Janet Tharp, Associate
Janet Tharp is a planning consultant specializing in comprehensive and special district planning, best practices research, customized zoning ordinances and development support. Over the past 25 years she has worked in both the public and private sectors, which has enabled her to understand the individual needs of her clients and develop practical and innovative plans. Janet is especially interested and experienced in going beyond the initial planning stage and developing plans that have strong and immediate implementation mechanisms.

In the public sector, Janet served as the Assistant Director of Planning in Dallas and Arlington, Texas. In these executive positions she was responsible for managing all aspects of the planning office, including budgeting, project management, and current, long range, and special district planning. In Dallas, she was responsible for rezoning all properties in the city to new zoning districts and for the development and adoption of Dallas' ForwardDallas! Comprehensive Plan. She also headed the team that rewrote the Arlington, Texas zoning ordinance and then rezoned the city.

Janet's private sector experience has included preparing zoning codes and districts, comprehensive plans, neighborhood plans, economic development plans, special districts and development research for clients in diverse areas ranging from Texas, Nevada, Oregon and Alaska.

Her clients have included municipalities, regional organizations, airports, nonprofit organizations and developers. Private sector projects have included developing new zoning and subdivision ordinances for Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada as well as for several cities in Texas. She also worked on comprehensive plans for a number of Texas cities and an economic development program for an Alaska Native regional organization. She prepared and implemented ordinance updates to accommodate changing cellular technology for cities across North Texas and worked on several transit-oriented development initiatives.

While bringing a wide range of experience to the projects in which she is involved, Janet believes that planning must be based on local values and traditions. She seeks to understand diverse community guiding principles and viewpoints and incorporate them into her planning work. Having managed large consultant contracts, both as a client and as a consultant, strong project management and communication are key skills she brings to her work. Janet has served in leadership roles in regional and state planning groups, she has served twice on Dallas' Landmark Preservation Commission, and is an active volunteer in numerous nonprofit organizations.