2015

 

APA-SCD WEBINAR #5

“APA SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES DIVISION – DIVISION OVERVIEW AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES”

December 14, 2015

Speakers:

  • Scott D. Turner, PE, AICP, LEED AP ND – SCD Chair; Director of Planning, Nitsch Engineering

  • Jenny Koch, AICP – SCD Secretary-Treasurer; Associate Planner, Rhodeside & Harwell

Curious about what SCD does, and how you can be more involved? Check out this webinar to learn about ongoing and upcoming Sustainable Communities Division activities. Division Chair Scott Turner and Secretary-Treasurer Jenny Koch provide an overview of Division efforts, discuss volunteer opportunities, and answer questions!

APA-SCD WEBINAR #4

“SMART CITIES AND DECISION-MAKING: THE ART OF BUILDING A BETTER HAYSTACK WITH DATA”

October 23, 2015

Speakers:

  • Rob Kerns, AICP – Development Division Chief, City of Alexandria (and former Chair of SCD)

  • Nick Bowden – Chief Engagement Officer, mySidewalk by MindMixer

  • Fred Merrill, FAICP – Principal, Sasaki

  • Ken Goulding – Principal, Sasaki

Cities are built by decisions. Great cities are built by great decision makers. As people who plan, manage and shape the cities we live in, it is vital that we consider where our decisions come from, and what they’re made of. If you think of public data like a building material, the quality of information used to make a decision is reflected in how that decision affects quality of life. With an exponentially-increasing ability to capture data, the excitement swirling around smart cities and open civic data sources has grown to gold rush levels. But, there’s a problem: Turning all that great information into actionable insights takes time and resources that aren’t always available. In this webinar, Nick Bowden, from mySidewalk by MindMixer, and Fred Merril, member of the Sasaki leadership team, with the help of research, case studies and experience, will explore the changing trends in technology, the art of layering community feedback with quantifiable data to tell a story and, most importantly, how to use data to make better, impactful decisions for the future of your community. Joining Nick and Fred will be Rob Kerns, former Chair of the APA Sustainable Communities Division, who will discuss the APA Smart Cities and Sustainability Initiative. The Initiative, collaboration between the Sustainable Communities, Technology, and Transportation Planning Divisions of APA, acknowledges the critical need for planners to understand evolving technologies and innovations and incorporate them into the field in ways that lead to smarter, more sustainable, and more resilient cities.

APA-SCD WEBINAR #3

“BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED FOR SUSTAINABLE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING”

August 21, 2015

Speakers:

  • David Rouse, APA Managing Director of Research and Advisory Services

  • Patrice Carroll, Senior Planner, City of Seattle

  • Matthew Dugan, Development Services Process Coordinator, City of Austin

This webinar will discuss the central role of comprehensive plans in creating sustainable communities and share a set of best practices and experiences with planning at the local level. Drawing from APA’s recent PAS report, “Sustaining Places: Best Practices for Comprehensive Plans,” David Rouse, Managing Director of Research and Advisory Services with APA, will discuss the four years of research that led to this latest publication. He will also give an overview of the report, which defines the comprehensive plan standards for sustaining places, provides a collection of best practices, presents a process for applying the standards, and explores trends affecting the practice of comprehensive planning. Joining David are Patrice Carroll, Senior Planner for the City of Seattle, and Matthew Dugan, Development Services Process Coordinator for the City of Austin. As representatives from communities who helped to develop and test the Sustaining Places comprehensive plan standards and scoring system, they will share their experiences and lessons learned.

APA-SCD WEBINAR #2

“SMART GROWTH AND RESILIENCE IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES”

May 20, 2015

Speakers:

  • Susan Fox – Project Manager and Training Specialist,  Baldwin Group at NOAA

  • Gavin Smith – Associate Research Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of City and Regional Planning; Executive Director, UNC Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters; Executive Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Coastal Hazards Center of Excellence

  • Wendy Goodfriend – Senior Planner, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission

Coastal and waterfront communities are challenged to create environmentally and economically sustainable neighborhoods while minimizing risks from natural hazards. How can planning for smart growth and hazard resilience provide mutual benefits? Representatives from NOAA, as well as local partners, will discuss projects, tools, and resources related to the task of planning for both resilience and smart growth in coastal and waterfront communities.

APA-SCD WEBINAR #1

“COLLABORATING FOR SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING”

March 26, 2015

Speakers:

  • Joanna Nadeau – Director of Community Programs, Audubon International

  • Sheila Rose – Director, Department of Sustainable Development, Coconut Creek, FL

  • Linda Whitman – Senior Planner, Coconut Creek, FL

  • Sal Celona – Chair, Sustainability Community Alliance, Rio Verde, AZ

Communities of all types and sizes are interested in increasing the sustainability of their plans and practices. In this free webinar, sponsored by APA’s Sustainable Communities Division, representatives from Rio Verde, Arizona, and Coconut Creek, Florida, will discuss lessons learned from working with their communities to address all aspects of sustainability (from a healthier environment to a better quality of life to economic stability and growth) through participation in Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program.