Orion Planning + Design (OPD) is a multi-disciplined firm specializing in the planning and design of communities of lasting value. The firm consists of leading planners and designers from across the United States, with a project footprint spanning from Hawaii to Georgia. In order to provide the best service to our clients, we recently added engineering to the mix which will add a new dimension to our practice. Together our team has a breadth of experience in the private and public sectors, bringing together our common philosophy in best practice to help communities succeed through thoughtful planning, innovative design, progressive engineering, and active implementation of a collective vision.
We believe in collaborative planning processes and place-based, context-sensitive solutions. We believe in a strong team environment and a locally driven process for planning, design, and code development. We believe in building and maintaining strong working relationships with staff, committees, and the public, and using their expertise and local knowledge to guide our process. And we believe in implementation, understanding the role of a plan and its relationship to the regulatory framework that follows.
Jackson Street Plaza & Parking Project
Dublin, GA
“Vision without execution is hallucination. ”
ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
Orion Planning + Design provides exceptional planning and design services by helping clients articulate and visualize their communities' future. Special care is taken to protect and enhance these communities' unique character and assets in ways that enrich their citizens' lives, grow the economy, and provide a balance between physical, cultural, historical, and economic impacts.
Our ability to work in diverse contexts nationally and our proven track record distinguish Orion Planning + Design from our colleagues. We are passionate about our work and eager to work closely with clients, local officials, and citizens. Creating effective working relationships, community outreach, and consensus-building are key elements of our approach. The assessment of common needs, assets, and opportunities provides the basis by which a community can plan for its future growth and ensure it occurs in an environmentally sensitive, culturally responsive, economically sustainable way. Our services are always timely and professional, and our processes are tailored to be visionary, practical, and appropriate for each client.
MOVING COMMUNITIES FORWARD…ONE AT A TIME.
a few of OUR CURRENT PROJECTS.
Maui County Title 19 Zoning Code Rewrite, Maui County, Hawaii
Short Fork Farms Agricultural Conservation Community Hernando, Mississippi
Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance Update Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Pascagoula Downtown Redevelopment Plan, Pascagoula, Mississippi
Lewis and Clark County Subdivision Regulations Helena, Montana
Hawaii County Zoning and Subdivision Code Audit and Update Hawaii County, Hawaii
Paisley Park Master Plan & Entitlements, Missoula, Montana
Madison on Track 2045 Comprehensive Plan Madison, Alabama
RECENT projects
comprehensive planning
Envision Daphne 2042 Comprehensive Plan Daphne, AL
Butte-Silver Bow County Comprehensive Plan
Butte-Silver Bow County, MTWhitefish Transportation Plan (Bike and Pedestrian Elements) Whitefish, MT
Twin Falls County Comprehensive Plan: Vision 2020 Twin Falls County, ID
New Albany Next Comprehensive Plan
New Albany, MSGrow West Memphis Comprehensive Plan
West Memphis, ARSheridan Land Use Plan
Sheridan, WYOur Town Belmont Comprehensive Plan
Belmont, NC
zoning & development codes
Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance Audit Chapel Hill, NC
Aloha District Urban Design Guidelines and Town Center Form-based Code
Diamondhead, MSMaui County T19 Zoning Code Audit Maui County, HI
Missoula County Code Audit & Update
Missoula County, MTState of Montana Model Subdivision Regulations
MontanaLanai Mixed-use District Code Recommendations
Lanai, HIHelena Downtown Form-based Code
Helena, MTHastings Sign Code Amendment Hastings, NE
master planning / site design
Riverfront Trails Master Plan and Entitlements Missoula, MT
Tributary II Residential Master Plan
Tupelo, MSPass Christian Urban Renewal Plan
Pass Christian, MSEnvision/Connect - Mississippi Main Street Communities throughout MS
Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
Greenwood, MSJackson Street Plaza & Parking Master Plan
Dublin, GAWestside Master Plan
Madison, ALDowntown Master Plan
Manchester, VT
MEET OUR Team
ALLISON MOUCH, AICP
PARTNER
Allison has eighteen years of professional planning and design experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Her areas of specialization include comprehensive plans, public engagement, code development, project management, mapping, and analysis, with a focus on collaboration as a means of achieving positive outcomes. Allison has wide-ranging experience working with private developers and public clients on forward-thinking land use and design solutions, fostering meaningful partnerships that result in sound policy and planning decisions.
