Actions & Solutions for People & Planet
Planning Communities, LLC provides a wide range of multi-disciplinary planning and geospatial services for local, state, and federal governmental agencies, and neighborhood and community organizations. The firm’s multi-disciplinary staff includes certified environmental, transportation, health and community planners; professional engineers; GIS analysts; and land use and economic/policy analyst professionals who provide comprehensive and integrated planning solutions for a variety of projects. Community, transportation, and environmental planning services include: long range and comprehensive planning; master and small area plans; tourism and scenic byways, community resiliency; climate/sea level change planning and policy implementation; bicycle and pedestrian planning; transit surveys, planning and compliance; rail planning and environmental studies; NEPA documentation; economic and fiscal analyses; economic impact contribution studies; cost-benefit analyses; community outreach and facilitation; visioning/scenario planning; land use studies; socioeconomic analysis; environmental justice and Title VI reviews; limited English proficiency outreach; community asset mapping; and interagency coordination. Planning Communities is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina with offices in the Bay Area, California, New Braunfels, Texas and Portland, Oregon and is a certified Small Professional Service Firm (SPSF) and a DBE in North Carolina, Tennessee, Delaware, Ohio, Kansas and Florida.
Sustainable Communities and Tool Examples
Climate Action & Response Plan, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Developed a Climate Action and Response Plan describing the climate goals and objectives, identifying challenges and opportunities, quantifying potential GHG reductions, and assessing the highest impact actions Chapel Hill can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to climate change impacts. The Plan lays a foundation of strong and connected partnership-led actions that will advance community climate, emissions, and energy goals, while generating other community economic, environmental, and equity benefits. Along with adopting the plan, the Town declared a climate emergency to underscore the urgency and the Town's commitment to act to meet the challenges of climate change.
Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond communities are facing more extreme heat waves and flooding from storms due to climate change, and the City's most vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of these climate impacts. A Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment employing extensive GIS analysis evaluated heat and flooding risks to Richmond communities, built assets, and natural features. Application of a GIS-based flooding inundation model added risks for localized flooding in low-lying areas to risks from changes to floodplain extents. In support of the City's Climate Equity Action Plan 2030, communities and assets with the greatest climate and social vulnerabilities were identified for prioritization of resilience and adaptation actions.