and that both APA President David Siegel and Executive Director Paul Farmer are committed to providing us with a great deal of assistance.

In San Antonio, I was delighted to be on hand to witness the induction of Judith Stoloff and Lisa Verner into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

On a more somber note, Jane Jacobs, the author of “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” died in her sleep on April 25. She was a community activist who focused on the importance of neighborhoods and pedestrian-oriented streets. Ms. Jacobs championed human scaled amenities, such as pocket parks and street trees, that activated neighborhoods and made them engaging to both residents and visitors. One must remember that those were radical thoughts in 1961, the year that “Life and Death” was published, during the era of the “Power Broker” Robert Moses when highways were more important than neighborhoods. Her words written in the early 1960s influenced planning practices in the following decades, and are still echoed in the New Urbanism writings of today. Jane Jacobs was a seminal figure in American planning theory and practice, and her legacy will be with us for decades to come.

That’s it for now. Keep on planning!

FROM THE EDITOR

Indulge me while I take a little editorial privilege the last newsletter that I will work on as the WA-APA Newsletter editor.

I would just like to say a special thanks to a few key people who have been huge supporters since I begin serving. To Immediate Past President, Michael Kattermannn, AICP who upon hearing I was interested in volunteering my time within WA-APA gave me the opportunity to serve as newsletter editor and to current President, Steve Butler for allowing me to continue in this role through his administration. Though it can be a hard job it is also rewarding as I have meet many people as I begged for articles whose paths I may not have crossed in the professional setting and learned a lot.

Thanks to all of you who over my tenure who have agreed to write an article and I encourage you to continue your support to the next newsletter editor as Planning NW continues to be a great, but underutilized tool of sharing information/educating planners across the state of Washington.

WASHINGTON APA MEMBERSHIP REPORT

WA-APA Membership At A Glance

LEGISLATIVE CORNER

LOOKING BACK AT 2006 AND LOOKING AHEAD TO 2007
Esther Larsen, Legislative Committee Co-Chair
elarsen@spokanecounty.org

Although the 2006 legislative session was short, the WA-APA Legislative Committee had plenty of tasks leading up to and during the session. Thanks to all of the WA-APA “Legies” for taking on these tasks. Starting with the introduction of the Governor’s Land Use Proposals in the fall of 2005, members worked with lobbyist Mike Shaw, members of the Governor’s staff and other stakeholders to review and provide input on a set of proposals from the Governor. The initial seven proposals included Best Available Science, GMA Boards Appeal Process, Eminent Domain, GMA Update Timelines, Agricultural Accessory Uses, Agricultural Pilot Projects and Pre-existing Uses on Critical Areas. Only three proposals survived: ESSB 6427 on GMA Update Timelines, SHB 2917 on Agricultural Accessory Uses, and a budget proviso for Agricultural Pilot Projects.

The format for the meetings of the Legislative Committee continued as in past years via phone conferences on Thursdays at noon for an hour to get the latest update from Mike Shaw on specific bills and determine the week’s work to be completed by members of the Committee. A second voluntary call was added on Tuesdays at 4 PM for an hour to discuss bills and ask questions.

A revised format for providing bill reviews in writing was generated by Legislative Committee Co-Chair Ivan Miller for all members to use. The format included a short version for bills that are being summarized as opposed to being fully reviewed in order to provide a Position Statement.

From January through March, the Committee members dialed in to discuss bills, review status of bills, and determine which bills needed Position Statements and/or testimony. 126 bills, including 38 categorized as GMA/Land Use issues, were tracked with approximately 25 reviews or summary reviews by Committee members. The Chapter sent eleven Position Statements to the Legislature. The plan is to put these onto a revised web page for the Legislative Committee on the Chapter’s Website. When the session ended on the 8th of March, only 13 of the 126 bills tracked by the Committee were headed to the Governor’s desk. However, because of the expertise and input provided to both legislators and legislative staff, WA-APA received praise and is being asked to continue to provide input during the Interim.

