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AGENDA ITEM___G-1_
MEMORANDUM
TO:
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FROM:
SECTION DIRECTORS
SUBJ:
SECTION ACTIVITIES AND REPORT FOR 2010
DATE:
January 14, 2011
CENTRAL SECTION
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August 27-29, 18th Annual Sierra Retreat at Lake Sequoia, Camp YMCA. Always a nice
turnout for planners, their families and fellow professionals as an opportunity to relax and
enjoy a beautiful mountain lake environment while engaging in a professional development
program. We had a turnout of 50 weekend campers in attendance. This year’s program
was called “The Carrot is a Stick, The Relationship Between SB-375, the San Joaquin Valley
Blueprint, General Plans and the Attorney General.”
On September 24-25, Section Director Kachadourian and board member David Fey, AICP,
traveled to Mammoth Lakes to visit the Eastern Sierra Planners Group. This was an
opportunity for outreach to some of our Section members from the various communities in
Mono and Inyo Counties (the other side of the Sierra’s) and as far away as Ridgecrest. We
participated in an afternoon mini session on planning trends and best practices in
Mammoth Lakes including a tour of projects, ending the evening with dinner and drinks at
Rafter’s Restaurant, Sierra Nevada Lodge.
On October 7, the Section sponsored and participated in the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint
Planning Awards hosted by the 8-County Regional Planning Agencies (COG’s) at their Fall
Policy Conference held in Modesto.
October 22, the Section sponsored and participated in the 3rd Annual Valley Land Use
Conference held in Clovis at the Clovis Memorial District. The theme was “The Way
Forward” and included morning sessions, lunch and afternoon mobile workshops ending
with a wine and cheese reception. The lunch keynote speaker was Bill Fulton.
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On December 3, we held our Christmas Tree Lane Walk/Holiday Party in Fresno with some
40 members and their families along with members from the Central Chapter of the
Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) enjoying the event. This has become a
great holiday gathering and was held at the home of Section member Barbara and her
husband Lou Steck who live adjacent to the nationally famous 2+ mile Christmas Tree Lane
on Van Ness Boulevard in Old Fig Garden. The walk night is for pedestrians only as the
entire lane is closed to vehicle traffic.
Ongoing/Planned Activities:
 Section officer nominations/elections for the position of Membership and Public
Information and for Administration & Finance. At least one incumbent is seeking reelection and we are anticipating the other incumbent may decide to run again.
 Our new Central Section Website, www.centralsection-apa-ca.org has been going well,
especially through the work of our webmaster, Bet Hannon of Bet Hannon Marketing. As of
December 1, we are averaging about 100 visits each month to the site. The most visited
pages (# of visits over 3 months) are; Calendar (154), Section (143); Section News (95) and
Awards (74). We will be encouraging more Central Section news posts, focusing on people
related news such as, job changes, promotions, awards & recognitions, new AICP members,
retirements, etc. We encourage all of our Chapter members to visit our website.
 We are working on restarting the monthly Professional Development Roundtable luncheons
at the Downtown Club in Fresno. The previous Roundtable’s were well attended and
informative. It brought together a variety of individuals in other fields related to planning.
 Continued sponsorship of the Valley Futures Forums at the Great Valley Center in Modesto.
 Periodic membership/networking mixers in our geographical section divisions (north, south,
central and eastern sierras)
CENTRAL COAST SECTION
Brown Bag Lunch Discussion Series
Central Coast APA has partnered with Santa Barbara County to offer a free “Brown Bag Lunch
Discussion Series” on a wide variety of emerging planning topics. These events are being held
in both northern and southern Santa Barbara County to attract planners and other members of
the public from throughout the Central Coast Section. Each session features a video
presentation from the APA virtual conference series followed by a facilitated discussion about
how the topic applies at the local and regional level. This session include:
Integrating Energy and Climate into Planning April 22 & 29, 2010 Santa Barbara; 12-2 pm
Discover the most innovative planning efforts to address energy and climate change concerns
at the local, regional, and state levels. This exciting double session will focus on efforts across
the country and provide in-depth examples at the local and state level, with some discussion to
bring this back to Santa Barbara County.
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Developing a Community Walkability Plan July 22, 2010, Santa Barbara and August 5, 2010,
Santa Maria; 12-1:30 pm
The emerging practice of planning for pedestrians comes at a pivotal time in our nation’s
evolution. By focusing on a pedestrian-oriented environment, communities can tackle a
multitude of issues related to public health and urban design.
