Meet Me in the Cafeteria: Reflections from School Food Planning Practitioners

May 2, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA Food Systems Division+Public Schools and Communities Division

Join our virtual cafeteria with the APA Public Schools and Communities Division and APA Food Systems Division to learn more about the intersections between school planning and food systems planning through a panel of school food planning practitioners. Panelists will reflect on their current work, how they arrived at their focus area in this field, challenges ahead, and example projects. They will also reflect on the how and why planners might engage at the intersection of schools and food. This session will also highlight how APA Divisions’ cross-collaboration can open new avenues of opportunity and learning to reach planners’ professional goals. Participants will gain insight into the various roles planners take on at the intersection of food systems and public schools, how school food planning supports jurisdictional priorities, and how planners can create opportunities for thriving public schools and food systems.

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Landscaping Codes to Conserve Water and Reduce Wildfire Risk

May 16, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA HMDR Division

Communities have long used landscaping codes to reduce water consumption, but a few stand-out cities have crafted codes that pair water-wise goals with fire-wise principles. Join experts for an hour-long webinar exploring how these double-duty landscaping codes can reduce fire risk and encourage water conservation in your community.

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Multi-Modal Transportation Impact Studies

June 5, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET **THURSDAY!**

Guest Host: APA Private Practice Division + Transportation Planning Division

The session will focus on preparing and reviewing multimodal transportation impact assessments rather than just preparing a traffic impact study. A review of the recently updated Institute of Transportation Engineering (ITE) Recommended Practice on Preparing and Review of Multimodal Transportation Impact Assessments will explain the benefits. Speakers from cities that have developed and applied a new multimodal process will explain their process and the lessons learned. Dan Hardy, the Chair of ITE’s Committee, will review its Recommended Practices on Multimodal Transportation Impact Analyses for site development. Melissa Hayes, the Project Manager for the City of Nashville, will describe how the city replaced traffic impact studies with multimodal guidelines. Nashville applied ITE’s recommended practices along with examples from Austin, Seattle, San Jose, and Washington, D.C. Melissa and dan’s work will be discussed to show the positive impact on not only Nashville, but other communities.

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Who Owns America: A nationwide dataset for Planning

June 20, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA Water and Planning Network

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Cash for Grass: Nevada’s Plan for a Sustainable Future

January 10, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA Nevada Chapter

The Colorado River is a critical need for more than 40 million residents in small towns, major metros, and tribal communities, as well as millions of acres of farmland across its vast Basin. Since 2000, when the drought of the American West began and has continued due to climate change, most cities and towns in the region have exploded in growth. Las Vegas is no exception – its unique growth and environmental management methods have been recognized across the world. This session will delve into Southern Nevada’s success of crucial conservation strategies and aimed at addressing the drought and ensuring sustainable water management practices in the region. The session will discuss Nevada’s innovative approaches and explore the challenges, opportunities, and potential impact of these solutions on long-term water sustainability in the Silver State and American West as a whole through conservation, pricing, regulation, and education. Additionally, we will examine the importance of partnerships between government, industry, and the community to ensure a reliable water supply for future generations and how Nevada’s plan can be applied in other local communities.

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SCD 4th Annual Climate Symposium

January 23, 2025 | 2:00 - 5:00 PM ET

Guest Host: APA Sustainable Communities Division

Please join us for the fourth annual SCD Symposium (virtual), this year we are focusing on planner’s role in
reducing carbon emissions and helping our communities adapt to a future climate. This year’s symposium will feature a keynote by Brian Ross, Vice President, Renewable Energy and Interim Vice President, Communities at the Great Plains Institute, a panel focusing on carbon reduction strategies and a panel on climate adaptation strategies for planners. More information: https://www.apascd.com/events/2025-symposium

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Introduction to AI & Ethics in County Planning

February 14, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA County Planning Division

This session will introduce planners to the fundamentals of AI, the ethical implications of using AI in local government, and how to assess whether their county and its municipalities are ready to adopt AI. Topics will include the principles we aspire to uphold and specific rules of conduct, particularly as they relate to the adoption and use of technology. Our goal is to reinforce how these principles guide ethical planning and technology use across staff, government, and our communities.

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Beyond the Rainbow Crosswalk: LGBTQ+ Preservation

March 7, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA LGBTQ and Planning Division

Throughout the United States, LGBTQ+ enclaves have provided safe havens for historically marginalized sexual minorities. Yet factors including development pressures, gentrification and continued homophobia threaten these sacred spaces and their associated living heritage. In recent years, many cities have begun to recognize the value of sustaining LGBTQ+ historic and cultural sites within the broader urban fabric. Traditional preservation tools such as historic context statements, city landmarks and cultural resource surveys can ensure such sites are protected. Innovative concepts such as cultural districts can help drive municipal projects. Placemarkers such as commemorative artwork, flags, interpretive signage, and more can further elevate the visibility and identity of queer spaces. However, robust outreach and engagement is critical for community empowerment to ensure planning decisions are ultimately serving the best interests of historically excluded groups. This lively panel discussion will examine tools employed by three different cities, specifically San Francisco, Chicago and Raleigh. Presenters will share success stories of LGBTQ+ preservation, and necessary institutional frameworks to support such efforts. The session will highlight the importance of historic preservation as it relates to broader community stabilization. With lessons learned from this session, attendees can examine opportunities for LGBTQ+ preservation within their own communities.

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Web Skills & Platforms for Planners

April 18, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Guest Host: APA Technology Division

As planners increasingly embrace digital tools, understanding the workings behind the web has become crucial. Just as “Code is the new concrete,” planners who understand the “infrastructure” of websites can more effectively engage with digital platforms to serve their communities. This webinar, Planning Webcast: Web Skills for Planners, will provide an essential foundation in web skills, equipping participants to evaluate, design, deploy, and maintain websites. Participants will gain insights into everything from user-friendly design principles to back-end fundamentals, collaboration with web developers , or key no-code platforms. The session will also highlight web tools like Google Sites, Wix, and AI-driven resources that simplify coding and optimize functionality. With knowledge of these tools, planners can confidently navigate and harness the potential of web technology to enhance their planning efforts. A Q&A will follow. The goal of this webinar is to equip planners with essential web skills and knowledge, enabling them to effectively evaluate, design, deploy, and maintain websites. Participants will also learn how to collaborate with web developers and utilize online tools to enhance their planning efforts through websites.

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