The American Planning Association (APA) is a nonprofit public interest and research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, advance the art and science of planning to meet the needs of people and society.

APA Chapters

Chapters get you involved in APA close to home. They're your local source for networking and professional development. You'll share experiences with colleagues and broaden your perspective beyond your commission or office. When you join APA, you automatically become a member of your local chapter.

MAP serves as the Michigan Chapter of the American Planning Association.

APA Leadership

The American Planning Association is governed by volunteer leaders elected or selected from the ranks of its members. Leadership includes a 13-member Board of Directors, the eight members of the AICP Commission, the Chapter Presidents Council, the Divisions Council, Student Representatives Council, and a number of committees and task forces.

Michigan Association of Planning's Chapter Presidents Council (CPC) representative is David Scurto, AICP, PCP. The CPC is the members' link to APA National, the Board, the Commission, and staff.

In his role as CPC, Dave Scurto reviews important information sent by national for its relevance to MAP. Information will be disseminated by MAP through the Michigan Planner, Web site, and emails.

Read about Dave Scurto's fall leadership meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. Click here.

Contact information for Dave Scurto:

David Scurto, AICP, PCP
Carlisle/Wortman Associates, Inc.
605 S. Main Street, Suite 1
Ann Arbor, MI 4804
(P) 734-913-2000
dscurto@cwaplan.com

Professional Development Officers

Professional Development Officers (PDOs) are established in each chapter of the American Planning Association to facilitate the exam certification process and continuing education efforts. Your PDO is a critical information source, whether you're looking for information on upcoming training opportunities in your area or seeking additional help as you prepare for the AICP exam.

MAP's PDO is Mark Taormina, AICP.

Mark Taormina, AICP
Planning Director
City of Livonia
33000 Civic Center Dr
Livonia, MI 48154-3060
(P) 734-466-2290
(F) 734-458-6007
mtaormina@ci.livonia.mi.us

To contact Mark on any matter related to the certification process or continuing efforts, please click here.

American Institite of Certified Planners

The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) is the professional institute of APA. AICP provides recognized leadership nationwide in the certification of professional planners, ethics, professional development, and the standards of planning practice. Like the APA Board, the AICP Commission is composed of elected officers and regional commissioners. For more information on AICP and testing, click here.

News from APA

APA Committee Seeks Information on Hazard Mitigation

The APA Hazards Planning Research Center is currently looking for planning documents and related publications that address hazard mitigation, to create a collection of best practices that make the connection between hazard mitigation planning and other local planning activities. Planners have a real opportunity to affect change on a wide variety of subjects through their strategic position as advisors to policy makers in town, city, county, and regional governments.

Specifically we are seeking the following types of documents and published materials:

• long-range visioning documents/blueprints/goals and objectives
• local plans (comprehensive, neighborhood, regional; housing, transportation, economic development; energy, climate change; water supply management)
• development management tools (zoning regulations, subdivision regulations, design guidelines)
• public investment tools (capital improvements program, general fund, financial revitalization tools)
• local policies
• built development projects

Help us learn what communities have already accomplished in integrating hazard mitigation into planning. Please send information (documents or links to web-based materials) to jschwab@planning.org. To participate in our online questionnaire and learn more about the project, please click here.

E-mail Solicitation Not Representing APA

Recently, an email solicitation was sent to a number of APA and AICP leaders which sought to promote a new certification for planners.

Neither APA nor its professional institute AICP have been involved in any certifications developed by outside entities. Neither APA nor its professional institute are in any way affiliated with any certification except AICP.

No other certification can imply a relationship with APA or AICP; and in any instance where such a relationship is implied, all parties will be notified by formal letter of our intention to protect our own certification and all our legal rights.

This is the only statement that should be posted on websites, listserves, or other communications devices of APA or its components, including Chapters and Divisions. No characterizations of other certifications should be made by APA or any of its components.

This statement may be modified by APA as appropriate in the future.

Check the leadership section of the website for any future updates.