Urban Agriculture’s Future August 26, 2010, Santa Barbara and September 2, 2010, Santa
Maria; 12-1:30 pm
Urban agriculture is an important component for building healthier cities. Explore urban
agriculture’s future direction, including converting solid food waste into renewable energy,
zoning for urban agriculture uses, and building vertical farms.
Harnessing Urban Rooftops September 23, 2010, Santa Barbara and October 7, 2010, Santa
Maria; 12-1:30 pm
Often regarded as dead space, rooftops are an important resource for sustainability and
community vitality. As urban areas are increasingly built out, rooftops offer space for
harvesting food, capturing water, and generating renewable energy. Explore different
techniques.
Moving from Suburban to Urban October 28, 2010, Santa Barbara and November 4, 2010,
Santa Maria; 12-1:30 pm
While the academic arguments for urban rather than suburban development patterns have
been thoroughly explored over the past decade, the practical discussion of how to implement
these changes has received less attention. Explore the specific policy and regulatory
framework.
The Central Coast also partnered with Cal Poly SLO on the following student event:
Thursday, February, 25th - 11 a.m. “Job Searching in a Down Economy: Students Get Sage
Advice from Seasoned Planners”
Four Central Coast planning practitioners visited the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus to counsel
students on job searching in a down economy. The lunchtime Q&A session addressed the
employment outlook in the public and private planning sectors and explored strategies for
securing a job after graduation. In attendance were graduate and undergraduate students
from Cal Poly’s City & Regional Planning department. Panelists urged students to "get creative"
during a time of grim job prospects, by partnering with an agency to seek grant funding for
positions in solar, sustainability, agricultural land preservation, and water conservation.
Students were encouraged to secure internships, even without pay, in order to gain valuable
resume-building work experience and establish professional networks. Panelists advised
students to practice and become adept at writing, public speaking, and technical skills prior to
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graduation, so that they can be competitive and ready for their new jobs on day one. Panelists
emphasized the value of up-to-date computer skills and experience using social networking and
virtual tours for stakeholder engagement.
Citizens Planning Academy
The Central Coast Section organized and sponsored a “citizen planning academy,” which was an
8-week course in local land use planning and civic engagement, where interested members of
the public received training in ‘Land Use 101.’ The course was a success in assisting the
academy members to become more informed, confident and comfortable in participating in
local land use planning decisions, and was ideally suited to help prepare participants to serve
on local advisory boards, such as Planning Commissions and other land use-related committees.
In an instruction format mix of lecture, panel discussion and group interaction, the academy
covers a broad range of planning topics: zoning history and legal context; environmental
review laws and procedures; natural resource management; redevelopment, government and
real estate economics; regional government, SOAR and LAFCO; transportation and
infrastructure; urban design and smart growth; water and utility planning and constraints,
affordable housing, ethics and civic engagement. The classes were held at California Lutheran
University, Oxnard Graduate Center. We proudly graduated 40 newly informed citizen
planners! This was such a success that our plans are to take this on the road and start an
academy in Santa Barbara and SLO Counties.
Mixers
On April 30th the Ventura Subsection hosted a mixer at DC&E’s new offices in downtown
Ventura. About 40 planners mingled and enjoyed a tour of the new mixed use facility.
In April, student board members from the Bren School of Environmental Science &
Management (UCSB) planned a mixer event for local professionals at Café Buenos Aires in
downtown Santa Barbara. Approximately 20 local planning, green building, and environmental
consultants attended and mingled with students interested in local internship and job
opportunities.
In August, the Ventura Subsection hosted a “SHOW & TELL” for all Ventura County Planning
Departments, giving their staff an opportunity to show off their innovative work to their
colleagues – this is a great event as you can discover who has already done what you may just
be beginning.
All three Counties in the Central Coast hosted a Holiday Mixer for APA members to get together
with their friends and colleagues.
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2010 Awards Event
On April 3, 2010, the Central Coast section held its annual Planning Awards Event. Our goal was
to create a fun, quality event, while sharing with our colleagues the achievements for the year
as well as to secure as many sponsorships and in-kind gifts as possible to keep costs down for
our members. Every year, the event moves among the tri-counties; Ventura, Santa Barbara,
and San Luis Obispo. For the last three years, we have had the awards presentation with
dinner but we added a “casino night” element which was great. Many participated in the
activities and participants were able to trade in their prize money for raffle tickets. Our raffle
prizes are always donated for the event to not add any extra cost for the members. The venue,
the beautiful Crowne Plaza Hotel, was perfect for the event and our Events Chair was able to
work out a great price! This year, we retained a local DJ who is known for getting folks out of
their seats and at one point, I believe all 102 people were out on the dance floor dancing to
Lady Gaga…I know, hard to picture. It was a great time and we thank Kurt for joining in on the
fun.
