Conference Fees

Special event and mobile workshop fees are in addition to above. See Mobile Workshops for descriptions of these options, and read through Sessions & Speakers for a description of special events (meals). 

Click to download a printable registration form (PDF).  Please be aware that processing paper registrations costs the Chapter an additional $25 per registrant. We urge you to take advantage of online registration where possible. See link below...

Lodging

Hotel reservations can be made directly with:

Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
201 Lafayette St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
(800) 955-6962  or  www.hiltoncapitolcenter.com

by midnight Sunday December 21, 2014 for blocked room pricing. Mention group code "APA".

All tours meet for departure in the Hilton hotel lobby.

MW #1 Government St. Revitalization

Date:  Wednesday afternoon, 1/21/15
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm  2.5 hour tour 
Maximum: 20

Tour a historic Baton Rouge artery, scheduled for a road diet in the near future. Visit the former Entergy (a.k.a. Gulf States Utilities) site, soon to be transformed into a mixed-use development by the East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority, and see the Model Block project, which is turning a blighted block into a shining example of what Government Street should be. Ride a CATS trolley for the tour and end with a drink at Radio Bar.

$30

MW #2 Port of Greater Baton Rouge

Date:  Thursday morning, 1/22/15 
9:30 – 12:00 pm    2.5 hour tour
Maximum: 25

Learn the history of the farthest inland deep-water port on the Mississippi River, and see it in action. Visitors will gain a better understanding of the port's role in the nation's transportation network on a tour guided by Director of Public Affiars Karen St. Cyr. A tour of the Port Allen Locks are also included.   Partially outdoors; comfortable clothing and flat shoes are recommended. Government-issued photo ID is required. 

$30

MW #3 Downtown Walking Tour 

Date:  Thursday morning, 1/22/15 
10:00 am – 12:00 pm    2 hour tour
Maximum: 25
Weather Permitting - In the event of rain, Mr. Rhorer will present a slideshow at the nearby DDD offices. The event will not be canceled.

Hear about the history and future of downtown Baton Rouge on a walk with Davis Rhorer, Executive Director of the Downtown Development District, which has helped galvanize over $1 billion in investment since 1987. Outdoors; comfortable clothing and flat shoes are recommended. 

$10

MW #4 Celtic Media Centre Tour CANCELED

Date:  Thursday afternoon, 1/22/15
1:00 pm – 3:30pm     2.5 hour tour
Maximum: 25

Step aboard a CATS motor coach for a ride to the studio and then walk the production and sound studio on a tour led by Director of Studio Operations Patrick Mulhearn. This studio was developed in 2006 by the Celtic company which  purchased a shell of an abandoned music recording studio located between Airline Hwy and I-10 in Baton Rouge. This area of the Baton Rouge was experiencing economic downturn. The partially-completed building soon evolved into the O’Connor Building, the operational hub of the Media Centre that housed Stages 1 and 2. In 2008, Celtic’s first large sound stage, Stage 8, opened for business. After acquiring neighboring properties, the planned studio grew to more than 23 acres.

$30

MW #5 Bike Tour-Public Art in Old South Baton Rouge CANCELED

Date:  Friday morning, 1/23/15
10:00 am- 12:00 pm     2 hour tour
Maximum:  15
Weather Permitting - We regret that we have canceled this mobile workshop due to predicted poor weather conditions.

Join us for an interactive bicycle tour of community inspired murals throughout Old South Baton Rouge. The Museum of Public Art is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of community inspired murals in the Old South Baton Rouge community. See how artists from all over the globe used imagery, text, and symbolism to transform structures into beacons of hope for a community. Price includes bike rental provided by Front Yard Bikes and a community guide. Please note: Tour is weather permitting. Registrants will be transported to museum site and an abbreviated tour will be walking only if temperature is below 50 degrees F.

$15

Event: Soirée at De La Ronde Hall

6:00 pm     Date:  Thursday, 1/22/15 

All are welcome to register for this event featuring a 3-course dinner at De La Ronde Hall catered by Ruffino's Italian Restaurant. Enjoy a Sensation Salad, followed by your entree choice of Fish Picatta, Chicken Parmesan, or Lasagna; all capped off with a White Chocolate Bread Pudding desert. How can you go wrong?
Maximum number of guests: 75

All are welcome to come and mingle with friends new and old.

$65 before Jan. 9th
$85 after Jan. 9th

Below are reduced resolution versions of photos taken by a professional photographer during the conference. If you need the original high resolution versions please contact the Chapter Public Information Officer.

General Conference Images

Venue Photos of the Hilton

Mayor's Roundtable on Blight

Planning Awards Ceremony

Conference Program

Below is the conference session information as of January 13, 2015.
A PDF file of the hardcopy conference program is available via the link at right.
The [CMs] listed below are those applied for.

DAY 1 - Wednesday, January 21

10:00 AM - On-Site Registration Opens

10:30 - Chapter Business Meeting

Riverview Ballroom "A"

Member attendance is strongly encouraged for this annual meeting of the full membership of APA LA. Chapter President Lydia Z. Jemison will introduce the new Executive Director of the APA, Mr. Jim Drinan, review critical events of 2014 and present possible changes in 2015 for discussion with the membership. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your voice heard!

11:30 - Opening Luncheon - Welcome Addresses

Riverview Ballroom "A"

This official start of the 2015 APA Louisiana Conference will include welcome to Baton Rouge and to the conference. Welcome addresses will be received from APA Louisiana Chapter President Lydia Z. Jemison, AICP, from City of Baton Rouge Council President Pro-Tempore and District 3 Councilmember Chandler Loupe, and from APA Executive Director Jim Drinan.

DAY 2 - Thursday, January 22

7:30 AM - Breakfast with Bill Anderson

Riverview Ballroom "A"

Talk to the President of APA, Mr. Bill Anderson, on what’s happening in planning on a national level. Breakfast is included in the conference fee.

Noon: State Planning Awards Luncheon

Riverview Ballroom "A"

Each year our Chapter recognizes the achievements of agencies, companies, groups and individuals as they strive for excellence in the planning profession. General award categories include Planning Excellence (Plan/Implementation/Process/Education or Advocacy), Planning Achievement (for an individual), Student Project Award and Great Places in Louisiana recognition. A presentation of winning submissions will be shared as well as the official ceremony in which winners will receive a personalized award.  Click for awards winners.

6:00 PM, Thursday - Soirée Dinner

De La Ronde Hall: 320 3rd Street. ~ a block east of the Hilton; north of Florida Street.

All are welcome to register for this event featuring a 3-course dinner at De La Ronde Hall catered by Ruffino's Italian Restaurant. Enjoy a Sensation Salad, followed by your entree choice of Fish Picatta, Chicken Parmesan, or Lasagna; all capped off with a White Chocolate Bread Pudding desert. How can you go wrong?

Optional event; additional fee applies.

