MURP Alumna Helena Parola Appointed Director of Jacksonville Planning and Development Department
Helena Parola (MURP ‘97) has been appointed director of the City of Jacksonville’s Planning and Development Department. The city council unanimously approved her nomination.
Parola has worked at the planning department since 1998, and has served in an interim role since mid-April. She began as an assistant planner for historic preservation and later served as planner, senior planner, and city planner supervisor. She was promoted to top chief of the community planning division in June 2024.
For more information, see below or check out the full release.
From the release:
Mayor Donna Deegan has appointed Helena Atalla Parola to serve as Director of the Planning Department for the City of Jacksonville, effective immediately.
Helena brings more than two decades of experience in the City’s Planning Department to the table. She currently serves as both the Interim Director for the City of Jacksonville’s Planning Department and the Chief of the City of Jacksonville’s Community Planning Division.
As such, Helena’s current responsibilities include acting as a liaison to City departments and commissions; state and regional agencies; and City Council. She is also responsible for the interpretation, management and update of the City’s Comprehensive Plan in accordance with state requirements, text amendments, land use amendments, and Historic Preservation guidelines; and reviewing land use maps and zoning requests for consistency with the 2045 Comprehensive Plan.
Helena also leads ongoing special projects such as the Manatee Protection Plan, Brownfields Program, Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process. She also reviews work in local historic districts and impacts to local landmarks through the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) Process.
In Helena’s new role, she will be responsible for developing and managing all operations of the City’s Planning Department, which includes the Community Planning Division, Current Planning Division, Transportation Planning Division, and the Office of Resilience.
“As Director, I look forward to working more closely with community members, developers and local officials to create a healthier environment through the policy and planning process,” said Helena. “I really love this city, and I want everyone who lives here to be proud to call it home.”
“I am looking forward to Helena continuing her longstanding service as the Director of Planning,” said Mayor Donna Deegan. “She brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of knowledge to the position, both of which will benefit her department, and in turn, our citizens.”