Open Space Newsletter
The Open Space is a news site for Central Coast Planners and a media outlet for the Central
Coast APA. This is a place for articles and discussion about the issues, people, and events that
define land use planning in our region. It is all about keeping the Planning Professional better
informed and connected. A compelling argument could be made that planning-related issues
compose the lion share of what most people here on the Central Coast consider “important
local news.” But even if a media source could present all the relevant topics related to planning,
the perspective would have to appeal to John and Jill Q. Public and not planning professionals.
And we all know that planners have a unique perspective and a language all their own. So
“we” (meaning our past Director and creative talent Jay Higgins), created the Open Space. Its
news and discussion from the perspective of the professional planner on the Central Coast. It is
the news that planners want (or at least should want!) to talk about. And it fills a gap by
addressing professional planners in a way that traditional media coverage never can... The
Open Space provides in-depth articles about the politics and science of planning; the
community vision and enabling legislation; and the foundation for our region’s growth,
resource protection and transportation systems that you all are framing. Plus when we write a
press release for the APA, we know it will get published!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT &ELECTIONS:
AICP Exam
In July and December, the Central Coast APA hosted informational sessions for members
considering applying for and taking the AICP exam to become certified planners. The sessions
covered eligibility requirements, the application process, exam content, and will provide
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application preparation and study tips. The Central Coast Section provides ongoing support to
members preparing to take the AICP exam by providing or directing them to study materials,
responding to questions regarding the AICP exam and application process and helping to
organize study groups.
Central Coast Legislative Update and CEQA Update
On September 23rd the Ventura Subsection hosted a legislative update from 2-5 p.m. in Ventura
with Sande George. The San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County subsection membership
were invited to attend this program. It was attended by 65 of our members and we received a
lot of positive feedback.
Central Coast continues legislative monitoring and advocacy via opposition letter to AB 602
relating to the statute of limitations provisions on local jurisdiction housing elements.
Ventura County Planning Division and the California Central Coast Section of the American
Planning Association are pleased to announce a one day California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) workshop with Ron Bass on January 27th, 2011. This workshop will focus on existing
and/or recent changes to CEQA guidelines and legislation, as well as issues and trends such as
determining when a project is considered a “project” under CEQA, establishing a CEQA
baseline, and conducting climate change and greenhouse gas analysis. Ron Bass is a Senior
Regulatory Specialist with ICF International (formerly Jones & Stokes) and is a frequent speaker
at professional workshops for federal, state, and local agencies on environmental impact
assessment and land use planning issues. This workshop is approved for 5.5 hours of CM Law
Credits.
Election Update
The Central Coast Section conducted elections for five Board positions in November. The
positions included Section Director-elect, Professional Development Officer, Finance Officer,
Public Information Officer and Membership Inclusion Officer. The term of office for each
position is two years, beginning January 2011. The elections are complete and the results
published in mid-December. The successful candidate for Director Elect is Dave Ward, Planning
Manager from the City of Ventura. Dave is currently working on an outreach program for all
three universities in the Central Coast. Our membership roster has been updated on our
website and a new roster has been provided to the State.
STATE BOARD TOPICS:
Santa Barbara to Host the 2011 California APA Conference
The Co-Chairs (Paul Wack & Kim Prillhart) and the Conference Host Committee has been set
and all committees are fully staffed for our needs at this time. Our kick-off meeting was on
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June 8th in Santa Barbara and we have had monthly meetings since then. The CHC has
completed the theme and logo, booked and opening event venue, the “giveaways” for the 2010
Conference, the call for presentations is out and the sponsorship/exhibitor was just finaled. All
available information is up on the website at http://www.calapa.org/2011-conference/
INLAND EMPIRE SECTION
Activities/Events:
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January 20 – “Building a Better Corridor Workshop” on the fundamentals of quickly and
inexpensively updating major corridors hosted by The Planning Center
February 16 – “CEQA Step-by-Step” providing an overview of CEQA implementation
from a government perspective hosted by Best, Best, and Krieger
May 19 – IES-APA Annual Awards Event honoring 17 submittals and granting one
student scholarship of $1,000. Approximately 100 attendees to this evening event and
donations raised approximately $175 in raffle sales. Two IES-APA 2010 Award Winners
also won APA-CA awards
September 15 – Third annual historical planning symposium “History as an Integral Part
of Community Development - City of Perris” moderated by Marion Mitchell-Wilson
October 4 – Third annual IES-APA and IE-APWA joint meeting “Greening of the Post
Industrial City” presented by Eric Corey Freed
December 3 – Annual Board Retreat
Ongoing/Planned Activities
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Established 2011 Program Schedule
Commitment to hold additional joint programs with fellow organizations, such as AEP,
APWA, AIA, ASLA, ULI, Green Building, etc.
