News Releases

We are pleased to announce that Mark and Marianne Barnebey have made a generous gift to Florida State University’s Department of Urban & Regional Planning to support the newly renamed “Mark and Marianne Barnebey Planning and Development Lab and Studio” (nicknamed “The Barn”). The lab and studio will provide resources that will allow faculty to continue to provide real-world planning project experience to students and support them as they provide meaningful and impactful guidance to the clients and communities they serve.

The FSU Department of Urban & Regional Planning (DURP) is well-known for the award-winning projects that students that completed. Student projects have received both state and national awards for work that has had a direct impact on the clients and communities they serve. Mark and Marianne’s gift allows the department not only to keep up with other planning schools, but to greatly outpace them with respect to the tools and learning environment FSU offers their students. In turn, this gift will have a multiplier effect across communities throughout Florida and the nation.

“Marianne and I gave the gift to FSU DURP to help the department strengthen its leadership in sound and practical planning application throughout the Southeastern United States,” says Mark Barnebey, who received his Master of Science and Planning and Juris Doctor degrees from Florida State University. “Florida, in particular, is a state of constant change and challenges balancing urban development pressures with property rights of owners. With my service as a local government and land use attorney and my wife having served on city council, we understand the importance of having well educated planners to provide sound advice and quality skills in this field. The planning lab provides a direct connection for the university to assist local governments and developers in creating superior plans and planning tools.

The planning lab and studio provides students with an opportunity to deal directly with local officials, developers, and residents and understand the various goals and concerns that each group may have in preparing planning documents and development plans. For a successful planning effort, it is important for students to appreciate these dynamics and it is our hope the Mark and Marianne Barnebey Planning and Development Lab and Studio will aid in students’ efforts to becoming outstanding planners, developers, or government officials.”

To achieve the Barnebeys’ goal of creating superior products for decision makers, students need an equally superior work space. The high-quality work environment, which the Barnebeys’ gift makes possible, will position students to maximize the synergies afforded by access to the best available communications, computing and planning production technology.

Dr. Tim Chapin, Dean, College of Social Sciences and Public Policy at Florida State University says, “Mark and Marianne’s naming gift to support the Department of Urban & Regional Planning will help take this already strong program to greater heights. The newly named Mark and Marianne Barnebey Planning and Development Lab provides opportunities for students to hone the professional skills, while providing quality project-based work and planning services for communities throughout Florida. FSU is strengthened by the love and support of alumni and friends like Mark and Marianne.”

Mark Barnebey is Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law. He has practiced in land use and local government law for the past thirty (30) years. He has successfully represented clients regarding a wide variety of development projects including multi-use projects, an arena, and a power plant. He served as the senior land use attorney for Manatee County for 13 years and as School Board Attorney or special counsel for another 12 years. He currently serves as City Attorney for the City of Palmetto, and counsel for several special districts and agencies. He also has served as a mediator, special magistrate and hearing officer for various governmental entities on purchasing, land use, and other government aspects.

To learn more about Florida State University’s Department of Urban & Regional Planning, click here.

Reference: FSU DURP