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July 15, 2020
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Today's decision from the Trump administration on environmental reviews takes the nation in the wrong direction in the fights against the climate crisis and environmental injustice.
These changes make planners less able to tackle climate change, less able to make our communities resilient, and less able to understand the needs of communities that have long suffered from racial injustices, according to a joint statement from APA and the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
NEPA reviews are an important part of the built environment development process, giving the public — particularly communities of color — a platform to push back against infrastructure projects that would harm their environment and health.
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RESOURCES
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PAS Memo
Doing more with less: Tools for improving planning process and culture
Across the country, both private and public planning agencies are dealing with budgetary restrictions. Planners are now constantly adapting, and now many face the challenge of more work with fewer resources.
In the City of Goodyear, Arizona, the Planning and Zoning Division lost half of its staff due to recession layoffs, but work continued to increase. A "lean" process improvement initiative was launched, allowing staff to cut review times in half even as applications doubled and employee satisfaction improved. In the newest PAS Memo, learn from these processes to tackle workload and budget challenges brought on by COVID-19.
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Member Voices
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"Without emergency funding for essential planning services, communities may not be able to afford planning or engineering staff and will lose the experience, knowledge, and support that are needed to keep our country productive and prosperous."
– Eva Vargas, AICP, Shaker Heights, Ohio
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Video Series
Leading the way to an equitable and long-lasting recovery
Planners are essential to community recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic — how can they lead the way to an equitable, resilient, and long-lasting recovery? Watch the first three videos in the series, Road to Recovery, hosted by APA President Kurt Christiansen, FAICP, with thought leaders from the planning profession, government, and beyond discussing a resilient and equitable recovery.
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Planning First Look
Racism as a public health crisis
More than 20 cities and at least three states are issuing emergency health declarations. But will they effect change?
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Uncovering JAPA
Seven ways to plan a stronger climate change response
In the latest Journal of the American Planning Association, authors argue that current climate action plans are insufficient. Get seven principles to help bolster and fill the gaps in these plans.
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POLICY AND ADVOCACY
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2020 Policy and Advocacy Conference
Save the Date: September 23–24
Bring Capitol Hill to you at the 2020 Policy and Advocacy Conference. This year's digital experience will give attendees the opportunity to drive change with advocacy meetings and in-depth sessions, and through our first all-digital Planner's Day on Capitol Hill. Spots will fill up, so mark your calendar now.
Early bird registration opens July 29.
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WEBINAR
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Housing for Diversity: Ending Segregation Through Zoning
June 30 | 12 p.m. CT
Join our panel of experts for this live webinar as they examine and discuss existing laws and modernizing zoning regulations to accommodate a wide variety of living arrangements. Presented with the Planning and Law Division. CM | 1.5 | Law
Gain insights on:
- Altering zoning codes in response to changing norms of the American family
- Ending historical patterns of segregation
- Drafting choices in preparing and implementing zoning codes
- Understanding federal and state fair housing and nontraditional living regulation laws
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APA NEWS
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Addressing community vulnerabilities and inequalities
Four communities will receive planning assistance to address chronic flooding, climate change impacts and disaster recovery from APA's Community Planning Assistance Team program in a new virtual format. The project work will explore nature-based solutions to help address long-term vulnerabilities and inequalities facing DeSoto, Missouri; Biloxi, Mississippi; Port Arthur, Texas; and Ponce, Puerto Rico. Funding for three of the projects has been provided by the Pisces Foundation.
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Ensure you're receiving APA election emails
To ensure your APA election-specific email arrives safely in your inbox on July 16-17, please add noreply@directvote.net as an approved sender. If you do not receive your election email by July 18, contact support@directvote.net.
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EVENTS
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Have you closed your 2018-19 reporting period?
The 2020–21 CM reporting period started on January 1. If you are still in the 2018–19 reporting period and have met the CM requirements, your CM Log has the option to review and sign off. Please do this as soon as possible to stay on track.
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CM reporting cycles, explained
There are a pair of two-year CM reporting cycles (2019–20 and 2020–21) and every AICP member is in one or the other. To determine which one you're in, visit your CM Log. Need help? Contact a CM customer service associate at AICPCM@planning.org.
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Planner
City of Palos Verdes Estates
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
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Senior Planner
Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners
Port Charlotte, FL
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YOUR MEMBERSHIP
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Send questions or comments about Interact to interact@planning.org.
Interact is a member e-newsletter of the American Planning Association and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Interested in advertising with APA? Contact rbarkin@townsend-group.com to learn more. |
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2020 American Planning Association. All rights reserved.
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