Staff reports continue to be the most common and best way for planners to communicate community legal standards and goals to elected and appointed officials, colleagues, applicants, and citizens. However, these documents often fall flat or are unread or, quite frankly, left unloved sitting on the sidelines. It is time for planners to get in the game. It is time to reclaim the power of the staff report, the power of teaching, communicating, listening, and showcasing planners’ expertise and their love of their communities.

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.

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.

Join the APA Foresight team for the launch of the 2025 Trend Report for Planners and an engaging exploration of the emerging trends and signals shaping the year ahead. Discover the insights planners need to tackle uncertainties and create thriving, resilient communities.

The State of Michigan recognizes that a robust childcare system is an economic development issue. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation recently published a Child Care Readiness Toolkit which guides municipalities to better integrate child care into planning efforts, zoning codes, economic development strategies, and local policies and procedures, to become more child care ready.

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.

The Watershed Conference offers sessions that will increase knowledge and skills, encourage discussions between stakeholders, and foster collaboration on specific issues and potential solutions.

Healthy food walk audits provide a dynamic way to assess the food landscape in neighborhoods, evaluating availability, proximity, routes, and infrastructure needs. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use walk audits to gather data on the built environment’s influence on healthy food access, including identifying gaps in food availability, barriers in transportation routes, infrastructure challenges, and opportunities for growing and value-added production.

NPC25 is your opportunity to connect with fellow students and professionals who share your passion for planning and community development. We've rounded up thousands of experts, thought leaders, and professionals, all coming together in the lively city of Denver.

The Somerset County Bar Association (“SCBA”) is presenting its 4th Annual Land Use Symposium and Basic Course in Land Use Law and Planning on April 26, 2025 at Raritan Valley Community College.