Newsletter – July 2015 – Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering

JULY 2015
The Entitlement and Planning Process:
What It Means Exactly and How It Works

Projects Need a Plan and Purpose – Latitude 33’s Behind-the-scenes Leadership Makes It Happen

Led by senior principal planner Randi Coopersmith, senior project managers Melissa Krause and Tara Lake
deftly guide Latitude 33’s team of entitlement and planning experts through working on projects of all scopes and sizes.

A prime example is Latitude 33’s cornerstone project, Pacific Highlands Ranch (PHR) Subarea. The project encapsulates what the entitlement process is all about. PHR includes a master-planned community, village center, mixed-use housing, schools and preserved open spaces among other things. Development of the land included an extensive approval process that involved multiple regulatory agencies to create a positive, impactful neighborhood inside the northern city limits of San Diego, where none existed prior to its creation.

In-depth research and planning, coordination with government agencies and community groups, strategic public outreach and incorporation of ideas from key stakeholders, along with time invested to secure permits and approvals, the construction process for PHR has been all encompassing. Latitude 33’s steady leadership made the project a reality over the course of the past two decades.

Also, Latitude 33 successfully led bi-national entitlement and planning efforts on the San Diego-Tijuana International Airport Cross-Border Terminal Facility, set to open in November 2015. Known as Cross Border Express, the unique international airport link required working

simultaneously with both the U.S. and Mexican governments. Security and international infrastructure were among a lengthy list of issues that had to be addressed as did overseeing approval from many layers of government agencies on both sides of the United States-Mexico border.

For more information about Latitude 33’s planning and entitlement process or its catalog of projects, please contact Melissa Krause at melissa.krause@latitude33.com.

Welcome To Our Expanding Brain Trust – Melissa Krause

Melissa Krause recently joined the Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering team as senior project manager. She has more than 17 years of experience as a project manager in residential construction throughout Southern California. Her professional experience ranges from entitlements to land development as well as land feasibility and planning to asset management among other areas. Professional accomplishments for Krause include working on major infill, commercial and master-planned communities in San Diego and Los Angeles. She earned her degrees from National University (graduate) and Northern State University (undergraduate).

Preparing San Diego’s Next Generation of Planners And Engineers

Latitude 33 was proud to sponsor the ACE Mentor Program in San Diego again this year. ACE (Architecture Construction Engineering) hosted its 12th Annual Awards Banquet at San Diego Marriott Mission Valley on May 20, 2015. More than 600 students, parents and ACE mentors attended this event that highlighted student projects and honored scholarship recipients.

Participating ACE Mentor high schools included: Castle Park, e3 Civic, Eastlake, El Camino, Helix, Hoover, Kearny, La Costa Canyon, Patrick Henry, San Diego, Santana, Southwest. Latitude 33 looks forward to continuing its support of this valuable training program that helps prepare local students to be the planners and engineers of tomorrow.

Helping Out Habitat for Humanity in Escondido

14 team members from Latitude 33 volunteered their time and construction skills to help build houses for the community of Escondido on June 12, 2015. Below are images from the project site.