BOB BARBER, FAICP
FOUNDING PARTNER
Bob has over 30 years of experience in planning and community development at the regional, county, and municipal levels including substantial practice with private sector development. He has served as a teacher and mentor at the university level, as an advocate for disadvantaged and minority communities in both professional and private life, created successful private/public partnerships for redevelopment, and successfully implemented nationally recognized and award-winning place-making principles.
OLIVER SEABOLT
PARTNER
Oliver has more than 20 years of combined experience in landscape architecture, urban design, and real estate. He has extensive experience in the design, management, and implementation of complex domestic and international projects of varying scales. Working closely with both public and private entities, he has successfully led planning, design, and real estate development projects throughout his career. His unique multi-disciplined skill set is instrumental in providing innovative and implementable solutions for challenging projects.
BERT KUYRKENDALL, PE, AICP
PARTNER
Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bert has developed a career helping towns and cities become more sustainable, livable and just places through public sector roles such as City Transportation Engineer for Chattanooga, TN, Transportation Design Manager for Birmingham, AL, and City Engineer for Hattiesburg, MS. He has also served as a consultant to counties, towns/cities, and neighborhoods for dozens of transportation system, multimodal network, and complete street implementation projects.
JOHANNA TUTHILL
PLANNER
Johanna is a young professional in the field of planning and community development field. She has over 3 years of experience working in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Her areas of specialization include environmentally sustainable development, equitable community building, food sovereignty, and GIS analysis of community resources. Johanna has been involved in non-profit research in and around the Chicagoland region that has helped communities further develop food sovereignty through urban farm initiatives and geographic analysis. During her work with the city of Ashland, Oregon, she was involved in all stages of municipal planning, working closely with community members, zoning codes, and permitting processes. Johanna is passionate about finding new and innovative methods to create environmental, social, and economic sustainability through land use planning and design.
LILA OSBORN PLANNER
Lila is a planning and community development specialist with 3 years of experience working in the public and non-profit sectors. Her research and career has focused on policy management, public engagement, community development, floodplain management, historic preservation, and urban food systems. In her role as Senior Planner for Butte-Silver Bow, MT, Lila was involved in all areas of municipal planning. She is experienced working with various public agencies, private groups and developers, non-profit entities, and citizens to solve problems and develop long-range planning initiatives. She believes a place-based approach to planning and urban design is imperative for creating sustainable, equitable, healthy communities.
CAROL RHEA, FAICP
FOUNDING PARTNER AND ADVISOR
Founding partner, colleague, and friend Carol Rhea has recently decided to retire from her practice with Orion Planning + Design. Carol began her transition toward retirement in the fall of 2022 and concluded in late August of this year. Carol served as managing partner from the firm’s founding in 2011 through 2020, and her role in establishing the success of Orion Planning + Design is incalculable. Her career achievements are many and she has served above and beyond in every aspect of her life and profession.
Carol Rhea has embodied the values of inclusiveness and participation as she used her passion for building capacity, promoting good government, and fostering volunteerism to make a difference throughout her career. Through her consulting practice, Carol was instrumental in the adoption of plans and ordinances in numerous towns and counties that shaped their futures and changed their destinies, and she has been a tireless advocate of planners in service to local government. As a leader in the profession, Carol is a Past President of the American Planning Association, during which time she successfully advocated synchronized election cycles and a consolidated ballot to improve service to members. She was inducted as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2014 and continues to serve the profession as a volunteer and advocate in her retirement. Please join us in expressing appreciation for her tireless work and exemplary career as she shifts her focus towards new horizons!