The Car-City Confluence: Town Planning and Mobility

On 22nd July 2009, I welcomed the opportunity to share my perspective as an experienced town planner and project manager to the Ford Strategic Design Group in London and offer insight into the California development process.  The presentation’s purpose was to provide an overview of town planning and highlight key elements of environmental analysis for new development master plans and regeneration projects relevant to transport, namely, the automobile.  It included a featured a sustainable transportation case study on the Orange County Great Park and Great Park Neighborhoods, a 4,700-acre regeneration project in Irvine, California (40 miles south of Los Angeles, California).  Ending with recommendations for Ford to collaborate with emerging developments, I offered California-based opportunities that promote a reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and support zero-carbon emission climate change strategies, while facilitating community mobility.

For access to the full presentation or to provide comments/feedback, please email mdrouse5@gmail.com.

Current CV & Statement of Intent

If you have connections with London-based public sector, private sector and NGO organisations seeking an outstanding project manager, town planner, environmental manager, administrator, or director, with a track record for meeting deadlines in complex environments, I’d like to make a strong case for myself and encourage you to review my CV.

My excellent leadership, management, organisation, and communication skills in a team environment have contributed to planning successful, award-winning communities as well as establishing and supporting healthy, community-based charities.

Of particular interest, I possess ten years of working leadership experience and a masters degree with the following:

  • Managing teams of colleagues and consultants on regeneration/development and user-led design projects and on community-based multicultural, environmental, women’s and student charity organisations involving recruitment and performance management;
  • Managing user-led innovative designed solutions for social and environmental sustainability projects to enhance quality of life for UK’s aging population and reducing water consumption in southern England.
  • Managing regeneration, masterplanning, and community development projects for large-scale communities of regional significance as well as smaller, local developments;
  • Representing City of Irvine Mayor Pro Tempore to the community as well as advising and negotiating with elected officials on a variety of regeneration and community projects;
  • Managing, preparing and reviewing regeneration/development environmental analysis disclosure documents; policy, design, and standards documents; and construction plans including all reports, plans, graphics, databases, and multimedia presentations;
  • Managing all elements of project contracts using best practices to maximise outcome and meet deadlines, including: establishing scopes of work, scheduling, resource allocation, budget monitoring, quality control, resource re-allocation and budget amendments, highlighting financial risks and taking appropriate action, and effectively reporting updates;
  • Coordinating with multiple external stakeholders including international dignitaries, community/ trade groups, developers, elected officials and agency staff, architects, scientists, engineers, environmentalists, charities, community groups, and local residents;
  • Coordinating with internal departmental regulators including planning, police, housing, environmental and accessibility consultants, and transportation, building and civil engineers;
  • Developing and implementing long-range community-wide goals, policies and objectives; and
  • Tracking environmental regulations and legislation supporting sustainable development practices, including climate-change, multi-modal transport, and decentralised energy solutions.

My goal is to engage with organisations with missions of creating sensitive, sustainable communities that balance the needs of people, economic development, and the natural environment guided by a strategic plan. Additionally,  I seek organisations that promote diversity and seek to bring people of different backgrounds together peacefully in unique, sensitive built and natural environments to support sustainable development.

I encourage you to contact me at +44(0)776-384-9393/michelle@michelledrouse.com if you see potential for me to add value to your organisation.