Jeanne Van Orman's planning firm, PLACES, is located in Arlington, Massachusetts. It specializes in visualization, town planning and communicating urban design and Smart Growth concepts to the public. The name, PLACES, derives from the premise that planning's first step should be understanding the local context.

Jeanne Van Orman, AICP, is the principal of PLACES and has been a planning consultant since 1987. Jeanne has a strong background in conservation and preservation, something that gives her a special sensibility to planning and development. As a former selectman in Easton, Mass., Jeanne has extensive, firsthand experience in taking complex land use issues and explaining them to the public. Jeanne currently serves on the Conservation Commission of Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

In 2004, PLACES launched a visualization tool called CHARISMA™ (Character is Massachusetts.) Its' unique design utilizes photographs and art to convey the quality of neighborhoods and towns to their citizens and planners. CHARISMA™ includes panoramic movies of town sites and links to aerial views, photographs and text and includes Smart Growth concepts. For more information, please email or call Places at 781-643-0202.

Detail of painting by James Coe ©2002