Past Events and Notifications
October Lunch & Learn
This month’s topic was Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It .
Course #9275344 - 1 CM Credit (67 minutes long)
When: Wednesday, October 23, 2024 from 12:00pm-1:10pm
Course Overview
There’s a malaise haunting land use planning—few now question that the system of zoning we inherited has produced cities that are unaffordable, inequitable, segregated, and sprawling. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way: zoning reform is in the air. But why stop at mere reform? As M. Nolan Gray argues in Arbitrary Lines, it’s time for a fundamental rethink of our system of land-use planning. Based on the book, this course explores what zoning is and where it comes from, surveying the costs of our current broken system, and setting out what post-zoning land use planning might look like.
Speaker Information: Nolan Gray is the Research Director for California YIMBY and an expert in urban land-use regulation. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles. Gray previously worked as a planner in New York City, where he worked on the front lines of zoning. Gray is a widely published author, with work appearing in outlets such as The Atlantic, Bloomberg Citylab, and The Guardian. He lives in Los Angeles, California, and is originally from Lexington, Kentucky.
Back to School Bash
The North Central and Midwest Sections hosted their Back to School Bash on September 21st at Harvest Hall in Grapevine.
September Lunch & Learn
September Lunch & Learn - U.S. Housing Policy: What Every Planner Needs to Know
Course Overview – Course #9295638 - 1 CM Credit (59 minutes long)
The United States has experienced a significant rise in income inequality, leading to a widespread housing affordability crisis, with over 50% of households in several major cities being cost-burdened. Planners have an important role in understanding fundamental aspects of U.S. housing policy, particularly in relation to planners’ historic roles and their capacity to identify and remove barriers to the creation of affordable housing. Some of these barriers are regulatory, some are social, while others are economic. Some require monetary solutions, others political. In some cases, the planning process itself, however well-intentioned, may have contributed to the housing crisis. Longstanding assumptions that have divided races and classes of people based on housing typologies and districts have been embedded in many local zoning and development codes. This course will provide introductory information about US housing policy covering the following content: highlights from a Century of US housing policy (land use and residential politics) broken into three subsections: 1860-1900, 1900-1930s, and 1930s-50s; social movements and the evolution of inclusive housing policy in the 60s through 80s; the 10 reasons why housing is unaffordable (covering 90s through today); how communities plan for housing today, US policies that affect housing planning; introduction to affordable housing and who is affected by housing affordability challenges; spotlight on key housing policies used to address housing affordability and availability.
Speaker Information: Jennifer Raitt Jennifer is an Executive Director of the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments, a regional planning agency based in Lowell, MA. She has nearly three decades of housing, community development, and planning experience. A longtime housing advocate and trainer committed to professional growth and development in the field of urban planning, Ms. Raitt has been an adjunct faculty member, guest lecturer, and is a frequent speaker on a range of planning and professional development topics. Ms. Raitt graduated from The New School with a M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Urban Policy and from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.A. in Urban and Documentary Studies. Her most recent publication “Ending Zoning’s Racist Legacy” was the January 2022 issue of Zoning Practice for the American Planning Association.
Planning Challenges: Municipal and Public Utility Districts
An informational seminar regarding Municipal Utility Districts was hosted by the North Central Section on Monday, September 9, 2024 starting at 4:00pm at Freese and Nichols.
August Lunch & Learn - Navigating the Ethical Landscape for AI in Urban Planning
Course #9286311 – 1 CM Credit (66 minutes long)
Course Overview
Concerns about recent developments in AI have prompted some serious conversations at the highest levels of government. Many of the concerns identify ethics and fairness as extreme challenges. So understanding these ethical implications of AI, particularly as they relate to urban planning, is vital to promoting fairness, protecting privacy, ensuring accountability, and enhancing transparency. AI's potential for bias may perpetuate systemic inequalities if unchecked. Also, due to AI's complexity, unintended consequences can arise. Therefore, urban planners need to grasp these ethical aspects to employ AI effectively and responsibly, thereby serving their communities equitably and fairly.
Much of the concern also stems from the relative newness and uncertainty about the future of AI. Some of the main concerns about AI that have been raised include data privacy, inequitable outcomes, transparency, accountability, displacement of jobs, over-reliance on technology, access and inclusion, and environmental impact. Many of these will be addressed in this course. To mitigate these concerns, it's crucial to adopt a responsible and proactive approach toward AI use in urban planning, such as ensuring transparency, privacy, fairness, and accountability, and involving diverse stakeholders in the decision-making process - much like we already strive to do in the planning profession. The objective is to find tools that will improve our abilities to observe, analyze, and make plans that lead to improved quality of life.
