MJL-head-shot2

Michael Lauer, AICP, Principal of Michael Lauer Planning, LLC, has served local governments from coast to coast over the last 36 years; he has developed and helped implement numerous award-winning growth management programs for urban and rural jurisdictions. In addition to developing comprehensive and strategic plans, he has developed plan implementation programs addressing agricultural preservation, redevelopment, concurrency management, development and design regulations.

As a Principal and cofounder of Planning Works from 2000-2015 and Director of Planning for the law firm of Freilich, Leitner & Carlisle in the 1990s, Mr. Lauer gained unique insights on local governments’ successes and failures in managing growth and creating vibrant communities and neighborhoods. Prior to joining FLC, he worked for Georgetown, Texas, where he helped develop an award-winning plan linked to a GIS-based infrastructure capacity allocation program.

Speaking Engagements


A frequent speaker at state and national conferences, his recent presentations have included:

  • Fat City Revitalization, National APA 2018
  • Gretna Downtown Revitalization, National APA 2018
  • Ethics, Equity and Sustainable Communities, New Partners for Smart Growth 2016
  • Ethics of Communication: National APA 2015 & 2016
  • Fat City Strategic Revitalization Plan; APA Louisiana 2014
  • Diagnosing Codes; APA Virginia 2012
  • Civil Discourse; APA Louisiana 2012
  • Putting the Planning Back in Capital Planning; APA Virginia 2011; CPEAV 2012
  • Innovations in Zoning, CPEAV, 2012
  • Mastering Mobility; National APA 2011; 2011 Virginia; FAPA 2012
  • Capitalizing on TOD: Don’t Miss the Bus/Train; FPZA 2011
  • Putting the Planning Back in Capital Planning; CPEAV, 2011
  • Land Suitability Modeling; CPEAV, 2011; Kansas APA and Missouri APA, 2009
  • Is Planning Dead?; National APA, 2010
  • The Next Generation of Public Participation; Missouri APA, 2009
  • Disaster Preparedness & Mitigation; Center for American & Int. Law, 2008
  • Keeping the Planning in Capital Planning; National APA, 2007
  • Adequate Public Facilities, Beyond Transportation & Utilities; National APA, 2007
  • After the Flood, Louisiana & Mississippi Recovery Status; National APA, 2006
  • Addressing Unintended Consequences of Concurrency; National APA, 2006

Planning Projects by State


  • General Plan, Joint Development Area Plans – Mohave County, Arizona
  • General Plan – Riverside, California
  • Comprehensive Plan 1997, Growth Capacity Analysis, Comprehensive Plan Updates 2007 and 2017 – Durango, Colorado
  • Growth Plan, Area Plans, Corridor Plan – Grand Junction, Colorado
  • Comprehensive Plan – Thornton, Colorado
  • Bayshore Community Redevelopment Area Master Plan – Collier County, Florida
  • Comprehensive Plan Updates (Priorities, Implementation Program, Green Tech Corridor) – Hillsborough County, Florida
  • Bradfordville Area Plan – Leon County, Florida
  • Comprehensive Plan, Interim Development Ordinance – Carroll County, Georgia
  • Growth Plan – Rome/Floyd County, Georgia
  • Blueprint for Good Growth Plan – Ada County, Idaho
  • Comprehensive Plan, Consolidated Plan – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Growth Management Plan – Clinton County, Iowa
  • Rural Land Use Plan – Linn County, Iowa
  • Comprehensive Plan – Warren County, Iowa
  • Comprehensive Plan – Gretna, Louisiana
  • Comprehensive Plan, Fat City Redevelopment Plan, Fairfield Strategic Plan, Housing Stock Enhancement Plan – Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
  • Comprehensive Plan, Plan Implementation Program, Area Plan – Mandeville, Louisiana
  • Comprehensive Plan Implementation Program, Urban Design Element – Prince George’s County, Maryland
  • Rural Area Growth Strategy – Prince George’s County, Maryland
  • Comprehensive Plan Updates – Hancock County, Mississippi
  • Master Plan, Comprehensive Plan – Jackson County, Missouri
  • Comprehensive Plan – Douglas County, Nevada
  • Comprehensive Plan and Agricultural Preservation Program – Pershing County, Nevada
  • Comprehensive Plan – Concord, North Carolina
  • West Southern Pines Neighborhood Development Plan, Downtown Neighborhood Development Plan, Comprehensive Plan Update – Southern Pines, North Carolina
  • Comprehensive Plan – Statesville, North Carolina
  • Comprehensive Plan – Kiawah Island, South Carolina
  • Development Plan and Annexation Planning – Georgetown, Texas
  • Comprehensive Plan Update – Lynchburg, Virginia

