St. Louis Metro Section
SEPTEMBER 15-17, 2025 2025 APA Bi-State Conference: Planning in Motion
We are thrilled to announce that the APA Missouri and APA Arkansas Chapters will be hosting the 2025 APA Bi-State Conference, “Planning in Motion,” from September 15-17, 2025 at historic Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri! This premier event will bring together planning professionals from across the Midwest for an exciting opportunity to engage with industry experts, explore cutting-edge planning strategies, and shape the future of our cities and communities.
The 2025 Bi-State Conference will feature an exceptional lineup of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, designed to address the most pressing challenges in city and regional planning. Attendees will gain valuable insights into innovative approaches that can directly enhance planning initiatives in their own communities.
Learn more about sponsorship opportunities, speakers & sessions, registration, and more at the link below.
APA SLMS Awards Nomination 2025
Encouraging and recognizing excellence in planning has been a key component of the American Planning Association (APA) since its inception. The St. Louis Metro Section Board of the Missouri Chapter of the APA invites all its members to submit nominations for the 2025 APA St. Louis Section Awards.
Several award categories have been created to honor those who design, develop, and implement the region’s most outstanding planning documents and development projects. The awards will be presented during a ceremony held at the St. Louis Metro Section Holiday Party (date to be determined), where we will celebrate the accomplishments of the award winners.
Please note that the submission deadline is 5:00 PM on Friday, September 19, 2025
The Awards Committee is made up of six (5) St. Louis Metro Section APA members who review all nominations and make the final decision on award recipients.
Select the award category by clicking the corresponding link: APA SLMS Award 2025 Nomination form
It is imperative that all of the following information be provided in full. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Submit only one (1) project for one (1) award category per application. Please direct any questions about the awards program to Shilpi Bharti at ar.shilpibharti@gmail.com. Entries must be electronically submitted by 5:00PM on Friday September 19, 2025. Materials received after this date will not be accepted.
Creating great communities for all in the St. Louis region
The St. Louis Metro Section (SLMS) of the American Planning Association is a professional group of city planners, transportation planners, community developers, housing advocates, and more, who are working to improve the communities in the St. Louis region through sound urban planning practices, guided by principles of equity, resilience, and collaboration.
Weekly Newsletter
Want to stay up to date on the latest events and job opportunities in the St. Louis planning community? Every Friday, the St. Louis Metro Section publishes a newsletter with upcoming events and new networking and job opportunities. To request an announcement or event be advertised in the newsletter, please complete this form.
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Contact
If you'd like to get involved or have any questions about upcoming events and opportunities, you can reach us at moapa.slms@gmail.com.
Committees
The St. Louis Metro Section's Board of Directors is comprised of numerous and ongoing working committees. Visit the page below to learn more about our committees' work and leadership.
Job Opportunities
If you'd like share a job opportunity with our members, please post for free on the APA Missouri job board. These listings are automatically included our weekly newsletter.
Section Sponsors
Our sponsors help support the section, allowing member programming, conferences, and support. We are grateful for their gratitude helping to provide programming for planners throughout the region every year.
Planning Education in the St. Louis Region
Saint Louis University recently decided to eliminate its Master of Science in Urban Planning & Development program, which has left the region with no formal planning degree program. A group of planners, educators, and leaders in the region are putting their heads together on how to move forward and are exploring avenues to continue educating planners in the St. Louis area.
In spring 2023, two Coro Fellows, Anahi Lopez and Adam Soliman, under the leadership of UMSL Professors Adriano Udani and Todd Swanstrom, published a report on the future of planning education in the St. Louis region. From the report's executive summary:
"We emphasize the need to develop a pipeline to educate and attract students in middle school, high school, and college as well as other community members to the planning profession. We also outline which institutions might consider hosting a planning education program, the model a program should adopt, and whether and how a program should begin the process of attaining accreditation. We conclude by offering next steps to obtain political and financial support and emphasizing the need to train planners who are also mindful of our region’s history.
To read the full report, click the link below: