Each year, planners from across Alabama and Mississippi gather to discuss the latest trends in land use planning and city policy at an annual planning conference.
This year, the planning conference will be in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Oct. 13-15 and will highlight the planning challenges and stories of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The bi-state conference is put on by the Alabama Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) and the Mississippi Chapter of the APA.
A diverse set of speakers and sessions is planned for the event, and there will also be mobile workshops to highlight unique planning projects and community development initiatives within the region.
One session that is being planned for the conference is a discussion on intentional resilience by Smart Home America. Speakers with Smart Home will provide an overview of what intentional resilience is and help attendees understand how they can contribute to local resilience by implementing forward-looking approaches to construction and hazard mitigation.
One regular practice that attendees to the conference can participate in is an awards luncheon where innovative plans and policy practices in the two states are recognized and shared. The awards event is valuable because it highlights the type of land use innovation that is possible in the region and how communities can go about accomplishing their planning goals and objectives.
The Mississippi and Alabama Chapters, though, are just two key components of the larger APA, an organization which is devoted to advancing the art and science of planning across the nation.
The APA has its own national conference and organizes many valuable continuing education sessions. In addition to these resources, it also endeavors to release quarterly reports about key planning topics and areas of interest. Since 1949, the APA’s Planning Advisory Service (PAS) has been a key source of information for planners and local government officials.
An archive of PAS reports going back to 1949 can be accessed through the APA’s website and, for a small fee, APA members may download a wide variety of reports. Recent PAS reports relevant to coastal planning include a 2016 report on Coastal Zone Management and a 2017 report entitled “Planners and Water.” With its national clout and standing, the APA is a critical partner in fostering a culture of community resilience within the coastal communities of Alabama and Mississippi.
Additional information on the conference and how to register
Meet the author
Stephen Deal
Extension Specialist (Land Use Planning)
Stephen works with floodplain managers, building officials, city officials, scientists and Sea Grant partners to provide information and training related to flood and storm resilience. He holds a... Read more
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