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Volume 3, Issue 1
Winter—Spring 2015
March 30, 2015
Inside this issue:
2—President’s Message
3– History of the Delaware
Planning Education Program
4—APA Board Update
5—Delaware Planning
Education Program: Updates
and New Features
6—An Interview with a
Recent DPEP Grad
7—List of Recent DPEP Grads
8–Bringing Together Planning
and Public Health
9—Building a Better Block in
Wilmington
10—Upcoming Events
11—Legislative Update
12-APA DE / MD Regional
Conference Review
14-APA Delaware Annual
Meeting Review
Citizen planners, elected officials, and small town planning staffs are on the “front
lines” of planning in Delaware. Fortunately, there is a robust system in place to
provide training, support and networking for these groups. Look inside for a series
of articles describing the current programs and initiatives, and some proposed
changes to better meet the State’s planning education needs in the future.
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 2 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
President’s Message
by Ann Marie Townshend, AICP
APA Delaware
Executive Committee
President
Ann Marie Townshend, AICP
Vice President
Michael Fortner, AICP
Treasurer
Peter Von Glahn
Secretary
Janelle Cornwell, AICP
Past President
Bill Swiatek, AICP
Prof. Dev. Officer
James Galvin, AICP
Committee Members
Bill Brockenbrough, AICP
David Edgell, AICP
Jocelyn Godwin
Michael Hahn, AICP
John Kennel, AICP
Derrick Lightfoot, AICP
Chris Oakes
Debbie Pfeil
Martin Wollaston
Communications Committee
Chair
Michael Hahn, AICP
Members
Tamika Graham
Kate Layton
Randi Novakoff
Newsletter Editor
David Edgell, AICP
Questions or comments
about the newsletter?
Contact the editor at david.edgell@state.de.us or
(302) 739-3090
You will notice that this issue highlights the
Delaware Planning Education Program offered by
the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public
Administration. This training program is
beneficial, not only to our citizen planners, but
also to elected officials, young planners, or
planners new to Delaware. If you have not
participated in any of the classes offered, I would
encourage you to consider attending some of the
classes. The focus is largely on the issues that local
planners need to understand, but state agency
planners may also benefit by better understanding the local planning framework.
Delaware, like most states, relies heavily on our citizen planners to develop and
implement our community plans. Through development of comprehensive plans,
updating of land use ordinances, and review and approval of development plans, our
citizen planners truly shape our communities. Whether serving on the planning
commission, historic preservation boards, or boards of adjustment, our citizen
planners have great responsibility for balancing plan objectives, code requirements,
the needs of applicants, and citizen comment to make well-informed decisions that
will leave a long-lasting imprint on our communities.
For the past several years, I have been privileged to co-teach the Land Use
Administration class (Planning 103) that is a core requirement of the Delaware
Planning Education Program. I am always energized by the genuine interest and
thoughtful questions brought to the course by citizen planners, elected officials, and
planning staff from across Delaware. Each Delaware community faces its own set of
challenges, and it is our responsibility as professional planners to help these
communities navigate the challenges. Whether we work for a county or municipal
agency, state agency, academic institution, or consulting firm, citizen planners rely
on our guidance to help them in their role. Thoughtful comments through the
Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS) process, participation in community planning
processes, and other interactions with professional planners will help our citizen
planners to make sound land use decisions that will carry us far into the future.
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 3 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
History of the Delaware
Planning Education Program
by Ed O’Donnell, AICP
The Delaware Planning Education Program started as a joint effort
of the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public
Administration, the Delaware Chapter of the American Planning
Association and the Delaware Office of State Planning
Coordination in 2001. The initial version of the program was
conceived as a 12-hour certificate course for local planning
Photo: UD IPA
officials, and was later increased to a 15-hour program. The first courses were
Planning 101, “Planning Your Community’s Future,” and Planning 102 “Land Use Law and Regulation.”
These courses were an immediate hit, with over 80 attendees registering. We had to hold two sessions of each
course because the room only held 50 people! This high registration number was indicative of the latent
demand for knowledge regarding comprehensive planning and land use regulations in Delaware.