Speaker Information: Tom Sanchez
Tom Sanchez is a professor in Texas A&M’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. He teaches courses in the areas of planning analysis methods, cities and technology, and the future of cities. Over the past several years, he's been researching the application of AI to urban planning.
Building Blocks of Prosperity Event and Networking
The North Central and Midwest Sections would like to extend a thank you to our APA Texas Chapter President Kelly Porter, Tanya Brooks, Renee Parker, Brenda Espinoza Patton, and Victor A. Fishman, Ph.D for their insights at last week’s event, Building Blocks of Prosperity.
We would also like to thank our sponsors, Kimley-Horn and Burns & McDonnell for making this event possible. Lastly, thank you to all the planners that came out and attended. We hope to see you at more of our upcoming events!
CM Credit is available for this event. Course #9291866
Planning the Plan: Introduction to the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework
Live virtual lunch and learn
5/15/2024 from Noon-1:00PM
Course # 9289425 – 1 CM Credit/1 Sustainability & Resilience CM Credit
Course Overview
The session introduces the Envision(TM) Sustainable Infrastructure Framework (Envision(TM)), published by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. Envision(TM) is a tool that guides project and community scale planning and design work to enhance social, environmental, and economic outcomes and to enhance resilience.
Envision(TM) sets the standard for what constitutes sustainable infrastructure; it incentivizes higher performance goals beyond minimum requirements; it gives recognition to projects that make significant contributions to sustainability and resilience; and it provides a common language for collaboration and clear communication both internally and externally.
Envision(TM) includes 59 core credits in five categories including Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Resilience. The 59 credits provide guidance on how to enhance human wellbeing, address social justice and equity concerns, improve mobility, foster community development, increase collaboration, implement planning objectives, improve project area economic performance, reduce materials use, reduce energy use, reduce water use, improve sitting decisions, conserve habit, enhance ecosystems services, reduce emissions, and improve resilience.
The session will define sustainability and resilience; describe the contents of the Envision framework; explain how the framework can be used in planning and design to enhance triple bottom line outcomes; describe the optional project verification process; highlight Envision(TM)’s use in Texas; present a short video; and outline next steps.
Speaker Information: Michael Bloom
In the 1990s, Michael helped to investigate and restore environmentally impacted sites and manage industrial and municipal wastewater. In the 2000's he helped manage stormwater pollution and restore surface water quality using Clean Water Act programs and green infrastructure. Since about 2010 he's planned and designed resilient public infrastructure facilities, and assisted communities deliver projects with enhanced economic, social, and environmental (triple bottom line) project outcomes.
He's an expert in the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework (Envision), which is a roadmap for enhancing triple bottom line outcomes for public infrastructure projects. He obtained his Envision Sustainability Professional credential in 2013. In 2016, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) retained him to verify Envision projects. In 2019 he became an Envision Trainer. In 2022 ISI appointed him to their Envision Review Board.
He is a registered professional engineer in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Texas. He recently became a Certified Planner, by the American Institute of Certified Planners.
He works as a member of the West Houston Association’s Sustainable Infrastructure Committee, chairs the Government Affairs Committee of the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and serves on the ASCE Committee on Sustainability.
Lattes and Leadership: Lawrence Agu III, AICP, Assoc. AIA
Chief Planner Lawrence Agu III, AICP, Assoc. AIA joined the North Central Section of the Texas Chapter of APA for a discussion on leadership and an update on the City of Dallas' Forward Dallas plan on Tuesday, July 2, from 8 to 10 a.m. at San Martin Bakery (3120 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX 75204).
CM Course number #9292177.
ForwardDallas is the citywide visionary Plan that establishes guidelines for how public and private land should be used and what the city should look like. Decisions about the use and design of land significantly impact almost every aspect of daily life, including job opportunities, commute times, air quality, and access to healthy food options. This update is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to shape the future of Dallas.
More information about the plan can be found here.
Several ways you to review and/or support the plan are as follows:
- If you live or work in the city of Dallas, submit comments to City Plan Commissioners - Dallas City Plan Commission Comment Submission Form (office.com)
- Attend the next Public meeting on Thursday, July 11. Speakers can provide comment in-person or online. Registration can be found here, starting Fri, July 5: City Plan and Zoning Commission (CPC) Meetings (dallascityhall.com)
Commercial Drone Delivery in North Texas
Congrats to Scholarship Award Recipient, Luis E. Macias Barrientos
Luis E. Macias Barrientos is a Ph.D. student in the University of Texas at Arlington’s Urban Planning and Public Policy program. Luis’ research interests include urban displacement, gentrification, neighborhood sustainability, and informal communities. Raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, and Luis is proud of his community.