DAY 3 - Friday, January 23

7:30 AM - Continental Breakfast

Riverview Ballroom "A"

King Room

This session is intended for newly appointed planning commissioners and citizens appointed to similar positions, such as boards of zoning adjustment and historic district commissions.  The session serves as an introduction to the principles of planning and zoning and key court cases for which every commissioner should be familiar. Louisiana Act 859 adopted by the Louisiana Legislature in 2004 requires citizens appointed to such commissions and boards to receive a minimum of 4 hours of training in the "duties, responsibilities, ethics and substance of the position..." This session will fulfill the requirements established in Act 859.

• Panelist 1: Mart Black, AICP – Senior Planner, Providence Technical Services, LLC
• Panelist 2: Joanne Poret, AICP  – Director of Planning & Zoning, City of Monroe

.

Session presentations have been converted to PDF format and posted in the Chapter's Google Drive repository organized by session number. You are especially encouraged to review the sessions you missed as all were very informative. Video and audio from several sessions is still being processed and will be posted as soon as possible. All of these are Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files which will be displayed by Google's document viewer - no download, software install or Google login is necessary.

2015 State Planning Conference Sessions

Wednesday, January 21

Annual Chapter Business Meeting & Opening Luncheon
Session 1 — Place Based Zoning in New Orleans
Session 2 — Fat City Revitalization and Redevelopment
Session 3 — Area-Wide/Multi-Lot Neighborhood Brownfield Surveys
Session 4 — Housing Needs Assessment - New Orleans 10-Year Plan
Opening Reception — Heidelberg Ballroom

Thursday, January 22

Breakfast with Bill Anderson
Session 5 — Comprehensive Plans, Mayor of Jena's Presentation
Session 6 — P3: Public Private Partnerships
Session 7 — Mayors Roundtable (audio only) - pictures
Session 8 — St. Tammany Parish Hazard Mitigation Properties
State Planning Awards Luncheon - pictures
Session 9 — Legislative Roundtable (audio only)
Session 10 —  Envision Rating System
Session 11 — Shreveport Common
Session 12 — Shreveport's Cross Bayou Redevelopment

Friday, January 23

Session 13 — Ethics Case of the Year (not available)
Session 14 — Topics in Professional Development
Session 15 — Planning Law
Session 16 — Community Foundation Hands-On Engagement
Closing Luncheon — Kristin Gisleson Palmer
Session 17 — Planning Commissioner Training

Last Updated 2/19/2015

2015 Sponsorship Opportunities

The Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association (LA APA) will hold its 2015 Statewide Planning Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from January 21 – 23, 2015. This year’s theme is “Evolving Communities: Planning for Investment and Impacts in Louisiana.”

This statewide planning conference presents a unique forum for direct contact and interaction between municipal planning departments, private planning consultants, and allied professionals within APA's membership. Conference attendees will attend informative sessions, mobile workshops, networking functions, and social events. Planners will also meet renowned speakers and leaders, especially those whose technologies and approaches are on the cutting edge of the planning profession. Many of our state’s certified planners also use the sessions of the annual state conference as an opportunity to acquire their necessary continuing education credits.

A sponsorship of the 2015 LA APA Planning Conference is an excellent way to showcase your organization. Participation can occur in several ways. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2015 LA APA Planning Conference, please download and complete the sponsorship registration form by December 31, 2014, so that we can assure advertisement in the program and on-site. A member of the Local Host Committee will be contacting you soon afterwards.​

There is always significant interest and participation when the state conference is held in Baton Rouge, and this year's event will be no exception. We appreciate your support and participation and hope to see you at the 2015 LA APA Planning Conference! Should you have any questions or require additional information, feel free to contact Jessica Keasler.

Sponsorship Levels

Being a Sponsor for the Louisiana APA Annual Conference is a valuable means to show support for the planning of our future. By participating as a Sponsor you can help advance the planning profession and, in the process, improve the quality of life for our state. Plus, take advantage of a range of benefits specially designed to promote your company or organization. APA LOUISIANA CHAPTER welcomes our many returning partners and future new sponsors! As partners, we are committed to the future of Louisiana. Please consider one of the sponsorship opportunities listed below and contact Jessica Keasler jrkeasler@terracon.com or (225-239-2628) for more information. Thank you!

DIAMOND SPONSOR: $5,000 or more

• Hotel room for two nights of the conference
• Five Complimentary Conference Registrations
• Full Page Ad in Conference Program
• Reception sponsor with ability to have table alongside check-in for Reception
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

PLATINUM SPONSOR: $2,000-$5,000

• Two Complimentary Conference Registrations
• Full Page Ad in Conference Program
• Lunch Sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

GOLD SPONSOR: $1,000 - $2000

• One Complimentary Conference Registration
• Half Page Ad in Conference Program
• Breakfast Sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

SILVER SPONSOR: $750

• 1/4 Page Ad in Conference Program
• One Complimentary Awards Luncheon Ticket
• Break sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

BRONZE SPONSOR: $500

• Business Card Sized Ad in Conference Program
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

BUSINESS SPONSOR: $250

• Listing in Conference Program
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

Conference Exhibitor Opportunities

Another opportunity is to join us as an EXHIBITOR at the APA LOUISIANA CHAPTER 2015 Annual Conference and gain maximum exposure for your company or organization with professionals in planning and related fields. This is a great opportunity to market innovative products, educate participants (and the readers of our conference material) about your interests and establish excellent contacts for the future in a high-traffic area during the conference. Space is limited, so early reservations are required to guarantee availability.

A diagram of the conference venue at Baton Rouge's downtown Hilton has been prepared and is posted at the buttons below. The letter-sized sheet is drawn to proportion, but not at a set scale. The tabloid-sized sheet is drafted to 10 scale. Vendor display locations are approximations. Exact location will be determined by hotel staff. All display tables will be within the hallways between lecture rooms and the Riverview ballroom - ensuring repeat pedestrian traffic.

Exhibitor Displays and Tables ($200)

• Exhibitors will be in a prominent location within the conference area. (Locations depicted on diagram are approximations only.)
• Tables provided by hotel are 6 feet in length and include a tablecloth.
• Electrical power is available to many (but not all) positions along the hallway walls.
• Exhibitors will receive verbal and on-screen acknowledgment at APA Louisiana Conference.

Exhibitors, please note the following:

1. Exhibitors are not required to register for the APA Louisiana Conference. However, if you wish to attend any professional or social functions, including keynote addresses, break-out sessions, lunches or receptions, conference registration is required.
2. Exhibitor Tables are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited and sells out quickly. Therefore, cancelation refunds will be given in full provided the space can be sold to another exhibitor.
3. An exhibitor information sheet will be provided to you and will include information on exhibit hours, setup and teardown, and loading, unloading, and shipping.
4. An exhibitor registration packet will be provided to you at your exhibit booth or table. It will contain badges for all unregistered exhibitors (if names are provided in advance of the conference). Name tags for registered exhibitors will be provided in conference registration packets.