A debriefing session for the Committee was held on April 11th to review 2006 as well as to plan for 2007. The Legislature has begun Interim Study Sessions, and WA-APA will track and provide input as needed in at least two areas:

• DOT’s study on concurrency as it relates to state highways
• Transportation governance in the Puget Sound region per ESHB 2871

Other interim work programs for WA-APA include:

• Meet with legislative staff and members on Committee Weekends
• Work with Governor’s staff and CTED on updated land use packet items as they are proposed
• Update WA-APA web page on Legislative issues, including Position Statements
• Update Chapter Legislative Platform prior to Fall Conference scheduled for early October
• Initiative 933

Potential issues for the 2007 Session include:

• Growth Management Hearings Board
• Pre-existing Uses
• Critical Areas
• Best Available Science
• Annexation
• Eminent Domain
• School Districts – GMA/Concurrency
• Housing
• County-wide planning policies/multi-county planning policies updates
• State GMA plan
• Special Purpose Districts and GMA
• Vesting
• Transportation issues involving regional governance as well as concurrency

Taking on these tasks and others that the membership desires will require not only the ongoing dedication and expertise of Mike Shaw, but also a group of “Legies” who can start now during the Interim to work on issues of interest and/or areas of expertise so that WA-APA is prepared for the long 2007 Session. Contact Ivan Miller at imillerwork@hotmail.com or Esther Larsen at elarsen@spokanecounty.org to let us know what issues you would like to see WA-APA involved in and how you can be part of making that happen.

PUGET SOUND SECTION

ELECTION RESULTS

President
Hiller West

King County Representative
Todd Hall

Pierce County Representative
Airyang Julia Park

Snohomish County Representative
Erika Jensen

Secretary
George Steirer

PLANNERS ON THE MOVE

The Watershed Company

Gabe Snedeker, AICP, has joined The Watershed Company, environmental consultants, as Senior Planner. He will lead the firm’s planning team as it expands its staff and range of services at its new location in Kirkland, 750 6th Street South. Snedeker was formerly the Principal Planner with the City of Mercer Island and has more than a decade of experience as a professional planner with a wide range of skills, including, environmental analysis, GMA and SMA planning, sensitive site development, code writing and public process facilitation.

Heartland Housing

Angela Brooks, AICP, has joined Heartland Housing in Chicago, IL as the Associate Director of Real Estate Development, where she will spearhead affordable housing development projects in the Chicago land area. Prior to relocating Angela worked for the Office of Housing for the City of Seattle and has been an active member of WA–APA.

Heartland Housing
208 South LaSalle, Suite 1818
Chicago, IL 60604
www.heartlandalliance.org
(312) 660-1386
abrooks@heartlandalliance.org

GREETINGS FROM CTED

On behalf of our partners, the Planning Association of Washington and the Washington State Chapter of the American Planning Association, we invite you to attend the following regional Spring 06 Planners' Forums:

July 19: Eastern Washington Planners Forum (Moses Lake: Hallmark Best Western)

July 20: Southwest Washington Planners Forum (Kelso: City Hall)

July 26: Olympic Peninsula Planners Forum (Silverdale: Silverdale Community Center)

July 27: Northwest Washington Planners Forum (Mount Vernon: Skagit Station)

All forums will be held from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., with lunch on your own (or provided in conjunction with APA Section meetings at some Forums). See you at the Forum of your choice!

CORRECTION

The article in last month’s issue of Planning NW by Mike Stanger and Judith Stoloff contained a misstatement. It should have read, "In Snohomish County, the percentage of low- and moderate-income households spending more than 30% of their incomes on housing rose from 46% in 1990 to 53% in 2000."

APA MEMBER PROFILE

MICHAEL KATTERMANN, AICP

1. Where are you originally from and how long have you been in Washington State?
   Tawas City, MI, a small town located on the shores of Lake Huron. Came to the Northwest: In 1991, it is now my home and always will be.

2. What is your educational background?
   BS in Urban Planning from Michigan State University and a MS in Community & Regional Planning from the University of TX at Austin (hook ‘em horns!).

3. Where are you currently living and working?
   Associate Principal of AHBL, Inc. A multi-disciplinary consulting firm of planners, engineers, landscape architects and land surveyors.

4. Describe the planning work you do and your agency/firm?
   My focus is on public policy and implementation working primarily for county and city governments. I also work with school districts to facilitate the entitlement process for new facilities.

