This episode of Simple Civics: Greenville County is brought to you by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, providing free books to children zero to five throughout Greenville County. To sign up, visit greenvillefirststeps.org/freebooks.
Have you ever driven past a newly cleared plot of land and wondered, "What's going to be built there?" The decisions that shape our neighborhoods, from new roads to public parks, often happen long before the first sign goes up. This episode breaks down how you, as a resident, can move from being a spectator to an informed participant in your community's future. We explore Upstate Forever's Citizens Planning Academy, a program designed to demystify local government and empower everyday people to make a difference.
Joined by Tre'Dessa Smalls, Upstate Forever's land policy grassroots specialist, and Aja Johnson, a recent graduate of the academy, we tackle the fundamental question: how can you effectively get involved in community planning in Greenville? This conversation is your guide to understanding the complex world of land use, zoning, and development, providing a clear path for a more active role in civic life. Whether you're passionate about preserving green space, advocating for better transportation, or simply want to know how to speak at a city council meeting, this episode provides the tools and inspiration to get started.
In this deep dive, we unravel the core principles of community planning, revealing how it extends beyond buildings and roads to influence the health, safety, and welfare of your community. Tre'Dessa Smalls explains the philosophy that led Upstate Forever to create the Citizens Planning Academy, aiming to provide essential land use planning education for residents. You'll learn why proactive engagement in comprehensive plans and ordinances is more effective than reacting to issues only when they appear in your backyard. We discuss how understanding terms like "zoning," "easements," and "Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)" can transform your ability to advocate for the community you envision.
Graduate Aja Johnson shares her powerful journey from having no prior knowledge to becoming a confident advocate, now serving on the local Human Relations Commission. She details her "aha" moments during the program and explains why the Citizens Planning Academy was instrumental in her learning how to get involved in local government. We also cover the specifics of the upcoming Winter 2026 academy, including the curriculum, what to expect from sessions on multimodal transportation and equity in planning, and a hands-on walk audit. This summary highlights how the program equips graduates with the confidence and knowledge needed to engage with city and county councils, commissions, and fellow residents to shape the future of community planning in Greenville.
About Our Guests:
Tre'Dessa Smalls is the Land Policy Grassroots Specialist at Upstate Forever. She details the mission behind the Citizens Planning Academy, breaking down how the program demystifies the planning process and provides residents with the tools to become confident, informed advocates for their communities.
Aja Johnson is a passionate community advocate and a recent graduate of the Citizens Planning Academy. She shares her firsthand experience, discussing how the program gave her the knowledge and confidence to go from an interested resident to an appointed member of the Greenville County Human Relations Commission.
Episode Resources:
Apply for the Citizens Planning Academy (Applications close Jan 14, 2026)
Questions for Tre'Dessa Smalls? Email: tsmalls@upstateforever.org
Learn About Serving on a Board or Commission (Simple Civics Episode)
Introduction
Katy Smith: Most of us drive on our roads, use public services, and watch new buildings go up in our neighborhoods, often without fully understanding the intricate planning decisions that shape our daily lives, much less understanding how to get involved and inform those decisions as an everyday community member.
Katy Smith: I'm Katy Smith with Greater Good Greenville, and on this episode of Simple Civics Greenville County, we're taking a deep dive into a program that can help you understand and get involved in local land use planning, Upstate Forever's Citizens Planning Academy. We're joined by Tre'Dessa Smalls, Upstate Forever's land policy grassroots specialist, who will break down the fundamental role of planning and why informed citizens are essential to the process. We'll also welcome Aja Johnson, a recent graduate of the Academy, to discuss her experience and how it has empowered her to serve on a local board and much more.
Katy Smith: In this conversation, you'll hear a primer on what community planning is, moving just beyond buildings and roads to include health, safety, and welfare. You'll hear the philosophy behind the Citizens Planning Academy, the vital why you should get involved, and the excitement surrounding the upcoming Winter 2026 Academy, including dates, what to expect, and how to apply. If you'd like to apply or learn more about planning and zoning, we have links in the show notes for you.
Katy Smith: I'm so pleased to be here today with two women who can really help you understand how to get involved in your community, in your government, and really understand planning through the Citizens Planning Academy. Tre'Dessa Smalls with Upstate Forever, thanks so much for joining us.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Thank you for having me.
