APA California 2009 Conference

September 13 – 16, 2009
The Resort at Squaw Creek, Lake Tahoe

Eye on the Waterline: Seal Level Change and the California Coast

Sea level rise is one of the most publicized and controversial predicted impacts of global warming. Although most climate scientists agree that it is a consequence of global warming, there is controversy over how much, how soon and just how to deal with it.

This session examined the scientific and political status of sea level rise in California and provided planners with tools for dealing with sea level rise, both in the short- and long-term, including:

• Means of assessing sea level changes
• Methodologies for identifying impacts and implications
• Strategies for mitigation
• Planning for long-term adaptation

Both coastal and inland planners came out of this session better prepared for the critical consequences of global warming.

Materials:
Session introduction and speaker biographies
Eye on the Water Line: Sea Level Change and the California Coast, Barb Kinison Brown, PMC
Ocean Harbor House, Video
Sea Level Rise, Video
Sea Level Change and the California Coast, Steve Crooks Ph.D., PWA
Sea Level Rise, Abe Doherty, Climate Change Coordinator, Ocean Protection Council
Living with a Rising Bay: Vulnerability and Adaptation in San Francisco Bay and the Shoreline, Leslie Lacko, BCDC
Sea Level Rise/CEQA/Climate Change, Pat Angel, PMC

Great Valley Center Workshop
The Local Government Impacts of AB32 and SB375

Friday, August 7, 2009 from 8:15 a.m.– 1:30 p.m.
Red Bluff Community Center
1500 S. Jackson Street
Red Bluff, CA 96080

Please join PMC, PG&E, the Attorney General’s office and others for a free event to educate and inform about the impacts of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32) and the Sustainable Communities Strategy Bill (SB375) on local governments in the Valley.

For additional information, please download the flyer or or visit www.greatvalley.org

Climate Change, Local Solutions and Strategies

April 30, 2009 from 6:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Kula Ranch, 3295 Dunes Road, Marina, CA

How does a medium to small-sized community address climate change? Planners from the cities of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Seaside will share experiences and lessons learned. PMC is moderating and sponsoring this exciting event. For more information, please visit www.norcalapa.org

Materials:
PMC Presentation
Monterey Presentation
Santa Cruz Presentation
Seaside Presentation

Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regional Climate Leaders Conference

May 4, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
The Fox Theatre, Oakland

PMC is speaking on the topic of “How to pay for it all” at this invite only conference for Bay Area climate action leaders. PMC also is sponsoring the networking mixer following the event.

Materials:
PMC Presentation

Great Valley Center Annual Conference
20/20 Foresight – A View of the Great Valley in a Decade.

May 6 and 7, 2009
Radisson Hotel, 500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento

Please join PMC, PG&E and HMG on Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 2:00pm for a discussion on “AB32 in 2020 - How did we do?”. Michael McCormick, PMC’s Climate Change Services Coordinator, will be taking the role of a futurist for a day to discuss the regulatory framework of AB32 and how successful we will be by 2020 on meeting the goals of AB32. For additional information please visit www.greatvalley.org/conference

The 2009 APACA Northern Section Awards Gala

May 15, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 450 Powell Street, San Francisco.

Join PMC at the APA Northern Section Awards Gala to celebrate winning APA Planning Awards for the San Carlos Climate Action Plan and the City of San Mateo SMART Public Outreach and Climate Action Campaign. For more information, please visit www.norcalapa.org

—–Past Events—–

Regional Working Sessions

November 7, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
City Hall Rotunda, City of San Jose, 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose

Please join PMC for the first of three regional working sessions focused on the relationship between General Plans and Climate Change hosted by Joint Venture Silicon Valley and the City of San Jose. Michael McCormick, PMC’s Climate Change Services Coordinator, will be discussing the development of the City of San Carlos baseline greenhouse gas emissions audit and climate action plan, and the process by which it will be integrated into their general plan and general plan EIR.

Washington APA

October 13 – 15, 2008
Spokane, Washington http://www.washington-apa.org/2008conf/

T6 Housing Affordability: How Are We Doing?

Presenters: Jim Carney, PMC
Mike Stanger, Snohomish County
Lisa Voight, King County

Everyone knows how much houses cost, yet many of us can’t answer questions like: How many of our residents are struggling to find affordable housing? How much more is needed? What strategies have we tried? Have we done what we said we’d do? Are we doing enough? This session presents Snohomish County Tomorrow’s New Housing Evaluation Report, with lessons that apply to other cities and counties. A panel of experts will be asked to critique the presenter’s report and make suggestions of their own.

