North Star Planning was founded in 2017 to help communities create and sustain the places that make New England a special place to live, work, and play.

The North Star team has extensive experience in master planning, ordinance development and zoning, community revitalization, land use analysis, natural resources planning, and development review. We work with municipalities, state and county governments, nonprofits, and private developers across the region, from small rural communities to large urban areas.

We excel at meeting the needs of municipalities, public stakeholders, and private companies through consensus-based solutions and an inclusive planning process. We are experts in multimedia communication and using a mix of online and in-person programming to solicit diverse engagement. Our work is centered on ensuring our clients can implement the plans we write through accessible products, specific goals, and measurable results.

Ben Smith, AICP

Founder and Principal

Ben has more than 20 years of experience working with communities, developers, and state and local government. He has managed dozens of comprehensive, downtown, and open space planning projects while always maintaining a focus on developing measurable and specific implementation strategies. With experience as Planning Director in one of the fastest-growing communities in Maine, he is an expert in land use analysis, ordinance and zoning development, and facilitating complex development review projects. Ben is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners through the American Planning Association.

Natasha Kypfer

Senior Planner

Natasha has more than 8 years of municipal planning experience across Montana, New Hampshire, and most recently, with the City of Portland, Maine. She is experienced in comprehensive planning, ordinance development, zoning administration, development review, public engagement, and project management. As a Senior Planner at North Star, Natasha assists communities and clients with a diverse range of land use issues, and strives to serve both people and places with verve. Natasha lives on Munjoy Hill in Portland, with her husband, and loveable feline, Solveij.

Annarosa Whitman

Associate Planner

Annarosa combines her experience in planning from the University of Helsinki with her local knowledge and love for her home state of Maine. Her technical expertise includes quantitative, qualitative, and spatial data collection, analysis, and communication. Her background in sociology and urban studies informs her human centered approach to planning.  

Annarosa also serves on the board of Congress Square Park, in Portland.

Gretchen Barbera

Associate Planner

Gretchen Barbera brings a background in environmental planning, hydrology, and community engagement to her work at North Star. Originally from Maine, her work is grounded in a deep connection to place and a commitment to supporting communities across New England. She has experience in land-use planning, watershed science, and green infrastructure, with a focus on stormwater management, flooding, and community resilience through nature-based solutions. Gretchen integrates hydrologic analysis with inclusive public engagement to help communities plan for climate-driven change, and is currently completing a master’s degree in environmental management at Duke University.