Thursday, March 19, 2015 at College of Charleston
The Winter 2015 focused on planning for resilient communities and offered a wide variety of sessions. See below for session descriptions and select presentations.
Evolving Understandings of Resilience and Vulnerability in Planning Theory
Kevin Keenan, Ph.D., AICP, Director, College of Charleston Urban Studies Program; and Brian Fisher, Ph.D., Director, College of Charleston Office of Sustainability
This interactive presentation explored the evolving understanding of resilience and vulnerability in planning theory and application. The ideas of resilience and vulnerability to both graduate and discrete hazard events (i.e., terrorism, accelerated sea level rise, etc.) were defined, and the complexity of these ideas were explored via application in emerging planning practices.
Urban Vulnerability to Terrorism
Community Resiliency: Environmental Justice Communities Have Visions Too!
Wannetta Mallette, Project Manager, City of North Charleston; Sheryl Good, Environmental Scientist, EPA Region 4 Office of Environmental Justice and Sustainability; Myra Reece, Chief, SCDHEC Bureau of Air Quality; and Reggie Barnes, CEO, Community Development & Improvement Corporation (CDIC)
Natural or man-made environmental disasters are often the catalyst for the development of pre- and post-disaster plans. All too often, Environmental Justice (EJ) community representatives are omitted from the planning process – despite the fact that they are the first responders to a myriad of socioeconomic challenges their communities face on a daily basis. When a community is actively engaged in the planning process, it becomes empowered to identify needs and the resources that may be used to address them. This session highlights two master plans developed at the grassroots level and provides guidance from state and federal regulators for the active engagement of EJ populations in the planning process.
What is Environmental Justice?
Going Beyond “Checklist” Environmental Justice Community Involvement
LAMC Revitalization Plan Overview
Lessons Learned: A Panel Discussion on Resiliency When Disaster Strikes
Rick Martin, Planning Director, City of Georgetown, SC; Glenn Miller, Mayor, Town of Branchville, SC; Clay Killian, County Administrator, Aiken County, SC; and Jason Patno, Charleston County Emergency Management Director
Every community has experienced or may in the future experience unexpected natural and man-made disasters. Three very different disasters occurred in South Carolina in recent years: the Georgetown fire, the Branchville tornado, and the Graniteville train wreck in Aiken County. Panelists will recap these events and focus on how their communities dealt with the disasters and how they have adapted policies and plans since the disasters occurred to become even more resilient.
Georgetown SC Fire Presentation
Branchville Tornado Presentation
Planning Resources for a Resilient Community
Tola Adeyemo, Spatial Analyst, TBG on contract to NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management; Nate Herold, Physical Scientist and Coastal Change Analysis Program Federal Project Lead, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management; Matthew Pendleton, Spatial Analyst, TBG on contract to NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management; and David Betenbaugh, Spatial Analyst, TBG on contract to NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management
“Challenging” might be the best way to describe the average workday for local planners. Municipalities and counties continue to add residents and development at a time when planners are striving to promote the economic and environmental health of their communities, prepare for intensified natural hazards, and adapt to climate change impacts such as sea level rise. Planners are finding these challenges a bit easier to tackle with the Digital Coast, which provides free data, training, and tools. During this presentation, easily accessible web-based products will be discussed as well as case studies of how they have been applied. The American Planning Association is a partner in the Digital Coast effort, which is led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Coastal Planning Resources for a Resilient Community
Data and Tools for a Resilient Community
Mapping and Visualizing Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts
Maps for Resilience: Data and Maps to Start Discussions about Coastal Flood Hazards
