Lisa Nisenson has over 20 years experience in smart growth, with a unique combination of experience as citizen planner, federal policy analyst, researcher and writer.  She is the author of the blog “Planning Edges.”

SMART GROWTH AND GREENOUSE GAS REDUCTION CONSULTANT

Sarasota County Office of Planning and Development Services

Contract series –February 2008- December 2011

Clean Technology and Economic Development –Aligned economic development and sustainability assets in Sarasota County to produce stronger outcomes related to diversifying the economy and environmental protection.  Aggressively pursued funding, legislative, regulatory and other strategies to meet these objectives.  Working with County and State partners, created strategies for green economic development: (1) identifying markets beyond early adopters, (2) determining Sarasota’s green business strengths, and (3) helping build basic business acumen through improved networking and small business visibility.

Multi-Objective Planning - Developed comprehensive plan language for multi-objective development and transportation planning to include land uses, regional and local mobility, water resource protection and economic development.

Electric Transportation – Participated in creating and growing a local neighborhood electric transportation “cluster” to integrate low speed electric vehicles into transportation, land use and economic development plans.

Redevelopment - Worked with interdisciplinary team of professionals to shape a legislative and policy program for redevelopment in Sarasota County.  Responsible for drafting legislative proposals, comprehensive plan amendments, concurrency options and zoning code language to align zoning and planning language.  Provide outreach to community and civic leaders on transportation and land use.

Transit Oriented Development – Teamed with Dr. David Brain of New College, Sarasota County and the Sarasota County Area Transit Authority to develop a public participation program on transit oriented development and redevelopment. 

PRINCIPAL

Nisenson Consulting, Sarasota, Florida

2006- present

Town of Bluffton, South Carolina –Assisted in formulation of unique joint watershed and land use plan to control stormwater runoff and its impacts on the May River.  Services included input on the watershed action plan, an outreach guide on stormwater volume control practices, templates for grant submissions for the action plan and articles.

United States Environmental Protection Agency – Development of national guidance on stormwater controls to meet new regulatory requirements under the Clean Water Act, as well as model ordinance language for joint smart growth and stormwater programs. Draft rules integrating smart growth changes expected Fall of 2011.

Ventura County, California – Development of watershed plans to integrate new water and stormwater requirements with land use programs and General Plans.  

Trust for Public Land and Smart Growth Leadership Institute – Aligned State level land development and water resource policies to support Source Water Protection in Ohio, Maine and New Hampshire. 

State of California, Ocean Protection Council (2007) – Developed State level policies to support wider implementation for Low Impact Development.

National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (2007)– Developed material for weathercasts, focusing on the intersection of the built and natural environments as it relates to common weather related events such as urban heat island 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, including contract and grants management:

Stormwater

Developed 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 to the U.S. Green Building Council on proposals for its LEED scorecards for existing buildings and neighborhood design.

Transit Oriented Development

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, Virginia’s transit program.

Neighborhood Form and Community Development

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.

Outreach

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

Transit Oriented Development

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).

Neighborhood Form and Community Development

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.

PUBLICATIONS

2011 – Planetizen “A Little More Complete – Making way for Neighborhood Electric Vehicles.”

2011 – Stormwater, “Ahead of the Learning Curve”

2009 – Stormwater magazine, “Zoning Code Audits – from the Watershed’s Point of View.”

2008 – Urban Land Magazine, December/January 2008 issue, “Stormwater Regulations.”

2007 – Planetizen and Landscape Architecture magazine, December issue, “A Browner Shade of Green.”

2006 – “Zoning Practice,” Watershed Planning, American Planning Association

2006 –  “Using Smart Growth Techniques as Stormwater Best Management Practices” EPA publication

2006 “Why 2006 Matters for Transit Oriented Development,” January issue of Getting Smart, ICMA publication

2005 – “Hidden Credits – Using Smart Growth Techniques to Manage Stormwater under Phase II,” October issue of Public Management magazine

2005 – “New Stormwater Laws - What Smart Growth Advocates Need to Know,” published in Planetizen

2003 – “Getting to Smart Growth, Volume II,” contributor, EPA publication.

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

2011 – Sarasota County Sustainable Communities Workshop

2010 – Center for Watershed Protection webinar – Better Site Design

2009 - New Partners for Smart Growth conference, Albuquerque, N,M., Merging watershed and Land Development Codes and Plans

2008 – International Erosion and Sediment Control Conference – All day workshop on Low Impact Development and Smart Growth, Orlando, Florida

2007 – California Association of Stormwater Quality Administrators, Costa Mesa, California, workshop on impervious cover and land development ordinances.

2007 - New Partners for Smart Growth conference, Los Angeles, California, workshop on barriers to smart growth and infill

2006 - National Stormwater Coordinators Meeting, Burlington, Vermont

RECENT AWARDS

2007 – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Partner of the Office of Water Award.

EDUCATION

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Masters in Education, 1988

Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina

Bachelor of Science in Biology, 1984

CONTACT

Email – lisa@nisenson.net

Phone – 941-822-0338

Mobile – 202-744-6854