Thursday, September 20

TO VIEW PRESENTATIONS WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT USE INTERNET EXPLORER.

9:15 – 10:15 – SESSIONS

A1:   Integrating Sustainability into Public Spaces

Cities and towns planning public buildings, parks, and infrastructure, face the challenge of shaping healthy, sustainable, and vibrant public spaces. Learn the benefits of integrating sustainable design elements into the public realm, and how these elements can enliven spaces, protect the environment, and provide educational opportunities.  Panelists:  Nicole Holmes, PE, LEED AP BD+C, Nitsch Engineering;  Randall Luther, AIA, NCARB, Tai Soo Kim Partners Architects;  William T. Madden, Senior Associate, Mikyoung Kim Design.  CM:  1.

A2:  Rethinking Urban Highways and Reconnecting Neighborhoods in Hartford

The I-84 Viaduct runs through downtown Hartford, divides downtown from neighborhoods and employment centers, and leaves a “no man’s land” below.  The highway viaduct is deteriorating and requires replacement. Hear how the community and the region are rethinking this corridor – unlocking new opportunities to reconnect the city’s core.  Panelist: Amy Kohn, AICP, Goody Clancy; Jennifer Carrier, PE,  Capitol Region Council of Governments; David Spillane, AICP, RIBA, Goody Clancy.  CM:  1.

A3:   AICP Exam Prep

AICP Exam Candidates will learn how to apply for, study for, take, and pass the AICP Certification Exam.  Panelists:  John D. Pagini, AICP, Connecticut PDO; Kristin E. Kassner, AICP, Massachusetts PDO;  Nancy Letendre, AICP,  Rhode Island PDO

A4:  Beyond Land Use:  Bringing Non-Traditional Partners to the Table

The role of planners is broadening as the range of topics and activities for developing and implementing meaningful community strategic plans becomes more regional, collaborative, and data-driven. This session explores the opportunities and challenges of identifying and advancing critical initiatives through non-traditional partnerships and the critical roles planners can play.  Nathaniel Karns, AICP and Amy Kacala, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission; Virginia Kasinki, Glynwood Center; Nancy Stoll, Berkshire United Way; Kimberly McMann, Tri-Town Health Department.  CM:  1.

 10:30 – 11:45 SESSIONS

B1:  Context-Based Zoning and Other Innovative Tools

More municipalities are using innovative context-based regulations (such as form-based codes) geared to sustainable development while creating strong relationships with “public realm” elements – a vast departure from conventional planning practices. Learn about places and settings where context-based tools are being used.  Panelists:  Ted Brovitz, Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.;  Donald W Powers AIA, CNU, LEED-AP, Union Studio;  George Proakis, AICP, City of Somerville, MA; Matthew J. Lawlor, Robinson & Cole LLP.  CM:  1.25.

B2:   Using  Land Value Tax to Revitalize Markets and Achieve Smart Growth

Land Value Taxation (LVT) is an underutilized component in tax policy that encourages economic development and ensures sustainable smart growth strategies. As an alternative to the standard property tax, LVT creates an environment that encourages new development as well as incentivizes maintenance and renovation of existing structures.  Panelists:  Joshua Vincent and Mark Speirs, Center for the Study of Economics; Rick Rybeck, Just Economics LLC. CM:  1.25.

B3:   Meriden on the Move

Learn how Meriden, CT intends to use its new master plan for transit oriented development around the Meriden Transit Center to revitalize downtown as an “origin” with a focus on housing development and transit ridership.  The plan’s impetus is the new high speed rail service beginning in 2016 between New Haven and Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA. Panelists:  Allan Hodges, FAICP and Margarita Iglesia, AICP, Parsons Brinckerhoff;  Peggy Brennan and Dom Caruso, AICP, City of Meriden.  CM:  1.25.

B4:   Refueling History:  Transforming a Gas Station into an Green Space and Educational Site

Hear how comprehensive planning can repurpose an urban parcel, increase accessibility to historic landmarks, and significantly improve a community’s quality of life. Attendees will garner appreciation for the collaborative effort needed among planners, architects, developers, and civic leaders to revitalize sites with public, private, and non-profit investment.   Panelists:   Paige Bronk, AICP, City of Newport, RI; Glenn Gardiner, AIA, LEED AP,  and J. Michael Abbott, AIA, APA, CNU-A,  and John Grosvenor, AIA, NCARB, Northeast Collaborative Architects, Inc.;  Kevin Essington, The Trust for Public Land.  CM:  1.25.

B5:  Crowdsourcing Public Participation: Potential and Pitfalls

Hear an overview of immersive planning  and case studies on crowdsourcing public participation for transit-oriented planning projects. In addition to the planning perspective, the perspective of a grassroots community organization will be presented.   Panelists:  Michael Messina, M.A. and Justin Hollander, PhD, AICP, Tufts University; Meridith Levy, Somerville Community Corporation.  CM:  1.25.

Noon – 1:30 – LUNCH PROGRAM

Click here for details on our Lunch Program.  CM:  0.5.