Katy Smith: And Aja Johnson, graduate of Citizens Planning Academy, we appreciate you too.
Aja Johnson: Absolutely. I'm a fan of Simple Civics. I listen to all your podcasts. I'm very proud of you. Thank you for having us today.
Katy Smith: That makes me proud that you're proud of us and that it's been a tool for you. Let's make this an episode that's a tool for others to get involved the same way that you have. Before we talk about the Citizens Planning Academy and why it's needed, we should first establish what planning is when it comes to government and land use. Can you give us an overview, Tre'Dessa?
Understanding the Fundamentals of Community and Land Use Planning
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Of course. Have you ever wondered how things get built in our communities, how it's decided to use land, and how we plan for growth? The role of government is in all of that. That is all planning.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Community planning at its core is about health, safety, and welfare in the community. Local governments regularly engage residents in collaborative efforts to identify needs and set priorities for improving the physical, economic, and social fabric of the community over time. Good planning helps ensure land is developed and used to meet the needs and the goals of the community as a whole. It includes ample and quality places to live, work, and play.
Katy Smith: I love that. I would imagine that a well-planned community is the result, or it should be the result, of a shared vision that residents have. Is that right?
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Yes. As you said, a well-planned community creates a shared vision and implements strategies to provide residents with a wide range of housing choices, employment opportunities, and cultural and recreational amenities, as well as a convenient access to goods and services for daily living.
Katy Smith: When I think about planning, I'm picturing people writing on flip charts or maps or something, but it's more than that, right?
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Yes, it's way more than that. It includes regulations like zoning and land development and doing their part to help achieve community goals.
Katy Smith: That's great. That is a lot. And it to me comes down to I drive by and I say, "What's about to happen there? What did they clear land for? Why is there a sign?" All the backstory is in what you said, and all of the ramifications of it are in what you said as well. I feel what you just shared answers this question, but tell us specifically, why did Upstate Forever create the Citizens Planning Academy?
The Mission Behind the Citizens Planning Academy
Tre'Dessa Smalls: The idea of the Citizens Planning Academy developed because many jurisdictions did academies like police academies or fire department academies and those types of things. We realized that citizens really had an interest in what was going on with planning in their community, but a lot of them didn't understand the planning part or the land use part. So we thought that it would be a great idea to do a Citizens Planning Academy.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: We wanted to demystify local land use planning for the public to let them know we all play a part in planning. There's a place for residents to have a voice in the planning process, from input on comprehensive plans, a unified development ordinance, or speaking in front of council or a planning commission. We wanted to create the academy that not only educates the public but empowers and inspires them to get involved and to take action.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: People tend to engage when there are some big issues in their backyard, but we want them to know that you can engage at any time, not just when something big is happening in your backyard. And we want them to stay engaged. That's really what birthed the Citizens Planning Academy.
Katy Smith: I love that. What is interesting is sometimes the thing that is in your backyard that suddenly attracts your attention, the roots of what's possible or not possible happened a year or two or three prior in those plans you talked about. That was the time to have been engaged, which is not to say in the moment that something's proposed, you can't get engaged. You should. But creating that groundwork to make the community that you hope for is in the deep planning process. I'm so glad that you all are connecting those dots for folks.
Katy Smith: Aja, you are a graduate of the program. You're someone who is passionate about your community. I'm curious why you signed up, and maybe it can be an inspiration for people listening to say, "That sounds like me." Tell us your inspiration.
From Attendee to Advocate: A Graduate's Experience
Aja Johnson: Being someone on the ground level who had no prior knowledge on how to get involved, when I saw the advertisement that Tre'Dessa put out to join, it was instrumental for me because I didn't know before how to get involved. You would think that there is a lot of rhetoric and a lot of meetings and opportunities in the city that they post to get involved, but you don't necessarily know how. And I wanted to do so informed.
Aja Johnson: I joined the Citizens Planning Academy to get the information on what goes on in the city and how it is happening, instrumentally put together by our leaders, and to get the ground-floor information on how I can be a better advocate. Going from someone that knows no information, trying to invest and educate myself, I wanted to join Citizens Planning Academy to be more informed. And I left with a lot more information than I could ever have wished for.
