In December, the Executive Committee of myregion.org adopted fifteen (15) Regional Themes and five (5) Areas of Excellence upon which the framework for “regional strategies for change” will be built. Smart, Quality Growth is one of the Areas of Excellence the Executive Committee has identified. Volusia County Association for Responsible Development (VCARD) will begin a community project in June looking at this regional issue on a county level in Volusia County. myregion.org Communication Committee Member, David Castagnacci is the Executive Director for VCARD and is helping to lead this effort in Volusia County.

VCARD’s new ‘SMART GROWTH’ initiative is one of the most comprehensive and ambitious projects in the association’s 25-year history. The effort will formally start in mid-June with a summit being organized by a team of Central Florida community planners and land use professionals in conjunction with the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Specific dates and locations currently are being coordinated, along with subsequent community “work sessions." Program’s highlights will include:

• A national ULI presenter who is knowledgeable about ‘smart growth’ characteristics as well as challenges and successful initiatives in other parts of the United States.
  
  
• A breakout session of individual groups to identify growth management issues of most concern to our communities. A “conflict resolution” facilitator will manage this session.
  
  
• Follow-up sessions will address those issues that are identified and move forward to resolve them with “smart growth” techniques that work best for our communities.
  

A COMMUNITY EFFORT -- The VCARD team’s primary emphasis is to include participants from all segments of the community in this smart growth planning process -- environmental groups; local government officials; civic and cultural leaders; building and land development professionals.

BACKGROUND – Early this year, Volusia’s County Council identified smart growth as a top priority for 2003 (a topic also of primary interest to VCARD members from both professional and community involvement perspectives). Shortly afterward, new County Council Member Jack Hayman approached VCARD leaders and encouraged the association’s active involvement. VCARD members thus far leading the effort include Association Chairman Rob Merrell and his Cobb & Cole Law Firm Associates Allen Watts and Mark Watts; Vice Chair Lisa Strobeck (Ford Properties); Greg Beliveau (LPG Urban & Regional Planners); Mike Holbrook (Bowyer-Singleton & Assoc.); Joel Ivey (Ivey, Harris & Walls); Suzanne Konchan (Charles Wayne Properties); Beth McGee (Volusia Home Builders Association); Saralee Morrissey (Volusia Schools Facilities Planner); and James Sellen (Miller Sellen Conner & Walsh).