SVN Palmetto Advisor Ben Miles recently completed the Upstate Forever Citizens Planning Academy, a six-session program focused on the fundamentals of planning, development, and community engagement.
While the program explores technical aspects of zoning and land use, Ben’s biggest takeaway was broader: planning is ultimately a conversation about values, tradeoffs, and who benefits. Approaching development through a lens of equity reshapes not only the questions being asked, but the solutions being pursued.
Through discussions with planners, government leaders, advocates, and developers, one theme remained clear—successful projects are rooted in transparency, collaboration, and early, meaningful community engagement.
This experience enhances Ben’s ability to guide clients through complex processes, anticipate stakeholder priorities, and pursue outcomes that are both feasible and aligned with the communities they serve.
We’re proud to see our team continue investing in knowledge that strengthens both our advisory services and the region as a whole.
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