Began planning for 2011 Annual Awards Event
Developing opportunities for AICP Exam study groups via the website and e-mail
notifications
Ongoing updates to Section website
Administration
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The Section Director turned over the gavel to the Director-Elect at the annual retreat in
December in preparation of the new term of office
Established a Cahuilla District Membership Coordinator to increase membership and
member support in the eastern portion of the Section
Re-established position of Vice-Director Administration
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Appointed new Co-Chair University Liaison
Moved Webmaster position from a consultant position to an appointed position
Revising bylaws to reflect updated Board positions
Established dates for 11 monthly conference call Board meetings, two “on-site” Board
meetings in concert with membership mixers, and one Board retreat for 2011
Identified the 2012 State Conference to be held in Rancho Mirage as a priority activity
for 2011
Provided $1000 scholarship to CPF at the State conference in La Costa
Began researching acquisition of A/V equipment for Program use to benefit attendees
Began researching “list serve” website services for Section announcements
Membership grew by 17 members during this challenging economic period
LOS ANGELES SECTION
Social Networking
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In 2010 the LA Board decided to have a bigger presence in the social networking world, so
we joined the bandwagon! We have a facebook group, Linked-In group and Twitter page!
The facebook group has been particularly successful for the YPG events.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=445120110323
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2697791&trk=hb_side_g
http://twitter.com/LA_APA
Young Planner’s Group
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LA’s newly formed Young Planner’s Group held a kickoff mixer at the start of 2010. About
50 people attended, ranging from public, private, and unemployed planners as well as a few
students. Surveys were handed out to all guests to identify what their priorities are at this
time in their careers, ranging from mentorship, networking, volunteerism, and professional
development. Most indicated that they would like more networking opportunities. A
business card drawing at the event gave away a free AICP training workshop ticket. There
was lots of positive feedback from attendees and they are all looking forward to the next
event.
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The APA LA Young Planners Group began a six month Mentorship Series of intimate
gatherings in the Spring between new planners and some of LA's most experienced,
progressive planning professionals. These events provide attendees an opportunity to ask
questions, gain helpful advice, and learn from the experiences of these amazing mentors.
Mentors have included: Steve Preston, Susan Healy Keene, Amy Bodek and Karen Warner!
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Professional Development/Programs
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Approximately 20 APA members from the LA, Orange County and Inland Empire Sections
participated in a one-day AICP Training at Cal Poly, Pomona in April. Another three Cal Poly,
Pomona students sat in while various CPP Professors and our own Carol Barret, presented
on Planning History, Theory, Statistics, Law, Climate Change, Test Taking Skills, and Ethics.
This training has been a great resource to more than just Los Angeles Section members,
appealing to multiple sections of Southern California APA membership!
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In October, the Los Angeles Section was fortunate to be able to spend an evening with a
visiting planner from down under! Chris Bain, one of Brisbane City Council’s senior urban
planners, gave a presentation on how the Brisbane City Council is leading the
transformation of Australia’s third largest City. With the stated aim of shaping Brisbane as
Australia’s New World City, the City Council of Brisbane has placed planning, design,
transport and sustainability at the forefront of an ambitious City building agenda.
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October 22 is scheduled for an overview of Port Master Planning in the Port of Long Beach.
This session provided a broad perspective on the major issues facing ports, master planning
for ports, and strategies ports utilize as a means of remaining competitive while being
sensitive to their neighbors. The discussion included operational and regional economics,
growth, and planning considerations followed by a tour of the Alameda Corridor.
Other co-sponsored events included:
 Los Angeles Building Council Mayoral Sustainability and Sustainable Housing and
Transportation Summits
 Future of Los Angeles City Planning Department public forum
 Joint APA Los Angeles, AEP and Southern California Planning Congress mixers
Student Events
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Two events for our students were held in the spring. USC held a student driven conference,
“Make Your Mark,” in collaboration with CSUN, Cal Poly Pomona, and LMU to help students
who are about to venture into their professional career. Soon after, a spring mixer
gathered in downtown LA with students and professionals.
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In October, a photo scavenger hunt student mixer was held in downtown Los Angeles. We
had a representation from all schools (Cal Poly Pomona, CSUN, UCLA and USC) and planning
professionals, in addition to a student from Sweden and a recent graduate from Cornell.
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The scavenger hunt required knowledge on transportation, historic, redevelopment,
political and movie-themed topics related to Los Angeles.