Coastal Inundation GIS Mapping Workshop (2/29-3/1)

Louisiana Geographic Information Center (LAGIC) - Offered by NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, this two-day instructor-led course offers a combination of lectures and hands-on exercises to give students a better understanding of coastal inundation issues and mapping methods using a geographic information system (GIS).

Overview

This two-day instructor-led course offers a combination of lectures and hands-on exercises to give students a better understanding of coastal inundation issues and mapping methods using a geographic information system (GIS). The course is designed for certified floodplain managers and county, state, and municipal officials, including planners, emergency managers, and coastal resource managers. Lecture topics include the different types of coastal inundation, the applications and limitations of various types of inundation products, elevation data sets and datums, and the spatial methods used to map flood areas in coastal environments. In hands-on GIS exercises, students connect to Web map services, access elevation data, convert between vertical datums, create and manage digital elevation models, map inundation model output, develop inundation zones, and map sea level rise using modeled tidal surfaces.

This training also offers 16 hours of continuing education credits for the GIS Professional (GISP), American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) professional certifications.

What You Will Learn

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the different types of coastal inundation
• Learn about mapping products and terminology
• Access topographic and bathymetric data
• Perform datum conversions
• Understand interpolation methods and create digital elevation models
• Explore water level data
• Map coastal inundation using a GIS

Participant Requirements

• Basic GIS skills (minimum six months to one year)

Around da Bayou Tour: Terrebonne Parish Comprehensive Plan Vision 2030 Implementation Highlights (March 2)

Overview of Terrebonne Parish Comprehensive Plan & Terrebonne Parish-Implementation For The Future | Join Chris Pulaski, Terrebonne Parish Planning and Zoning Director, and other officials for a tour of the Houma-Terrebonne region highlighting the implementation of the Vision 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan, recipient of the 2015 APA LA Award for Excellence in a Plan. See and hear about the Parish’s strategies, successes and works in progress. 2.25 CMs

Up da Bayou Tour (March 3)

No need to paddle up the bayou!  Join us for a mobile tour from Houma up the bayou to Thibodaux and back to the conference hotel along some of the major growth corridors in both Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. As residents and business look for higher ground in which to invest and build, many former agricultural and rural uses make way for increased development. US Hwy 90 has been designated as the future I-49 corridor which also serves to attract big business and transportation opportunities. See how communities like Houma and Thibodaux have addressed these concerns and anticipated future growth. 2.75 CMs

Stops along the tour will include:

• Bayou Country Club: lush green golf courses and areas for family fun events are located within miles of downtown Houma.
• Acadia Plantation: dense residential neighborhoods of this new subdivision make new again the forgotten principles of land use and urban design – smaller lots, narrower streets and amenities to build a walkable community.
• Shriever Railroad Crossing: a former AMTRAK station that has been reduced to a flag stop – see and hear how local officials and Amtrak and BNSF executives have been discussing means to improve the frequency and facilities. Suggested improvements include incorporating multi-modal opportunities such as regional public transit and Greyhound bus service.

Down da Bayou Tour (March 3)

We goin down da bayou!  This mobile workshop will take attendees from the conference hotel, through downtown Houma, past Chauvin along LA Highway 56, across the inland marsh near Cocodrie and back thru Dulac along LA Hwy 57.  Communities along these highways indeed do live on the edge – the water’s edge, among the numerous bayous and small inlets of the Gulf of Mexico.  Balancing economic development and survival with issues of flooding and salt water intrusion has been a way of life for these communities for generations.  Along Hwy 56, the sights and stops relate to structural stormwater protection and coastal restoration, while along Hwy 57, the attention is concentrated on non-structural protection projects.  Inter-twined with all this is the need for improved infrastructure and continued economic growth.2.75 CMs

Stops along the tour will include:

• Boudreaux Canal Floodgate: be one of the few people who get the opportunity to stand on the lock structure itself as the Levee District opens and closes the lock system!
• LUMCON facility: take a short tour of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and learn about LUMCON’s efforts in the education and research of Louisiana’s coastal restoration efforts.
• Cecil Lapeyrouse Grocery: need a fishing license? Or a quick snack? You can get both at this quaint and historic grocery store, not only the one of its kind in the area, but the ONLY grocery store for the community.

A printer-friendly PDF version of the conference program is being finalized. Please be aware that processing paper registrations creates additional work for our volunteers. We urge you to take advantage of online registration where possible.

Conference Fees

Special event and mobile workshop fees are in addition to above. See Mobile Workshops for descriptions of these options, and read through Sessions & Speakers for a description of special events (meals). 

Lodging

Hotel reservations can be made directly with:

Courtyard by Marriott - Houma
142 Library Boulevard, Houma, Louisiana 70360
(985) 223-8996  or  www.marriott.com

by midnight Thursday, February 23, 206 for blocked room pricing. Mention group code "APAN".

Monday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Friday, March 4, 2016

APA Louisiana’s Mission

Our mission is to promote the practice of community and regional planning in Louisiana by enhancing the effectiveness of planners in impacting public policy.

Who does APA Louisiana serve?

2016 Conference Information

2017 Conference Program

View and download the Program of Sessions and Speakers via Google Docs (updated March 4, 2017)

Or, direct download the PDF - if you cannot access Google Drive.

Register Online at Planning.com, or

Download the Registration Form

Below are speaker bios for the 2017 State Planning Conference, generally listed in order of their appearance on the conference agenda. Additions and revisions are actively being made to this list as available.

Marianne Cufone

Director of Recirculating Farms Coalition

Marianne is an environmental attorney and long time conservation and healthy affordable food advocate. She works in natural resources management, focused on threatened species, oceans, fisheries, food and farming. Over the past 17 years she has challenged and helped write and pass many significant federal, state and local policies and laws. As founder and Executive Director of the Recirculating Farms Coalition, Marianne promotes innovative, eco-efficient farms USING naturally-cleaned water to grow accessible, affordable, fresh food.

Brooke Boudreaux

Circle Food Store

Brooke serves as the Operating and Business Development Manager of her family's business, the Circle Food Store. Established in 1938 as the first African-American owned full service grocery store in New Orleans, the Circle Food Store is dedicated to providing fresh food and service at reasonable prices. Located in the meeting of Treme and Gentilly neighborhoods, Circle knows the “old” New Orleans and, though closed for eight years by Katrina, has reopened and is embracing the “new” New Orleans like no other grocer in town. Ms Boudreaux has a BA in Media Studies and a MA in Integrated Marketing Communications.

Mike Kantor

Grow Dat Youth Farm

A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, Mike grew up with a single growing season and a pair of ice skates. Mike is a fundraiser, marketer, and most importantly, an anti-poverty and food justice advocate. At Grow Dat, he works to build a community of participants and investors in a vision for youth leadership development grounded in the meaningful work of growing food.

