Donavon Corum, RLA, AICP, LEED AP
Manager of Planning & Urban Design, B & R Design Group
EDUCATION:
University of Kentucky , Lexington, Kentucky US
Bachelor's Degree - 5/1993
Major: Landscape Architecture
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATIONS:
Registered Landscape Architect #3434 MD, 2007-Current
Registered Landscape Architect #617 KY, 2000-Current
American Institute of Certified Planners - Certified Planner #022959
LEED AP
NCI Charrette Planner Training
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Lake Linganore Water Shed Protection Task Force - Task Force member
Downtown Frederick Partnership Design Committee - Committee member
Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber Downtown Task Force - Task Force member
Washington County Urban Growth Area Advisory Committee - Committee member
US Green Building Council - LEED AP / member
Urban Land Institute - Participation
American Planning Association - American Institute of Certified Planners / member
Donavon is responsible for directing the firm's work on redevelopment and urban infill projects and smart growth, including the preparation of comprehensive plan amendments, feasibility studies, conceptual planning, master plan and zoning conformance, annexation and zoning amendments, site planning, public and community participation. Donavon is actively involved in the comprehensive planning processes of several jurisdictions within the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area and interacts with clients and numerous affiliated groups such as civic associations, elected and appointed officials, public advocacy groups, public agencies and various other design disciplines including architects, engineers, certified AICP planners and landscape architects. Donavon currently serves as a Board of County Commissioner appointee to the Urban Growth Advisory Committee in Washington County, Maryland. He also serves as a committee member on the Downtown Frederick Partnership Design Committee and the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce Downtown Task Force.
Prior Donavon was an integral part of David Jensen and Associates in Denver, Colorado and Frederick County Planning Department. During his tenure with David Jensen and Associates Donavon oversaw projects in Philippines, Canada, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, and Florida. Donavon's duties included extensive interaction with Planning Commission, Board of County Commissioners, applicants and affiliated groups such as civic associations, public advocacy groups, and other County and State public agencies. Donavon also worked closely with Land Use Attorneys, architects, engineers, landscape architects, and historical consultants. He was actively involved in the review of over 160 projects in Frederick County, which included land use changes through Site and Preliminary Plan applications as well as Planned Unit Development Plans. In addition, Donavon played considerable roles in the zoning ordinance rewrite, New Market and Urbana Comprehensive Plan updates, and the Lake Linganore Source Water Protection Plan. As part of these public interest projects, he conducted land use inventories, provided analysis, prepared recommendations, developed concept design plans, tested and implemented land use decisions, provided transportation and infrastructure policy analysis and presented this information to the Frederick County Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners.
Relative Experience:
Washington County Urban Growth Area (Washington County, MD)
Washington County, Maryland is currently in the process of rezoning more than 9,700 acres of land within the Urban Growth Area (UGA). The rezoning of the UGA at this time is required to create consistency with the most recent Comprehensive Plan and other County growth and development considerations. The Board of County Commissioners appointed fourteen citizens to create the Urban Growth Area Advisory Committee, and Donavon Corum was selected as the Land Planner expert. The balance of the remaining thirteen (13) committee appointees included citizens from the agriculture industry, 2 prior County Commissioners, realestate agent, engineers, fair housing industry, and citizen activist group. The Committee's responsibilities over the two and half year study process were to review and make recommendations on several key issues having an impact on the effectiveness of that rezoning effort. The areas of concern that were studied were:
· Creation of incentives to encourage development within the Urban Growth Area;
· Use of Transfer Development Rights;
· Review of Workforce Housing and General Housing Issues; and
· Review of the Planning Department's recommendations for rezoning (text and map amendments) within the UGA.
As part of the rezoning process each property within the 9,700 acres comprising of the UGA were:
· Individually assessed;
· Determined which zoning classification was appropriate;
· Recommend zoning text amendments;
· Created:
1. Office, Research and Technology zoning district
2. Office, Research and Industry zoning District
3. Education, Research and Technology zoning district
4. Mixed Use Floating zones
Lake Linganore Source Water Protection Plan (City of Frederick and Frederick County, MD)
Donavon was an integral part of the Lake Linganore Source Water Protection Taskforce, which was initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in order to help City of Frederick and Frederick County protect a drinking water source. The Linganore watershed contains 53,286 acres (83.1 square miles). The Linganore Creek watershed is part of the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed. There were both quantity and quality problems with the drinking water supplied by Lake Linganore. The Taskforce met over the course of two years gathering necessary data and conducting analysis. Included in the report were the compiled data, recommendations and implementation strategies for agriculture, development, infrastructure and maintenance, homeowners, and outreach. As the primary planning taskforce member, Donavon oversaw the Development and homeowner inventory, analysis, and recommendations as well as implementation strategies incorporated into the document. Donavon also presented the data, recommendations, and implementation strategies to the taskforce, citizen groups, and County and City elected and appointed officials.