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The 5th annual APA LA student symposium was held on Saturday, November 13 at UCLA.
The agenda included speakers from the Community Corporation of Santa Monica and an
update on the Burbank Bicycle Mast Plan.
Awards
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LA’s annual awards program in June was a smashing success. It was held at the historic El
Portal Theatre in North Hollywood where APA LA recognized 25 plans, projects, people, and
programs that represent the very best of the profession. The event was catered by LA’s
own Kogi Korean BBQ – a twist on the classic taco truck. Over 175 guests were served these
non-traditional tacos traditionally – standing in line on the sidewalk ordering from the truck
window!!
Holiday Event
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LA ended 2010 with a Holiday event on the roof top of the newly renovated Santa Monica
Place. Views of the Santa Monica pier we a huge hit from the Sonoma Wine Garden
veranda.
National Conference Committee 2012
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The LA Section 2012 National Conference Committee held a kick-off event on October 14 at
the JW Marriott Los Angeles at LA LIVE. Over 100 people attended eager to serve as
volunteers for Local Host Committee. The room was filled with enthusiasm and conference
co-chairs are excited to get the local host events rolling. Stay tuned, 2011 is going to be an
exciting year!
NORTHERN SECTION
 We revised and adopted our bylaws in May (last revised in 2006). We eliminate one position
and added two others (CPF Liaison and Young Planner’s Group Coordinator).
 We hosted a very successful awards banquet at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco
with over 120 people attending. Attendance exceeded our expectations by 30 people. Eight
of the section winners went on to win state awards. We are hopeful that a few will win at
the national level.
 For the June issue of Northern News, we prepared a simple budget breakdown for Section
members.
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We organized a group of volunteer planners to provide services to the City of San Bruno in
the wake of the disastrous explosion of the natural gas pipeline.
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We represented the Section and the state at the presentation of APA’s Great Places in
America award to the Ferry Building on October 13.
 We created a Sustainability subcommittee to address organizing sustainability events,
understand member’s concerns regarding sustainability, and plan for sustainable future. The
subcommittee drafted a membership questionnaire to understand member needs and help
focus the Section’s priorities for 2011.
 We organized a mentorship program for new professionals that pairs them with more
seasoned professionals. This is a pilot program and will run through June 2011. If it is
successful, we will expand and continue the program into the future.
 The 2010 Holiday Party was quite successful. We held it at Farmers Market Bistro in Oakland
and had 83 attendees. We raised about $500 for CPF through our drawing and direct
donations.
 2010 Events we sponsored or co-sponsored:
 Big Steps, Little Steps to Addressing Climate Change (4 CM credits)
 Closing the Climate Gap: Perspectives On Environmental Justice and the Bay Area's
Future (1.5 CM credits)
 San Francisco Regional Advisory Council Social/Networking Event
 East Bay Regional Advisory Council Historic Fox Theater Tour & Social Event
 The High Cost of Free Parking with Donald Shoup (2 CM credits)
 Young Planners Group Mixer
 The Legacy of Livable Streets (1.5 CM credits)
 Got (new) CEQA Guidelines? A Conversation with the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District (3 CM credits)
 Demystifying Bay Area Brownfields (1 CM credit)
 Water Efficiency & Water Conservation (3 CM credit)
 Green Building in India - An Alternative Approach (1.5 CM credits)
 Implementing SB 375 at the Local Level (1 CM credit)
 Walking Tour - “Living with LID: Are you ready to go with the flow?” (3 CM credits)
 Transit Oriented Development and Social Equity: Research and Action (1.5 CM
credits)
 Public Workshop #2: First concepts—Design ideas for Gateway Park
 Toward a Just Metropolis: From Crises to Possibilities (8 CM credits)
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 Annual C.3 Stormwater Workshop: Complying with New Stormwater Requirements
(5.5 CM) credits
 Walking Tour/Mission Dolores Neighborhood (1 CM credit)
 Presentation on Recycled Water Projects (6 CM credits)
 Monterey Branch Line Light Rail Project Presentation
 Monterey Bay APA and AEP Happy Hour
 Redwood Coast Region’s Brown Bag Lunch Series
 East Bay Regional Advisory Council Social Mixer
 Tour the Green X-Ray House (1 CM credit)
 Redwood Coast Regional Advisory Council Social Mixer
 APA/AEP Brown Bag Event: Blueprint Survey v2.0 (1 CM credit)
 San Jose State University New Student Orientation Social Event
 Defining "Equitable" in Bay Area Transit-Oriented Development (1.5 CM credits)
 Redwood Coast Region’s Brown Bag Lunch Series
 Redwood Coast Regional Advisory Council Social Mixer
 Understanding AB 32 and SB 375 – A Legal Analysis (webinar) (1.5 CM Law credits)
 Healthy Rural Communities Regional Forum
 Workshop on Stormwater Development Standards (4 CM credits)
 Presentation on Coastal Water Projects (6 CM credits)
 Bay Area Planning Directors’ Fall Meeting: Best Practices for Greener Site
