> -- [ From: Wayne Senville * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --
>
> To: E-Mail Update list for Planning Commissioners Journal web site
> From: Wayne M. Senville, Editor, pcj@together.net
> URL: http://www.webcom.com/pcj/welcome.html
> Subj: May 6, 1996 Citizen Planners Resource Center Update
>
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> 1. As promised in my last Update to you, there's something new on the Web
> that I think many of you will be interested in checking out.
>
> The "Online Planners forum" is now open for business. While it's just
> gearing up, it's worth a visit. The purpose of the forum is to foster
> communications among planners, help citizens with planning related questions
> get answers, and bring more planning-related content to the internet.
> The home page for the forum is: http://www.asu.edu/caed/onlineplanner
>
> You'll want to stop by the forum's "Cantina" --- a "virtual water cooler"
> where you can post a message on any planning-related topic, and respond to
> messages already there. The Cantina is moderated to assure that it will not
> be a haven for ad hominen attacks (aka flaming) . Moderators are Perry
> Norton, the "father of planning online" who founded and served for several
> years as "sysop" of CompuServe's ex-municipal planning forum (before
> retiring, Perry taught planning at NYU, served as Director of the American
> Institute of Planners, and worked as a planner and planning consultant), and
> Ray Quay, Deputy Director of Planning for the City of Phoenix, Arizona, and
> author of several articles on planning and electronic communications. You
> can go directly to the Cantina at: http://www.asu.
> edu/caed/onlineplanner/ofpcan.html
>
> Hopefully, the Cantina will become a place where citizen planners can
> regularly visit to ask questions --- and learn from other people's
> experiences. But it's only going to work if we all "bookmark" the forum, and
> periodically involve ourselves by checking in to see what new message and
> responses have been posted -- and posting our own questions or replies to
> questions.
>
> The forum will also provide access to the Online Planners Directory which
> now has over 800 names, including a number of you who receive this Update.
>
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> 2. Our next major focus for the Planning Commissioners Journal Web site will
> be development of what we're calling the "ON-LINE PLANNING ENCYCLOPEDIA " or
> "OPE" for short. OPE will be a free resource provided at our Web site. It
> will offer brief (100 to 750 word) explanations of key planning and zoning
> terms and concepts, and important people, places, and events in the history
> of planning. For example, you'll be able to find explanations of terms like:
> granny apartments, ISTEA, greenways, performance zoning, LULUS, impact fees,
> TDRs, gated communities, capital programs, inclusionary zoning, and urban
> growth boundaries; and people, places, and events such as: Frederick Law
> Olmsted, the City Beautiful movement, Seaside, Lewis Mumford, Kansas City
> boulevards, and the St. Louis Exposition.
>
> The ON-LINE PLANNING ENCYCLOPEDIA will include extensive hyper-links between
> related entries. Photos, charts, and other illustrations will also be
> included. Where appropriate, entries will list print and online resources
> for further information. You will also be able to do key word searches
> within OPE.
>
> We're excited about this project. The nature of the Web will allow OPE to be
> a true work-in-progress, expanding in content over time. We are looking for
> professional planners, land use lawyers, architects, landscape architects,
> and those of you with other relevant experience to help us out by
> volunteering to prepare one or more entries. The preparer of each entry will
> be acknowledged at the bottom of the entry. We will soon have a master list
> of topics for inclusion in the "first edition" (more on this below) and
> guidelines for the preparation of entries. All entries will be reviewed to
> ensure accuracy and a level of consistency.
>
> We can use your help right now. We'd like to know what entries you think
> should be included. Please take a minute or two to complete a simple form.
> (it asks for you to list up to 10 entries you feel we should BE SURE to
> include in OPE).
>
> You can also use this form if you might be interested in volunteering to
> contribute one or more entries for inclusion in OPE (we are not asking for
> firm commitments yet, just expressions of interest) OR if would like to
> receive a copy of our "master list" of entries when it's available next
> month. You can access this form at: http://www.webcom.com/pcj/ope-sug.html.
>
> Of course, if you feel more comfortable e-mailing us the above information
> instead of using the form, feel free to do so.
>
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> 3. "Shaping Our Communities: The Impacts of Information-Technology." If you
> haven't yet taken a look at our new resource guide (announced in our last
> update to you), please do. It was recently selected by YAHOO! as a pick of
> the week (for the week of April 22). You can access it at: http://www.webcom
> .com/pcj/it-nf/itn-open.html.
>
> If you use Netscape version 2.0, you can switch over to a "frames-enabled"
> version of the guide from the main table of contents page. Also, please let
> us know if there is any additional material you feel should be included in
> the next update of this resource guide -- or any other improvements that
> might make the guide more helpful.
>
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> 4. Our "Takings" resource page was recently selected by the Magellan
> internet search/review company as one of their 3-star sites. Our takings
> page is at: http://www.webcom.com/pcj/takings.html.
>
> Again, please let us know if there is any additional material you feel might
> be included.
>
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> 5. I feel like an ETV fund raiser, but please allow me to make a closing
> "pitch" for you to consider becoming one of our Web site sponsors. For
> individuals, this involves a modest $10 contribution ($5 if you subscribe to
> the PCJ); for businesses, $50 (which includes a brief description of your
> firm's services on our sponsors page). We try to show our appreciation to
> our sponsors by listing them on our sponsors page (unless you prefer to
> remain anonymous, as some have). More importantly, we'll show our
> appreciation by continuing to strengthen our Web site -- and in particular,
> by providing you in a few months with an On-Line Encyclopedia that I feel
> will be a first-rate resource.
>
> Please take a look at who is already supporting our Web site as sponsors:
> http://www.webcom.com/pcj/spon.html.
>
> To become a sponsor, complete the form at: http://www.webcom.com /pcj/spon-
> fm.html.
>
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> 6. If you want to be removed from this mailing list, simply reply to us at:
> pcj@together.net, indicating in your message: "remove from update list"
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -
>
> Wayne M. Senville
> Editor, Planning Commissioners Journal
> -----------------------
> pcj@together.net
> http://www.webcom.com/pcj/welcome.html
>
>