Maxwell Carter is an urban development expert with deep knowledge of long-range planning. At Civic Directive, he consults on complex projects related to land use and infrastructure, working to help create sustainable and inclusive communities. He is also the resident expert in applying geographic information systems (GIS).
Max is currently the City Planner and Development Director of King City, Oregon – where he is overseeing one of the largest urban expansion projects in Oregon. In this role, he has facilitated the dramatic growth of King City, paving the way for thousands of new homes and economic opportunities. These experiences have made Max adept at coordinating with developers, planning commissions, and city councils – guiding public projects through the entire development process, from pre-application to approval.
Max has experience leading capital improvement projects and prides himself on enhancing the communities with which he works. To date, he has garnered over $1,000,000 in award money (through federal and state grants) to fund city-led projects. While coordinating these large investments in public systems, he routinely organizes public outreach efforts to assure outcomes are beneficial to all community members and stakeholders.
Prior to his career in urban planning, he worked at the National Parks Service, where he used GIS to build maps, support land-use planning, and track invasive species. Max enjoyed working in national parks, but he decided he was more interested in supporting government at the local level.
He earned degrees in Geographic Information Systems and Geography from Portland State University.