Development (3 CM credits)
 Sonoma State’s Global Sustainable Development in the Age of Climate Change –
multi-day (7 CM credits per one-day session)
 Walking Tour of Visitacion Valley (1.5 CM credits)
 Young Planners Group presents “Public Engagement in the 21st Century.” (2 CM
credits)
 The Brisbane Experience: Planning, Design, Transport & Sustainability in Australia’s
3rd City (1.5 CM credits)
 Cities for all Ages: Planning and Our Aging Population (1 CM credit)
 Brown bag session on Sustainable Land Use and Transportation (1.5 CM credits)
 CALGreen Building Code Workshop (2 CM Law credits)
 Young Planners Group San Lorenzo Riverfront Walking Tour (1.5 CM credits)
 TOD Urban Outing in Sunnyvale/Mountain View/Redwood City (2.5 CM credits)
 Encouraging Community Support for Affordable Housing: Lessons Learned in
Pleasanton (1.5 CM credits)
 Redwood Coast Regional Advisory Council Holiday Party
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ORANGE SECTION
Lunch Training Programs: Offered 9 low cost accessible CM credited lunch programs. Allowed
members to obtain 1.5 hours ethics and 1.5 law training as well as 10.5 other CM credits.
During these programs we provide a well-balanced, local lunch, networking and training for no
more than 20.00. We also offer a reduced rate or free attendance to student members. We
have even included young professionals and students on panels and as speakers this year in our
programs. The programs are held in different locations throughout the County to make them
accessible and easy to get to for all of our members.
Organization Outreach: We have set a goal to improve relationships and coordination with
other professional organizations in our region. We have worked to foster cooperative efforts
on events, professional development and fundraising. We were able to co-sponsored events
with BIA, ULI, AEP and PDAOC to improve coordination and information in region. We also
have hosted our holiday party and summer networking events at the Pageant of the Masters
and Angels game with AEP again this year. This cooperative relationship has been very
successful for both groups rather than “competing against each other for attendance,
membership and sponsorship income.
Expanded Board: Our Board created two new appointed positions CPF and Education Liaison.
We are in the process of adding new appointed positions to expand the ability of the Board to
respond member needs, create new programs and enhance the work of the Section. These
positions will include:
Young Planning Group Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator,
Communication Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator, etc. We also have been working to
create a representative position from each city. This person will be our main contact source for
emails, newsletter information, city highlights, etc. We have typically relied on members to get
information and make sure that each city knows what is happening with APA but we decided
that it was important to us that every city received information and interacted with our Board
whether they had a member on staff or not. This position will allow us to have access and
coordination with every city.
Scholarships: Our Section has awarded six, $500.00 scholarships to students at UCI, Cal Poly
and Cal State Fullerton in Bob Goldin’s memory. We were able to increase our awards from
four to six scholarships because of the success of the annual Golf Tournament and the efforts of
the Board.
Expanded Award Categories: The Board determined that the award categories were outdated,
not reflective of the current work of planners and limited to focus primarily on development.
We have decided to update and refresh the program and to acknowledge a broader range of
work that represents the full breadth of planning. New categories have been created to
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acknowledge Innovation in Green Community Planning, Best Practices, Grassroots Initiatives,
Neighborhood Planning, Environmental Projects, Community Health, Community Engagement,
Next Generation Planners, Community Volunteers, Mentors, Community Advisors, Technology
Innovation, Making Great Communities Happen. We believe that while these awards will not
be eligible to receive State or National recognition that by expanding these categories and
recognizing the full range of work that planners provide we will truly acknowledge and
celebrate the victories and successes of planning in the region.
Highlights in the County: Launched a new program to coordinate with every city in County and
give them a forum to share success stories on a regular basis with other cities. We would then
have a “wiki” of information that agencies could draw from for resources related to projects,
policies and implementation plans. Also this allows agencies during a time when planning is
undervalued and even under attack to raise awareness to what they are doing, how they are
achieving results and what is on the horizon.
Communication: We have been working to update and provide better content on our website.
We are also engaged in making renovations to the website design and function to improve its
looks, accessibility and ease of use. We produced 6 newsletters this year with guest articles
from member writers, student columns and Board member contributions. Our newsletters are
informative, covering hot topics in the region and providing information for professional
development during this challenging time.
