Policy and Governance is our April theme this year. What better way to kick off the topic than the American Planning Association (APA) National Planning Conference (NPC25) which took place in Denver, Colorado, this year.
Good Planning Practice
Good planning practice is key to good public policy and governance, which is essential to building resilient communities. As I’ve written before, strong policies are the backbone of thriving communities, which are strengthened by good government.
I try to get to the National Planning Conference when I can, especially serving as a Board Member of the APA Small Town & Rural Planning (STaR) Division. My first APA conference was at the same Denver Convention Center in 1990, as an undergraduate student along with a group traveling from the University of Illinois. Things have changed a lot in Colorado since I was a graduate student at the University of Colorado!
Last year’s conference was in Minneapolis, where I was on the conference committee back when I worked in Minnesota several years ago.
New APA President Sue Schwartz from Greensboro, North Carolina, opened the conference with an honest appraisal of the difficult times professional planners are having across the United States and offered encouraging words the we are all in this together.
NPC25 program areas include sessions on these topics:
- Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment
- Economic Trends and Transformations
- Emerging and Evolving Technology
- Inclusive Planning for Social Change
- Housing Challenges and Solutions
- Navigating Politics to Advance Planning
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- Upskilling for the Future
Renewable Energy Regulation and Zoning
My firm is doing a lot of work with cities and counties considering land use regulations and zoning for renewable energy facilities–battery energy storage systems (BESS), solar farms, wind farms, that sort of thing. Many of our clients are skeptical of renewable energy, and some even want to ban wind and solar generation. David Morley with the APA moderated a session with Debra Perry of ICMA, and Brian Ross of the Great Plains Institute based in the Twin Cities. Brian was long experience with renewable energy development and regulation, and while the Institute is definitely environmental in bent, I’ve found his recommendations comprehensible and fair. APA and ICMA partnered on a guidebook called Solar @ Scale–a PDF is free to download. There was another session on “Agrivoltaics” which I couldn’t attend since APA scheduled the only two solar sessions at the exact same time.
Another session addressed local planning and electrification in a global economy. These were top-notch speakers, including a representative of the Colorado Energy Office. However, the session took place in the “Hub” trade-show area at the same time as another amplified speaker. The slides were very interesting, including details on the Independent System Operators (ISOs), and some discussion on data centers and other demands on the grid. But I couldn’t hear much of anything they said.
Hazard Mitigation Planning
There were also several sessions on Hazard Mitigation planning, which as with all things Federal is currently in a state of upheaval. Anne Miller with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs as usual did a fine job with the other panelists. In short, as we build into more hazardous areas, we’re going to need to mitigate for more hazards.
One panel emphasized their support for the important role FEMA plays as a partner with States and local jurisdictions. At the same time, the current Federal Administration is turning their back on local communities, putting lives and property in danger. We are all going to have to build local coalitions to assure resilience & preparedness.
Our STaR Reception and my opportunity to speak on hazard mitigation didn’t end up happening, due to one thing and another. It did give me an open slot, though, for more networking and enjoying the company of our STaR members in attendance. Go Team #SmallTownRural!
Sharpening the Saw
There are more opportunities to sharpen the planning saw as NPC25 continues 23-25 April with online sessions. I’m looking forward to three sessions sponsored by AARP on housing. On Friday the 25th, Tom Lampo from Arizona (whom I worked with at Consensus Planning) is moderating a panel on Tribal Community Development, and Lauren Driscoll of Salina, Kansas, is presenting a session “Small Town Planners do Housing and Find Success” (also sponsored by AARP). Many of the conference sessions were recorded and will be available online to APA members and conference attendees.
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy brought speakers to several sessions and had a double booth full of publications. Many are available in PDF format on their website, in English and Spanish. The Lincoln Institute has also participated with APA in the annual Trend Reports, which are so chock full of topics I haven’t found time to write about them yet this year.
The Western Planner organization was present and promoting this year’s joint conference at Bend, Oregon, 15-17 October 2025. Next year’s national planning conference is in Detroit. Western Planner will hold a special Spring 2026 Western Matters Rural Summit at Durango and then hold their joint conference just up US Highway 81 in downtown, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 25-28 August 2026. See you in Michigan, maybe back in Colorado, and most certainly South Dakota.
Looking for more insights on policy and governance in the context of rural planning? Explore our recommended resources on sustainable land-use strategies:
➡ The Best Books for Rural Development and Planning in 2025
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