Edward J. O’Donnell, AICP

 
During Mr. O’Donnell’s 43-year career in public-sector planning, he has acquired a broad range of expertise in land use planning, growth management, infrastructure/community facilities, natural-resource protection, state growth-management policies, and intergovernmental coordination. Mr. O'Donnell has worked at the Institute for Public Administration since 1998, initially as a Senior Policy Advisor and more recently as a limited-term researcher. Activities have included work with the Delaware Public Policy Institute and, in conjunction with other staff in IPA, planning assistance to municipalities in Delaware (e.g., Elsmere, Frederica, Townsend). In addition, Mr. O'Donnell has worked on special projects, such as School Facility Planning, the Municipal Clerks Program, Delaware Planning Education Program, Transportation Mitigation Agreements Policy Forum, Mobility Friendly Design Standards Policy Forum, and the Management Fellows Program. Additional activities include teaching a graduate-level course concerning land use and transportation linkages. During his planning career with New Castle County, he directed the preparation of both the 1988 and 1996 Comprehensive Development Plans/Updates and the Unified Development Code. More recently, he assisted in the preparation of both the 2002 and 2007 Comprehensive Development Plan updates for New Castle County. Included among his research interests are intergovernmental coordination, growth management, transportation/infrastructure planning, natural-resource protection, and local, state, and regional comprehensive planning.

In October 2006, Mr. O’Donnell received the Peter Larson Memorial Achievement Award at a joint conference of the Delaware and Maryland chapters of the American Planning Association, recognizing his distinguished career as a planner.
 

 
MEd, West Chester University 1973, Geography

BA, Kansas State Teachers College 1965, Social Science
 

 
American Planning Association (APA)

American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) - charter member

Delaware Association for Public Administration (DAPA)
 

Delaware Planning Education Program (Co-Instructor)

• Planning 101 - Planning Your Community’s Future
• Planning 102 - The Local Planning Toolbox
• Planning 103 - Land Development Administration
• Planning 104 - Community Design
• Planning 105 - Mobility-Friendly Design
• Planning 106 - Board of Adjustment Issues
• The “Takings” Issue
   

 
“Summary Report-Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: Improving Mobility and Designing Transit-Ready Communities,” co-author, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., July 2008.

“Transit-Oriented Design Illustrations of TOD Characteristics - A Working Paper,” co-author, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., November 2007.

“Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: Safety, Security, and Maintenance,” co-author, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., September 2007

“Infrastructure: the Catalyst for Successful and Sustainable Economic Development,” the American Society for Public Administration, PA Times, April 2007.

“Interconnectivity: A Review of Current Status and Steps Necessary to Increase the Level of Connectivity of Future Development in Delaware,” co-author, published by the Delaware Transportation Research Center, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., August 2006.

“New Castle County Comprehensive Development Plan Update - 2007,” co-author of "Community Character" and "Intergovernmental Coordination" chapters, July 2006.

“Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan,” Project Manager, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., July 2004.

“Town of Frederica Comprehensive Plan,” Project Manager with Planning Practicum Team, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., March 2004.

“New Castle County 2002 Comprehensive Development Plan Update,” Consultant, March 25, 2003.

“Town of Townsend Comprehensive Plan,” Co-Project Manager, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., February 2003.

“Planning for Large Subdivisions: The Land Use and Transportation Connection,” Sussex County, Co-Contributor, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., October 16, 2002.

“Planning for Large Subdivisions: The Land Use and Transportation Connection,” Kent County, Co-Contributor, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., May 22, 2002.

“Choices for Delaware: Life and the Economy in 2000 and Beyond,” Delaware Public Policy Institute, Co-Contributor, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., July, 2000.

“New Castle County 1997 Comprehensive Development Plan Update,” Project Manager, New Castle County Department of Land Use, March 1997.
 

 
“Growing Pains: A Sprawl Commission Investigation,” co-presenter, 2008 Democracy Project Institute for Teachers, Newark, Del., June 23, 2008.

“Partnerships and Structure for Training Public Officials—The Delaware Experience,” co-presenter, APA 100th National Planning Conference, Las Vegas, Nev., April 28, 2008.

“Transit-Oriented Development—Prospects for Delaware,” co-presenter, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., April 16, 2008.

“Top Ten Reasons to Invest in Pedestrian Facilities," Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: Improving Mobility and Designing Transit-Ready Communities policy forum, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., February 2008.

“Growing Pains: A Sprawl Commission Investigation,” Co-Presenter, 2007 Democracy Project Institute for Teachers, June 25, 2007.

“Go Take a Hike! Walkable Communities and GIS,” Co-Presenter, Delaware GIS Conference: Serving Communities, May 2, 2007.

“Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: Safety, Security, and Maintenance,” Co-Presenter, IPA, University of Delaware, March 21, 2007.

Moderator for the “Our Town Meeting on Innovative Transportation Finance,” WILMAPCO, November 13, 2006.

“New Castle County Comprehensive Plan Update,” Delaware League of Women Voters, October 17, 2006.

“Planning Commissioners Training,” for the Regional Meeting of the Delaware/Maryland chapters of the American Planning Association, October 6, 2006.

“Land Development/Planning Exercise,” Democracy Project Institute for Teachers, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., June 26, 2006.

“Mobility Friendly Design Standards: Recommendations for Delaware,” Co-Presenter, Mobility Friendly Design Standards Summit 2, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., April 11, 2005.

“Mobility Friendly Design Standards,” Delaware Institute for Planning and Design, Co-Presenter, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., November 2004.

“Better Development Through Mobility Friendly Community Design: A Framework for Delaware,” 16th Delaware Institute for Local Government Leaders, Co-Presenter, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., October 2004.

“Concluding Remarks and Path Forward,” Mobility Friendly Design Standards Summit, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., February 26, 2004.

“Whole Government Planning,” American Planning Association's 2003 National Planning Conference, Co-Presenter, IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., April 2003.

“Traffic Mitigation Agreements,” IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., February 2002.

“The Development Process in Northern Delaware: Session 2: Planning for Infrastructure,” IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., March 1999.

“The Development Process in Northern Delaware: Introduction to the Unified Development Code,” IPA, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., January 1999.