News

Beginning on May 1, the GPA will be accepting session proposals for the Fall 2012 Conference. Sessions are being sought in the following tracks: Professional Development, Comprehensive Planning, Transportation Planning, Environmental Planning, and new this year Student Projects. We are seeking 7-8 sessions in each track (a session will have 1-5 speakers, depending on the topic). We will be accepting session submissions through May 31 or until the sessions are full.

Do you have a new project or development you want to show off to the rest of the Georgia Planning Association, being the host of a GPA conference is the perfect way to do that. We are currently seeking host cities for GPA events in the Spring 2013 and Fall 2013. Submit your host city ideas to Beth Anne Trombetta, the GPA Events Planner at events@georgiaplanning.org.

On March 21, more than 150 people will gather at the Georgia Planning Association’s (GPA) 2012 Spring Conference at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in Dunwoody, Georgia. This will mark GPA’s debut in the City of Dunwoody, one of Georgia’s youngest cities and a perfect case study for the evolving urban form of metro Atlanta’s suburban communities.

We hope that you find the brief news items in our monthly e-blast helpful in keeping you up-to-date with happenings around the state. In an effort to provide you with more in-depth information on specific planning topics, we will also be launching a quarterly E-Magazine. This electronic magazine will provide a means to share informative articles on planning trends, professional development, legislative issues, and methods in planning; and to highlight specific community plans.

The Georgia Institute of Technology has been selected as one of ten National University Transportation Centers to be funded by US DOT.  As part of this partnership, the Center will advance technology and expertise in critical transportation issues affecting our local, state and national economies.

The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs), representing both the Central (DeKalb) and Fulton Perimeter CIDs, are self-taxing districts that use additional property taxes to help accelerate transportation and infrastructure improvement projects. The PCIDs are leading the charge to implement vital transportation enhancements coupled with land use and zoning strategies that will enhance mobility and improve access to the Perimeter activity center.

The Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association (GPA) is requesting feedback on proposed changes to the State planning rules. The Planning Rules Task Force met last October and produced a list of general themes that summarize concerns with current state planning requirements.