WithersRavenel is celebrating Community Planning Month! We are profiling our planning team members, learning more about them and what drives their work. Today, meet Daniel Rauh, AICP. Daniel has worked at WithersRavenel for seven years. He has a Master’s degree in City and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Planning and Policy with Environmental Science and Green Engineering Minors from Virginia Tech.
WITHERSRAVENEL: What sparked your interest in planning?
Daniel Rauh: My pre-school had one of those playmats that looks like a little town. I remember being obsessed with it and going home to draw my own towns and cities. As I got a little older, playing Sim City 2000 (on my Windows 95) helped solidify my interest in the holistic and interconnected nature of city planning.
WR: What impact did your education have on your planning career?
DR: Both my undergraduate and graduate degrees are in the planning field, which helped connect me to professors and professionals in different aspects of the trade (community engagement, real estate, transportation logistics, etc.). Since the field can be so broad, interacting with these individuals helped me understand which aspects of the field I find interesting. I have been fortunate to work with amazing individuals during my education who helped direct me toward my current career.
WR: Tell us about a project you have worked on/are working on that has interested or inspired you.
DR: We have been working with the Town of Siler City to develop their Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan. This document is used to guide park and program development for the Town over the next 10 years. As such, it is vital to conduct community engagement so that recommendations provided in the plan reflect public desires accurately.
Lately, we have been working with the client to conduct another community engagement push, and it has been interesting working with a client who is willing to champion a wide variety of engagement techniques to ensure that the community voice is part of the plan. We have send surveys in utility bills, Siler City staff have handed out Spanish-translated QR code links at local churches, and we are gearing up to set up a booth at a local Halloween Trunk-or-Treat event, just to name a few efforts.
Finding the engagement style that resonates well with your community is a huge component of the planning process, and it has been an amazing opportunity to home in on this with Siler City Parks and Recreation.
Do you want to put WithersRavenel’s Planning Team to work for you? Contact Director of Community Planning Jay McLeod, AICP, at (919) 238-0422 or jmcleod@withersravenel.com.
This post was originally published on October 26, 2022, and was updated on October 12, 2023.