Traci Birch, PhD, AICP

Assistant Professor - Research, Coastal Sustainability Studio

Traci works with the Coastal Sustainability Studio (CSS) at LSU as an Assistant Research Professor, and leads projects related to strengthening coastal and environmental planning. Her particular focus is ecosystem management and facilitating local implementation of regional planning efforts. Traci completed her Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning and her Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Environmental Management, both from the University of New Orleans. She also holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree with concentrations in graphic design and media production from Baldwin-Wallace University. Before joining CSS, Traci spent 10-years+ in the private sector as a practicing planner in Louisiana and the Gulf South. Her teaching experience includes graduate and undergraduate studios and seminars in coastal, sustainability, and environmental planning.

Robert D. Rivers​, J.D.

Executive Director, New Orleans City Planning Commission

Bob Rivers has been the Executive Director of the New Orleans City Planning Commission since 2013.  During this time, Mr. Rivers has overseen the completion, approval and implementation of the City’s new Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, including new storm water management regulations, as well as various planning studies on such topics as Main Street Resiliency, Short Term Rentals, Inclusionary Zoning, Riverfront Development, Alternative Street Naming, Neighborhood Participation, and Adult Live Entertainment.  He is currently managing overhauls of the City’s Master Plan, Subdivision Regulations, Administrative Rules and Procedures, and Design Review processes.  Mr. Rivers also served as Chief Deputy City Attorney in the City’s Law Department, overseeing transactional and regulatory matters, was a Special Counsel in the Real Estate Section of Jones Walker’s New Orleans office, and was the Administrator of the Nantucket Historic District Commission. Mr. Rivers has also held  planning positions in New Orleans, Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland, and has taught Urban Planning and Historic Preservation courses at the University of New Orleans. Mr. Rivers holds an undergraduate degree in Architecture from Princeton University, a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from George Washington University, and a JD with honors from the Tulane University School of Law.

Kelly Rabalais

Executive Counsel, St. Tammany Parish

Ms. Rabalais is Executive Counsel and Director of the Legal Department for St. Tammany Parish where she serves as chief legal advisor and provides legal representation to the Parish President, Parish Administration and other departments. Since she began working in St. Tammany Parish in 2007, Kelly has endeavored to rethink government structures, improve processes and help grow the parish. Facilitating the parish’s purchase of the state-owned Southeast Louisiana Hospital is one of Ms. Rabalais’ most significant accomplishments. She is currently leading the parish’s efforts to ensure there is an on-campus crisis center, known as Safe Haven.

Beverly Moore Haydel

Director of Civic Initiatives, The Bridge Center

As director of Civic Leadership Initiatives for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Ms. Haydel is overseeing development of The Water Campus, a 30-acre gathering place for scientists and engineers working on deltaic issues; spearheading an effort to create a treatment center for people with mental illnesses and substance abuse problems; and leading an initiative to introduce new mobility and transportation options such as bike share in Baton Rouge. Beverly served as Special Counsel for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, was a lead attorney for the Mitt Romney presidential campaign, worked for a top Washington, D.C. law firm, and also for Goldman Sachs. Ms. Haydel has degrees from Harvard and from Stanford Law School.

Seth Knudsen

Director of Real Estate Development at the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority

Seth Knudsen is the Director of Real Estate Development & Planning at the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA).  Previously, Mr. Knudsen served as a planner and project manager at the Housing Authority of New Orleans, the City of New Orleans City Planning Commission, Office of Recovery Management, and Chief Administrative Office, as well as the non-profit City-Works. Mr. Knudsen currently directs NORA’s Commercial Corridor Gap Financing Program which has invested in catalytic economic development projects across the city, including the South Broad Community Health Center. The clinic is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located at the intersection of Washington Avenue and South Broad Street and is owned by the non-profit South Broad Community Health and operated by Access Health Louisiana.

Dr. Andrew Dannenberg, MD, MPH

Professor, University of Washington

Our Keynote Speaker is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and in the Department of Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he teaches courses on healthy community design and on health impact assessment. Before coming to Seattle, he served as Team Leader of the Healthy Community Design Initiative in the National Center for Environmental Health, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. For the past decade, his research and teaching has focused on examining the health aspects of community design including land use, transportation, urban planning, and other issues related to the built environment.

Sean Daly, AICP

Senior Transportation Planner, Iteris

Mr. Daly is a senior transportation planner in Iteris, Inc.’s Mobility Services division.  He has over 15 years of public sector and professional consulting experience in a range of planning activities at the local, regional, state and federal level. He presently serves as Professional Development Officer for the Louisiana Chapter, organizing AICP test prep opportunities for exam candidates, coordinating certification maintenance sessions, and presenting professional ethics sessions at Chapter conferences.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and is a certified with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is a Professional Transportation Planner (PTP).

Warren Kron, GISP

GIS Manager, EBR City-Parish

Warren's 18 years of public service experience has been focused on the development of an enterprise GIS program. This effort has involved being part of multi-disciplinary projects, developing the data model, building web applications, and playing a key role in East Baton Rouge City-Parish's shift to Open Data. He earned a bachelor's degree of landscape architecture from the Louisiana State University Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture and serves as chairman of the Louisiana GIS Council.

Lael Holton, AICP

Planning Manager

Mr. Holton, currently the Planning Manager with AECOM's Baton Rouge, LA office, has over 15 years of professional experience in the areas of affordable housing, grant administration, growth management, long range planning, neighborhood planning and disaster recovery. In his professional career, he has managed several programs ensuring the successful development and implementation of comprehensive plans, as well as the management of multiple affordable housing programs such as the HOPE VI Redevelopment program, State Housing Initiatives Partnerships (SHIP) programs, Homeowner Down-payment Assistance Programs and CDBG Disaster Recovery.Most recently, Lael served as the Public Outreach and Information Officer for the Louisiana Shelter at Home Program, a GOHSEP disaster recovery program for temporary housing assistance in the wake of the August 2016 Flood.

Chris Swilinski, AICP, GISP

Dewberry, LA MapMod Project

Mr. Sliwinski works on FEMA flood studies for the National Flood Insurance Program, watershed restoration and management plans, community engagement and outreach initiatives, and disaster response efforts. Mr. Sliwinski has 20 years of experience with GIS and holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) from the University of New Orleans.

 

 
 
 

 

 

Tonia Pence

FEMA Community Planning and Recovery

Ms. Pence is a Community Planner with FEMA’s National Disaster Recovery Support division, who leads planning teams that work with municipalities and community leaders in disaster recovery mode. Her role provides unique opportunities to build coalitions and partnerships with the ultimate goal of successfully leveraging Federal, State, Private and NGO resources to strengthen social infrastructure and build resiliency at the local, state and national level. Ms. Pence is also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, skilled cultural dialogist and storyteller, and was named Louisiana's "Money Hero" by Money Magazine for community organizing and activism work in New Orleans. She earned her MS in Sustainable Development and Organizational Management from the School for International Training in Vermont.

