Projects and News
Planning Commission Appoints Youngest Chair
Local Urban Planner Appointed as Chair of the National City Planning Commission
National City, CA, December 14, 2014– The National City Planning Commission has appointed Marcus Bush as Chair in a unanimous decision Monday evening. At 26 years old, the appointment makes Marcus the youngest to serve as Planning Commission Chair in National City, and one of the youngest Chairs in the County.
Marcus was also recently hired as a Community Planner by Mooney Planning Collaborative (MPC), a consulting firm with an established history of master planning and environmental studies throughout the San Diego region.
“Marcus is an outstanding addition to the MPC team and his ability to communicate and analyze complex urban issues in ethnically diverse communities has added a new dimension to our firm,” said Brian F. Mooney, Managing Principal of MPC.
Born to an African American father and Mexican American mother, Marcus was raised in National City and graduated from Sweetwater High School in 2006. He took part in the inaugural class of the Compact for Success, a ground-breaking partnership between San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD). The award-winning program guarantees SDSU admission to SUHSD students who meet certain academic benchmarks.
After getting accepted to SDSU through the Compact for Success, Marcus went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in City Planning and Spanish from SDSU. He later interned at Community Housing Works, the National City Planning Department, and the San Diego Association of Governments before being appointed to the Planning Commission by the National City Council in 2013. In addition, Marcus serves on the National City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and is a member of the San Diego American Planning Association (APA) and Urban Land Institute San Diego-Tijuana.
Announcing Completion of the County of Imperial Draft Renewable Energy Element and Ordinance
Mooney Planning is pleased to announce the completion of the County of Imperial Draft Renewable Energy Element and Ordinance and the associated Draft Program Environmental Impact Report. These documents should be released for public review in early January. Both the General Plan Renewable Energy Element and associated implementing Ordinances are the result of over a years study and will serve as implementing programs for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. The Element and Ordinance are recommending a series of goals and objectives to sight new large scale renewable energy projects in the Imperial Valley while protecting sensitive natural and cultural resources. The effort was funded with a grant from the California Energy Commission.
Award of Honor from the California Chapter of the American Planning Association, Planner Emeritus Network
In September 2014, Brian Mooney was given the Award of Honor from the California Chapter of the American Planning Association, Planner Emeritus Network. The Chapter presents the award annually in recognition to planners outstanding lifetime contribution to professional planning in California.
County of Imperial Renewable Energy and Transmission Element Update, County of Imperial, California.
Brian Mooney is the Project Director for the 2014 update to the County of Imperial General Plan Geothermal/Alternative Energy Transmission Element. This element is being updated to include significant changes created by proposals to produce and transmit energy from renewable energy sources including solar, wind and agricultural byproducts. Innovative concepts such as the coordination of energy transmission corridors as well as the concentration of energy intensive land uses adjacent to the energy producing sites. Special focus has been on incorporating the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan concepts. The program has included extensive public outreach and the development of a County wide Environmental Baseline Report. The proposed Element update will also include implementing Ordinances for the siting of renewable energy projects. In addition, the previously outdated mapping of the location and capacity of existing and proposed transmission corridors is being updated.