APA Celebrates Great Planning 

The American Planning Association (APA) is celebrating National Community Planning Month throughout October.  Each year APA, its members, chapters, divisions, and professional institute, sponsor National Community Planning Month to raise the visibility of the important role of planners and planning in communities across the U.S.  This year's theme, New Ideas for America's Future, showcases how planners help envision the future and address theneeds of communities.  You can sum up planning in three words:

• Comprehensive
• Community-focused
• Choice

Whether you realize it or not, planning plays a vital role in your daily life.  From the type of home you live in - apartment, town home, high rise or single family - to how you get around, whether by transit, walking, bicycling or driving, planning helps ensure communities address the diversity of its needs.  As planners, we strive to recommend choices.

Planning is the process of envisioning, mapping or otherwise conceiving how a community will look, grow, and define itself-its characteristics, attributes, and identity.  As communities continue to change and grow, planners must carefully balance the needs and desires (vision for quality of life) of residents against the challenges presented by growth and change not just in the physical realm, but also economically and socially.   The American Planning Association represents more than 40,000 members including professional planners, academics, business leaders, students and engaged citizens.  APA advocates for good planning practices to keep communities safe, healthy, and prosperous.

In coming issues of The Weekly Planner, we'll take a look at APA's Great Places Program... great neighborhoods, great streets, and great public places.  You know one when you see it - but how what makes a place become great?  The decisions officials make influence our community... the quality of our neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces, and ultimately, chart the path for a thriving future for Hillsborough County.

 Welcome New Planning Commissioners!  

In September, Brian Hollands was reappointed to serve a full four-year term by the Board of County Commissioners.  For the past year, Commissioner Hollands has served the remaining term of Miller Dowdy, who resigned after three years of service to relocate to Georgia.   The BOCC also appointed Mitch Thrower to serve a four-year term on the Planning Commission.  A resident of Hillsborough County since 1975, Mr. Thrower is currently the Deputy Director of Administration for the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority and has served as the Chair of the Hillsborough County Charter Review Board and BOCC Citizens Advisory Committee.

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 Planning Commission at 'The Center'  

In order to better serve the businesses and citizens of Hillsborough County, the Planning Commission staff has worked with Hillsborough County staff on integrating our customer assistance into "The Center" for Development Services.  Located on the 19th Floor of the County Center building, The Center is a one-stop center for the residents and contractors who the Development Services Department assists.  Services available include building services, contractor licensing, permitting requests, plans review, zoning requests and information, and site plan and subdivision intake.

Planning Commission staff regularly assists customers coming from Development Services inquiring about potential rezonings and other land use inquiries.   Now, customers to The Center will have direct access to Planning Commission staff at this one-stop shop.  Planning Commission staff has implemented a "Planner of the Day" who will be on call to come up to the 19th Floor as needed to assist customers in person, so the customer will not have to come to the 18th Floor.  This is more efficient and convenient for the customer.  We are proud of this partnership with the County and The Center and look forward to enhanced service for the citizens of Hillsborough County.

In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other nondiscrimination laws, public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status.