Aja Johnson: It prepared me not only to advocate at a city or county council level, but how to speak, how to ask the discerning questions, and more importantly, how to connect with those that were also doing a lot of advocacy work so we can all work on one accord.
Katy Smith: That's so exciting. You went in with a goal. What were your biggest ahas or takeaways after participating?
Aja Johnson: Zoning, development, easements, people that plan in our city to protect our beautiful green spaces. One of the things that attracted me to Greenville was how immaculately beautiful and well-kept it was. But there was a plan behind that and how that plan develops. When the gentlemen came to talk about how they zoned everything and protect the green spaces, it really flabbergasted me, for lack of a better word, seeing how it is very planned.
Aja Johnson: It's something that you have to work at. A green space is a green space, but with all the developers that we have—and developers do good things—you also have to protect the greenery that we have. Seeing the formula behind everything was my biggest takeaway.
Aja Johnson: Seeing that people are approachable, they're personable, and with tenacity and by being persistent, you can either advocate, get involved, or speak to someone about a change. I think that was my biggest takeaway—the city's issues that were being presented by the housing authority, that were being presented by city and land development planning. And there were so many people that came out, but having that information and making a plan to connect, connecting with the amazing people that were in the class with us. Everyone had similar concerns and just being more involved.
Aja Johnson: I think that was my key aha moment: advocacy is a full-time job, but there are so many things available, and the way that Greenville makes it available for people to get involved is so easy. It's very, for lack of a better word, easy. They want you to be involved. Our leaders definitely want us to be involved. We have great leaders. And that was my biggest takeaway: it's approachable, it's tangible, it's not just a concept. Citizens Planning Academy gave me the tools to make that concept come to fruition.
Katy Smith: That is really a helpful answer, I think, for folks that are considering applying. You're bringing up the term easements. That is a term that I think a lot of folks hear, but they don't exactly know what it means, how it's used, and there are many different ways it's used. So I hold that while thinking about you talking about advocacy being a full-time job. I do think if you are well-equipped with that back information, like is provided in Citizens Planning Academy, it makes the job less full-time because you see something about an easement and you say, "Oh, I know what that is. I know if I need to plug in or not here." It sounds like an incredible experience.
Aja Johnson: It absolutely was. Coming in not knowing anything, wanting to get involved, they give you the tools that you need. If you want to be a more informed civic citizen, Citizens Planning Academy is for everyday people like me. They give you the tools that you need and they allow you to digest it at your own rate. They answer your questions.
Aja Johnson: The end result is you being an advocate for not only the issues in your neighborhood, but everything that's going on in Greenville. I feel like they did it in a very personable way. It wasn't, "We are just going to make you digest these big pieces of information." No, they break it down. They answer questions. They want you to understand, more importantly, and you can walk away with what your bigger picture is in the advocacy.
Aja Johnson: There's room for everyone, and it's something that everyone should want to get involved in. And Citizens Planning Academy makes that a realistic, tangible item for an everyday rustic person like myself.
Katy Smith: Wow. Tre'Dessa, you must just be beaming at this. Could you have a better endorsement? Congratulations to you and the Upstate Forever team. I'm thinking people who are listening are like, "I'm sold. What do I do?" Maybe you can walk people through specifically what does Citizens Planning Academy look like? What is required of participants?
Inside the Academy: Curriculum, Speakers, and a Hands-On Walk Audit
Tre'Dessa Smalls: What can I expect? Yes. In 2026, we're doing something new. We're doing a winter academy. We've never had a winter academy before. Also, it's our 10th academy. So we're super excited. We're bringing a new energy and a new season, a new day of the week. Everything's a little different, but it's still the core Citizens Planning Academy that's going to teach our participants, get them engaged, and make sure that they feel like they are walking away with something that they didn't know before.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: With Citizens Planning Academy, what you can expect is you have career planners going to be speakers. We have people from the city, people from the county who are going to speak about projects that are going on in the planning departments right now. We have people who are going to talk about multimodal transportation. We have Bike Walk Greenville and some other people who are in transportation.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: And then we're going to have some other speakers who are talking about equity and planning, which usually is one of those really good days where people are like, "Oh, my goodness, I love this," because it's discussion-based and you're watching a video, you're learning a lot, and you have the person who's speaking to you because it's their profession and they understand it, but not just because it's their profession, but because they're passionate about it. Also, we have a panel discussion about development, and a lot of people have some qualms with developers, but you get to see the good, the bad, the ugly—everything about development, and it's no secrets that we're hiding.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: That's what they can expect out of Citizens Planning Academy. This year, it will happen on Thursday, February 5th until Thursday, March 12th. That's six consecutive Thursdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. And then we also have a walk audit that we're adding on Saturday. And it's going to be a 45-minute walk audit. I'm just super excited about what Citizens Planning Academy has to bring this year. And you can come not knowing anything and you're going to leave full. You're going to leave knowing, "I learned something and I can use this." And also you're going to leave with that confidence to use what you learned in your community, whether it's you being an advocate, whether it's you speaking up in your communities, finally going to your community meetings. You're going to learn something from Citizens Planning Academy and you're going to want to put it into action.
