Dear Chapter members and especially Planning Directors,
In preparation for the fall Utah APA chapter conference, a traditional part of that conference is a citizen planner training series of sessions. It appears that our membership of citizen planners is losing some ground and we would like to re-energize the group through two approaches:
1. First by asking - what topics do you think should be addressed this fall – what topics would be of interest to appointed and elected officials? You can email those suggestions to admin@PROTECTED.
2. Second, - membership is very inexpensive for planning commissioners, elected officials, and committee members (https://planning.org/join/dues/#PlanningBoard) but obviously planning departments/cities need to budget for their members to join APA. We are wondering if some funding that would include your citizen planners could be achieved for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. Obviously, not all citizen planners will want to join but since the State Law changed and training of Planning Commissioners is required, it may be that Utah APA can help you achieve that required goal. Please consider budgeting for your members.
Hopefully, collectively we realize that training for planning commissioners has many benefits. With planning not being their profession, there is so much in this field for us all to learn, especially this is true for commissioners in small towns who are wearing the hats of planner and commissioner (among other hats!). Much of their training comes from these APA conferences. They learn about the purpose and value of planning in areas of sustainability, equity, connectivity, place-making, funding opportunities, revitalization, growth and transportation, and State Law, to name only a few. Planning commissioners become more capable and empowered, through the training and information sharing that occurs in these conferences. Getting commissioners involved and educated is a great benefit to their communities.
Sincerely,
Christine Anderson, Citizen Planner chair
John Janson, occasional conference trainer
Nicole Masson
Executive Manager
Phone: 801-450-2659
Email: admin@PROTECTED
PO Box 1264
American Fork, UT 84003
@apautah
Start a new thread, email: utahapa@cachempo.org
Utah Chapter APA
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