5. What are your primary planning interests? What types of projects really captivate you personally?
   Most planning is political and I enjoy the challenge of working with elected officials and the public on resolving planning issues through the political process. I also enjoy school projects because they are such an important part of a community. A new school can help revitalize a neighborhood.

6. Of which planning projects are you most proud?
   When I was planning director in Renton I was instrumental in starting the city’s neighborhood program. It began as a pilot project in four neighborhoods and has now grown to include a small grant program and annual neighborhood picnics throughout the city. It is one of those ideas that will have long-term benefits to the neighborhoods and the city.

7. If you had the chance to do your whole career over, would you do anything different or are you happy with just the way it is?
   If you had the chance to do your whole career over, would you do anything different or are you happy with just the way it is? I’m pretty happy with where I am right now in my career. One of the aspects of planning that has always appealed to me is the variety of projects and specialties that exist, so I try to evolve with the profession and that keeps my interest fresh.

8. Are you involved in any other divisions of the American Planning Association? If yes which ones?
   Washington Chapter APA has been my focus the last few years. Previously involved with Puget Sound Section APA as well as the TX Chapter. Recent past involvement in non-planning organizations includes the Seattle Mens’ Chorus, Communities in Schools of Renton, and my church.

9. Do you have any words of wisdoms to younger professional planners who may be interested in following your career path?
   Planning’s future is tied to successful communication of ideas and implementation of those ideas. The more adept we become at those skills, the brighter planning’s future will be.

FAICP INDUCTEES

LISA S. VERNER, FAICP and JUDITH G. STOLOFF

The Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association is proud to introduce the 2006 Washington FAICP Inductee’s Lisa S. Verner and Judith G. Stoloff.

Lisa S. Verner
Past Washington APA Chapter President

Lisa Verner’s expertise in facilitated collaboration and understanding high tech businesses comes from 25 years in planning. An innovator, she integrates planning and economic development and works with cities and high tech firms to promote community growth. Lisa gives back to the planning community through educational leadership addressing growth management.

Lisa Verner is an innovative leader in collaborative processes between cities and high tech firms with over 25 years experience broadening the economic base in communities. Lisa created a niche by seeing a trend toward growth in high tech businesses (computer, wireless, and biotech/life sciences firms) and assisting elected officials and planners to understand and regulate this kind of development. She developed a cutting edge understanding of high tech businesses and what is necessary for them to locate in and bring jobs to a community. Lisa’s strong track record is evidence of expertise integrating planning and economic development and mastery of planning principles.

Lisa uses the tool of facilitated collaboration to solve problems associated with new high tech firms in communities. She understands the planning and regulation necessary to foster great communities and the economics of putting development together. Understanding both sides is Lisa’s expertise and is crucial to her success with collaborative processes.

Lisa promotes an educational connection between professional planners and the real estate development community. She uses her unique knowledge to give back to the planning community through service to the Chapter, organizing and promoting educational events, and her leadership addressing growth management issues of planning and economic development. Lisa served as President, President-Elect, Past President, and Vice President of the Washington Chapter of APA. She also served as the Chapter’s Continuing Education Chair. Her professional contributions extend into real estate development with Lisa serving as a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington State Chapter of National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) for 4 years. She was elected 1995 President of the Seattle Chapter, CREW-Seattle and 1997 Director of Communications for the National Board of Directors of the National Network of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW).

Additionally, her expertise in understanding both planning, growth management, zoning and environmental regulation as well as the economics of putting development together led to the Washington Chapter’s APA-award winning “Livable Washington: APA’s Action Agenda for Growth Management.” This educational work resulted in a report to the Governor in 2003 and a follow-up “Report Card” in 2005.

Two integrated themes emerge from Lisa’s career: (1) integration of planning and high-tech economic development through use of facilitated collaboration as a tool, and (2) giving back to the planning community through education. Lisa Verner is nominated for membership in the College of Fellows of AICP in the “Professional Practice” (Advancing the Profession) category.

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Master of Science in Real Estate Development, 1987

California State University, San Jose, California
Master of Urban Planning, 1979

University of Redlands, Redlands, California
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Journalism, 1974

Lisa (right) holding her FAICP Certificate.