Katy Smith: Now, I have not been a graduate of the Citizens Planning Academy, but I have learned so much from you and your colleagues over the last several years. And I can tell listeners that having these things that are there every day made so plain to you, the things that undergird them, is such a great experience. The walk audit that you mentioned. Doing a walk audit, which takes you out literally on the sidewalk or the side of the road if there isn't a sidewalk, to highlight what's missing here or what's present here that makes the pedestrian experience great, it will completely change your perception of your neighborhood. It is an incredible experience.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Yes, I love it. It's really fun having your participants do the walk audit. And then the next week, they're emailing you or calling you like, "Hey, I've seen this in my community." And it's like, "Yeah, now what are you gonna do to get fired?" You're fired up, but what are you gonna do about it now? I think that that's very—that's just that tangible evidence that you can see that "I learned this in Citizens Planning Academy and it translates to what's going on in my community."
Katy Smith: Aja talked about some of the big takeaways that she had in AHA moments. What do you hear from other graduates of the Academy?
The Impact of the Academy: Empowering Residents to Take Action
Tre'Dessa Smalls: I believe the biggest takeaway that I've heard from graduates is knowing how to get involved and feeling like they know enough to be confident to speak up. An example is Aja's cohort. There was the Unified Development Ordinance going on during that cohort. We talked about it during Citizens Planning Academy. A lot of people were like, "I didn't even know this was going on." But then the week after the academy ended, that's when council was voting on it and people got to speak on it. And we had someone from her academy go up there to speak to council. And he was confident and he knew what he was talking about just because of Citizens Planning Academy.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: I think those—and I know he told me, "Before Citizens Planning Academy, I would never have spoken in front of county council." And so I'm like, "Wow, this is really changing lives." And this is really taking these students and making them—not that they weren't capable of doing it before, but it just gives them that push to do it.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: And it's just so beautiful. My biggest takeaway is just seeing students, graduates of the planning academy, being able to be the same. They'll call me and they're like, "Tre'Dessa, I have this going on in my community." And I'm like, "What are you going to do about it?" And they're ready to do something. Or either just the takeaway of them becoming a cohort that is really engaged with each other. The cohort that just passed, their graduates, they just did a Wednesday night dinner together and they all got to talk about what they learned, what they're doing, and how engaged they are. You're forming relationships on top of learning something. The takeaways there are just absolutely amazing.
Katy Smith: That is so great. One thing I want to make sure folks understand is you've heard a lot of references of speaking at county council or city council or getting your neighbors involved. This is a really a positive approach to civic engagement, which is why the cities and the county participate in helping educate. They are glad to have more educated residents who understand how to engage with them successfully. You can take these tools and use them in whatever way you'd like.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Yes, that's like we have two graduates. They are now in a career in planning and they were like, "If it was for Citizens Planning Academy, I would never have taken a career in planning." And then we have some people who are on boards and commissions and things like that, all because of what they learned from Citizens Planning Academy.
Katy Smith: Well, that's a good segue to Aja. Tell us about you and what you have done since Planning Academy to get more involved.
Putting Education into Practice: Serving on a Local Commission
Aja Johnson: Absolutely. I was recently appointed to the Human Relations Commission under Dr. Yvonne Duckett and the amazing commissioners that we have. And it was definitely a learning experience applying and then you have to go before county council to state why you would like to be on a commission. And just gleaning from the knowledge of Dr. Yvonne Duckett and the commissioners and learning first and foremost what we can do to impact the city. But I've recently been appointed by council, so I'm extremely excited for that opportunity.
