2016 Planner's Day at the Capitol

This is a reminder to register for this year's program at the State Capitol on April 13. Our keynote speaker this year is Antonio Riley, HUD Midwest Administrator from the Chicago, Illinois Region 5 Office. He will speak on the new HUD Prosperity Playbook which is a new toolkit of best practices for addressing affordable housing, housing equity and economic mobility. Several legislators have also confirmed their attendance at this year's program.

Registration fee is $20. Box lunch and social appetizers included. AICP Law Credits applied for. Please register by April 11.
 

2016 APA MN Planning Awards

The Annual APA-Minnesota Chapter Planning Awards offer a great opportunity to recognize outstanding projects and people who have contributed to the planning profession. The awards will be given at the Planners Conference in St. Cloud on September 28-30. The 2016 Conference Awards Committee is excited to introduce a new award category this year – Bridging the Gap:  Advancing Equity in Planning. 

Information on this and other award categories is available on the conference website. Due dates are April 29, 2016 for the planning awards and June 3, 2016 for student projects and scholarships. If you have any questions, contact Melissa Poehlman.
 

APA MN Elections

The nominations for Officers for the Minnesota Chapter of APA opens on April 1, 2016.  The election will be for the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. If you are interested in running for any of these offices, you may contact the administrators for information and for a position description. Also, watch your email and the website for further information.  Nominations will close June 3, 2016.
 

HUD Prosperity Playbook Tour

Earlier this month, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and Adam Duinick, chair of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Council, hosted a regional mayoral roundtable convened by HUD Secretary Julian Castro. The roundtable discussion, which brought together 100 local leaders and community members to discuss housing successes and challenges facing the region, was the second of five meetings on the national Prosperity Playbook tour. The development of HUD’s Prosperity Playbook is intended to be a toolkit of best practices for how to go about advancing intentional policies of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Rule.

For more on this tour, and how we can work together on affordable housing in the Twin Cities, see Andrew Mack’s blog post on the APA MN website.
 

Twins Game Outing

On Thursday, June 16, 2016, APA Minnesota will be going to Target Field to see the Twins battle the New York Yankees. There will be a gathering at the Loop Bar beginning at 5:15 pm. We have tables reserved at the rear of the bar. At the Loop, you can pick up your tickets and have a drink and bite to eat prior to the game. As part of the price, APA Minnesota will spring for several appetizers. The ball park is only 4 or 5 blocks from the Loop Bar.

The event will be held Thursday, June 16, 2016. Gathering at the Loop Bar, 606 Washington Ave N, is at 5:15 pm - first pitch is at 7:10 pm. Cost is $25 (this includes ticket and delicious appetizers at the Loop Bar). We always suggest taking transit but if you drive, you are on your own for parking. Reserve your ticket by emailing Lisa Wittman or calling 763-593-8095. Checks should be made payable (within one week of your reservation) to APA Minnesota and sent to Lisa Wittman, City of Golden Valley, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN 55427.
 

Certified Stormwater Inspector Training

The National Stormwater Center is offering Certified Stormwater Inspector (municipal) training in Minneapolis, MN on May 24-25, 2016. Designed specifically for municipal personnel our course offers training and certification to demonstrate, for the record, that inspectors are qualified. Graduates of the Certified Stormwater Inspector course receive certification for 5 years and continuing education units, and ongoing, unlimited support of the National Stormwater Center. For more information, call Michele at 1-888-397-9414, email, or visit our website. Registration is available on our website for all classes.
 

Design in 7: 7 Stories, 7 Minutes

What can be shared in just seven minutes? Listen in as seven professionals from the fields of architecture, apparel, graphic and interior design, housing, landscape architecture, and retail share thought-provoking, inspiring, and often humorous tales from the design trenches. This event will be held Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at the Coffman Memorial Union Theater. Doors at 6:30 p.m.; Presentations at 7:00 p.m. Reception before and after program with cash bar and complimentary appetizers. Seats are limited - register today.
 

Climate Adaptation Grants Available

The MPCA has issued a Request for Grant Applications which includes a category for Communities Adapting to Climate Change and Extreme Weather. This funding category is described on pages 8-9 in this document, and summarized below. Applications are due on April 13, 2016. For application forms, FAQs, and other information see the “Open Category Grants” category on this web page. All questions of concern, information, clarification, etc., should be submitted via email (with subject line: “EA Open Question”).
 

Parks That Reshape Cities Webinar

Join APA MN to view a webinar from the American Planning Association entitled Parks That Reshape Cities, on Monday, April 4, 2016, 12:30 - 1:45 p.m., at SRF Consulting, One Carlson Parkway North, Suite 150, Minneapolis, MN 55447.

Parks have become an unexpected driver of both tourism and urban transformation. Learn about new approaches to urban parks, from reusing industrial sites to rethinking design and function. Hear about unexpected uses, economic benefits, and enticing ways to attract people to parks. Co-sponsored by Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Any questions or problems registering, please contact Rita Trapp at rita@hkgi.com or 612.252.7135. CM|1.25
 

Negotiation Skills for Planners: 2016 Planning Seminar

Experience is not necessarily a great teacher when it comes to negotiation, because it is very easy to develop bad habits, and since there are no meaningful performance measures, it is virtually impossible to know whether you’re doing well or not. This workshop is therefore worthwhile for all planners, for the experienced and the novice alike.

The workshop design will allow you to develop crucial analytical, strategic, and practical implementation skills and to discover your personal “default” negotiation strategies. You’ll come away with an enhanced ability to prepare for negotiation, manage the negotiation process and generate good outcomes.
 
This seminar will be held May 12, 2016, 8 am to 5 pm, at Eagle Valley Golf Club in Woodbury. Fee is $83.10. Register online. For additional questions, contact Patrick Boylan.
 

Water Resources Dashboard

NOAA, in cooperation with APA and several other organizations, has created a new Water Resources Dashboard as part of its existing U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. This dashboard provides access to maps and data that can help water resource managers and urban planners monitor the potential for extreme precipitation and drought in their regions. The scope and content of dashboard entries are driven by input from users.
 

Affordable Housing Webinar

The Pennsylvania chapter of the APA is sponsoring free webinar on April 1, 2016 entitled Assessing Affordable Housing Need: A Practical Toolkit. Maintaining a variety of affordable housing types is a critical component of long-range community viability. This session will equip planners and public leaders with strategies for determining the type and volume of housing that is most needed, by whom and where, within the context of shifting demographics. CM|1.5
 

Bike Share Innovation Webinar

The New Mexico Chapter of the APA is sponsoring a free webinar on April 15, 2016, entitled Utilizing public-private partnerships and funding to create local and region innovation – How Albuquerque’s BICI bike share became a reality. We live in a world with much uncertainty about sufficient funding to maintain existing infrastructure in our communities. It can be difficult at the local level to think about projects like bike share, which can take years to plan and large capital investments to fund. However, data and research indicate that millennials and boomers want livable communities where they can live, work, and play without having to get into a car. Albuquerque’s downtown pilot bike share, BICI, launched in May 2015. Participants will learn how Albuquerque made BICI a reality without initial major capital investments and how the program will continue and grow. CM|1.5
 

Transit Planning Webinar

The Transportation Planning Division of the APA is sponsoring a free webinar on April 22, 2016, entitled Applications in Transit Planning: From Transit Equity in Long Island, NY to Incentive Programs in Durango, CO. This session will discuss ways in which multi-modal transportation planning can help achieve equitable transit outcomes. It will describe various efforts across the country to close the mobility and accessibility gap, such as improved and expanded bus service, new rail nodes in underserved areas, and so-called “freedom fares” that give riders the option to use the best transit mode for a given trip.  The session will also cover ways in which multi-modal transportation planning can engage and educate the community to create a comprehensive implementation focused plan and the development of incentive programs to encourage mode shift. CM|1.5 pending
 

Job Opportunities and RFPs/RFQs

• Greater Bemidji Area Joint Planning Board - Planning Director (4/5/16)
• Greater Bemidji Area Joint Planning Board - Assistant Planner (4/5/16)
• City of Ames - Planner (4/9/16)
• Alta Planning + Design - Planner (Transportation) (4/15/16)
• City of Chanhassen - Assistant Planner (4/17/16)
• Hoisington Koegler Group - Planner (open until filled)
• Hometown Planning - Assistant Planner (open until filled)
• Winona County - Planner - Land Use and Natural Resources (open until filled)
• Stantec Consulting - Senior Planner/Project Manager (open until filled)