One of the first instructors was David Hugg, who at the time was working for the University of Delaware
Institute for Public Administration. He did a lot of the ground work and research to set up the program. Initial
instructors included Linda Raab (a planning consultant working with UD IPA), Ed O’Donnell (recently retired
from New Castle County, and working with UD IPA), and David Edgell (another UD IPA staff member at the
time). Other instructors were added and course offerings were expanded. University of Delaware staff and
professors frequently instruct the courses. Over the years UD personnel have included Marcia Scott, B. J.
DeCoursey, Steven Peuquet, and Matt Carter. Subject area experts from state agencies and local governments
are often tapped as instructors as well. These have included Connie Holland, the State Planning Director,
Karen Horton, of the Delaware State Housing Authority and Ann Marie Townsend, the City of Dover’s
Planning Director. It was recognized that there was a need to include a land use attorney. Well respected local
attorney Max Walton was recruited to discuss legal issues, and remains an active participant today. UD IPA’s
Doug Tuttle handled all of the important logistics including scheduling, record keeping, marketing, audio and
video etc.
Planning 103, “Land Use and Development Administration” was first offered on April 17th, 2003, and
Planning 104, “Community Design” had its initial class on November 17th, 2004. This latter course, Planning
104, made it possible to award the first certificates.
Since the initial course offerings, other topics have been added to the curriculum, often at the suggestion of the
class participants. These additional courses include: Planning 201, “Creating a Flood Ready Community;”
Planning 205, “Mobility – Friendly Design;” Planning 206, “Board of Adjustment Issues;” Planning 207,
“Housing for Delaware: Balancing Community Needs;” Planning 208, “Strengthening Local Economies;”
Planning 209, “Planning Complete Streets;” and Planning 210, “ Your Regulations and the Takings Issue.”
See History of the DPEP, Page 6
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 4 ǀ
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APA Board Update
by Rodger Lentz, AICP, APA National Board Director, Region II
I hope you have enjoyed your winter, but I know one thing for sure.....I am
ready for spring. Spring has always been special to me. It's a time for
rebirth and reflection for me each year.
When I fly, I love the window seat. Flying across the country this year for
the APA Board Winter Retreat, peering out my window, I am reminded how
important our planning work is. Our transportation systems are an obvious
choice from 30,000 feet. The mighty rivers and the floods they bring during
rainy weather. The many dangerously low reservoirs I saw flying over the drought stricken west. The
relationship between military installations and the cities that serve them. Patterns of development and the
impact it has on all of these. It's really important work that makes me glad I chose planning as my trade.
Planning truly touches aspects of everyone's lives.
This spring at APA we will be working on the organization’s new development plan. We want this to be the
most open and interactive development plan process in our organization’s history. We've started by sending out
surveys and inviting participation through Mind Mixer and social media. As we prepare a draft plan, we will be
sending it to chapters, divisions and student organizations to get their feedback and hopefully get even more
great ideas on how we can make APA relevant to current and future members. I hope you will take the time to
participate in the conversation. We want to hear from you. Please feel free to send me your ideas anytime at
rlentz@wilsonnc.org. What can we do to make APA more relevant for you and the important work you do in the
communities you serve?
One overarching goal is the desire to get more of you involved in planning leadership and advocacy. We will
never be able to hire enough staff to handle all the needs under the heading of advocacy. We as members need
to take an active role when issues arise that could impact the way we do our work or undermine a community's
ability to plan its future success. To be successful we need you to play a leadership role in advocacy. Contact
you congressional delegation and let them know how and why your feel a certain way about pending legislation.
Pay attention to budget negotiations and let your legislative delegation know why certain programs are important
to your work. Don't assume they know the planner's and/or local government’s perspective. This goes for state
legislation and budgets too.
Not only are we working on a new development plan for the organization, we are also ensuring that APA is
transparent and member focused. When you have questions on how your dues are spent, you should be able to
easily find answers. When you need assistance, you deserve courteous and prompt responses. APA staff and
our new executive director are committed to this. Be patient, but I believe, in the end, you will appreciate the
changes that are in the works and those already made.
