Practicum Series: “The Efficient and Effective Use of Land Resources by the Adoption of Model Ordinances 

Brunswick (June 17, 2009) – The final Spring-Summer Practicum series being presented by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center is set for June 23 in Brunswick and June 24 in Savannah and is entitled, “The Efficient and Effective Use of Land Resources by the Adoption of Model Ordinances, according to CGRDC Senior Planner Lupita McClenning.

Two speakers noted in this field have been scheduled to make presentations, McClenning said. Dan Slone and Tom Thomson will address both Practicum’s.

The Brunswick meeting is set for the Brunswick-Glynn County Library, 208 Gloucester St., and the Savannah meeting for the Coastal Georgia Center, 305 Fahm St. Both meetings start at 8:30 A.M. and run through noon.

Slone is a partner with McGuireWoods in the Richmond office and represents green businesses and localities across the country in developing innovative and sustainable projects including new towns, green utilities and new approaches to zoning.

He helps identify code provisions that interfere with sustainable projects and crafts codes that encourage such developments, McClenning said.

Slone is national counsel for the U.S. Green Building Council and the Congress for the New Urbanism. Among his public clients are the Seaside Institute, the World Green Building Council and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. He serves on the boards of the National Charrette Institute, the Form Based Codes Institute and the Inger and Walter Rice Center for Environmental Life Sciences.

He holds a law degree from The University of Michigan, and has degrees in Philosophy and Political Science from Birmingham-Southern College.

In the summer of 2008 Slone and co-author Doris Goldstein co-wrote “A Legal Guide to Urban and Sustainable Development for Planners, Developers and Architects”, published by John Wiley & Sons.” This publication is available through Amazon. In 2007 ULI published Developing Sustainable Planned Communities, which includes Slone’s chapter on “Maintain Sustainability.”

Thomson has more than 30 years experience in public works planning, management and engineering. He has directed programs and projects in roadway planning, public transportation, marketing, policy, engineering and community consensus building.

He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission.

His background includes senior positions with the Florida Department of Transportation in Miami and Tampa; Assistant Director of the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, Executive Director of the Hillsborough County MPO; Director of the Transportation Division for the Hillsborough County Planning and Growth Management Department; and, Regional Manager for local offices of two national consulting firms.

He is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering.

Thomson and his wife live in Savannah.