Greg Collins

Partner

Mr. Collins is the principal in the consulting firm of Collins & Schoettler. This 30-year old public sector planning firm provides a full range of planning services to cities and counties in the San Joaquin Valley.

Greg Collins has over 35 years of experience in the planning field and 20 years of experience in local government. As a former public sector planner for Tulare County, Mr. Collins' positions ranged from environmental coordinator to project planner for two major land use plans: the Rural Valley Lands Plan and the Foothill Growth Management Plan. Both of these plans won national planning awards from the National Association of Counties. While with Tulare County, Mr. Collins was also responsible for preparing numerous environmental impact reports for various projects, including general plan elements, subdivisions, and commercial developments.

As a planning consultant, Mr. Collins has prepared planning reports, environmental impact reports, specific plans, general plan elements and zoning ordinances for cities and counties primarily within the San Joaquin Valley. Mr. Collins has also furnished contract planning services to small cities. Serving as the city planner, responsibilities have ranged from permit processing and ordinance interpretation to the more complex tasks of preparing general plan elements and environmental impact reports and reviewing site plans.

Mr. Collins served on the Visalia City Council and Visalia Redevelopment Agency from 1975 to 1991, presiding over the City of Visalia as it gained a reputation for innovative and progressive planning policies; from 1987 to 1991 he served as mayor and chairman of the Visalia Redevelopment Agency. After a fifteen year hiatus, Mr. Collins was elected to the Visalia City Council in 2005. Because of his planning background, he has chaired or served on committees dealing with land use, housing, redevelopment and circulation.

Education:

Mr. Collins has a B.S. in Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from California State University, Fresno. Mr. Collins also holds a limited service community college teaching credential in the field of ecology. He has taught classes in the field of planning for the U.C. Extension program.

Awards:

• 1988 Distinguished Leadership Award, California Chapter APA

• 1995 Special Recognition Award, Central California Chapter, APA - Kerman General Plan and EIR

• 2005 Comprehensive Planning Award, Central California Chapter APA - Southwest Exeter Specific Plan

Affiliations:

• Council member, City Council of the City of Visalia

• Board Member, Sequoia Riverlands Trust

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