Originally from Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, Luis’ parents brought him to the U.S. at the age of three where he lived in the liminal space of undocumented/DACAmented status. Growing up in Oak Cliff, Luis witnessed firsthand many of the problems his community members faced and led him to question how migrant communities can create a sustainable sense of place and security.
His Master’s thesis explores the effects of gentrification on working-class barrios and serves as a theoretical diagnosis of the problems inflicting blighted inner-city communities. The thesis focuses on Oak Cliff as a case study to deploy a decolonial framework to understand how gentrification and the neoliberal city within Texas are inflicted by coloniality. His research specifically highlights the West Oak Cliff Area Plan - from its inception, community response, and perpetuation of displacement in the predominantly Latinx and immigrant Oak Cliff community.
As he continues his education, Luis plans to contribute to the cultivation of alternative planning theories via a multi-disciplinary approach to more sustainable growth patterns for impoverished communities/vulnerable populations undergoing drastic changes like Oak Cliff.
APATX North Central Section Virtual Lunch n' Learn: AI in Planning Practice - Introducing the Planning 2050 Initiative CM #9282150
Friday, January 19, from 12 pm to 1 pm
Course Details
Exciting advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Algorithms, and Geospatial Analytics are revolutionizing our daily planning work! These cutting-edge technologies are being adopted at a slower pace in small towns and communities with historically disadvantaged populations, but planners can change that!
Let's explore innovative solutions for planning with these technologies and bring the benefits to everyone. AI, Algorithms, and Geospatial Analytics may sound complex, but they're quite accessible and can have a huge impact on our communities.
While corporations have been quick to adopt these technologies, the public sector has been slower to catch on, especially in economically disadvantaged areas.
This session will dive into data from school districts facing academic challenges and highlight solutions that go beyond just academics. We'll show you how these technologies can be used to improve the lives of everyone in the community. By bringing together key stakeholders in Community Planning, we can create a brighter future for all. Disadvantaged communities may not have had access to these technologies in the past, but that's no longer the case.
This session will dive into the use AI, Algorithms, and Geospatial Analytics to achieve tangible long-term outcomes and create a culture of purposeful planning for historically disadvantaged communities. It will also introduce the Planning2050 initiative which aims to transform planning practice into a more proactive profession. Let's work together to create a better future for everyone!
Speakers:
Julio Carrillo
Julio Carrillo, AICP, LEED AP ND, is a Senior Planner at Parkhill. Julio co-founded Peru's Green Building Council and has chaired various committees, including Austin's AIA Urban Design Committee (2022) and the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee at the Urban Land Institute of Austin – Texas (2022). Recognized for his urban design practice, Julio was selected as an International Expert in 2021, leading a research team for future city planning in Asia. He is also the Director of Planning Commitment Inc, driving the PLANNING 2050 initiative for positive impacts in Equity, Climate Change, and Resiliency.
Sadra Dehghan
Sadra is an urban designer, planner, and data analyst who specializes in implementation of digital applications for more informed design and decision-making processes. He’s currently a Capital Improvement Program Manager for the City of Austin, where he focuses on Our Future 35 (Austin’s I-35 Cap & Stitch program). Sadra believes the human experience can be improved through the built environment, and he applies his technical expertise – integrating a wide variety of digital practices for geospatial mapping and data analysis – that informs the design of more equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities. He pushes the boundaries of design, applying technologies, such as machine learning for analytics of the built environment, developing web applications for community engagement, and creating dynamic digital plans with the goal of creating healthy and desirable places that enhance the sense of place and community.”
CM Credits – 1 CM Credit
Log your credit by either searching the name of the course or course number #9282150
Contact Kim Dresdner (kim_dresdner@gensler.com) for questions.
CM Cram Session: A Week of Virtual Lunch n' Learns
Monday 12/4: Parking Benefit Districts, course #9225231
Tuesday 12/5: The 21st Century Comprehensive Plan, course #9278654
Wednesday 12/6: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, course #927161
Thursday 12/7: Designing a Wayfinding System, course #9267174
CM Credits (1 CM Credit each). Log your credits by either searching the name of the course or the course number.
Contact Kim Dresdner (Kim_Dresdner@gensler.com) for questions!
