Nisenson Consulting
Integrating Water & Land Development Codes
Lisa Nisenson has over 16 years experience in smart growth, with a unique combination of experience as citizen planner, federal policy analyst, researcher and writer. Her current work focuses on integrating new stormwater requirements with land development ordinances, in particular for redevelopment and smart growth plans.
Nisenson Consulting, Sarasota, Florida
2006- present
Current Projects
United States Environmental Protection Agency – Development of national guidance on stormwater controls to meet new regulatory requirements, as well as model ordinance language for joint smart growth and stormwater programs.
State of California - Development of materials and options for statewide implementation of low impact development.
Ventura County, California - Development of watershed plans to integrate new water and stormwater requirements with land use programs and General Plans.
National Environmental Education and Training Foundation – Development of material for weathercasters, focusing on the intersection of the built and natural environments as it relates to common weather-related events such as urban heat island effect and localized flooding.
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER AND POLICY ANALYST
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
1989-2006
Planned, developed and managed environmental and smart growth projects:
Co-established a new program within EPA to define and integrate smart growth techniques into stormwater regulatory programs.
Authored manual on using smart growth techniques as stormwater best management practices.
Developed training and outreach materials for the Office of Water on smart growth and EPA’s programs for stormwater.
Provided technical assistance to several states and localities on regulatory language to integrate local codes and stormwater requirements.
Provided input and comments to the U.S. Green Building Council on proposals for its LEED scorecards.
Managed research project, with Reconnecting America, on evaluating the performance of transit oriented development.
Served on coordinating committee for program development for Railvolution, an annual conference on transit oriented development.
Conducted workshops on transit oriented development, focusing on the policy and implementation features of Arlington’s transit program.
Managed and contributed to research on smart growth and emergency response solutions for street design with the Local Government Commission.
Contributed to “Choosing Our Community’s Future,” a cooperative project between EPA and Smart Growth America.
Directed EPA’s participation as partner in the Smart Growth Network (1999-2003).
Coordinated EPA’s involvement in the annual Partners for Smart Growth conference, including program development, speechwriting, and other major aspects of conference planning (2000-2005).
Served on the Railvolution planning committee (2003-2005).
CITIZEN PLANNER
Served two terms on Arlington Virginia’s Transit Advisory Commission (2003-2005). Provided information and feedback to County staff and decision makers on investment, routes and operations for regional subway and bus systems (METRO).
Served as Board member for the Clarendon Alliance, a public private partnership for investment in the Clarendon area (2003-2005).
Served as civic association president of the Lyon Park Citizen’s Association (1997-1999). Provided extensive comments on behalf of the community for development proposals, county investment and comprehensive planning amendments.
Co-founded Citizens for Redeveloping Clarendon Sensibly to promote Arlington’s established land use plans for the Clarendon metro station area.
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Masters in Education, 1988
Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina
Bachelor of Science in Biology, 1984
