by Marty Proctor
Tim Maslow began in late April 2019 as the new Community Development Director (CDD) for the City of Groveland. The role of the CDD is to oversee everything related to development within the City and also within the inter-local service boundary agreement (ISBA). “My number one priority is guiding the city toward more complete, sustainable communities that celebrate a sense of natural charm and away from the conventional residential subdivisions and commercial development that do not share these values” stated Tim. “This will include a significant upgrade to our Comprehensive Plan and Community Development Code.”
The Community Development Code (CDC) rewrite and visioning process is a 12-18 month project that will reflect input from City, Staff, county, and residents. One of the outcomes of this visioning process is a shared Future Land Use map for the entire service area between the city and county using a sector-based approach to clearly identify areas of growth and preservation. Tim explained the clear direction he has received from the City. “The goal for Groveland the ‘City with Natural Charm’ is to preserve 50% or more of the natural and undeveloped land within the inter-local service boundary.” Commercial, agricultural, residential, and industrial areas will be clearly defined. Special use (utility) and preservation/natural areas will be identified and created. When these sectors are created, a property owner or neighbor can have a reasonable expectation of what they can do with their property or what to expect in the area surrounding their property.
Tim has guided Orange County toward a Smart Growth Vision as Chief Planner and previously created and managed the City of Winter Park’s Sustainability Program. These jobs honed a skill in writing and developing comprehensive plan policies and Community Development Codes grounded in financial sustainability, community vision, and increased quality of life for present and future residents. Creating measurable action plans, engaging the community, and facilitating inter-governmental efforts led to his success in those roles.
Tim will be working to codify nationally accepted, modern provisions and concepts into the City of Groveland code update. He brings certification in Neighborhood Development through Leadership in Energy Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED-AP). The LEED neighborhood development provisions and concepts will be worked into the CDC update. Only 30% of applicants pass the LEED AP ND test. Mike Hein, City Manager of Groveland, added, “Groveland is fortunate to have such a qualified and experienced planning professional. Tim will continue to help the community solidify its future vision and help complete the ‘cover of the puzzle box’ to provide clarity to our partners and stakeholders while ensuring long term values. The future road map will celebrate the natural environment, our agricultural heritage and emphasis on quality job centers. I look forward to the inclusive processes and final work products.”
Marty Proctor is a writer for the South Lake Tablet covering Groveland and the surrounding area.
His primary interests are the local impact of city and county government, local growth management, tracking area charitable groups and sharing factual information.
Marty is a long-time resident on Lake Emma north of Groveland doing public information consulting, social media marketing and freelance writing. He is also treasurer and media spokesperson for the Villa City Community Association and president, engineer of Likeparty LLC
