2007 FAPA CONFERENCE JOB FAIR EMPLOYERS & POSITIONS

Below is a listing of the Job Fair employers and positions available.

• Aerotek
• City of Orlando (Positions: Planner I, II, & III)
• Gilchrist County (Positions: County Planner)
• Golder Associates (Positions: Planner)
• Islamorada (Positions: Planner)
• Kimley-Horn and Associates (Positions: Various)
• Land Design South (Positions: Planner in West Palm Beach and Port St. Lucie)
• LYNX
• Miami-Dade Department of Planning and Zoning
• North Central Florida Regional Planning Council (Positions: Associate Planner)
• Palm Beach County
• PBS&J (Positions: Transportation Planner I-II; Senior Transportation Planner I)
• Reynolds, Smith & Hills (RS&H) (Positions: Transportation Planner-Orlando, entry level; Planner - Savannah, GA, entry level; Transportation Planner - Austin, TX; Transportation Planner/Engineer - Jackonville, FL; Aviation Planner - Chicago, IL; Sr. Transportation Planner - Austin, TX; Sr. Aviation Planner - Austin, TX; Planning Service Group Leader, Aviation - Houston, TX)
• Tindale Oliver (Positions: Transportation Planning Interns; Entry level Transportation Planners; positions available in Tampa and Orlando)
• WilsonMiller (Positions: Various Positions)
• WRT Design (Positions: Planner)

FAPA 2007 CONFERENCE DETAILS

Happy holiday weekend DURPers!!!

ARE YOU EXCITED!!!??!!??!! The conference is less than one week away and I’M EXCITED!!! Many of you are interested in the details and they are listed below. A lot is happening so I apologize in advance for the length. I have also attached a document that contains a general description of all of the student events. If you have any questions now or when the conference begins don’t hesitate to contact me via email or cell phone (813-205-5211).

Have a great holiday weekend and have a safe trip to Orlando!!
- Iris


2007 FLORIDA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE

STUDENT EVENT DETAILS

Wednesday, September 5th
5:30pm to 7:30pm: Welcome Reception at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort
Although this event is hosted by our WONDERFUL conference committee the students have a very important role to play in this event. Parris Glendening, the former Governor of Maryland and current President of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute, is a former graduate of Florida State University. The students of FAPA (that means you) are presenting Mr. Glendening with a small token of appreciation for showing the nation and world that great people and great ideas come from Florida’s universities, especially those with planning programs. If you are present at the Welcome Reception please join me as we present our gift to Mr. Glendening. You can find me before the presentation wandering around the conference wearing a bright orange Gator t-shirt.


Thursday, September 6th
8pm – until: Student Reception at the Celebration Town Tavern in Celebration
Informative sessions create hungry students. Meet fellow planning students from other schools around the state. A full dinner (including vegetarian options) will be provided for FREE to current planning students and served at 8:30pm. Two free beer (Miller Lite) tickets and free fountain drinks will also be available. Are you a recent graduate or dedicated alumni? You can join us too (the more the merrier!) and enjoy dinner for only $15. This reception is across the street from the FAPA Evening Reception at the Celebration Hotel, which will be held from 6pm to 8pm. Although free transportation is provided to the Evening Reception the buses will stop running at 9:30pm. Therefore, if you plan to attend the Student Reception please adjust your transportation plans accordingly. I should also mention that parking is limited, so I would encourage you to carpool. Above all else, BE SAFE AND COORDINATE WITH YOUR FELLOW CLASSMATES TO CARPOOL OR DESIGNATE A DRIVER IF YOU PLAN TO DRINK! Not sure how to get to the student reception…below are directions.

Location: The Celebration Town Tavern, 721 Front Street, Celebration, Florida
Directions from Gainesville/Tallahassee:
Merge onto I-75 S toward TAMPA. Merge onto FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE S via EXIT 328 on the LEFT toward ORLANDO (Portions toll). Travel approximately 49.0 miles. Merge onto I-4 W via EXIT 259 toward TAMPA. Travel approximately 13.6 miles. Merge onto US-192 E / W IRLO BRONSON MEMORIAL HWY / FL-530 E / W SPACE COAST PKWY / W VINE ST via EXIT 64 toward CELEBRATION / KISSIMMEE. Once you have exited the interstate travel to the third traffic light and make a RIGHT onto CELEBRATION AVE. Celebration Avenue will take you to “downtown” Celebration. Make a Left onto either Market Street or Sycamore Street. Make a right onto Front Street.

Directions from Tampa:
Take I-4 East to Exit 62 toward SR417 N/DISNEY WORLD/CELEBRATION/INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Merge onto FL-417 N/CENTRAL FLORIDA GREENWAY toward International Airport/Sanford (portions toll). Take the CELEBRATON AVE exit, Exit 2, toward US-192. Take the Ramp toward CELEBRATION. Turn Slight Right onto Celebration Avenue. Turn Left onto Front Street.

