The Institute offers two sessions per year, in the spring and fall (March/April and October/November). The Institute selects four officials based upon an evaluation of the potential of their proposed projects or problems. After final selection and acceptance, the urban design and development professionals, along with other public officials experienced in the specific problem areas, assemble to form a resource team. Each session is two-days long.
A briefing book, including the participants’ case studies, maps, photographs, related articles, as well as background information of participants and resource team members, is prepared and sent in advance to participants and the resource team. Also, as part of the Institute’s program, participants are encouraged to attend the New Urbanism 101 course offered by the Congress for the New Urbanism at its annual conference. The Institute will fund the participants’ registration for this training, as the concepts presented are relevant to their understanding of the broader issues and importance of design and will prepare them for the hands-on learning experience of the Institute’s workshops.

The Program
Once officials are accepted into the program, the staff of FAU’s Catanese Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions meets with the officials and their staff members to select the projects and explain the process. Students in FAU’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning program then work with community staff to collect background information and prepare the briefing book that is distributed to all participants and resource experts in advance of the formal program. An explanation of the two-day Institute program follows.

Day One
The program formally begins with an afternoon site visit by one or more of the resource team members to the project area identified by each participant. This allows the resource team member to directly view the participant’s project or problem areas and that team member to become a second voice to the officials regarding the site. The elected official is expected to conduct both this tour of the project area and a briefing by staff.
The evening activities begin with a reception, an opening address by a prominent official or design expert, and dinner. The evening’s activities are held in the new urban community of Abacoa in Jupiter, usually with the opening address and reception held in the auditorium at Florida Atlantic University, MacArthur Campus. This presentation is open to the public and marketed to planning and design professionals, citizens, academics, and the development community. It is a unique educational opportunity for a broad audience that emphasizes the importance of design in community planning. Co-sponsorship of the evening event usually includes professional organizations such as the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and local Boards of Realtors.

After the reception, participants and guests dine at the nearby Abacoa Town Center. During dinner, Abacoa developers or other related stakeholders make a brief presentation regarding the concepts of design as it relates to Abacoa.

Day Two
The full day session is conducted at Florida Atlantic University’s MacArthur Campus. Each official presents his or her project. The design experts who visited the site add additional comments. The eight-member design team then presents their analyses and participates in an an open discussion of options. The other officials offer their insights and experience. All elements of design are in play—planning, urban design, landscape design, economic development, density, infrastructure planning, and financial realities. The design process and the influence public officials can have on the form and quality of their communities is emphasized.
The day continues with presentations by each public official, each of whom, in turn, presents their problems or projects. The resource team examines a range of design ideas, precedents, and improvement strategies. The team identifies issues, offers suggestions, and discusses alternatives for the officials’ case studies. This process is intended to offer new perspectives and lead to innovative and creative problem solving. The official leaves with a strategy of short range and long-range options.