I am really excited about the upcoming National Planning Conference in Seattle in April. I know it's a long way
for us to go from the east and southeast, but this year's conference will be worth the trip. Great sessions and
mobiles are planned. Take a look at the registration page and see everything being offered this year. Come to
See APA Board Update, Page 7
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www.delawareapa.org
Delaware Planning
Education Program:
Updates and New Features
by Martin Wollaston
The Delaware Planning Education Program (DPEP) is an
educational response tailored to meet the professional needs
of Delaware’s local planning staffs, planning and zoning
commissioners, and local elected officials in carrying out their
planning and land use management responsibilities.
This certificate program was developed to:
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Photo: UD IPA
increase the understanding of local planning and land use responsibilities
ensure compliance with relevant state planning, zoning and related statutes
provide a basis for more informed decision making
enhance the capacity of local officials to effectively manage future development
recognize local officials for their voluntary educational efforts through awarding a certificate
The program has been active for over a decade. Currently, all four of the 100-level 3-hour courses offered by
the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration are required for the certificate, plus one of the
many 200-level 3-hour electives. IPA has developed many planning elective courses in response to requests
from both participants and state agencies. The 15-hours of planning training must be completed within a 2-year
time frame.
The specific requirements for the DPEP certificate were recently reviewed. Recognizing the changing needs
and interests of Delaware’s local officials, IPA is now offering additional flexibility to its course schedule.
Beginning July 1, 2015, the required 100-level courses for the certificate will be reduced to three 100-level 3hours courses, PLN101, PLN102, and PLN103. Those interested in earning the certificate will then need to
take two of the many 200-level 3-hour elective courses for a total of 15 planning course hours. And, in
recognition of the limited funding often available to participants, IPA will extend the time frame for
completing the 15-hours to three years.
Additionally, IPA along with the Office of State Planning Coordination and the Delaware Chapter of the
American Planning Association (APA Delaware) would like to better recognize program certificate earners
who dedicate their time and energy to increasing their knowledge and skills to better serve their citizens. So,
starting with the people listed on page 7 who most recently earned their certificate, APA Delaware will publish
their names in the chapter’s newsletter and web site and provide each person with a one-year membership in
its chapter (currently $30/year). IPA is also discussing the development of an annual event to present these
certificates and photograph the graduates.
Visit the IPA website to learn more about the program:
http://www.ipa.udel.edu/localgovt/training/planning-ed.html.
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www.delawareapa.org
An Interview with a Recent Delaware Planning Education
Program Graduate: Mr. Harry Kent
by Nicole Seymour
Millville Treasurer Harry Kent is a transplant from New Jersey. He spent thirty-five years living across the
Delaware Memorial Bridge as a volunteer firefighter. Through his time in public service, he was heavily involved
with his town’s committee and was entrusted with the responsibility for the town’s budget. Afterwards, he moved
to Millville, Delaware. As the Town of Millville’s Treasurer and Facilities Operations Manager, Mr. Kent made
the bold decision to take part in the Delaware Planning Education Program. He is a proud, recent graduate.
Mr. Kent realized the importance of the certificate program through his desire to find anything that would give
him a better understanding of Delaware municipal laws. Millville Town Manager Debbie Botchie recommended
the program as she had taken some of the courses in the past. According to Mr. Kent, the courses were extremely
helpful. He is now more comfortable with the interactions of governance and policies. Mr. Kent reflected on the
program, “It has been helpful because Millville is going through a lot of redevelopment. There are 3 or 4 new
developments just around the corner [in Millville]... I have a better understanding of how land use is approached in
Delaware.” Mr. Kent offered another example regarding the importance of the program’s courses for local
government officials. “I was very impressed with [the] board of adjustment areas. The program is so dynamic. Our
town hasn’t had any board of adjustment issues, but it’s bad if you run into a problem and you have no
understanding of the issues.”