Judith Stoloff, FAICP

Judith Stoloff has worked faithfully to meet community needs for decent housing and self-determination. She resolves the seemingly irresolvable through open inclusion: calming residents of a Mobile Home Park through presenting policy change to 100 anxious residents; reframing a Seattle community’s resistance to a methadone clinic; leading the community-based Cooper Square Urban Renewal project.

A pioneer advocate of transactive planning. The community’s vision and program—aided by the planner’s organization and conceptual skills—emerge. The planner is in the background. A role difficult to achieve within a mainstream-planning context. Managing to facilitate creative, positive results over a 40-year career of inclusiveness and caring.

Mobile Home Parks in Snohomish County: currently integrating people’s needs into a planning process: drafting policy and initiating programs to stabilize mobile home parks in Snohomish County threatened by land use changes. I am working with the Housing Authority, grants office and other planners to maintain housing for the senior residents while allowing for eventual redevelopment. Reassured about 100 anxious residents in a public meeting at one of the parks.

AICP Ethics Committee. This connection exhibits my continuity in significant service to the profession, longevity, and innovative approach: I participated in the recent Code update as well as in 1980-81. For one ethics case I reviewed, I recommended the subject make presentations on the ethics issue at state conference and university venues.

Service. A strong commitment throughout the nearly 40 years of my professional career to giving back through teaching, conference leadership and presentations, leadership and presentations to housing and community groups.

Judith Stoloff Associates 1984-86, 1989 -2001: My planning consultancy offers opportunities to include people in many housing and community involvement efforts:

• The Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy for Washington State won an APA award.
• Vulcan NW. By translating neighborhood concerns into plan elements I successfully brokered a resolution of transportation issues between the developer and the neighborhood.
• Principal in three Seattle neighborhood housing and human development plans.

Asset mapping assured maximum mobilization of community resources to support innovative community center Resolved controversy over a Methadone Treatment Center with a one-meeting process. Preparation included visiting the area when methadone is distributed and eliciting concerns, ideas about how to resolve them, future plans and hopes. At the meeting I displayed initial responses and elicited additional ideas. I introduced the meeting as a reflection and asked the participants to try to put themselves in the position of another group as they listened to each other’s opinions. The meeting produced agreement about a follow up process. The prime consultant and the City of Seattle’s neighborhood planning group noted the success and used it as a model.

National Science Foundation: Selected in a national search, I evaluated the Science for Citizens program, whose goal was to increase the knowledgeable participation of scientists and others in public policy issues involving science and technology. With no baseline indicators or success measures in place, I analyzed program sites around the nation using a qualitative survey approach and developed a final report that included a blueprint for a public service science center.

University of Tennessee: The theme of my teaching was real-world involvement: Planning theory class produced policy analysis on the proposed World’s Fair. Students interviewed interest groups and represented them in a mock public hearing. Service projects included incorporating a day care center (with two other faculty members), and leading the design of an appropriate technology demonstration that was incorporated into the Knoxville World’s Fair in 1982.

Cooper Square Urban Renewal Project. After participating in the advocacy plan with the neighborhood organization, I directed the implementation--achieving the fastest acquisition in New York City history and maintaining credibility with the many-factioned community and the city administration.

Education

City University of New York 1965-67: Masters in Urban Planning

By-law fellow, assistant to Paul Davidoff, director. This was the first Advocacy planning MUP program.

Swarthmore College 1959-1962: B.A. with honors in History

CHAPTER ONLY MEMBERSHIP

REMINDER

Last year the board approved a new chapter-only group membership opportunity.

This membership is available to planning commissions, city councils and commissions, tribal councils, and board members of non-profit organizations and other professional associations.

Up to 10 members may be included in a group membership. The group rate if $150 and is administered by the chapter office.

To obtain a group membership form or learn more about the benefits of this membership, contact Anna Nelson, AICP, Membership Committee chair, at (206) 382-9540 or anelson@buckgordon.com.

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Have a project you want to highlight for planners across the state? An issue you think more planners need information on? Planning Northwest is always looking to highlight projects and research of our members. If you are interested in having an article published feel free to contact the editor.

The deadline for the newsletter is the first of every month. Please submit all newsletter articles to Angela Brooks, AICP at angeladbrooks@gmail.com. Please include Planning Northwest in your subject line.