Mathew Sanders, AICP

Resilience Policy & Program Administrator, OCD-DRU

Mathew is the resilience program and policy administrator for the State of Louisiana’s Office of Community Development. The state has received a $92.6M award in conjunction with the HUD-funded National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC), including a $40M award to support its resilience policy framework, Louisiana’s Strategic Adaptations for Future Environments (LA SAFE), and a $48.3M award to resettle the Isle de Jean Charles community in Terrebonne Parish. Mathew was the state’s project team lead for the NDRC application and currently leads the development of the two awarded projects.

Mark Sweeney, AICP

Director, Shreveport-Caddo MPC

Mr. Sweeney became the Executive Director of the Shreveport / Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission in 2014. His previous professional experience is in Texas, where he served as Director of Regional Services for the Capital Area Council of Governments in Austin, Chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission for the City of Whitehouse, Director of Regional Development & Services for the East Texas Council of Governments, and others. In Shreveport, Mark has guided the creation of a mixed-use PUD, paving the way for Camp Forbing Market Place. He has also streamlined the site plan review process and is seeking to have the revised Unified Development Code adopted soon.

Frank Duke, FAICP

Director, EBR City-Parish Planning Dept.

Mr. Duke has more than 30 years of experience, including serving as the Planning Director in Norfolk, Virginia; Durham, North Carolina; and Palm Beach and Bay counties in Florida. In each of these local governments, Frank was responsible for the development of a new comprehensive plan and major revisions to land development regulations. He was named by three Florida governors as their representative on the Federal Working Group on Everglades restoration. In 2014 Mr. Duke was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners where he was described as “one of the most effective planning directors in the Southeast.”.

Lydia Z. Jemison, AICP, CFM

President, Jemison & Partners

Lydia Z. Jemison is a native of the New Orleans area with three decades of experience in planning.  She owns Jemison & Partners, Inc., a small, certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in which the clients operate as partners.  The firm specializes in transportation and port planning, environmental assessments, stakeholder outreach and expert witness services in land use and zoning. Lydia is Chairman of the APA National Planning Conference Local Host Committee for the upcoming planning conference to be held in New Orleans, LA in 2018. Lydia served as APA LA President from 2014-2016, and as New Orleans Metro Section Director, VP of Public Information and Co-Chair of the Planning Commissioner’s Council.  Lydia was also the Chairman of the Jefferson Parish Planning Advisory Board for 5 years of her tenure on the board.

Dana Brown, ASLA, AICP, LEED AP

Dana Brown & Associates

A New Orleans resident, Dana has practiced landscape architecture and planning for 37 years with firms in Boston, Orange County, California, and now back home in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. She holds a BLA from LSU and an MLA from Harvard School of Design. As President of Dana Brown & Associates, she pioneered design of green infrastructure throughout Louisiana, focusing on best management practices for stormwater and revisions to municipal and parish development codes. Dana is the author of “Using Plants for Stormwater Management: A Green Infrastructure Guide for the Gulf South,” LSU Press, April 2014.

Walter Brooks

Director, New Orleans Regional Planning Commission

After working for the City of Boston as a transportation planner in the early 1970’s, Mr. Brooks returned to his native New Orleans and was hired as a senior planner with the Regional Planning Commission for Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes (RPC). He was eventually named RPC deputy director and became executive director in 2004. He has worked for the RPC for approximately 40 years. In his position as RPC’s chief executive Mr. Brooks serves as the point person and public face of a 44-member board consisting of elected officials and citizen members from eight member parishes. He also directs a staff of planners that supports the RPC board.

Meg Adams, P.E.

New Orleans City Park

Meg Adams is the Chief Construction and Resilience Officer at New Orleans City Park, joining after Hurricane Katrina. Meg holds a degree in Civil Engineering from Tulane University. In 2013 she founded the Green Team and has instituted a number of environmental programs including recycling, composting, energy assessments and conservation, an annual Earth Day celebration, and was awarded a Sustainable Sites Pilot Project certification for her coordination of the Festival Grounds project. Previous experience includes project management at the Audubon Zoo, the NOMA Sculpture Garden, Riverwalk Marketplace, Port of New Orleans cruise ship terminal, Harrah’s Casino, and the Clearview Mall.

Jenifer Roberts

Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans

Jennifer Roberts is a leader in water quality planning with expertise in research, environmental monitoring and assessment, and community outreach and engagement with water resources. Mrs. Roberts holds a BS in Ecology and a MS in Earth & Environmental Sciences, is a certified EPA QA/QC Manager, a Water Environment Federation Leadership Fellow and serves on the Louisiana Environmental Education Commission. Jennifer specializes in stormwater management, watershed planning, community engagement, vegetative restoration, nonpoint source pollution prevention and monitoring. Jennifer’s currently employed as a Sr. City Planner at the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans.

Tim Jackson, AICP

New Orleans City Planning Commission

Tim is a Planning Administrator with the New Orleans City Planning Commission and previously has worked as a planner for the City of Kenner and was Planning Director in Mandeville and Slidell, Louisiana. He has served as a Research Associate with the Department of Planning and Urban Studies at the University of New Orleans. Tim has spent 14 years in private practice as a planning, land use and zoning consultant. In 2001 Tim was appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans to the New Orleans City Planning Commission and served eight years, including three years as Chairman. Tim is very active in the American Planning Association (APA) and is a Past President of the Louisiana Chapter.

Kelsy Yeargain

Tulane/ Canal Neighborhood Development Corp.

Ms. Yeargain is the Executive Director of the Tulane/ Canal Neighborhood Development Corporation, a non-profit organization providing affordable housing and community development in the Tulane Gravier Neighborhood. Kelsy currently co-chairs the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance’s Disaster Preparedness and Outreach and Advocacy committees, and is part of the New Orleans Evacuteer leadership team.

New Orleans City Park

City Park website

Map of Venue and Lodging Options

Conference Program

The PDF conference program (link at right) has been finalized as of October 1, 2018. The content below has been updated to agree with the print program. Certification Maintenance (CM) credits listed below each session are those we've applied for.

DAY 1 - Wednesday, October 3

8:00 AM - On-Site Registration Opens

On-site registration will be available the day of the conference but some selections - such as mobile workshops - may be limited and you definitely will have missed the early bird discount. Our volunteer staff will have laptops available to receive your online payments via credit or debit cards, and log your selections with the Planning.org event portal. They can also receive your purchases of additional tickets for your guest or new

8:00 AM - Chapter Business Meeting

Magnolia Room

Members are strongly encouraged to attend this annual meeting of the full membership of APA LA. Chapter President Derek Chisholm will review critical events of the past year and present possible changes in 2019 for discussion with the membership. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear what is going on and to have your voice heard!