MW3 Go Localvore! Explore Sustainable Practices in Local Food Production and Distribution

Speakers: Paul Haeder, Spokane Falls Community College and Jennifer M. Hall, Community Building and Main Market Co-Op
Facilitator: Hilary Anderson, PMC

The trend in food production and consumption is returning to locally grown and good for the earth. Indulge in coffee, espresso drinks and pastries at a local coffee roastery, experience a new food co-op, tour a local farm-to-plate grocer and visit an urban chicken coop designed by a local architect. Transportation provided by Washington State Department of Ecology.

AMBAG Community Planning Forum

June 19, 2008
Moss Landing Marine Labs
http://www.ambag.org/events/2008/2008.htm

Cool Planning Tools and Technology: The lessons and reflections of a traveling planner: the challenged of integrating sustainability into a high VMT California lifestyle.
Presenter: Michael McCormick, PMC

Materials:
Community Planning Forum Program

AIA 2008 National Convention and Design Exposition

May 15 – 17, 2008
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center

Legal Aspects of Design Review, Presenter: Mark J. Brodeur, FIUD

Great Valley Center’s Annual Conference: “Green Momentum”

May 7-8, 2008, Sacramento, CA

Going Beyond Green: Fostering Sustainable Communities

What does sustainability mean, and how does it relate to long-range planning? As the Central Valley’s urban environments increase in size and number, answers to these questions are important to fostering long-term social, economic and environmental viability. Long-range planning is an ideal tool to establish goals, objectives, policies and actions that move communities toward achieving sustainability.

This engaging panel discussion and interactive session will focus on infusing sustainability principles into long range planning. The panel will emphasize aspects that make great communities, such as providing a variety of housing options, sustainable energy and water practices, availability of employment, and more.  The City of Madera will share their experience in developing plans with an eye toward sustainability. The City is in the process of updating its General Plan, and will highlight how sustainability is being incorporated into this long range planning document, including the addition of a new Sustainability Element. The Executive Director of the Local Government Commission will then share resources and tools specifically designed for local governments aimed at fostering sustainability and livable communities.

Panel:

Jim Carney, PMC, Senior Associate
Judy Corbett, Local Government Commission, Executive Director
Dave Merchen, City of Madera, Community Development Director
Jill Savery, PMC, Sustainability Services Manager

Green California Summit

April 7-9, 2008
Sacramento Convention Center

Climate Change: How state and local governments are addressing the challenge.

“Think global, act local” is more than just a catch phrase. In response to a variety of concerns, including climate change and AB 32, many local governments are quantifying and initiating measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The issue of climate change has become a hot topic under CEQA, and has been the subject of legal challenges as to the adequacy of environmental review.  This session will outline a comprehensive local solution that effectively addresses climate change, and may provide cities and individual project applicants with insulation from legal challenges as to the adequacy of greenhouse gas emissions analyses in subsequent CEQA documents.

NAEP Conference

March 25-28, 2008
Omni Hotel, San Diego

Successfully Incorporating Sustainability into Long Range Planning Documents

Moderator/Panelists: Michael McCormick, PMC and Jill Savery, PMC

Most would agree that as applied to cities, sustainability means providing for human, economic and environmental viability and harmony, which can enable an ecologically and socially thriving community. However, the term “sustainability” may mean different things to different communities. As urban places increase in size and number, achieving a consensus on the definition and goal of achieving sustainability will be an ongoing process requiring communication and cooperation between communities’ stakeholders. Long range planning can be used to establish goals, objectives, policies and procedures to move communities and regions towards sustainability. According to the APA Policy on Planning and Sustainability: “City and regional planning is integrally related to defining how, where, and when human development occurs, which affects resource use. Planners can therefore play a crucial role in improving the sustainability of communities and the resources that support them…Planning for sustainability promotes responsible development – not anti-development. It requires a democratic process of planning to achieve the greatest common good for all segments of our population, protect the health of the environment and assure future generations of the resources they will need to survive and progress.” The presentation will focus on infusing sustainability principles, goals and policies into Comprehensive and General Plans and how to implement those policies into community codes once the plan is approved. The presentation will outline several successful cases of communities that have implemented sustainability plans and codes with lessons learned. Other related topics that will be covered include a climate change overview and recent developments in California related to greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies related to long range planning policy.

Materials:
Presentation “Successfully Incorporating Sustainability into Long Range Planning Documents”

Comprehensive Local Solutions for Dealing with Climate Change in an Amorphous Regulatory Environment.