Directions from Ft. Lauderdale:
Take Florida’s Turnpike toward Orlando. Take the Osceola Parkway, Exit 249, and turn left onto East Osceola Pkwy/Dart Blvd. Continue to follow Dart Blvd. Dart Blvd. becomes W. Osceola Pkwy (portions toll). Turn left to take the SR 417 Toll South ramp toward I-4 West. Merge onto FL-417 N/CENTRAL FLORIDA GREENWAY toward International Airport/Sanford (portions toll). Take the CELEBRATON AVE exit, Exit 2, toward US-192. Take the Ramp toward CELEBRATION. Turn Slight Right onto Celebration Avenue. Turn Left onto Front Street

Directions from the Conference Hotel (Hilton Walt Disney World Resort):
Start out going SOUTHWEST on HOTEL PLAZA BLVD toward E BUENA VISTA DR. Make a U-TURN at E BUENA VISTA DR onto HOTEL PLAZA BLVD. Turn RIGHT onto FL-535 S / S APOPKA VINELAND RD. Merge onto I-4 W toward TAMPA. Merge onto US-192 E / W IRLO BRONSON MEMORIAL HWY / FL-530 E / W SPACE COAST PKWY / W VINE ST via EXIT 64 toward CELEBRATION / KISSIMMEE. Once you have exited the interstate travel to the third traffic light and make a RIGHT onto CELEBRATION AVE. Celebration Avenue will take you to “downtown” Celebration. Make a Left onto either Market Street or Sycamore Street. Make a right onto Front Street. Celebration, FL 34747-4918, US


Friday, September 7th
8am – 9:15am: Resume Workshop
This event is going to be AWESOME!! During this session Beverly Hill of Hill and Associates will use her 30 years of experience in international organizational skills, management training, human resources and public relations to teach you success strategies which will help you achieve that competitive edge. Participants will have fun, learn lots and be motivated to make a difference through their career! You can check out her website http://www.jobattack.com/ for more details about her and her company.

So why should YOU get up early in the morning after hanging out at the Student Reception the night before? BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME EVENT!! Have you signed up for the Planning Agency Tour? Do you plan to attend the Job Fair? Looking for a job or internship and need a slammin’ resume that will illustrate your true talents and personality? If so, then you need to ATTEND THIS SESSION!! You can also email your resume AHEAD OF TIME and have a professional look over the layout and content and they will critique your resume and return it to you in time to revise for the Planning Agency Tour and Job Fair. If you want to take advantage of the FREE service, just email your resume to studentfaparesumes@gmail.com . You can also drop off a copy of your resume at the conference registration desk in the RESUME BOX no later then Thursday at 1pm.

But wait…THERE’S MORE!! Beverly will also be scheduling 5-10 minute mini-consultations immediately following the Resume Workshop (location TBD). So if you want to discuss your resume, how to leverage yourself during an interview or what are the best answers to give to common interview questions then you need to sign up for this as well. There will be a sign up sheet at the Registration desk and at the Resume Workshop.

But wait, THERE’S MORE!! So you are thinking that even if you can get your resume critiqued that you won’t be able to print out a revised copy? WRONG! There will be a laser printer available at the conference and for a small “donation” of $0.15 per page (the donation covers ink, paper, etc.) you can print a revised resume in time to take along to the Planning Agency Tour, Job Fair, or hand to prospective employers who are randomly walking around.


Friday, September 7th
1:15pm – 5:15pm: Planning Agency Tour
The WONDERFUL conference committee has set up a great tour with employers from the public and private sector. Remember to bring along plenty of RESUMES and comfortable shoes.


Saturday, September 8th
9am – 11am: Second Annual Student Job Fair
This year we have almost 20 employers coming to MEET YOU!! It may be early in the morning, but all you need to bring is your resume and your smile. This year’s employer’s include: Aerotek, City of Orlando, Gilchrist County, PBS&J, Tindale Oliver, and More!!

For a list of employers and positions they have available check out the FAPA Blog at http://fapa4students.blogspot.com/ (this list will be posted by 8am September 1st).

FAPA Conference Volunteers

Hello all!

If you either signed up to be a volunteer or you didn't sign up but you want to be one, READ ON. If you aren't into the volunteering thing you can delete this message.

Most importantly, you MUST BE REGISTERED (and paid) for the conference to get the $50 rebate. You only need to work 5 hours to get the rebate.

IF YOU SIGNED UP/SENT ME AN EMAIL INDICATING THAT YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER.
On whatever day and time you said you wanted to work please (even if I told you that you were placed on the waiting list to volunteer) go to Room 177 or the East Registration Desk in the Hilton and look for Abra Horne at that time. She has fiery red hair and is super nice (by the way, if I hear that any students are mean and/or rude to her, you'll have me to deal with). If she is not in one of those places then you need to call her cell. Her cell number is 407-925-1563.

