Duluth Planning Director Leaving

Duluth Planning Director Glenn Coyne has accepted a position as executive director of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission in his native Ohio.

His last day as Duluth planning director Friday, Nov. 16, will be observed as Glenn Coyne Day, according to a proclamation expressing appreciation for his service read by Mayor Nancy Harris at the Monday (Nov. 12) Duluth City Council meeting. Coyne was presented a framed copy of the proclamation.

The mayor recognized Coyne for his leadership roles in facilitating the installation of a traffic light at Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Chattahoochee Drive, overseeing improvements to Davenport Road, which led to the city’s receiving a Golden Shoe Award for walkability, and other city initiatives and projects.

“We think we got our money’s worth out of you,” the mayor said, “and we are really sad to see you go.”

Coyne has served as the city’s planning director since July 2010.

Cleveland is the county seat for Cuyahoga, the largest county in Ohio with 59 cities and villages. “This is really a great opportunity to serve a larger area and more cities,” Coyne said. “I was raised in Ohio and still have family there. I left there to go to graduate school at Georgia Tech, and that’s how I ended up staying in the South.” He earned his bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University in Ohio.

Prior to coming to Duluth, Coyne provided planning leadership for the communities of Augusta, Savannah and Columbia County in Georgia and served as a consultant to other local governments in the Southeast.

He previously was employed as a senior associate with AECOM, formerly EDAW, in Atlanta. He owned his own firm Coyne Planning Associates based in Marietta and worked as a senior planner with HDR Inc. in Atlanta.

Coyne also served as executive director of the American Institute of Certified Planners in Washington, DC, and as president of the Georgia Chapter of the American Planning Association in Atlanta.

Coyne said he would miss the close relationships that have developed between himself, Duluth city leaders and staff after spending a lot of time together in meetings and retreats.

The proclamation he was presented read:

Glenn has represented Duluth, effectively leading his Department in the many completed and on-going projects for the betterment of the City and the Citizens of Duluth; and

WHEREAS, Glenn’s expertise, leadership skills, dedication and devotion to his duties as Planning and Development Director has had an invaluable effect on the Planning and  Development Department. We wish to extend to him our sincere appreciation for his outstanding performance of duty; and

WHEREAS, Glenn has earned the admiration and affection of his fellow public servants who are proud to call him “friend;” and

WHEREAS, Glenn will be missed both professionally and personally. We extend our very best wishes for his continued success in his career and all of life’s pursuits;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nancy Harris, Mayor of the City of Duluth, hereby proclaim Friday, November 16, 2012, as Glenn Coyne Day in the City of Duluth.

Mayor Harris told Duluth Patch that the city plans to initiate a national search to fill the planning director position.