Listen to this oral history interview with Dena Wild in Orlando, Florida, October 22, 2010.
Ms. Wild was an original member of the City of Orlando Planning Department created by Mayor Bill Frederick in the 1980’s and worked as a planner for our city for over 20 years. Prior to coming to Orlando she worked as City Planner in Boulder, Colorado where she started the city’s Neighborhood Planning Program and Historic Preservation Program. She shares how the grass roots concept of Neighborhood Planning permeated the planning profession and led planners to look at a city from the property and business owners perspective. Ms. Wild dedicated her career to working in the public sector and explains how public and private planners work together to make our communities a better place for people to live and work and play.
In the early 1980’s Mayor Bill Frederick recognized that our city needed a strong planning department, a comprehensive plan, and a new land development code as the current code had not been updated in decades.
Ms. Wild came to Orlando to work on comprehensive planning and developed the City of Orlando’s first Comprehensive Plan. The entire city was rezoned and the positive outcomes can be seen in our city beautiful today.
In the 1990’s Mayor Frederick and Planner Wild realized the need to emphasize vertical planning not just policy planning. As an urban designer in the planning field, Ms. Wild wrote the design code for the area in Orlando called the “Traditional City” and has worked with community leaders on projects such as Edgewater Drive to improve image.
She is now retired from the City of Orlando Planning Department and is working with a professional team to design a community in Negev, Israel.
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Dena Wild, Orlando City Planner
Interview with Dena Wild in Orlando, Florida, October 22, 2010. Ms. Wild was an original member of the City of Orlando Planning...
Interview with Dena Wild in Orlando, Florida, October 22, 2010. Ms. Wild was an original member of the City of Orlando Planning Department created by Mayor Bill Frederick in the 1980's and worked as a planner for our city for over 20 years. Prior to coming to Orlando she worked as City Planner in Boulder, Colorado where she started the city's Neighborhood Planning Program and Historic Preservation Program. She shares how the grass roots concept of Neighborhood Planning permeated the planning profession and led planners to look at
a city from the property and business owners perspective. Ms. Wild dedicated her career to working in the public sector and explains how public and private planners work together to make our communities a better place for people to live and work and play.
In the early 1980's Mayor Bill Frederick recognized that our city needed a strong planning department, a comprehensive plan, and a new land development code as the current code had not been updated in decades.
Ms. Wild came to Orlando to work on comprehensive planning and developed the City of Orlando's first Comprehensive Plan. The entire city was rezoned and the positive outcomes can be seen in our city beautiful today.
In the 1990's Mayor Frederick and Planner Wild realized the need to emphasize vertical planning not just policy planning. As an urban designer in the planning field, Ms. Wild wrote the design code for the area in Orlando called the "Traditional City" and has worked with community leaders on projects such as Edgewater Drive to improve image.
She is now retired from the City of Orlando Planning Department and is working with a professional team to design a community in Negev, Israel.
Dena, WOW! I’m really impressed with all you’ve accomplished. Hope you’re doing well. Gail from Kings Court.