IF YOU DID NOT SPECIFY A TIME TO VOLUNTEER
OR
YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER BUT DID NOT NOTIFY ME
It's not too late to help! At the registration desk there will be a sign up sheet for volunteering. Abra will be wandering so if you don't find the sheet or find Abra you can also check in Room 177 or call Abra's cell (407-925-1563).

Traveled abroad to participate in a planning project? Work for a local municipality on a project that will impact a community? Share your summer break thoughts & experiences here! Also don't forget to upload pictures!

Tenets of a Florida Planning Education

As (soon-to-be) products of a Florida education we all have some words of wisdom to impart upon upon those thinking about choosing FAU, FSU, or UF to attain their planning degree. Here's your chalkboard...let'r rip...

I am broke, and not sure why I went into planning

So I've been trying to figure out what to do with my life. I graduate in December and well, I'm broke. Employers from around the country are constantly calling trying to recruit me to move to some place where I don't know anyone and, after a bit of research, realize that i can't afford. So then I started thinking about getting a PhD. It's an option that will allow me to postpone adulthood for a few more years.

Then I start thinking about my current situation. I am working part-time on campus and by the time I pay my car payment and rent there is little, if anything, left over. So maybe i do need to get a job. But although I am pretty good at this Planning thing, I used this calculator on the website http://pricedoutreport.org/ . Basically it says that I better love my job as a planner but I should really consider getting a second job or third job because according to my anticipated salary I won't be able to afford a house.

So when I go out and tell "regular" people that we are planning for them, for their future, am I lying to them as well as to myself? At this rate I don't think I will be able to afford a clue, let alone a home.

Background Info about Hometown Democracy

What is Hometown Democracy?
This amendment lets voters decide whether their city or county comprehensive land use plan will be changed or adopted. Currently, city and county commissions make those decisions.

One goal of Florida’s 1985 Growth Management Act is to encourage citizen participation. Some citizens are active in local planning; many more do not participate in the current process. The current process has failed Florida repeatedly. Florida’s Hometown Democracy Amendment will guarantee local “ownership” of community plans at the ballot box. Because Floridians are stuck with the consequences of comprehensive plan changes, it makes sense that they should have the final say over proposed changes that can determine the destiny of their communities for generations to come.

News articles
"Builders Back Rule Changing Amendment" (Tampa Tribune, September 27, 2006) http://www.tbo.com/news/nationworld/MGBVNUA7LSE.html

"Lake responds to grass-roots growth appeal" (Orlando Sentinel, July 7, 2006) Opinion Column (you can go to http://www.floridahometowndemocracy.com/ and click on Media...the link for this article on the Orlando Sentinel website has expired and you must now pay for the entire article)

Legal Cases

• City of Eastlake v. Forest City Enterprises, Inc., [426 US 668 or 96 S.Ct. 2358 or 49 L.Ed.2d 132], a 1976 decision, the United States Supreme Court upheld the use of referenda to make local land use decisions, stating:
  Under our constitutional assumptions, all power derives from the people, who can delegate it to representative instruments which they create. See, E.g., The Federalist No. 39 (v. Madison). In establishing legislative bodies, the people can reserve to themselves power to deal directly with matters which might otherwise be assigned to the legislature.

• In 1983, the Florida Supreme Court upheld the use of referenda on proposed local land use changes in Florida Land Company v. City of Winter Springs [427 So.2d 170], stating:
  The concept of referendum is thought by many to be a keystone of self-government, and its increasing use is indicative of a desire on the part of the electorate to exercise greater control over the laws which directly affect them.

(NOTE: I tried to find nonbiased information but that is pretty difficult. This info page is meant to provide nonbiased background.)

Hometown Democracy

What is Hometown Democracy? The Florida Hometown Democracy amendment will change the Florida Constitution to require that changes to local government comprehensive plans (and adoption of new plans) be subject to a referendum vote of local voters as the final step in the local approval process. Currently, such votes are only made by county and city commissioners.

Recently I have been working on a regional visioning project which placed a significant amount of power in the hands of the community to make decisions about future development in their communities. Although the agency I was working for provided a quick 1 hour crash course in planning and also provided each table of participants with about 25 GIS layers of information (including infrastructure, future roads, environmental information, floodplains, etc.) I found that more often than not emotion ended up playing a larger role in the decisions of where future development should occur moreso than what seemed like a logical place for increased density.

I believe that the community does have a right to participate in the planning process but I am afraid that if the Hometown Democracy amendment passes then a large constituency of uninformed individuals will be making planning decisions. I would be more apt to using a system where planners are placed in positions where they are held more accountable than they are now for decisions that aren't always in the best interest of the public, which is who we are here to serve.