New Top Gun for APA

Mitchell Silver, planning director of Raleigh, North Carolina, was elected to APA President in April. In this interview, Silver talks about his goals for Raleigh and the skills a planner should have.

1 minute read

June 7, 2010, 9:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

Silver says that he feels like he is the city's doctor:

"...checking the health of his municipal patient, assessing the vitality of neighborhoods, diagnosing problem spots and continuing prescription treatments to ensure a long life. He also emphasizes the importance of finding an area's personality, and not losing sight of that."

Silver says that planners often get mired in jargon, something he seeks to avoid:

"Early in his career, Silver realized he could set himself apart simply by being able to communicate, a skill that carries through in his daily work as he goes from meetings with concerned neighborhoods to those with developers and city politicians."

Thanks to Mitchell Silver

FULL STORY: Planner envisions a greater Raleigh

Sunday, June 6, 2010 in News & Observer

Government / Politics United States

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.