Moderator: Ben Ritchie, PMC

Since the enactment of AB 32, the issue of Climate Change and Greenhouse Gasses (GHGs) has become a hot topic under CEQA, and has been the subject of numerous legal challenges to the adequacy of EIRs. There are currently no adopted thresholds of significance or methodologies from state or federal agencies regarding what a proper GHG analysis in an EIR looks like, however, it is clear that climate change must now be addressed in most EIRs. Planning professionals and CEQA experts have developed numerous methodologies for this analysis, but a comprehensive local solution has yet to emerge. This presentation will summarize the existing regulatory environment related to GHGs and summarize steps taken by some cities and counties to quantify current GHG emissions and enact measures to reduce these emissions, consistent with the intent of AB 32. A four pronged local solution will be presented which includes incorporation of: (1) climate protection policies into the General Plan, (2) a baseline conditions analysis and development of measures to reduce local GHG emissions, (3) thorough analysis of GHGs and climate change in the General Plan EIR, which will help reduce the burden of GHG analyses for subsequent projects consistent with the General Plan, and (4) policies for enforcement and implementation of applicable GP policies and other locally adopted climate protection measures. This approach may provide cities and individual project applicants with insulation from legal challenges on the adequacy of GHG analyses in subsequent CEQA documents, and will provide a comprehensive local solution that effectively addresses climate change. This proposed approach will also be useful to communities outside of California who are contemplating regulatory and planning solutions to locally address climate change.

Materials:
Presentation “Comprehensive Local Solutions for Dealing with Climate Change in an Amorphous Regulatory Environment”

Central Valley Land Trust Council’s Land Trust Summit

November 1-2, 2007
Sacramento, Sierra Foundation Building

Mitigation in the Valley, Panel Discussion: Nora DeCuir, PMC – Moderator

California APA, San Jose

Sunday, September 30th, 1:00-2:15 p.m.

Change from the Roots: Planners and Neighborhood Associations Work Together

Grassroots neighborhood associations contribute to transform the planning fabric. Using different approaches, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chico reach out to neighborhoods and encourage neighborhood-based planning. The panel will explore ways planners and grassroots organizations collaborate to ensure optimal change. California Cities have turned to grassroots neighborhood associations to understand issues and encourage change. With different approaches and issues, these three Cities have reached out to cooperate with neighborhood groups and encourage neighborhood-based planning. S.F.’s North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association formed in response to drug-related crime, proving that dedicated neighborhood groups can implement change. The Mayor’s Office turned to local groups to reflect community needs in corridor revitalization. Chico’s Housing and Neighborhood Services Department works with neighborhood associations and other community members to develop neighborhood plans and neighborhood priorities. In L.A, a 1999 voter-passed charter formed the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to promote public participation in government and support a City-wide system of grassroots neighborhood councils. NCRCLA is currently evaluating the Department’s work. The panel will investigate neighborhood association and planner cooperation; will explore different approaches, challenges, and successes of the 3 Cities; and, will provide insight into grassroots change and tools for neighborhood-based planning.

Presenters:

• Andrea Nelson, Moderator, Assistant Planner with PMC, Board Member of NOPNA, resident and homeowner in the North Panhandle neighborhood.
• Dan Nguyen-Tan, NOPNA Board member; homeowner and resident, active neighborhood resident.
• Amy Cohen, Project Manager, Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, San Francisco.
• Raphael Sonenshein, Executive Director, Neighborhood Council Review Commission,   Los Angeles, California
• Michele Siqueiros, Neighborhood Commissioner, Los Angeles Department of     Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE)
• Debbie Villaseñor, Land Department, Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), City of Chico, California
• Claudia Stuart, Senior Planner, City of Chico, California

Materials:
Presentation “Change from the Roots”

Staffing Trends: Making Contract Planners a Seamless Extension of City Staff

Sunday, September 30th, 2:30 p.m., Fairfield Room

Recent trends in municipal planning include an increase in the employment of contract planning services. More public agencies are turning to outside consultants to augment their planning staff, but are contract planners really the answer? Contract planners can provide a cost-effective solution to interim vacancies, technical expertise for special projects and management of fluctuating workloads. This interactive session, perfect for public sector planners and consultants alike, will include a discussion of practical ways to increase the efficiency of utilizing contract planners.