When asked if he had any recommendations to improve the program, Mr. Kent wished that there was a more indepth synopsis of the great components of each course and some live streaming courses available online for
interested participants who cannot attend the Dover sessions. However, Mr. Kent has made an effort to tell others
about the Delaware Planning Education Program. It is, in Mr. Kent’s words, “well worth everyone’s time. The
presenters were very impressive. The courses that I did take were very helpful, and I acquired some good
relationships.”
History of the DPEP, Continued
The Planning Education Program has reached hundreds of local planning officials and approximately 70
individuals have been awarded certificates representing 24 different Delaware municipalities. We have noticed
a trend throughout the years. Many participants continue to repeat the introductory courses. When asked why,
they tend to give one of two reasons. First, they report that they always learn something new from the
discussion and questions asked by new participants. And second, they value the opportunity to network with
other municipal staff and appointed officials and learn about current activities, issues and solutions.
The program will continue to evolve in order to meet the needs of local governments to solve today’s and
tomorrow’s problems.
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www.delawareapa.org
Delaware Planning Education
Program
Recent Graduates
Congratulations to the following individuals who have
completed the requirements and earned their
certificate in the Fall of 2014!
John Collier, Council, Town of Milton
Larry Dougherty, Council, Town of Camden
Charles Lindell, Planning Commission, Town of
Elsmere
Janet Vinc, formerly Planning Director, Town of
Smyrna. Currently a planner with New Castle County
Department of Land Use.
Anna Legates, Commissioner, Town of Dewey Beach
Jamie Craddock, Planning Assistant, Town of
Georgetown
Dr. Jerome Lewis presents Anna Legates, Commissioner
with the Town of Dewey Beach, with her Delaware
Planning Education Program Certificate. Photo: UD IPA
Harry Kent, Council, Town of Millville
APA Board Update, Continued
Seattle and get all of your continuing education taken care of in one conference! I have fond memories of
Seattle traveling there a few times with my parents. I was lucky growing up since my dad was an airline
mechanic and my mother a travel agent. We got to travel often as a family. The northwest was a favorite
destination. If you go to Seattle, stay a few extra days and try out one of APA's extended post-conference
trips to Vancouver, BC or Portland. You can also do your own tour by catching a ferry to Victoria, BC or a
train to Vancouver. You could also head out to the Olympic Peninsula National Park. Whatever you
choose, you won't be disappointed. Visit the conference page on the APA website to learn more:
https://conference.planning.org/conference/
Look for another APA update after the conference. In the meantime, I'll be tweeting from Seattle. If you’re
interested follow me @lentztweet.
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www.delawareapa.org
Bringing together Planning and Public Health
by Patti Miller
In Delaware, collaboration between planning and public health is
focusing attention on how land use planning decisions affect health.
Collaboration across these fields is increasingly taking hold not just
in Delaware, but also across the country as a way to address the
obesity epidemic through creation of more walkable, bikeable
communities. But the formation of these partnerships does not
happen overnight. It takes time to cultivate relationships, find
common ground and speak the same language.
Coalitions focused on healthy eating and active living can help by convening diverse stakeholders to advance the
collective goal of better health outcomes. Here in Delaware, the Delaware Coalition for Healthy Eating and
Active Living (DE HEAL) has been doing just that since 2008. DE HEAL is a network of organizations and
individuals that provides statewide leadership and serves as a catalyst for policy, environmental and systems
changes that aim to prevent obesity through increasing healthy eating and physical activity statewide.
DE HEAL’s Environment and Policy Committee brings together individuals and organizations that are
committed to developing communities where people have opportunities and the motivation to lead safer and
healthier lives. The Committee has helped to spur the formation of “non-traditional” partnerships among land
use and transportation planners, parks and recreation professionals, architects, dieticians, and public health
professionals, among others. The energy, enthusiasm and expertise of this diverse group has enabled the
Committee to accomplish much, including implementing the first-ever health impact assessment in the State of
Delaware and co-sponsoring with the Governor’s Council on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention the
Delaware Recognition for Community Health Promotion program.
