2022 Western Planner Conference - Overview
by Dan Pava, FAICP
The North Dakota Planning Association , South Dakota Planners Association, and Western Planner completed a successful conference September 13-16, in Bismarck. Delayed for two years because of the pandemic, the conference drew about 160 people to North Dakota's capital city. One third of those who attended came from outside the Dakotas, from other Western Planner states. The Radisson Hotel situated downtown provided a suitable venue and good location that afforded walkable streets and a variety of places to eat. The nearly 40 sessions and several mobile workshops were organized into three concurrent themes: Piers & Posts - Honoring plans as the foundation of the planning profession; Cables & Decks - Respecting the tools and methods that support action in the planning profession; and Span - Making the connections between different perspectives to cross limitations in planning efforts. These themes were based upon the fact that Bismarck and Mandan sit astride the mighty Missouri River which and are joined by a number of major bridges.
A training session for planning commissioners was held before the conference started. The Western Planner Board meeting was also held prior to the conference. We passed revised bylaws that allow at-large members to vote and be counted as the quorum for conducting business. We also approved our new strategic plan culminating efforts during the past year to set new targets and the means to accomplish them.
The Opening Keynote Lunch speaker was Hazel Borys of Placemakers, LLC. Her talk titled "Spongy Cities and Towns: We are our water's keeper", focused on water infrastructure (drainage, streams, supply) as a means of creating valuable and usable spaces in our cities and towns. The second day plenary featured Jim Kumon of Electric Housing (and Strong Towns) who talked about "Cultivating an Ecosystem Built for Implementation", and he explained how appropriate infill density with good design raises tax revenues and pays its way. He contrasted this approach to conventional low density development patterns that have created sprawl and are subsidized in a variety of obvious and hidden ways.
I attended sessions when I wasn't lending a hand at the registration desk or taking a walk to see the 18-story art-deco state capitol building. The most unusual session for me was "Innovative New Approaches in Cemetery Planning" presented by landscape architects who undertake this specialized niche. Former Western Planner president Matt Ashby and his firm, Ayers & Associates, led a panel called, "How to Think Like a developer - Getting the Most from Public/Private Partnerships." In this overview of successful development projects and financing fundamentals, he reminded us that 'investment follows vision' and that 'developers are like water - following the path of least resistance." Of note, the Wyoming vs the World Softball Game was forfeited this year, and in its place there was a corn hole tournament during the annual awards barbeque dinner, held at a lovely local city park.
Please contact me should you have any questions about the conference. And remember that the Western Planner Conference next year will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, details forthcoming.
About the Author
Dan Pava, FAICP is a recently retired from public planning as environmental planner for Los Alamos National Laboratories. He is the past president of Western Planning Resources. He has practiced environmental planning primarily in New Mexico, Oregon and California over his 35 year career. Prior to serving on the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, Pava was on the Planning Commission and the Santa Fe Railyard Development Review Committee. He currently is principle for the consulting firm Planning Solutions.