Emerging Trends and Model Communities
Hear a developer’s perspective on establishing a successful private development trails system for transportation and recreation purposes.
by Jim Wood, Chief, Kimley-Horn Planning and Design Engineering Consultants, Todd Pokrywa, Vice President of Planning, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, Inc.
It is a goal of American Trails that a quality trails system be accessible within 15 minutes of every American household and workplace. Private developers play a critical role in facilitating access to trails from homes, particularly given that trails are the number one community amenity that prospective homeowners seek (National Association of Homebuilders). This session, which features a recipient of the 2008 American Trails Developer Award, will include a look at trends in trails and private development planning. Hear a developer’s perspective on establishing a successful private development trails system for transportation and recreation purposes.
Jim Wood is a Transportation Planning Lead with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc in Orlando, FL. Jim leads trail and multimodal transportation programs drawing on nearly 23 years with the State of Florida including as FDEP’s Chief of the Office of Greenways & Trails and FDOT’s Chief Planner. Following legislative creation of Florida’s Shared Use Nonmotorized (SUN) Trail Program, Jim directed program establishment including the framework for annually programming $25 million of recurring trail funding. Planning efforts he has overseen include the 2013-2017 Florida Greenways and Trails System Plan and Paradise Coast Trail Feasibility Study, a collaborative multi-agency partnership. Jim has “made the case for trails” through many presentations and work on efforts such as an Economic Impact Analysis of Orange County, FL Trails and two Greenways and Trails Developer Forums in collaboration with Bob Searns (AT Chair Emeritus). He served on the American Trails Board of Directors Executive Committee from 2004 to 2012.
Contact: [email protected]
Todd Pokrywa is SMR’s primary liaison with government officials and departments relative to the development of the master planned community of Lakewood Ranch in Southwest Florida. He interacts frequently with local, state and federal agencies on a variety of land use issues. He earned a degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Waterloo in Canada. In 2004 he received the Gulf Coast Business Review’s “40 Under 40” Award. He serves on numerous boards for nonprofit organizations and is a graduate of both Leadership Manatee and Leadership Sarasota.
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