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.
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
Read the full story: Planner envisions a greater Raleigh
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