- - 15 Minute Break --

9:15 - Conference Welcome and Plenary Session

Magnolia Room

This official start of the 2018 APA Louisiana Conference will include a welcome to Shreveport-Bossier and to the conference. Welcome addresses will be received from Mayors Ollie Tyler of Shreveport and Lo Walker of Bossier City, and also from the APA Louisiana Chapter President Derek Chisholm.

12:00 noon - Keynote Luncheon

Magnolia Room

Paul Farmer, FAICP, is a native of Shreveport and a graduate of Jesuit High School, where he discovered city planning. He received his B.A. and B.Arch degrees from Rice University before doing his Masters and Doctoral work in city & regional planning at Cornell University. Paul taught planning and architecture at Cornell and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for a decade; practiced city planning for two decades as deputy planning director in Pittsburgh, Planning Director in Minneapolis and Executive Director of Planning and Development in Eugene, Oregon. He was CEO of the American Planning Association for almost fifteen years. He has also held faculty appointments at the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech and the University of Oregon. He has been a consulting planner on six continents. Paul continues to write, lecture and practice from Paris to Singapore and through out the U.S. He is an honorary member of ASLA and RTPI and an Honorary Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia. He and his wife, Connie, live in Chicago and they are currently restoring their home in Shreveport which was built in 1908 by Paul's grandfather.

6:00 PM - Chapter Reception

Marlene Yu Art Museum

Come socialize with other members at the Marlene Yu Museum located at 710 Travis St, Shreveport. The museum features work of Tiawanese-born Asian-American artist Marlene Tseng Yu, who's large scale works often synthesize Chinese landscape painting and American abstract expressionism. A complimentary drink ticket is included with your conference registration.

DAY 2 - Thursday, October 4th

7:30 AM - Continental Breakfast

Magnolia Room

8:00 AM - Onsite Conference Registration Opens

12:00 Noon: State Planning Awards Luncheon

Featuring an address by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser

Magnolia Room

Each year the APA Louisiana Chapter recognizes the achievements of agencies, companies, groups and individuals as they strive for excellence in the planning profession. General award categories include Planning Excellence (Plan/Implementation/Process/Education or Advocacy), Planning Achievement (for an individual), Student Project Award and Great Places in Louisiana recognition. A presentation of winning submissions will be shared as well as the official ceremony in which winners will receive a personalized award. This year's luncheon will begin with an address from Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

1:00 PM: Planning Commissioner Training

Louisiana Act 859 and Revised Statute Title 33, 33:103.1 mandates four (4) hours of approved training for planning commissioners, advisory board members, historic district commissioners, and boards of zoning adjustment before or during their first year of public service in this role. This session satisfies this requirement for these public servants.

Louisiana Room

• Facilitator 1: Joanne Poret, AICP – Director of Planning and Zoning, City of Monroe
• Facilitator 2: Mart Black, AICP – Director, Terrebonne Consolidated Government, Office of Coastal Restoration and Preservation

DAY 3 - Friday, October 5

7:30 AM - Continental Breakfast

Magnolia Room

-- 1:00 PM Adjourned --

.

Full conference registration includes attendance at all sessions, two breakfasts, Keynote Luncheon, Awards Luncheon, Closing Luncheon, Opening Reception, and two drink tickets to the Opening Reception.  Please note that admission to the Chapter Dinner is not included in the basic registration fee and must be purchased separately.

Table of Base Fees

Optional Item Fees

Mobile Workshop $35

"Thrill on the Hill" Chapter Dinner at Earnest's Orleans $50

Extra guest ticket for luncheons and awards ceremony $35

Extra guest ticket for opening reception $25

*Single day is only applicable for one day. It may not be doubled for two days. Any attendance more than one day requires the full conference fee.

Online Registration

We encourage you to register online via the Planning.org events portal. Use of this portal will require your APA user ID and password. The URL is:

www.planning.org/events/eventmulti/9155739

Mail-In Registration

We understand some must pay by check and are happy to oblige. A printable PDF registration form is available at the following link.

Lodging

Arrangements for lodging must be made directly with the hotel, separately from conference registration.

Sam's Town Casino and Hotel Shreveport

samstownshreveport.com

Nightly Room Rate: $85.00 with Group Code SH10APA  YOU MUST CALL IN TO UTILIZE THE GROUP CODE.

This rate is for Government Employee Exemption when submitting an Exemption Certificate.
http://revenue.louisiana.gov/TaxForms/1376(1_09)F.pdf

The nightly rate for Non-Government Exempt Employees is $98.26.

Be a Sponsor! - Our mission is to promote the practice of community and regional planning in Louisiana by enhancing the effectiveness of planners in impacting public policy. Please consider becoming an organizational, corporate, or individual sponsor of APA Louisiana's 2018 Annual State Planning Conference. Sponsors will have their logo and/or name displayed prominently according to sponsorship level. (Download Sponsorship Packet)

2018 Sponsorship Opportunities

The Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association (LA APA) will hold its 2018 Statewide Planning Conference in Shreveport, Louisiana from October 3 - 5, 2018. This year’s theme is “The Face of Planning.”

This statewide planning conference presents a unique forum for direct contact and interaction between municipal planning departments, private planning consultants, and allied professionals within APA's membership. Conference attendees will attend informative sessions, mobile workshops, networking functions, and social events. Planners will also meet renowned speakers and leaders, especially those whose technologies and approaches are on the cutting edge of the planning profession. Many of our state’s certified planners also use the sessions of the annual state conference as an opportunity to acquire their necessary continuing education credits.

A sponsorship of the 2018 APA LA Planning Conference is an excellent way to showcase your organization. Participation can occur in several ways. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2018 LA APA Planning Conference, please download and complete the sponsorship registration form and remit payment by September 28. A member of the Local Host Committee will be contacting you soon afterwards.​

Sponsorship Levels

Being a Sponsor for the Louisiana APA Annual Conference is a valuable means to show support for the planning of our future. By participating as a Sponsor you can help advance the planning profession and, in the process, improve the quality of life for our state. Plus, take advantage of a range of benefits specially designed to promote your company or organization. APA LOUISIANA CHAPTER welcomes our many returning partners and future new sponsors! As partners, we are committed to the future of Louisiana. Please consider one of the sponsorship opportunities listed below and contact Stephen Jean, AICP for more information. Thank you!

DIAMOND SPONSOR: $5,000 or more

• Hotel room for two nights of the conference
• Five Complimentary Conference Registrations
• Full Page Ad in Conference Program
• Reception sponsor with ability to have table alongside check-in for Reception
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

PLATINUM SPONSOR: $2,000-$5,000

• Two Complimentary Conference Registrations
• Full Page Ad in Conference Program
• Lunch Sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

GOLD SPONSOR: $1,000 - $2000

• One Complimentary Conference Registration
• Half Page Ad in Conference Program
• Breakfast Sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

SILVER SPONSOR: $750

• 1/4 Page Ad in Conference Program
• One Complimentary Awards Luncheon Ticket
• Break sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

BRONZE SPONSOR: $500

• Business Card Sized Ad in Conference Program
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

BUSINESS SPONSOR: $250

• Listing in Conference Program
• Acknowledgement at APA Conference and on website

The venue for the 2018 State Planning Conference will be Sam's Town Resort in Shreveport overlooking the Red River.

