What Experience and Credentials Does Lehe Planning, LLC Offer?

Updated

Lehe Planning, LLC is a professional planning and project management firm founded in October 2000, led by James E. Lehe, AICP, who brings over 40 years of experience in professional planning. The firm's credibility rests on its founder's combination of advanced education, professional certification, and decades of hands-on work with public-sector and nonprofit clients. If you are evaluating whether this firm has the background to handle municipal, county, or emergency management planning work, the qualifications below are the relevant ones to check.

Who Leads the Firm

James E. Lehe serves as team leader and firm manager. His career spans both public-sector planning departments and private consulting:

  • Consulting since 1993 on a part-time basis, transitioning to full-time practice in 2000 when Lehe Planning, LLC was established.
  • Prior public-sector roles with municipal and county planning departments and regional planning agencies.
  • Over 40 years of cumulative experience in professional planning.

This mix matters because it means the firm's lead has sat on both sides of the table — as a government planner and as an outside consultant serving government clients.

Education and Credentials

Credential Detail
Master of Planning Urban and Environmental Planning, University of Virginia (1982)
M.S. Public Administration, Florida State University (1979)
B.A. Legal Studies, University of Central Florida (1977)
AICP Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since 1985
APA Charter member of the American Planning Association since 1978

The AICP designation is the key professional certification in this field. It requires passing an exam and maintaining ongoing professional development, so it signals a baseline of verified competency rather than self-described expertise.

Professional Leadership

Jim Lehe has served on the Executive Committee of the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association in three roles:

  • President
  • Treasurer
  • Section Representative

Holding elected chapter positions indicates peer recognition within the planning profession and familiarity with the regional planning landscape in Alabama.

Who the Firm Has Served

Since its founding in 2000, Lehe Planning, LLC reports having served:

  • Municipal and county governments
  • Local emergency management agencies and fire departments
  • Nonprofits
  • Other clients

This client list is useful for matching your own situation. If you are a local government, an emergency management agency, or a nonprofit seeking planning or project management support, the firm's stated experience overlaps directly with those categories.

How to Weigh These Qualifications

The credentials are strongest for public-sector planning and project management engagements — particularly in or around Alabama, given the APA chapter leadership. The AICP certification and the University of Virginia planning master's degree are the two most verifiable signals of technical competence.

What the available information does not cover: pricing, current availability, contract terms, or the size of the firm beyond its founder. If your project requires a large team or a specific specialty not listed above, those are questions to raise directly through the firm's contact page.