Presenters:

• Charity Wagner, Senior Planner, RRM Design Group
• Eric Angstadt, Strategic Planning Manager, City of Oakland
• Lynette Dias, AICP, Principal, LSA Associates, Inc.
• Margaret Kavanaugh-Lynch, PMC
• Debra Sanderson, Acting Land Use Manager, City of Berkeley

Time Management for Planners: How Can I Meet these Deadlines without going Insane or Sacrificing Quality Work

Tuesday, October 2nd, 4:45-6:00 PM

Time management techniques used in other career tracks don’t always work for planning staff. Five planning professionals will tell their secrets to time management. It’s not just the good use of a day-timer. This session is fun and fast and provides tools to immediately help planners manage their workload better.

Panel:

• Christina Ratcliffe, AICP Senior Associate, PMC
• Deborah Diamond, AICP General Plan Project Manager, City of Emeryville
• Andrew Thomas, Planning Manager, City of Alameda (Invited)
• Steve Flint, AICP Planning Director, City of Half Moon Bay
• Jennifer Carman, AICP Planning Manager, City of El Cerrito

Materials:
Presentation “Time Management for Planners”
Phone Log (doc)
Project Housekeeping Spreadsheets (xls)
Sample Matrix for Tracking Applications (doc)
Sample Project Progress Matrix (xls)
Time tracking Calendar (doc)

West Coast Green Conference

Thursday, September 20, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City – Guiding your Community Toward a Green Building Program
We invite you to come along and listen, learn, and interact at our session, We have gathered a session team knowledgeable in healthy buildings, developing municipal green building programs, promoting LEED public buildings and green housing, including a well-known solar builder. The session is focused on providing participants with tools and resources needed to assist with the development of green building programs.

Event details can be found here:   http://www.westcoastgreen.com

Materials:
Conference Overview
Presentation “Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City”
Contact List

Monterey Bay Area AEP Chapter Dinner

August 23, 2007, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Incorporating Sustainability Principles into Long Range Planning

Please join the AEP Monterey Bay Area Chapter for their August dinner meeting at the Green Valley Grill in Watsonville, featuring a presentation on incorporating sustainability principles into long range planning by Jill Savery and Michael McCormick of PMC. This presentation will benefit all environmental and related professionals interested or involved in long range planning.

Event details can be found here:   http://www.montereybayaep.org

Materials: Presentation “Sustainability and Long Range Planning”

San Diego AEP Chapter luncheon

July 19, 2007, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Incorporating Sustainability Principles into Long Range Planning

Please join the AEP San Diego Chapter for our July luncheon event at the Mission Valley Resort, featuring a presentation on incorporating sustainability principles into long range planning by Jill Savery and Michael McCormick of PMC. This presentation will benefit all environmental and related professionals interested or involved in long range planning.

Event details can be found here:   http://www.sandiegoaep.org/events.html

2007 AEP Conference – California Currents

April 29 – May 2, 2007

Professional Ethics and Environmental Justice
Marilyn Ababio – Panelist

California Integrated Energy Policy. Alternative Energy Resource Development
Kevin L. Grant

Rancho Cordova General Plan and EIR
Pat Angell and Pam Johns – Presenters

CAPIO 2007 Conference

April 18-20, 2007

Environmental Justice
Marilyn Ababio – Presenter

Building Successful Partnerships
Christine Kohn – Presenter

Communicating Climate Change
Jill Savery – Presenter

National APA

April 14-18, 2007

Mitigation Monitoring, Condition and Code Compliance,Pat Angell, Paul Junker and Christine Crawford – Presenters

Inter-Governmental Management Training,

Communicating like a Superhero, Christine Kohn and Mary Hewitt – Presenters
Tips and Techniques for Engaging Key Audiences (Note that the overall training session has a superhero theme–thus the title.)

Green California Summit and Exposition

March 13, 2007
Sacramento Convention Center

City of Rancho Cordova City Hall – LEED-CI Certification

This session will present the City of Rancho Cordova’s experience in developing a new City Hall certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) Green Building Rating System™. The City’s Vice Mayor and project consultant will take you through the entire process of building acquisition to final certification, focusing on the decision to incorporate green building features into this major commercial interior renovation. Benefits and challenges from the experience will be highlighted, accompanied by available metrics and other evidence showing that green building is a viable endeavor, whereby municipalities become leaders in their communities in promoting environmental protection, resource efficiency, and high performance buildings. Municipal participants in the session will be able to apply key learning to their own municipal buildings, and understand how to go green.

Speakers:
Vice Mayor Linda Budge, City of Rancho Cordova
Jim Carney, Director of Housing and Community Development, PMC

Materials:
Presentation “The Making of a Green Legacy”