Mobile Workshop Destinations

• Port of Caddo-Bossier
• Texas Street Downtown
• Shreveport Common
• Bossier East Bank

Area Attractions

If you find yourself having some spare time - or if a traveling companion will not be attending our conference - the Shreveport-Bossier area offers many things to do beyond shopping and dining. We've listed a few ideas below, and you'll find these and much more on the website of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau - shreveport-bossier.org - including a build your itinerary and mapping portal.

Red River Revel Art Festival

The Revel is a 9-day celebration of art, music and food taking place in festival plaza in downtown Shreveport. Admission is free weekdays before 5:30, evenings and weekends it is $5. As of August 13, the schedule of performers does not seem to be posted, but check back on the Revel's website - redriverrevel.com.

Shreveport Attractions:

• Riverview Park - 601 Clyde Fant Pkwy.
• Artspace - 710 Texas Street
• Elvis Presley Statue - 705 Elvis Presley Ave.
• James Burton Statue - 705 Elvis Presley Ave.
• J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Regional Visitor Center - 700 Clyde Fant Pkwy.
• Louisiana State Exhibit Museum - laexhibitmuseum.org
• Meadows Museum of Art, Centenary College - 2911 Centenary Blvd.
• R. W. Norton Art Gallery - 4747 Creswell Ave.
• Shreveport Waterworks and Railroad Museums - 142 N. Common St.
• Spring Street Museum - 525 Spring St.
• Walter B. Jacobs Nature Park - 8012 Blanchard Furrh Rd., Shreveport
• American Rose Center - 8877 Jefferson Paige Rd., Shreveport

Bossier City Attractions:

• Bossier East Bank
• Barksdale Global Power Museum
• CenturyLink Center
• Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets
• Red River Nat'l Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center - 150 Eagle Bend Point, Bossier City

Conference Registration Information

Three options are offered for your conference registration process. You may pay online by credit card or download the registration form and mail it with a check to the address provided on the form. Out-of-town folks may need lodging at Hotel Indigo. We're asking that you go "all in" on this conference. There are no single-day registrations, although guests seeking to attend the Thursday evening social and awards ceremony may purchase a ticket solely for that event.

• Chapter Member Registration $125 ($150 after May 13th)
• Non-Member Registration $150 ($175 after May 13th)
• Student Member Registration $40 ($65 after May 13th)
• Additional Ticket for Award Event $40 ($50 after May 13th)
• Hotel room rate $119

DEADLINE: Monday, May 13th for regular conference rates published above. $25 penalty for registrations received after May 13th, 2019.

Register Online

Conference Registration via SquareUp

The two-step process requires that you first complete the registration form on this page and then pay online by credit or debit card through the Chapter's SquareUp portal.  

 

Mail-In

Pay by check

For those who need to pay by check, click below to obtain the printable conference registration form. Complete it and mail it with your check to the address provided on the form.

Download Form...

Lodging

Hotel Indigo

We've reserved a block of rooms for our out-of-town attendees at Hotel Indigo in downtown Baton Rouge. King or double-bed rooms are available at the rate of $119.

Hotel Reservations...

Make plans to join us Thursday and Friday, May 23 - 24 in Baton Rouge for our annual state conference themed "Partners in Planning." In lieu of a full 3-day conference with multiple lecture tracks, this year's event will provide CMs including Law and Ethics, as well as focus on how we as professional planners can impact the introduction, enactment or modification of legislation. Below is an overview of the conference schedule.

Speakers

Whitney Hoffman Sayal, AICP

Legislative Advocacy Session Lead

Whitney serves as Vice President of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association and chair of the Legislative Committee.  She is also the Development Project Director at the Baton Rouge Downtown Development District, serving in that position since 2012. Prior to her work at the DDD, she gained professional experience in the private, non-profit, and government sectors managing multiple types and scopes of projects, plans, and programs.

Sean Daly, AICP

Ethics Session Speaker

Sean Daly serves as Professional Development Officer for the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association and is current Chair of the American Society of Civil Engineers Louisiana Section Transportation and Development Institute. In his day job, he is a senior planner at Iteris, Inc. and has almost 20 years of transportation planning experience in private consulting and at state and federal positions. He earned his Master of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania.

Niki Pace, J.D.

Law Session Co-Speaker

Niki Pace currently serves as Sustainability Coordinator at Louisiana Sea Grant Law & Policy Program. She earned a Juris Doctorate in law and Master of Laws in environmental and natural resources from Lewis and Clark Law School. She has over ten years of experience in law relating to environmental issues as an attorney, law clerk, and professor and is also a certified floodplain manager.

Beaux Jones, J.D.

Law Session Co-Speaker

Beaux Jones is the General Counsel of the Water Institute of the Gulf. Prior to joining the Institute, Jones served as the environmental section chief for the Louisiana Department of Justice, where he represented the State of Louisiana and its agencies in a wide variety of matters ranging from environmental and coastal law to criminal and appellate law. He most recently worked as an environmental and coastal lawyer for the law firm Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer in New Orleans.

Program Description

Thursday - Day 1

Starting location: Baton Rouge Area Chamber

The annual Chapter business meeting will lead off our conference on Thursday morning. Then, following guidelines developed by the American Planning Association, we will continue with a workshop providing a framework and tools for interacting with our legislators, providing both a state and national perspective. An Ethics session will be held. After lunch, we'll visit the Louisiana State Capitol where we're arranging to have a table set up, and hope to speak to many of our legislators who will be in session. CM credits will be available for the lecture sessions.

That evening, we'll enjoy an informal social at "The Loft" at Cecelia Creole Bistro including a presentation of awards recognizing our partners in planning. Specifically, this year our awards will be targeted to persons outside of APA-LA - such as legislators, elected officials, journalists, or allied professions - whose accomplishments we wish to recognize and whose successes we'd like to replicate in other communities.

Friday - Day 2

Starting location: Baton Rouge Area Chamber

A topical lecture session covering Law training requirements will be offered. You'll also have the choice of mobile workshops (included in your registration fee) - including the Center for River Studies at The Water Campus (yes, this features the big Mississippi River model); or a walking tour of new developments and public space improvements in downtown Baton Rouge.

Afterwards, we're hoping to gather mid-day Friday at Red Stick Social, the entertainment venue in Baton Rouge's brand new "Electric Depot" redevelopment project on Government Street for lunch (on your own), bowling, and fun. 

For those traveling from out of town, lodging will be at Hotel Indigo where we're reserving a block of rooms.