Social Media: We launched a twitter, flickr, facebook and linkedin page for the Section. We
have been able to use this media to stay in closer touch with our members and provide up to
date information on events, training, job openings, discussions and news.
AICP: We committed to provide local, assessable and affordable training this year. We cohosted two trainings and offered scholarships to allow members to attend despite their ability
to pay.
Member Feedback: We conducted three surveys this year to reach out to our members,
identify their needs and address their concerns. We want to better represent the “full” voice of
our members and so allowing them to provide us direct feedback is critical. We gained insight
on member services, our budget and goals and the State Conference.
Executive Advisors: We worked to coordinate with our Executive Advisors again this year. This
group has been made up of 8 “mentors” in the region. We have expanded this group to allow
for up to 15 advisors. We have included those that are current practicing in the profession as
well as those that have retired. We have included on our Board Directors, Retired City
Managers, appointed and elected officials and private and public practitioners. Having a great
mix of backgrounds, and skills has allowed us to hear a broad range of perspectives and insight
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on various topics including: the state of cities in the region, homeless issues, the job market,
mentoring new and young professionals, training, legislation, State issues and the member
services. We held 5 meetings and gained very valuable insight, support and direction.
National Planning Month: The Orange County Section of APA stirred some excitement in
October with two events to celebrate National Community Planning Month. James Rojas, the
visionary behind the Place It! Interactive modeling activity was on hand at the Anaheim
Farmers’ Market on Thursday, October 21st to lend his expertise and materials to create a
model of the Platinum Triangle for passersby to interact with. People of all ages and
backgrounds were encouraged to rearrange the model to fit their ideal of what a community
should look like. Throughout the day the model morphed to include everything from high-speed
rail to pocket parks, mixed-use shopping centers, and even high-rise condos with helipads.
The Orange Section was also invited to take part in an Environmental Expo at Saddleback High
School in Santa Ana on Saturday, October 30th. The purpose of the Expo was to promote
“green” careers and sustainable technology. Many high school students who passed by our
booth were intrigued by the idea of planning the future of cities and several even asked if they
could work with us to complete their senior projects. The Environmental Expo and our model
city were obviously great partners.” Another activity we had at each event was simply to post a
giant notepad asking people what they loved about their community. It was refreshing to see
how many wrote “the people.” Looking at the collection of objects representing buildings on
the model, one little girl asked, “Where are the people?” She quickly improvised to find objects
that could represent the human form and added them to the layout. Both events were great
opportunities to promote the profession, raise awareness. about important issues, inform the
community about how key decisions are made and how they can get involved, and inspire the
next generation to pursue an education and career in planning.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY SECTION
SAN DIEGO SECTION
2010 Annual APACA Conference
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The San Diego Section hosted this year’s conference at the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad.
Despite the economy, we had excellent attendance and participation with over 90
sessions, 6 mobile workshops, 1,000 registrants and profits of approximately $75$80,000.
The host section conference planning committee met monthly for almost two years with
a large group of volunteers and thousands of hours.
We’ve had very good reviews of the venue, sessions and speakers.
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All of the 90 sessions were pre-approved for AICP CM Credits.
This was the state’s second green conference, building off Sacramento’s precedent with
preparation of a sustainability plan and GHG report. Many efforts were made to avoid,
minimize and reduce impacts including the voluntary purchase of carbon offsets. It is
believed that enough were purchased to be our first carbon neutral, and possible
beneficial, conference. The report and efforts are being coordinated with the Santa
Barbara conference committee and lead to discussions of standards for future
conferences and incorporation into the Conference Planning Manual.
We were able to record two sessions – the Legislative Update and the Great Water
Debate. The hope is to make these available to Chapter members for education, AICP
CM credits and possibly raise revenue for our Section and the Chapter (tbd).
Section Administration Actions
We’ve had a very active and productive year. As noted below, we’ve had quite a few new
additions and changes on the Board bringing lots of fresh ideas and energy. Some of the
new additions were prior student liasons. All our new directors have been doing a great job.
 New Treasurer, Elisa Marrone.
 New YPG Director, Mario Osario.
 New Diversity Director (and 2010 National APA Award winner), Jane Clough-Riquelme,
Ph.D, joined in July to replace Connery Cepada who went back to school (Berkeley).
 New Student Liason, Olivia Hancock, joined in October 2010
 New Newsletter Editor, Asha Parker.
 New Secretary, Lisa Lind.
 Established a Director of Sustainability, Sarah Lozano, who worked tirelessly on the
Sustainability Plan for the 2010 Conference.