Currently, the Committee is spearheading the comprehensive land use plan strategy included in the New Castle
County Partnerships to Improve Community Health (NCC-PICH) Cooperative Agreement awarded to Nemours
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NCC-PICH brings additional resources to Delaware to
enhance community environments, making it easier for people to make healthy choices and take charge of their
health. The goal of the comprehensive land use strategy is to incorporate additional best practices for promoting
physical activity in the comprehensive plans of New Castle County and the City of Wilmington. As part of this
work, members of the Committee are delivering educational presentations on the topic of healthy community
design to the New Castle County Planning Board. An initial presentation in September 2014 opened up a
dialogue between the Committee and the Planning Board and helped to identify areas of opportunity for future
collaboration. The Committee’s intent is to provide the Planning Board the resources and assistance they need to
consider health as part of the processes for updating the comprehensive plan and zoning code and approving
individual development proposals. The Committee’s next presentation in April will focus on how land use
planning can facilitate access to close-to-home active recreation opportunities that promote resident health and
quality of life. Future presentations will highlight other components of the comprehensive plan that affect health.
Visit the DE HEAL website to learn more: http://www.deheal.org/coalition/.
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 9 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
Building a Better Block in Wilmington
by Aimee Lala—Milligan
West Side Grows Together, a coalition of
organizations, residents & businesses on
the West Side of Wilmington, partnered
with students from the University of
Delaware to bring the Better Block Project
to the 600 block of N. Union St. on
August 11-13, 2014.
In June 2012, West Side Grows Together
published the West Side Revitalization
Plan with the input of more than 650
residents. The Plan lays out a ten year
strategy to improve housing, strengthen
businesses and create jobs, revitalize
parks, build community and create
opportunities for youth in Wilmington's
West Side neighborhoods. The Plan
identifies N. Union St. as a priority for
economic development, as it is the largest
commercial district in the West
Wilmington neighborhood. A portion of N. Union
St. is often referred to as Wilmington’s Little Italy.
People dine on Union Street during the Build a Better Block demonstration. Photo: Aimee Lala—Milligan
In October 2013, West Side Grows Together partnered with WILMAPCO to host a Walkable Community Workshop
on N. Union St. Over 30 community members participated in this event which educated them about street design and
documented their design ideas for improvements, as well as physical design limitations of Union St. In February 2014,
WILMAPCO presented the recommended design changes for Union St. to an audience of over 50 community
member, which included a published report.
The Better Block Project is a nationally-recognized demonstration tool that temporarily redesigns an area
with community input and a minimal budget to show the potential for revitalized economic activity. In many
communities that have participated, the temporary design changes became permanent features.
Our project, the first of its kind in Delaware, brought to life the vision produced by the West Side Grows
Together Revitalization Plan and the WILMAPCO Walkable Community Workshop. It temporarily redesigned the
600 block of N. Union by adding landscaping, outdoor seating, public art, interactive activities and other features to
create a more engaging, pedestrian friendly area. These elements were suggested in the plan, the workshop or both.
Too often you see and hear about plans for the community on paper and it’s a challenge to imagine them in real life.
This project allowed us to implement the changes suggested in these plans and interact with those who visited to get
their feedback on them directly. In turn, this feedback will aid us in prioritizing our efforts for design changes on N.
Union St. moving forward.
See Build a Better Block, Page 10
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 10 ǀ
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Build a Better Block, Continued
Hundreds of people came to our Better Block event over the
two days we hosted activities (a 3rd day was cancelled due
to weather) and we were fortunate to be featured by WDEL,
the News Journal and UDaily. It was a wonderful mix of new
and old friends enjoying dining outdoors, live music and
games for the kids.
We could not have hosted the Better Block Event without the
support of the community, both its residents and businesses, as
well as donations from Terrain at Styers, Dead Presidents
Restaurant & Pub, WavLab Studios, Old Country Gardens,
Church of the Holy City, Fine Garden Creations, 7th District
Neighborhood Planning Council, Crossroads Church, Smashed
Label, FLYOGI, Annie's Menagerie, McAleer Dance
Studio and many individuals.
Children plan hopscotch on Union Street during the Build a
Better Block Demonstration. Photo: Aimee Lala—Milligan
We are scheduling a meeting with DelDOT and the City of
Wilmington to start the process of making permanent changes
to N. Union St. A planning study will need to be completed to determine the feasibility of making all of the changes we
want, as well as what the estimated cost might be.
