From a friendship and committed passion to do the work we love to do, an idea was born. An engineer and a planner plotted out their mad business plan and began to set the plan in action. Teresa Townsend, AICP, aka “The Planner,” initially started Planning Communities in 2005 as a sole proprietor, a part time venture, while continuing to nationally teach and conduct transportation and community related research. In April 2007, Ann Steedly, PE, aka “The Engineer” joined the firm and Planning Communities, LLC started the path to where we are today. Ms. Townsend, as Chief Executive Officer and Ms. Steedly as Chief Operations Officer are the firm’s principal planners and managing members. In August 2007, David “Super Dave” Palia joined the firm as a Regional Marketing Director in Illinois and the firm expanded its operations to the Midwest.

The firm has grown into a nationally recognized firm for the quality and unique blend of expertise and skills that we bring to our projects and communities. Our team’s core strength is supported by a unique and very dedicated group of individuals located in offices throughout the U.S. in Raleigh, North Carolina (headquarter office), Charlotte, North Carolina, Chicago, Illinois, Orlando, Florida and Seattle, Washington.