Gloria McPherson Named New City Planner for New Bedford

NEW BEDFORD — Gloria McPherson, an experienced planner, has been named the City Planner for the City of New Bedford.

Ms. McPherson has served in municipal planning in several capacities over the course of her career. Most recently, she served as Town Planner for the Town of Provincetown for the past four years. Before that, she worked as the Planning Director for the City of Concord, N.H., and was a conservation and land use planner for the City of Northampton.

Having managed planning departments in several communities, Ms. McPherson has extensive experience in department operations, planning and housing regulations and resources, current practices and principles of planning, budgeting and capital planning, policy development, and leadership in guiding complex technical projects.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University, and has completed coursework for dual master’s degrees in landscape architecture and regional planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a member of the American Planning Association, the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors, and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions.

“Gloria McPherson has extensive experience in municipal planning, and fills an important role in city government,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “Her leadership and knowledge of city planning, landscape architecture, and planning regulations will be an asset to New Bedford, and we welcome her to the administration.”

“The City is fortunate to get someone with Gloria’s background and experience,” said Patrick Sullivan, Director of Planning, Housing and Community Development. “Her experience in working with several communities, particularly in the field of strategic planning, will be an asset to New Bedford as we pursue accomplishment of our planning and economic development goals. We look forward to having Gloria join our team.”

The City Planner manages and supervises the operations of the planning division, which is responsible for providing sound and unbiased urban planning practices resulting in the implementation of short- and long-term plans and policies to achieve a more livable city. The division administers state and local regulations regarding land use planning and land reuse, transportation planning, and historic preservation. In addition, the planning division oversees the site plan review process for construction projects. The City Planner oversees the division’s staff support to the Planning Board, Historical Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), City Council, and other city departments, boards, and commissions as needed.

--City of New Bedford