In the mean time, we are planing an expanded Better Block event for August 3 – 5, 2015! For additional information
about this project, contact Aimee Lala—Milligan, Commercial District Revitalization Manager at West Side Grows
Together, via email at: alala@westendnh.org or by phone: 302-658-4171 x179.
Upcoming Events
Live Webcasts from the APA National Conference in Seattle. April 18—20, 2015. APA National will be streaming
four sessions from the conference: Negotiation Skills for Planners; Planning and Climate Change Symposium;
Assessing Existing Conditions with Census Data; and Planning Commissioner Ethics. For more details and to sign up,
go to https://www.planning.org/audioconference/. Please note that this link may not open with Internet Explorer.
Your Regulations and the “Takings” Issue: The Impact of Recent Supreme Court Decisions. April 24, 2015, 9:00am
to noon, University of Delaware Paradee Center, Dover. Register at: http://www.ipa.udel.edu/events.html.
2015 Planning Law Review. June 24, 2015. Time and location to be determined. Join APA Delaware for a valueadded law session featuring an APA webcast and a presentation by local land use attorney Max Walton about
Delaware land use case law. 1.5 CM Law for the webcast. 1.0 CM Law pending for Walton presentation. Check the
website (www.delawareapa.org) for details as we get closer to the event.
FREE Webcasts from the Chapter Consortium. Many of these webcasts are approved for CM credit. Visit http://
www.utah-apa.org/webcasts for more details and to sign up
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 11 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
Legislative Update
by Debbie Pfeil
Have you ever thought about how legislative action could affect
planners? Mainly funding but also land use regulations and Federal /
State mandates. Here are a few funding items that come to mind:
-Infrastructure Funding: for utilities (water,wastewater, electric,
stormwater), roads, bike paths and pedestrian linkage, bridges, ditches,
transit, etc. This is for maintaining existing and proposing new infrastructure. Examples: Municipal Street Aid,
Community Transportation Fund.
-Downtown Development District Funding: provides a clear plan to revitalize the heart of the local
municipalities as well as create incentives for investors.
Federal and State mandates are also another area that can have a huge impact on planning related items, such as:
Sourcewater Protection, Floodplain, Comprehensive Plan Updates, etc.
The Delaware General Assembly is made up of two formal bodies: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
It is important for everyone to be aware of proposed legislation and how it affects the services they provide.
Information about the legislative process, including information on all bills, is available on the State’s website at
the following link: http://legis.delaware.gov/ .
Since the legislature is back in session the process is just beginning. Here are a few bills and topics to watch this
session:
-HB 45 Governor’s Recommended FY 2016 Budget Bill
-SB 20 Governor’s Recommended Bond Bill
-Municipal Street Aid-reduction discussion
-Prevailing Wage
-Collective Bargaining
-Clean Water
-Gas Tax
-Gun Control
-Hotel/Motel Tax
The Senate passed HB 16 on 1/29/15. This is viewed as a positive change to assist in the Downtown
Development Planning for smaller infill businesses. Synopsis-Section 1 of this Act amends the definition of
“restaurant”, as it relates to Delaware’s laws governing the sale and consumption of alcoholic liquors, to allow
smaller restaurants, those with seating for at least 12 individuals, to apply for a license to sell alcoholic liquors in
connection with the sale of complete meals.
“You learn something every day if you pay attention.”
Ray LeBlond
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 12 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
APA Delaware / Maryland Regional Conference Review
by Bill Swiatek, AICP
The reviews are in and we can safely say that the APA Delaware/Maryland 2014 Regional Planning Conference,
held on October 28 and 29 at the Embassy Suites hotel in Newark, was a success. The conference drew nearly 300
attendees from West Virginia to Vermont. According to our post-conference survey, nine of ten attendees rated the
conference as either good or excellent, and said that it helped them gain the professional experience/networking
they were seeking. Specific praise went to our keynote and special speakers (Chris Leinberger, Bill Anderson,
FAICP, June Williamson and Tom Murphy), local presentations (especially our “Planning Thespians’” ethics
skits), overall flow, the conference location, and the tastiness of the snacks/food. We will be closely reviewing all
of the survey feedback to make recommendations for things to build upon and improve next time. Congratulations
to the Conference Committee for putting on a great show!