Aja Johnson: And I have to thank Tre'Dessa for all of her hard work. On top of everything that she's doing, she's also getting her doctorates and she stays very, very busy. And then even going to the Citizens Planning Academy, they have dinner for you. So after a long day, and you might think, "Oh, this doesn't work for me. I have so many things going on," she really goes out of her way to make sure that everyone is provided for. You can eat so that's not on your mind, and you can also enjoy everything that they present to you. You can digest not only great food, but the good information and walk away just knowing that there's room for you at a table for advocacy.
Katy Smith: That's so outstanding. We have had a couple of episodes about applying and serving on a board or commission. It is a great way to serve your community and in local government. So we'll link those in the show notes. I feel like what you're talking about is the perfect example of Simple Civics Greenville County and what we're trying to do. It is the nexus of nonprofits, of everyday residents, of government coming together to make this place something we all believe in and that we made happen. I just love this so much.
Aja Johnson: Get involved and get into the Citizens Planning Academy if you can. But also, to piggyback on getting on a board of commission, getting appointed. There's room for youth. There's room for city council and there's room for county council. There are different boards that you can sit on to advocate for your city. But there are so many wonderful opportunities and there are people that will guide you.
Aja Johnson: If you have questions, please reach out to myself. And then there are so many people there that if you have any questions about applying, when you apply, that you can contact if you have questions. There's so much room and space to get involved with being on a board. And it's something that I highly recommend. You learn so much. You glean so much knowledge. People want you there. They are very personable. You can learn, they will teach you. So you do not have to have a degree. You just have to have a love or what I would say is have a love and compassion for your community and advocacy. Sign up, see which one you would like to sit on, and just go for it.
Katy Smith: Oh my gosh, this is so great, Aja. Thank you so much for sharing this and inspiring people. Okay, well, I'm sold. I hope everyone listening is. So Tre'Dessa, if someone wants to apply, what do they need to do?
How to Apply for the Citizens Planning Academy
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Applications are open until January 14th at five o'clock. Make sure you go and apply. You can check it out on our website, upstateforever.org. If you have any questions, you can email me at tsmalls@upstateforever.org. I'm here to answer any of your questions of Citizens Planning Academy related or maybe anything else for Upstate Forever. But we really hope to see you apply. This is a great opportunity for you to join in a movement. The Citizens Planning Academy is not only just a six-week event, it's really a movement of making sure we are helping produce informed citizens.
Katy Smith: And if someone is listening to this after the application period, or they think, "Oh, this timing's not right," will there be another opportunity?
Tre'Dessa Smalls: This winter 2026 Citizens Planning Academy is the only Academy that will happen in 2026. But if you cannot make that one, you can email me to be put on a wait list for 2027 so I can email you when the applications open that year.
Katy Smith: And there are lots of ways if this round doesn't work for you or you're listening to this after the application period has closed. There are ways for people to still educate themselves. You guys have many, right, Tre'Dessa?
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Yes. On our website, under the Citizens Planning Academy tab, we have all the resources from every past year, Citizens Planning Academy. The slideshows are up there. The resources that our speakers tell our participants about are on there. And also the video they watch for equity and planning is on there. Go and have a ball with the resources.
Katy Smith: I'm sure that people will. Thank you so much for being so generous with those with the availability. And we can put links in the show notes to previous episodes we have done, including with folks from Upstate Forever. So people can get educated through Simple Civics, Greenville County as well. Tre'Dessa, first, thank you so much for making all of this so accessible to the community through the work of Upstate Forever. Thanks so much for being here.
Tre'Dessa Smalls: Of course, of course.
Katy Smith: And Aja, I'm just delighted to have you as a new huge advocate in the community. You've been an advocate, but the tools that you have, as you said, you are out there serving. And thanks for sharing that journey with everybody who's listening and encouraging them to take part as well.
Aja Johnson: Absolutely, because I was once someone that wanted to learn. So anything that I can do to help someone, absolutely. And want to encourage everyone that has the passion for it to get involved. And thank you so much for your podcast. It is so informative. Again, I listen to every episode that you have and I learn every time that you have a podcast. So thank you.
Credits
Simple Civics: Greenville County is Produced by Podcast Studio X.
A Greater Good Greenville project.
