The Winnipeg Free Press responds to the announcement that the city's top planning post has been given to a developer.
"The City of Winnipeg has been without a director of property, planning and development since the last head of the department resigned more than one year ago. It's not clear why the key position has gone unfilled for so long, but presumably the city wanted to make sure it found the right man or woman.
In any event, the search apparently has ended and Winnipeg businessman Phil Sheegl is to be named to the post next week. Not much is known at this point about his qualifications, except that he has served on the board of revision, which hears appeals of property assessments, he was the sales agent for a group of condos on Waterfront Drive and he runs Winnix Properties, with offices in Winnipeg and Phoenix.
It appears, however, that the city was seeking a candidate from the private sector, presumably to make the planning department more business savvy and more responsive to the requirements of builders and developers, which frequently complain that the planning department is overly bureaucratic.
Winnipeg needs a professional planner at this time more than ever. Plan Winnipeg, the city's long-range planning document, is coming up for renewal at a critical juncture in the city's development.
The city could run out of uncommitted vacant land within its borders in 20 to 40 years, according to some estimates, meaning the choices that are made over the next few years could determine the final shape and nature of the city. The inner city and downtown areas remain major areas of concern, there is too much substandard housing, and the city is 50 years behind the times in terms of transportation planning. Aboriginal issues and the impact of poverty on the community are also questions that the new director will need to consider. The director should be a person with a long-term vision and considerable experience in public administration, budget development and human resource management.
By all accounts, Mr. Sheegl is an intelligent and capable individual, with special skills as an entrepreneur and training as an engineer. No doubt he is also a quick learner. That's good, because the learning curve at city hall can be very steep, indeed."
FULL STORY: City needs a planner

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie