WELCOME to the APA Arizona 2010 Annual Conference Webpage!!

CONFERENCE DATES

The 2010 Conference will be held in Downtown Phoenix from Wednesday, November 3 thru Friday, November 5. For the first time, the Conference will kickoff with an opening lunch and guest speaker, Robert Lang, Ph.D. on Wednesday. By starting mid-day on Wednesday, conference sessions will be offered on Wednesday afternoon and with elimination of the Plenary Session on Thursday morning, additional sessions will be scheduled during that time.

CONFERENCE THEME

The 2010 Committee has selected “Looking Forward…” as the theme for the 2010 Conference. This theme recognizes the significant impacts that the “Great Recession” has had on planning professionals in Arizona and the resulting major changes to how we plan in the future. The conference sessions will not only look at current best practices, but identify and share new planning tools that will help make planners better equipped to make informed, and more sustainable, planning decisions in the future. Planners have a critical role to play in helping to shape our communities and the Arizona economy in the future.

OPENING RECEPTION

With the focus on the future role of planning in Arizona and long term sustainability, the 2010 Conference Committee has selected the Audubon Center located in the Rio Salado Project as the site for the Opening Reception. The Center is a key component of the Rio Salado Project representing the major educational element, a LEED Platinum facility, and a long term community commitment to restoration of the Rio Salado ecosystem.

DOWNTOWN PROJECTS

Other major Downtown projects to be highlighted during the 2010 Conference include the ASU Downtown Campus, the Civic Space Park, and Metro Light Rail. There will either be mobile workshops for each of these or information provided so you can take a self guided tour. Of special interest will be the opportunity to experience the Metro Light Rail during the Light Rail Pub Crawl featured after the Planners' Bazaar on Thursday evening.

MOBILE WORKSHOPS

The 2010 Conference Committee plans to provide a number of options for Conference participants. These will be either walking tours in the Downtown, or mobile tours that will provide you the opportunity to visit the Metro Light Rail Maintenance Facility, North Star District Heating/Cooling System, and the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Project. Planning for the mobile workshops is still in the early stages, and the full list will be announced in the next few months.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Also in the early planning stages is the list of conference sessions. The 2010 Conference Committee is preparing a preliminary list based on the Conference Theme of “LOOKING FORWARD…” In early February, that list will be distributed to APA Arizona Chapter members for review and comments. In addition, the Committee will be seeking volunteers to take on the responsibility for organizing a session. Watch for the announcement regarding the Conference Sessions.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

The keynote speaker for the 2010 Awards Luncheon will be Donovan Rypkema, Principal with PublicEconomics. He will discuss the future of the Arizona economy in the 21st Century and the role that the planning profession can play in the development and implementation of that economy.

CONFERENCE VENUE

And finally, the 2010 Conference will be held in the Phoenix Convention Center. All sessions will be held in the facility for ease of access by all participants. The Conference location in Downtown Phoenix will allow participants the opportunity to not only experience Downtown, but to use Metro light rail to visit numerous venues outside of Downtown and travel to Downtown Tempe.

CONFERENCE WEBPAGE

The 2010 Conference Committee has created this webpage to serve as the primary communication tool with chapter members as well as with others who have an interest in the planning profession and planning in Arizona. The Conference Webpage will be updated on a regular basis, so please watch for the email announcements regarding those updates.

On behalf of the 2010 Conference Committee, I look forward to seeing you at the 2010 APA Arizona Annual Planning Conference in Downtown Phoenix!

Dean Brennan, FAICP
2010 Conference Chair