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 13 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
Previous Page, starting at top left: Conference Sponsor Brick Industry
Association; picture of a conference session; Conference Sponsor
Nemours; Mobile Workshop to Darley Green, Claymont, DE. This
page, starting from top left: Embassy Suites atrium set up for lunch;
Keynote Speaker Chris Leinberger; Mobile Workshop to Newark
Transit Center; former APA MD President (and Conference Sponsor
via Parsons Brickerhoff) Jackie Seneschal, AICP; Urban Farming Tour
mobile workshop. Photos: APA Delaware
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 14 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
APA Delaware 2014 Annual Meeting Review
The 2014 APA Delaware Annual Meeting was held on December 9th at Frazier’s Restaurant in Dover. The
Chapter gave Governor Jack Markell the “Friend of Planning Award” for his administration’s programs that
support planning, including the First State Trails and Pathways program and the Downtown Development
Districts Act. Secretary of Transportation Shailen Bhatt gave
a presentation about the I-495 Bridge failure and the efforts
of he and DelDOT staff to repair it in record time. The
annual meeting also included the ceremonial transfer of
leadership from outgoing Chapter President Bill Swiatek to
incoming Chapter President Ann Marie Townshend.
Top Left: Governor Markell receives the “Friend of Planning” Award
from Bill Swiatek and Ann Marie Townshend; Top Right: Secretary of
Transportation Shailen Bhatt with Ann Marie Townshend; Middle two
photos: the crowd mingles and networks; Bottom Right: Ann Marie
Townshend takes over leadership of the Chapter from outgoing President Bill Swiatek. Photos: APA Delaware, courtesy of Mike Hahn.
DELAWARE PLANNER ǀ 15 ǀ
www.delawareapa.org
Join the American Planning Association
and the Delaware Chapter of the APA
When you join the American Planning Association
(APA), you join thousands of planners, officials,
educators, students, and others who have made a
personal commitment to making great
communities happen. Membership in the APA
community also includes many tangible benefits,
such as:
 Accessing a national network of land use
professionals willing to share information and
knowledge on a range of issues;
 Research assistance through the Planning
Advisory Service;
 A subscription to the well respected Planning
magazine.
Delaware APA Chapter
Every full APA member is automatically enrolled
in APA Delaware. “Chapter Only Membership” is
a second membership option for those who would
like to be a part of APA, but do not require the
benefits of national membership. Though you
would miss out on the national publications and
the discounts associated with the national
membership you would still have access to one of
the most active chapters in the country. For
instance, in partnership with the Maryland
Chapter, a Regional Planning Conference is held
every two years. Past locations have included:
Annapolis, Dover, Columbia, Rehoboth Beach and
Wilmington. APA Delaware also hosts periodic
webcasts to inform members about emerging
topics, an annual dinner to recognize local best
practices and maintains a website
(www.delawareapa.org) with information about
local job listings.
Throughout the year, members share their
experiences with colleagues, expand their
network, keep up-to-date on local and regional
issues, and broaden their perspective beyond the
office, commission, community, or campus.
How Do I Join?
National APA: Visit the APA National Website at:
https://www.planning.org/join/
There are many categories of membership that
address the needs of professional planners, planning
commissioners, students, academics, citizens, and
even those who live and work outside the U.S.
Membership rates vary based on your salary and
membership category. See the website for details.
APA Delaware: If you join APA National you will
join the Delaware Chapter as a part of the
application process.
If you want to join APA Delaware as a Chapter
Only Member, visit the website at:
https://delawareapa.wordpress.com/membership/
Chapter Only dues are as follows:
Regular Members—$30 / year
Student Members—$10 / year
If you have any questions, contact Ann Marie
Townshend, APA Delaware President at (302) 7367196 or atownshend@dover.de.us