Greetings from the American Planning Association - Louisiana Chapter (APA-LA)

We are excited to host this year’s annual state planning conference, themed “Partners in Planning,” held on May 23 and 24, 2019 in our capital city, Baton Rouge. The 2019 conference will be focused on legislative advocacy, networking, educational, and business outreach opportunities. Invitees will include our 400+ professional membership of urban planners and those with similar career paths in real estate development, economic development, land development law, and public policy.

What can you expect from our conference? Thought-provoking professional development sessions on law and ethics, mobile workshops, legislative advocacy training, and a visit to the Capitol during the legislative session to talk about important planning issues with lawmakers. Social and networking opportunities include two breakfasts, a lunch, and cocktails and appetizers at the evening Chapter Social and Partners in Planning Awards.

This year’s focus is on legislative advocacy and reaching out beyond the ranks of the membership. Attendees will be given training in legislative advocacy and an opportunity to speak with decision makers during the legislative session. The focus of this year’s awards program is similarly outward-facing. Planning projects were awarded last October in Shreveport and will be again at the 2020 conference. This year, the Chapter is awarding allies and individuals that advance sustainable planning and inspired design in Louisiana.

Our ethics speaker will be Sean Daly, APA-LA Professional Development Officer, who is a senior transportation planner at Iteris, Inc. Since 2016 Sean has presented four planning ethics sessions in Louisiana, focused on applying the AICP Code of Ethics in planner’s every day practice. Niki Pace will present at the law session. With over ten years of experience in law relating to environmental issues as an attorney, law clerk, and professor, Niki currently serves as Sustainability Coordinator at Louisiana Sea Grant Law & Policy Program.

Who We Are

The American Planning Association is a professional membership organization for urban planners and those with similar career paths in real estate development, economic development, land development law, and public policy. Our mission is to promote the practice of community and regional planning in Louisiana by enhancing the effectiveness of planners in impacting public policy. The goals of the organization are three-fold: increase networking opportunities for those within the field, build political support for responsible planning principles in our communities, and promote excellence in the profession by means of spotlighting outstanding examples of developments, projects and policies.

The Louisiana Chapter and its regional Sections are made up of over 400 members, many from a variety of disciplines and organizations, including municipal planning offices, economic development agencies, planning commissions, private planning and development firms, land development attorneys, regional governments and agencies, transportation planners/engineers, water management agencies, architects, and landscape architects, among others.

Why Support Us?

Support for APA-LA helps to advance the planning profession and a better future for Louisiana. In 2019 and into the future, the Chapter plans to continue to advocate for the use of proven, successful tools in shaping urban development - like community-oriented development and streamlined government efficiency. By partnering with APA-LA, your brand will reach influential leaders and policy-makers across the state while demonstrating your commitment to quality development that supports a community purpose. Further, your sponsorship of the 2019 APA-LA Annual State Planning Conference will help us reach potential members and leaders in urban policy.

In closing, we invite you to participate in this year’s event as a Sponsor and support our organization and its mission to further smart, innovative planning in the State of Louisiana. To assist you with determining the sponsorship package that best suits your organization, please find enclosed a Sponsorship Guide and Form.

Please contact Derek Chisholm, APA-LA Chapter President, (president@louisianaplanning.com) if you require additional information regarding sponsorship or the impact of our organization. We hope to develop great partnerships with our sponsors as we continue in our mission of Making Great Communities Happen in Louisiana!

Sponsorship Guide

APA-LA welcomes and thanks our many returning partners and new sponsors! Being a sponsor of this year’s event demonstrates your organization’s commitment to the advancement of the planning profession and the future of Louisiana, while taking advantage of benefits specially designed to promote your company or organization! Please consider one of the sponsorship opportunities listed below. For more information regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Derek Chisholm at president@louisianaplanning.com or 225-907-1280. Thanks again for your continued support!

Our target date to receive sponsorship commitments is May 9, 2019.

Sponsorship Packet    (PDF)

PLATINUM SPONSOR: $1,500 or more

• Two Complimentary Conference Registrations
• Lunch Sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement (verbal and onscreen) at APA-LA Conference
• Acknowledgement with your brand graphic on website: louisianaplanning.com
• Reserved table during ceremony at Chapter Social and Partners in Planning Awards
• Display space/vendor table at Chapter Social and Partners in Planning Awards

GOLD SPONSOR: $1,000

• One Complimentary Conference Registration
• Breakfast Sponsor with display signage (shared)
• Acknowledgement (verbal and onscreen) at APA-LA Conference
• Acknowledgement with your brand graphic on website: louisianaplanning.com
• Display space/vendor table at Chapter Social and Partners in Planning Awards

SILVER SPONSOR: $500

• One Complimentary Conference Registration
• Acknowledgement (onscreen) at APA-LA Conference
• Acknowledgement on website: louisianaplanning.com

BRONZE SPONSOR: $250

• Acknowledgement (onscreen) at APA-LA Conference
• Acknowledgement on website: louisianaplanning.com

Baton Rouge Area Chamber

564 Laurel Street

The generous conference room of the new offices of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber will host our annual chapter meeting and lecture sessions for the 2019 State Planning Conference.

Visit BRAC

Louisiana State Capitol

Think deco, not gothic.

We've arranged to set up an APA Louisiana table in the Memorial Hall of our state capitol building. Here we'll represent our profession and enter House and Senate Chambers to observe our legislature in session.

More...

"The Loft" at Cecelia

421 N 3rd Street

"The Loft" at Cecelia Creole Bistro offers a fantastic view overlooking the Mississippi River from downtown Baton Rouge. We'll enjoy socializing and then present "Partners in Planning" awards to notable elected officials, journalists and engineers.

Visit Cecelia

LSU Center for River Studies

Bus transportation from BRAC offices

One mobile workshop option is to tour LSU's Center for River Studies in The Water Campus. Due to ongoing construction activity, we must arrive only by shuttle bus and the tour is limited to the first 50 applicants.

Visit the Center

Downtown Walking Tour

Downtown Baton Rouge

A second mobile workshop option is to participate in a walking tour of downtown Baton Rouge. Led by the DDD's Whitney Hoffman Sayal, the tour will highlight projects restored utilizing Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits.

More...

Red Stick Social

1503 Government Street

Stick around Friday afternoon for another social opportunity with your colleagues. Red Stick Social is BR's brand new bowling, live music, and entertainment venue in the Electric Depot, an old Entergy power facility renovated through the efforts of the East Baton Rouge Parish Redevelopment Authority.

Visit Red Stick Social

Getting Around

Mostly we anticipate walking as most destinations are within six or fewer blocks from each other. The exceptions are The Water Campus for which a private shuttle will be used, and the Electric Depot on Government Street which you may drive to following the Friday morning activities. CATS operates the Capital Park Shuttle (Route 16) which has a mostly north-south route up and down Third and Lafayette streets - linking North Boulevard Town Square to the "North Campus" of government offices on the shore of Capitol Lake, north of the State Capitol. The Capitol Park shuttle is FREE and operates on a 30 minute headway.

Map of Venues