Development Codes by State


  • Impact Fees – Douglas County, Colorado
  • Transportation Impact Fees, Development Capacity Analysis and Growth Scenarios Analysis, Durango, Colorado
  • Zoning and Development Code – Grand Junction, Colorado
  • Community Facilities Analysis – Thornton, Colorado
  • Uptown Urban Village Redevelopment Plan – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
  • Mixed-Use Development Standards – Gainesville, Florida
  • Land Development Regulations – Hillsborough County, Florida
  • School Concurrency, School Siting Standards/ Intergovernmental Agreement – Hillsborough County School District, Florida
  • Form-Based Code and Land Development Code Rewrite – Panama City Beach, Florida
  • Ongoing Land Development Code Maintenance – Panama City Beach, Florida
  • Land Development Code Update – Pinellas Park, Florida
  • I-4 Technology Corridor Overlay – Plant City, Florida
  • Becker Blvd Form-Based Code, Port St. Lucie, Florida
  • Code Review, Interim and Unified Development Ordinance – Bryan County, Georgia
  • Interim Development Ordinance – Carroll County, Georgia
  • Adequate Transportation Facilities Ordinance – Ada County, Idaho
  • Unified Development Code – Charleston, Illinois
  • Subdivision and Zoning Regulations – Clinton County, Iowa
  • Interim Development Ordinance/LESA System – Linn County, Iowa
  • Unified Development Code – Monroe County, Iowa
  • Unified Development Code – Warren County, Iowa
  • Interim Development Ordinance and Unified Development Code – Calcasieu Parish Louisiana
  • Unified Development Ordinance, Gretna, Louisiana
  • Subdivision Regulations Update and Unified Development Code – Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
  • Mixed-Use Redevelopment Standards – Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
  • Comprehensive Land Use Regulations, Old Mandeville Design Standards, Development Agreement – Mandeville, Louisiana
  • Rate of Growth Ordinance – Queen Anne’s County, Maryland
  • Subdivision Regulations, Mining Regulations – Rochester, Minnesota
  • Unified Development Code – Jackson County, Missouri
  • Zoning and Sign Regulations – Jefferson City, Missouri
  • Development Code Update – Lafayette County, Missouri
  • Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance – Huntersville, North Carolina
  • Unified Development Code – Statesville, North Carolina
  • Unified Development Code – Southern Pines, North Carolina
  • Ongoing UDC Maintenance – Southern Pines, North Carolina
  • Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, Interim Dev. Ordinance – Union County, North Carolina
  • Development Code – Kiawah Island, South Carolina
  • Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance – York County, South Carolina
  • Interim Development and Adequate School Facilities Ordinances – York County, South Carolina
  • Infrastructure Management System, Subdivision and Zoning Regulations, – Georgetown, Texas
  • Unified Development Code – San Antonio, Texas
  • School Impact Fees – Park City School District, Utah
  • Impact Fees – Summit County, Utah
  • Zoning Ordinance Diagnostic and New Zoning Ordinance – Lynchburg, Virginia
  • Interim Development Ordinance – York County, South Carolina