1:45 – 3:15 – SESSIONS

C1:  Land Use Law:  What you Don’t Know WILL Hurt You – The Most Important Land Use Law Developments of the Last Year

Skip the gobbledygook and legal mumble jumbo.  Four leading land use lawyers will lay out for you in plain language (these lawyers have been professionally deprogrammed) the really important recent national developments in planning law.  You’ll get tangible take-home value in their analysis of court decisions, legislation, administrative regulations and interpretations of existing law. What you’ll learn, you can use every day.   They’ll bring to the ground for you the impacts of these national developments on planning practice in the Southern New England region.  This will be a fast-paced, interactive program with the audience engaged throughout, and none of the speakers permitted to go on for more than 3 minutes straight.  You say it can’t be done?  Join us and see. Attorney Dwight H. Merriam, FAICP, CRE, and  Attorney Edward V. O’Hanlan – Robinson & Cole LLP, Attorney John M. Boehnert, and  Attorney Gregor I. McGregor, McGregor & Associates, P.C.  CM:  1.5 law.

See pdf with links to key cases:  2012 SNEAPA Land Use Law

C2:  Scenario Planning for Climate Change

This session will empower regional and local government officials by providing critical, up-to-date, planning information and examples for climate change adaptation. Participants will participate in a mock Town Meeting aimed at making local regulatory and management changes to respond to simulated climate change impacts.  Panelists:  Martin Pillsbury,  Julie Conroy, AICP and Barry Keppard, AICP, Metropolitan Area Planning Council.  CM:  1.5.

C3:   From Vision to Reality at Storrs Center

Learn how a Public-Private Partnership can turn your vision into reality through the example of Storrs Center, a $220 million mixed-use downtown currently under construction.  This project is the product of a successful collaboration between the Town of Mansfield, the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, a non-profit organization, the University of Connecticut, and Leyland Alliance, a private developer.  Panelists:  Linda M. Painter, AICP and Matthew W. Hart, MPA, JD, ICMA-CM, Town of Mansfield, CT; Robert Sitkowski, AICP, University of Connecticut; Cynthia van Zelm,  Mansfield Downtown Partnership; Louis Marquet, Leyland Alliance LLC;  Shuprotim Bhuamik, HR&A.  CM:  1.5.

C4:  Civic Engagement in a Changing World

Our panel of experts will share their experiences using social media, Google Maps, online surveys, and real-time voting as well as the best traditional tools. We will then get to work designing engagement methods for a hypothetical project, planning out both low-tech and high-tech solutions.   Panelists:  Ruth Fitzgerald, AICP, and Jill Barrett, MSW, Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc.; Jim Purdy AICP and  William L. Schwartz, AICP, The Collaborative, Inc.; Emily Torres-Cullinane and Manisha Bewtra, AICP, Metropolitan Area Planning Council; Daphne Politis, AICP, Community Circle.  CM:  1.5.

3:30 – 5:00 – SESSIONS

D1:  Urban Land Institute:  Inviting Conflict -  Do Plans and Community Vision Attract Developer Interest?   SPECIAL PROGRAM

Plans, vision exercises, design guidelines and regulations are among the tools planner use with the intent of attracting compatible development.  Many times these efforts happen without a full understanding of market realities or developers’ insight.  As a result, conflicts arise between community expectations, what regulations allow and what a developer can do.  This hands-on workshop will turn the tables and focus on the developers’ perspectives of the planning process with the objective of bridging the divide that ranges from subtle to downright acrimonious and counterproductive.  The SNEAPA Committee has organized this session.  Panelists:  Dusty McMahan, Weston Solutions, Inc.; Mike Goman,  Goman+York Property Advisors, LLC; Katherine Wellington, Principal-Investment Properties Specialist/Commercial Developer; Adam Winstanley, Winstanley Enterprises.  CM:  1.5.

D2:  Design and Deconstruct Your Charrette  SPECIAL PROGRAM

Organizing design workshops takes months of preparation and major commitments by municipal staff, regional planners, consultants and citizens. What can you do to make sure your charrette is worth the effort? How can you truly engage stakeholders AND produce meaningful results? In this vigorously interactive session, you will work with John Monroe of the National Park Service to compile a list of key tools and techniques. Moreover, you will gain insights into agenda planning and pacing, focus group design, room arrangement and effective use of experts. Come ready to share anecdotes of your success (and not-so-successful) stories. The session itself will be a demonstration of effective public engagement   The SNEAPA Committee has organized this session.  Panelists:  John Monroe.  CM:  1.5.

D3:  Beyond “Town-Gown”

Academic institutions can rise above the normal “town-gown” conflicts to build meaningful, incredibly powerful partnerships that can educate university students in their areas of specialty while bringing valuable energy and skills to under-staffed and under-funded municipalities and non-profit organizations. This session uses two case studies to illustrate this new form of partnership.   Panelists:  Linda M. Painter, AICP, and Matthew W. Hart, MPA, JD, ICMA-CM,  Town of Mansfield, CT; Robert Sitkowski, AICP, University of Connecticut; Arnold Robinson, AICP, Roger Williams University; Diane Williamson, AICP,  Town of Bristol, RI.  CM:  1.5.

D4:  Southern New England Sustainable Communities

The Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities lays out a challenge for regions across the nation. Will we continue to work in our traditional silos, or will we work together across topics and jurisdictions? Will we see economic development and social equity as “either/or” propositions, or will we seek for housing, transportation and land use to coalesce in ways that create jobs and build wealth accessible to everyone in our communities?  See how 14 Regional and Challenge Grants under HUD’s Sustainable Communities program  are already having a significant impact on the way Southern New England communities do business.  Panelists:  Amy A. Cotter, Metropolitan Area Planning Council; Kip Bergstrom,  CT Department of Economic and Community Development; Melanie Jewett Army, AICP, Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program.  CM:  1.5.