AICP EXAM PART I WORKSHOP
Saturday, January 28, 2023
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
University of Texas at Arlington
CAPPA Building Auditorium
Room 204
Hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington, College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
Registration fee: Free of charge
Workshop Presenters:
Richard E. Luedke, AICP, City of Lewisville, APA Texas PDO
Eleana Tuley, AICP, City of Waxahachie, APA Texas North Central Section
Jenny Crosby, AICP, City of Southlake, APA Texas Midwest Section
The AICP Exam Part I Workshop will provide an overview of what to expect from the AICP Exam. We will cover helpful tips on how to study and test taking strategies. The major topic areas of the exam will be outlined and sample test questions will be presented.
To register, please send your name, email address and phone number to:
Richard Luedke, AICP
Texas Chapter Professional Development Officer
rluedke@cityoflewisville.com
(817) 938-4409
AICP EXAM PART II WORKSHOP
The AICP Exam Part II Workshop is conducted by Dr. Jennifer Cowley, FAICP, the nation's leading AICP exam preparation instructor, and Richard Luedke, AICP, Texas Chapter Professional Development Officer (PDO). During this 6-hour workshop, Dr. Cowley and Mr. Luedke will take you on a deep dive on how to approach the questions on the AICP exam and will guide you through the thought process needed to select the correct answers.
Saturday, February 25, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.at UT Arlington; CAPPA Building Auditorium Room 204
Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aicp-exam-part-ii-workshop-tickets-515360506147
Happy Hour at Bishop Arts
TXAPA North Central Section Happy Hour
Thursday, March 23rd at 5:30 pm!
Learn from cross-sector experts about opportunities related to updating zoning in communities across the United States. The webinar will, 1) highlight connections among traditional zoning and land use challenges cities and towns are grappling with today, 2) make the case for updating zoning policies to support health, social equity, climate action, and resilience—with a focus on aligning zoning with community priorities and real estate development objectives, and 3) share promising examples of zoning policy updates from across the United States. This webinar will be co-hosted by Smart Growth America.
CM Opportunity | Ethics in Planning Study Foundations: Planning Outcomes, Practices, and Plagiarism
Tuesday, April 18 at WSP’s Dallas Office (3102 Oak Lawn Ave, Suite 450) at 6:00 p.m. For additional information, please contact Staron Faucher.
Ethics:
The AICP Ethics Committee has had several cases in the past year dealing with plagiarism. Based on the cases, AICP members have had difficulty discerning what is and is not plagiarism is in the planning profession.
Session Description: Putting the AICP Code of Ethics into practice in the development of planning documents and presentations, including planning study outcomes, external impacts, and plagiarism.
Earth Day Service Day at Bexar Street Farm
Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 9AM to 12PM
Bonton Farms (6915 Bexar St, Dallas, TX 75215, USA)!
What will we be doing? Daily farm chores play a crucial role in keeping us on track to produce and sell food for those who need it. During your time on the farm, you can expect to help with the following types of chores:
- Cleaning out dirty chicken coops
- Weeding and watering
- Helping plant new crops
- Adding compost or mulch to crop rows
By signing up for this opportunity, we respectfully ask that you come ready to work and get your hands dirty! We are a real, working farm!
Earth Day Service Day at Bexar Street Farm | VOMO
APATX State Planning Conference 2023
The APATX State Planning Conference attracts not only planners, but participants from diverse professions including engineers, architects, landscape architects, public health professionals, economists, attorneys, and appointed and elected officials. APATX⋆23 is poised to continue the energy and excitement of past conferences and will be held in person November 8-10 in Corpus Christi!
Home - APATX⋆23 State Planning Conference (cvent.com)
#FNT23 Event Rescheduled
Focus North Texas (FNT) is a one-day symposium providing training and continuing education relating to city planning focused in the DFW region. #FNT2023 will be held on Friday, May 12th, 2023, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas. More details to come: https://www.focusnorthtexas.com/
Application Window is OPEN for the 2023 APATX Leadership Academy Cohort
The APATX Leadership Academy is a world-class leadership development experience designed by leadership experts in the American Planning Association Texas Chapter. Join the inaugural cohort of the APATX Leadership Academy to become transformative leaders in the planning profession, your organization, and your community.
The 2023 APATX Leadership Academy Cohort includes leadership training and assessments, seminars by Texas and national experts focused on leadership development, communication and public engagement training and coaching, and much more. The future of planning in communities across Texas requires a well-trained and supported leadership. The APATX Leadership Academy is designed to create a dynamic network of future leaders committed to promoting the planning profession in Texas communities.
The APA Texas Chapter invites you to apply to be part of the of 2023 APATX Leadership Academy Cohort. Applications are due on or before Friday, May 12, 2023.
If you have any questions, please email Fred Lopez, FAICP CTP, APATX Leadership Academy Chair, at fred.lopez@qeceng.com.
Application form: https://texas.planning.org/membership/apatx-leadership-academy/
Community Service at Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Friday, June 9, 2023
6500 Skillman St. Dallas, TX 75231
https://dallasareahabitat.org/
Happy Hour at Windmills Brewery
Happy Hour at Windmills Brewery
Tuesday, May 30th at 5 PM
APATX North Central Section Scholarship Opportunity
The APATX North Central Section scholarship is provided to help promote planning within the North Central Section of the Texas APA Chapter by providing partial funding to students enrolled in a university located within the North Central Section. It is anticipated that one (1) $1,000 student scholarship will be awarded and later recognized at the North Central Section Happy Hour.
APA_TX_North_Central_Scholarship_Application_2023_24.pdf (mcusercontent.com)
AICP Exam Prep Workshop
AICP Exam Part I Workshop Arlington Announcement 7-8-23
Happy Hour at Cidercade Dallas
Happy Hour at Cidercade Dallas
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
2023 Elected and Appointed Officials Workshop
The American Planning Association’s Midwest Section of the Texas Chapter is hosting its Annual Elected and Appointed Officials Workshop on Friday, July 28 at the Grand Hall at NRH Centre from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
This annual training opportunity for City Council members, Planning & Zoning Commissioners, Zoning Board of Adjustment members, and other elected and appointed officials will cover the fundamentals of planning and zoning, planning law, and ethics. An interactive development design review session will also demonstrate some key elements of plats, site plans and zoning changes for decision makers to look for when reviewing agenda items. The event is designed primarily as an introduction to planning and zoning for newer officials, but can also serve as a refresher course for more seasoned officials.
Contact Clayton Comstock at ccomstock@nrhtx.com or (817) 427-6301 if you have any questions.
2023 Elected and Appointed Officials Workshop - Powered by Eventzilla
Virtual Lunch n' Learn
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
We will stream a pre-recorded session over Microsoft Teams from Planetizen. This session is called "Walkable Density: Building Livable, Equitable, and Resilient Communities," taught by David Dixon. David is the Vice President for Stantec’s Urban Places Fellow. He is well known for helping create new, mixed-use urban districts (in both cities and suburbs) and the planning, revitalization, and redevelopment of downtowns.
Course Details
A new density paradigm, described as walkable density, would empower communities to effectively manage the accelerating pace of demographic, economic, environmental, social, and technological change. Walkable density enhances how people experience urban places. Notably, walkable density focuses on density not as a goal in its own right, but as a powerful tool for achieving community goals, such as quality of life improvements, economic opportunities, equity, and retrofitting sprawl, among other benefits.
CM Credits (1 CM Credit)
Log your credits by either searching the name of the course "Walkable Density: Building Livable, Equitable, and Resilient Communities" or course number #9263473.
Contact Eleana Tuley (eleana.tuley@waxahachie.com) for questions!
APATX North Central Section Virtual Lunch n' Learn (google.com)
Virtual Lunch n' Learn
Wednesday, September 13t, 2023
"Transportation Resources And Behaviors Among Older Immigrants And Migrants" taught by Portland State University, Transportation Research and Education Center.
Course Details
This presentation reports findings from a cross-sectional survey of older Vietnamese immigrants in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX metroplex and member of a Hispanic senior center in Hartford, CT. In addition to providing a description of the transportation resources and behavior, we present a method for assessing the geospatial "regular activity spaces" of older adults based on the frequency and locations of routine activities. We also present options for assessing the geospatial burden of providing rides to older adults using "ride-provision activity spaces" of those who provide rides for older adults, which entails the frequency and locations of activities for which rides are given. Finally, we discuss the association of transportation-related factors and the companionships among members of the senior center in Hartford, CT. Implications for this research include land use policy, assessment for and allocation of public assistance for transportation for older adults, and transportation-related programs to address social isolation.
Speakers
Rebecca Mauldin
Stephen Mattingly
Rupal Parekh
CM Credits (1 CM Credit). Log your credits by either searching the name of the course or course number #9271726.
Contact Kim Dresdner (Kim_Dresdner@gensler.com) for questions!
https://events.eventzilla.net/e/virtual-lunch-n-learn-2138616179?preview=1692995267466
Back to School Bash
The North Central and Midwest sections are hosting a 'Back to School Bash' on Friday, September 15th to kick off the new semester. The event will feature Dr. Ivonne Audirac as a guest speaker. Planners of all levels are welcome.