 New Membership Director, Alex Hempton. Alex has started a Facebook page with a
large initial response and growing number of friends, photos and information. He
organized more Planner’s Night Out events than we’ve had in past years and has
promoted new venues and neighborhoods around San Diego.
 We founded a Young Planners Group and have developed a model mentorship program
that we plan to pilot in early 2011. The YPG has been very active, hosting several very
well attended events. This bodes well for the future of professional planners in San
Diego. Already, the increased attendance and participation of young planners has been
noticed on the Section Board, programs, workshops, awards and other events.
AICP Professional Development
 Stan Donn continues to lead, refine and perfect our two-prong AICP Exam training
series. The training for the Spring exam, with guest speakers and topic specialists, has
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proven to be very popular and successful, resulting in a 100% pass rate among
attendees this year. This service is attracting planners from beyond SD and Imperial
County.
We’ve had great feedback from recent attendees.
Our fall series of casual meetings and discussions with recent AICP exam takers and
those planning to take the exam has been very popular.
Programs & Workshops & Events
 We held 4 very well attended luncheon programs this year including two site visits
and walking tours.
 Registration fees were reduced.
 Topics included: Complete Streets; Barrio Logan Community Plan Update;
Community Garden Benefits and Regulatory Challenges; and Professional Mediation
and Facilitation of Land Use Conflicts.
 The Community Garden program developed into a session at the State Conference.
 Each luncheon provided AICP CM credits
 Webcast of our first luncheon in March. More planned. Considering and
investigating methods to sell sessions as nominal fee and offer CM credits
 A full-day workshop worth 6 CM credits was held on trends and new techniques and
opportunties for preparation of Housing Elements.
 We had excellent reviews and responses to this years programs and workshops and
plan to offer expand the number in 2011.
 We held 4 Planner’s Nights Out at different venues, including one service by a
Gourmet Food Truck
 Joint Holiday Party with the San Diego sections of APA, AEP and WEC including ice
breaker/ mixer games, raffles and prizes and great food and drink
 Post 2010 CCAPA Conference Thank You drinks for Host Section Planning Committee
and volunteers at Proper Pub
Annual SDAPA Awards
 This year’s event was one of our best in recent years. Held at Extraordinary Desserts
in Little Italy, our attendance was up considerably from 2009 despite competition
from a number of other local awards events just before ours. The combination of
reduced registration cost, fantastic venue, food and drink, CM credits and walking
tour, and raffle and 10 worthy awards proved to be a successful combination.
 This year we introduced a pre-event walking tour of Little Italy led by our Keynote
Speaker Marco LiMandri. The tour was very popular with approximately 40
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participants. We were also able to offer 1.5 AICP CM credits, a precedent we plan to
continue as a means of offering great value and services to our members.
We conducted a post-awards survey with a 40% response rate and much more
information than expected. The results confirmed the success of the awards event,
and yielded lots of valuable information that will serve the planning of future awards
and other events and members services. Future surveys are planned as a result of
the success and response to this one.
Great jury and a new and very enjoyable, efficient and effective jury process was
pioneered this year.
Immediately started planning for 2011 Awards Event
Collaborations, Initiatives & Advocacy
 Big Tent – APA has helped plan and participate in a new initiative to coordinate the
design professionals to achieve greater cooperation, awareness and outcomes. Two of
three intensive planned workshops have been held so far.
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ULI –APA pub crawl – This was a great success with lots of participation and interaction
amongst varied professionals. This is one of the first collaborations with ULI. More are
planned for 2011.
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Walk San Diego Complete Streets Guide and Advocacy
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SDAPA tracked and provided formal comments on the proposed draft of the County’s
General Plan Update
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SDAPA provided formal comments to SANDAG on the adoption of new TRansNet
funding through 2040, including advocating for an adopted increase of spending for
pedestrian and bicycle planning and improvements to $2.8 Billion (yes Billion).
2011 Strategic Initiatives and Focus
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Continued expansion and improvement member services including job fair
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Minimize costs to members
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Expanding APA profile through collaborations, advocacy and member activities
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Strategic partnerships with local and regional organizations
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Continued participation and leadership in SD Big Tent events, coordination and
advocacy amongst planning and design professionals and organizations
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Increase communications with members through improved web and facebook
applications, surveys, reporting, and records of Board activities and actions
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Planned and suggested programs and workshops on: Public Health & Planning; GPU
trends, lessons and innovations; Road Diets, Complete Streets and Transit Applications;
Downtown Parking Meter Plans progress; Grass Roots Sustainability vs. Code
Enforcement; Great Water Debate – SD; SD/TJ Border Planning & Transportation;
Stormwater; Balancing Jobs-Housing;