NEWS AND UPDATES
Archived, August 2005

University of Delaware Offers Workshop on "Takings Issue" for Municipal Leaders
The University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration will offer a workshop for municipal leaders and staff -- Land-Use Law and the "Takings" Issue: Implications for Municipal Policy and Regulatory Programs (PDF) -- on Thursday, September 29, at the Paradee Center, in Dover. The workshop will cost $40 per person and will examine issues around the "Takings Issue" that arises from the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. Topics will include the various kinds of "takings" damages, vested rights, equal protection and other related issues.
(8/31/05)

Livable Delaware Advisory Council Meeting Set for September 20
The Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination will meet on Tuesday, September 20, starting at 1:30 p.m., in the conference center of the Delaware Department of Agriculture at 2320 South DuPont Hwy., in Dover. The Council advises Governor Minner on issues related to the Livable Delaware agenda.
(8/29/05, updated on 9/12/05 to reflect time change)

Workshop on Nature-Based and Heritage Tourism Planned for November
A diverse group of organizations is planning a workshop for tourism planners, providers, businesses and communities around the Inland Bays of Delaware and Maryland on November 9, at the Atlantic Sands Hotel in Rehoboth Beach. The workshop -- Beaches, Bays & Beyond: Packaging and Marketing Nature-based & Heritage Tourism -- is intended to provide the tools needed to develop nature-based and heritage tourism plans and products that attract and accommodate tourists while conserving natural and cultural resources and benefiting local people. It is designed to help nature-based and heritage tourism providers understand the unique structure of the tourism industry and offers the most recent information on national, regional, and local product development and marketing approaches. The workshop is sponsored by Sponsored by the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce, Delmarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences, the Center for the Inland Bays, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Delaware State Parks, the Delaware Tourism Office, the Southern Delaware Tourism Office, and the University of Delaware Sea Grant Program. Registration is expected to open in mid-September.
(8/23/05)

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Offers Training
The American Planning Association (APA) is offering a series of AICP Workshops designed to help local leaders meet the challenges of growth and change. The workshops will be held at the offices of the American Society of Association Executives in Washington DC in two concurrent sets in September. Workshops on Safe Growth and on Zoning will be offered September 14 - 15 and workshops on New Urbanist Codes and on Parking will be offered September 16 - 17.
(8/19/05)

University of Delaware Offers a New Planning Course Focused on Scenic Roads
The University of Delaware's School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy is offering a new course this fall that might be of interest to planners and those interested in planning in Delaware. Introduction to the Evaluation and Planning of Scenic and Historic Roads and Highways is a one-credit course that examines the history and character of historic and scenic roads and highways in the United States and how to evaluate a road for nomination to the Delaware Scenic & Historic Highways Program. The class, which will meet every Wednesday evening for nine weeks starting September 7, will be led by David Ames, Professor of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, Geography, and Material Culture Studies. For more information, please contact Dr. Ames, by e-mail, or at (302) 831-1050.
(8/12/05)

Draft Agenda Posted for Next DGDC Meeting
A draft agenda (PDF) has been posted for the next quarterly meeting of the Delaware Geographic Data Committee (DGDC). The meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. in the Kent County Administration Building, at 555 Bay Rd. (Route 113), in Dover. The quarterly DGDC meetings are open to anyone interested in GIS, spatial data, and the use and sharing of spatially-enhanced data and information.
(8/10/05)

Agendas Posted for August 2005 PLUS Reviews
Agendas have been posted for the August 24 and August 31 Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS) meetings. The two meetings will allow state agency planners to review and provide comments on land use change and comprehensive planning proposals submitted for consideration as part of the Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS). Both PLUS meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Thomas Collins Building, on S. Dupont Highway, In Dover.
(8/5/05)

DGDC Web Site Updated, Cleaned-Out, and Re-Formatted
We guess it had been a while since we last cleared out the DGDC web pages. The DGDC site has been updated to the state-government-wide "common look and feel" for ease of navigation. We've taken the opportunity to do a little "weeding." Please let us know if we've inadvertently uprooted a portion of the old site that you'd like us to replant. Those who link to this site (and we thank you!) should be aware of a subtle shift in URL; from www.state.de.us/coord/dgdc and to www.state.de.us/dgdc.
(8/5/05)