Frederick County Zoning Ordinance Rewrite (Frederick County, MD)
During the course of the County's 2000 zoning ordinance rewrite, Donavon was an integral part of applying a comprehensive point of view on the effects of the new ordinance on the County and performed several key tasks during this process. Prior to the zoning ordinance rewrite, Donavon specifically inventoried the County's zoning categories and land uses as well as analyzed the County's Comprehensive Plan and Design Gide Line policies. During this process, Donavon provided recommendations on how the Comprehensive Plan elements and Design Gide Lines could be incorporated into the new ordinance while keeping the County's citizens' best interest in mind. It also allowed for flexible future growth in accordance with the overall County's Comprehensive Plan. During drafting of the new ordinance, Donavon was the primary team member responsible for reviewing and provided revision recommendations. After the final draft rewrite, Donavon oversaw and conducted tests of the rewrite impacts on existing and future growth as well as the compatibility with the recently adopted Comprehensive County Plan. During this testing process, Donavon presented findings and recommendations to Citizens' advisory board, Planning Commission workshops, and Board of County Commissioners' workshops.
Frederick County New Market and Urbana Comprehensive Plan Updates (Frederick County, MD)
Donavon conducted several planning process techniques, or played a key role in public opinion surveys and inventory during the New Market and Urbana Region Comprehensive Plan updates. Donavon was also a primary representative of the County during citizen workshops. As such, he participated heavily in public opinion surveys through town hall citizen meetings. During these meetings several key regional planning elements were openly discussed. These facets included, but were not limited to, schools, public services, traffic elements, community fabric, economic impacts, and land use and zoning impacts. This process also involved local citizens, Planning Commissions, Board of County Commissions, and private land stakeholders. Donavon conducted inventory of existing land uses and zoning designations, which included comprehensive planned land use designations. The element included the evaluation of residential and non-residential yield and is scheduled to be constructed in five-year increments for up to twenty years. This data was then utilized to evaluate the comprehensive impacts on traffic, schools, water and sewer, libraries, first responders, and future land use designations.
Carroll Manor Fire Company Property (Adamstown, MD)
To encourage and promote Maryland's Smart Growth Initiatives and Frederick County's Affordable Housing Development, Donavon was the Project Director and Primary Consultant for the Carroll Manor Fire Company (CMFC) property. This 10 acre infill site located within the Village Core of historic Adamstown presented planning challenges such as the abandoned Old Adamstown Elementary School, traffic patterns within the Village Core, compatibility of historical architecture and landscaping, and community open spaces. During the Adamstown Comprehensive Plan update, this property was overlooked and did not receive the zoning required to develop the property in accordance with Maryland's Smart Growth Initiatives. The Frederick County Planning Staff, Planning Commissioners, and Board of County Commissioners all agreed that the benefits of using the historic elementary school for affordable senior housing mixed with market rate dwellings was a desired outcome in the Village Core. As a result, CMFC and Interfaith Housing Alliance, Inc. formed a partnership and submitted a rezoning application for the subject property. Citizens in and around the Village Core were concerned how this project would address the above-mentioned planning factors. Representatives from CMFC, Interfaith Housing Alliance and Donavon conducted several town hall meetings. During these meetings, the citizens helped mold a comprehensive vision and concept plan to revitalize the Old Adamstown Elementary School as affordable senior housing, complete the existing road network, connect additional efficient water and sewer lines, preserve three (3) acres of Open Space to create a Village Green within the Village Core, and develop the subject project so that it was compatible with Adamstown Core historic architecture and landscaping. Responsibilities included rezoning entitlements, Phase I and Phase II approvals, Adequate Public Facilities approval, and Water and Sewer reclassifications.
