Smart Growth America is proud to welcome Bill Fulton, Mayor of Ventura, CA and an expert in the field of urban planning, to its staff.
A longtime writer, researcher, and urban planning consultant, Mr. Fulton is one of the country’s leading experts on the smart growth policies and the relationship between smart growth and economic development. At Smart Growth America, Fulton will focus on Smart Growth America’s programs to assist state, regional, and local government agencies around the nation with smart growth policies and tools.
Geoff Anderson, President and CEO of Smart Growth America said:
Bill’s practical experience implementing smart growth strategies will be a tremendous asset to Smart Growth America. Our organization is committed to helping local elected officials use smart growth strategies to create stable, sustainable economies and communities and Bill’s expertise will help us do just that. We are proud to welcome him to our team.
Fulton currently serves as a Principal and Shareholder of The Planning Center | DC&E, a California-based planning consulting firm. He will continue these roles in a limited capacity, focusing on Transfer of Development Rights programs nationwide and high-profile smart growth projects in California. In Ventura, he will step down as Mayor and member of the City Council in December. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the School of Planning, Policy, & Development at the University of Southern California, where he teaches land use policy and smart growth.
Fulton is the author of several books, including Guide To California Planning and The Reluctant Metropolis: The Politics of Urban Growth in Los Angeles. He is the coauthor of The Regional City: Planning for the End of Sprawl along with architect Peter Calthorpe. From 2000 to 2008, Fulton ran Solimar Research Group, a consulting firm and think tank dealing with land use issues. In 2008, he and Solimar joined the Berkeley-based planning consulting firm Design, Community & Environment, which merged with The Planning Center earlier this year to create The Planning Center | DC&E.
Fulton studied at St. Bonaventure University and American University, and holds a master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA.