Past events

All virtual luncheon recordings can be found on our YouTube channel.

March 2024: The Kingsville B.E.S.T. Program

The B.E.S.T. Approach is a comprehensive intervention strategy for highly distressed neighborhoods grounded in Wraparound Theory. Realizing that the range of problems that Black St. Louisans face due to structural racism is too daunting to be conceptualized at the city level, a group of stakeholders, approximately five years ago, decided to devise an approach that focused on the basic needs of community residents for a limited area. The project targets 20 blocks situated in the Near North Side that has experienced hyper-vacancy and severe population loss in recent years (City of St. Louis, 2024f; STL Vacancy Collaborative, 2023a). The proposed pilot intends to launch a bundle of activities designed to generate data to evaluate the effectiveness of the B.E.S.T. Approach and its replicability for similar neighborhoods.

February 2024: It's Not Easy Being Green: Incorporating Green Infrastructure in Development Codes

Many municipalities are requiring green infrastructure in new and redevelopment
projects, and if they aren’t yet, they likely will in the next few years due to state and
federal requirements. Often, reviewing plans with green infrastructure is a headache
for both city staff and developers due to unclear or conflicting requirements. This typically happens when development codes are written by planners, and stormwater standards are written by engineers, and the two don’t talk to each other.

It takes more than just adopting an ordinance – green infrastructure requires thoughtful integration into existing policies and development processes, and continuous coordination with other departments. During this session, participants will be given a background in green infrastructure and learn ways to improve implementation, beginning with amending the development code all the way through long-term operation and maintenance. Emerging trends and lessons learned will be shared from a planner and engineer who have worked closely together to implement green infrastructure across Missouri and Kansas.

December 2023: APA St. Louis Winter Workshop

Three educational morning sessions (see below), catered lunch, annual SLMS award ceremony, 2 hours of networking at Mission Taco Joint’s Arcade.

• 2024 Planning in the City of St. Louis (1 CM)
• Laws and Orders: Recent Developments in Missouri Zoning and Planning Laws (1 CM Law)
• Building on Success (1 CM)

November 2023 Luncheon: Mind the (Funding) Gap: Funding Mechanisms for Community Improvements

This webinar will provide tools and case studies on how to fund community improvements. Laura Radcliff (Stifel) will start out with an explanation of the various funding mechanisms and how the funds can be used to elevate corridors. Next, Alyssa Alt (City of Denver) will lead a discussion of how safety and mobility improvements can be funded through their Mobility Revenue Fund, which is generated primarily from parking fees. Lastly, Ken Little and Matt Rejc (City of Milwaukee) will give an overview of the formation of Business and Neighborhood Improvement Districts and how they leverage those funds for community improvements.

October 2023: Community Planning Month

• October 11-13: 2023 Bi-State Planning Conference
• October 16: Group volunteer opportunity with the South Grand Eco Crew
• October 20: Pinball Arcade Social Event, Atomic Pinball (Wood River, IL), 5:00pm
• October 24: Community Planning Month Happy Hour - location TBD!
• October 25: Citizen Planner Training, Collinsville Gateway Center, 6:00 - 8:30pm, RSVP to Scott Hanson (shanson@cmtengr.com)
• October 26: Informal Cities Workshop Kickoff Lecture: James Rojas and John Kamp, Steinberg Auditorium at WashU, 5:30pm
• October 31: Virtual Reality for Planning: Tour the VR Lab at T-REX (1 CM)

September 2023 APA/APWA Joint Luncheon: Community Oriented Transportation

The emerging trends facing communities today beckon transportation professionals to evolve in response. Faced with several critical problems and a rapidly changing transportation landscape, we know our focus moving forward must be visionary. Panelists will discuss how better collaboration between planners and engineers from the start can help foster community betterment through transportation decision-making including social, economic, environmental matters. This session will explore how interprofessional collaboration, critical thinking, and receptivity lead to safer transportation systems that provide enhanced accessibility and quality of life within our communities.

August 2023 Luncheon: Economic Justice in St. Louis

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is the economic development agency in the City of St. Louis. Following the retirement of the longtime SLDC Executive Director in 2021, the new leader of the organization, in cooperation with the newly elected Mayor, set out to create an Economic Justice Action Plan for the City of St. Louis that centers engagement, equity, transparency and accountability in how development decisions are made and implemented. The Economic Justice Action Plan was intended to reevaluate how the organization functioned and establish action for the future based on national best practices.

The planning process built off the city’s previous Equitable Development Framework, a nearly 450-page report published by the previous administration by integrating the data and learnings from that document but pivoting the strategies to orient toward action. The process included a robust data analysis effort culminating in an Economic Justice Index where various factors were analyzed and weighted to create a tool to be used by SLDC to allocate resources and target investment. In addition, the team used "demonstration areas" to predict the potential impact of some of the policy and programmatic investments on key areas of the City. The bulk of the plan is organized into pillars of investment with specific strategies, actions, and resources for each. Each section also includes financial resources, responsible entities, a timeline, and outcomes for measurable impact.

With a historic allotment from the American Rescue Plan Act, in addition to a significant settlement from the relocation of the St. Louis Rams Football Team, the City of St. Louis has more money than ever and an opportunity to think bigger. The goal of the Economic Justice Action Plan was to ensure that these new resources are distributed in a way that provides equitable opportunity to thrive for all residents by addressing historical barriers, economic inequities, and closing the racial wealth gap, reframing the existing activities of SLDC to create maximum positive impact on the City of St. Louis and its residents.

June 2023: APA St. Louis Summer Picnic

Join your fellow APA-SLMS members for the summer picnic on Wednesday, June 21st! This event will include lunch, information about proposed updates to the Section's bylaws, and a presentation from Russ Volmert with Forest Park Forever. This is a free event for St. Louis Metro Section members, but registration is required and space is limited. Register today!

More about the presentation:

Forest Park recently implemented two new recreational areas which emphasize natural placemaking to engage and educate children and families on the natural environment. The Anne O’C. Albrecht Nature Playscape opened in 2021 to provide a 17 acre play space showcasing active and passive recreation areas in nature. The use of natural materials such as tree trunks, sand pits, boulders, and native landscaping provides a beautiful and natural area for unstructured play. The Oakland Playground, also completed in 2021, is the complete renovation of an existing playground, again utilizing natural materials and giving an identity to the space with a Stump Turtle play station.

Russ Volmert, AICP, PLA is an urban planner and landscape architect with over 30 years of experience in the design of public spaces including streetscapes, plazas, parks, trails, and waterfronts. He has planning experience in development of master plans for downtowns, neighborhood districts, transit districts and waterfronts. His portfolio includes the Grand Staircase on the Arch Grounds; Animals Always Plaza at the St. Louis Zoo; The District Gateway in Columbia, MO., and the Oakland Avenue Playground in Forest Park.

May 2023 Prosperity Through Zoning Reform

More and more, US cities are recognizing the exclusionary and classist origins of their zoning ordinances and are realigning them to build more affordable, vibrant, equitable, and sustainable cities. Zoning reform can be a tool to work towards these goals, allowing more diverse housing options to alleviate affordable housing shortages; reducing minimum parking requirements to make communities more walkable and transit-oriented; and reducing the racial and economic segregation that was originally enabled by zoning.

This virtual event, moderated by M. Nolan Gray, author of “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How To Fix It”, will begin with a discussion on the problematic history of zoning laws, the harms and limitations they pose for effective planning in modern cities, and the case for radical reform. Planning leaders from Minneapolis, MN and Buffalo, NY, will then describe the significant reforms their cities have enacted in the last few years, which have already contributed to strides in housing opportunity in the case of Minneapolis, and reversing population decline in the case of Buffalo.

Specific reforms that will be discussed are form-based codes; legalization of ADUs, duplexes, townhomes, etc.; denser development along transit and commercial corridors; and eliminating minimum parking requirements. The panelists will also describe the advocacy work and foundations which led to their success in enacting these reforms.

April 2023 Luncheon: Held in Trust

Missouri communities come in all shapes and sizes, and so do the nonprofit land trusts they use to accomplish their distinct goals. Join the St. Louis Metro Section to hear from an experienced panel of speakers highlighting their work in conservation and community land trusts across the state, emphasizing the environmental and social benefits to rural areas and big cities alike. Whether your area is confronted with managing rapid growth or adjusting to population decline, the April webinar will demonstrate that there is a land trust that is right for you.

March 2023 Luncheon: The EV Ecosystem and Recharging Land Use

The ongoing integration of electric vehicles (EVs) is being fueled by a generational federal investment in EV charging infrastructure. EVs bring new governance, land use, and right-of-way considerations. This session will provide an update of the EV landscape, identify opportunities to rethink the built environment to support shared mobility through community charging hubs, and identify new partnerships to support the medium and long-term infrastructure modernization and maintenance needs to support zero emission vehicles. The presentation will also discuss the development of tools related to fleet transition, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy load requirements.

January 2023 Luncheon: Coming Together for Zoning: The Missouri Zoning Atlas

Zoning has been a foundational element of planning and land use regulation in the US since the Supreme Court recognized its legitimacy with its Euclid v. Ambler Realty decision in 1926. Yet, its application is often piecemeal and reliant on decades old analysis. While initially introduced as a planning tool to manage incompatible land uses, zoning has become the central planning strategy to manage anything from the kinds of housing available in communities to the design of buildings and neighborhoods. We know that zoning stops at a city’s boundary, so the result is typically a patchwork of zoning ordinances across a region that do not always connect. This session will introduce the Missouri Zoning Atlas, a statewide effort to collect and map all zoning codes across the state so that we can begin to see how the zoning strategies of different cities and counties connect to one another (or not). The Atlas will standardize codes across jurisdictions and produce publicly available datasets and maps for use by practitioners, scholars, and the public. As the first in a two-part series, presenters will discuss the project scope, goals, and timeline as well as describe opportunities for local planners to be involved in the project. In a follow-up workshop planned for February 15, 2023, participants will be able to interact with the map and learn how to update their zoning codes to represent a more equitable approach to land use regulation.

November 2022 Luncheon: Climate Action Planning

Climate Action Plans in the Midwest will be discussed by sustainability leaders in Midwestern cities regarding mitigation, adaption, and equity. They’ll describe their community engagement efforts as well as the pathways for success through local government. Questions will address challenges around planning, engagement, data collection, funding, and implementation. Panelists will also share their insights on how to access and use IRA funding.

September 2022 Luncheon: Equity in Transportation Planning

This session will bring together a diverse group of planners and practitioners working across the St. Louis region to discuss how to deliver equitable transportation solutions for all. With an introduction and insight from FHWA, attendees will learn what equitable transportation is, why it matters in their communities, and strategies for funding equitable investment. This panel will explore strategies from East-West Gateway and Great Rivers Greenway and focus on providing insight on best practices and lessons learned to ensure we are developing equitable transportation policies and programs for all modes, ages, and abilities.

August 2022 Luncheon: Top 10 Things About Building Codes That Every Planner Needs to Know

City planners know the zoning code, but what about the building code? Is it an ancient tome of mystical knowledge written in a primeval language indecipherable to all but an exclusive few? Is it set of draconian regulations with no flexibility or forgiveness? Is it where new urbanism and mixed use projects go to die at the hands of myopic plan reviewers and fire marshals? It doesn’t have to be any of those things. Like the zoning code, the building code is a tool for making better decisions. Like the zoning code, it has its own vocabulary and grammar best understood by an insider. This presentation will equip planners to think like a building inspector, from someone who serves as both city planner and building inspector every day. Bring your questions for “everything you ever wanted to know about the building code but never had the chance to ask.”

Joseph “Joe” Iliff AICP, CBO, CFM, CCEA has been a city planner, building inspector, building official, floodplain manager, and code enforcement officer for more than 25 years, serving cities in Indiana, Texas, Missouri, and Illinois. He earned an undergraduate degree in urban planning and development from Ball State University. He earned certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2001. He also holds certifications from the International Code Council, Association of State Floodplain Managers, and the American Association for Code Enforcement. He has taught classes on the residential, building, and property maintenance codes with a focus on preparing students for certification exams and effective administration.

June 2022 Luncheon: Graduate Student Capstone Presentations

Two recent graduates from the Saint Louis University Urban Planning and Development program will share their capstone projects with the St. Louis Metro Section of the APA. First we'll hear from Aidan Gillespie with his project entitled Engaging Future Planners: Designing an Urban Planning Course for High School Students. Using the Planning Accreditation Board's curriculum standards, Aidan created a standalone, semester-length urban planning curriculum for high school students. Next we will hear from Bryce Monser with her project We Need to talk Toilets: Planning for Critical Infrastructure. This capstone explores several unique case studies of public toilet advocacy and awareness endeavors, planning and policy work, and facility implementation of this critical urban infrastructure.

May 2022 Luncheon: Missing Middle Housing in St. Louis

Downloadable slides from the panelists and moderator:

• James Moore, Jacobs (moderator)
• Miriam Keller, Development Strategies
• Joel Oliver, Green Street Development
• Paula Shea, City of Norfolk, Virginia

Housing costs are spiraling out of control in America today. Join us for this presentation and panel discussion about how Missing Middle Housing can be an effective way to tackle housing concerns in your community. The webinar will define Missing Middle Housing types, share real estate trends about why this is a worthwhile solution in the St. Louis region, and provide insight from both a local developer building workforce housing in the region as well as a nationally recognized community for their planning efforts to make Missing Middle Housing a reality.

April 2022 Luncheon: Energy Efficient Construction

Matt Belcher of Verdatek Solutions will provide a background on “green building” in building and energy codes, along with demonstrations of how existing zoning creates barriers and opportunities for development. He will outline how development and construction is done through prioritizing development, design, and construction, and show examples of development and redevelopment projects. The presentation will describe the business approach of creating a better investment using additional equity through energy maintenance cost savings and improved land value.

March 2022 Luncheon: Affordable Housing Report Card

The St. Louis Affordable Housing Report Card reminds us that St. Louis is a tale of two cities. For some, such as households earning over the region’s median income, our area is rich in naturally affordable housing. But for everyone else, affordable housing is hard to find.

The Report Card was created as an accessible, easy-to-use tool for community organizations, housing advocates, regional decision-makers, and residents in St. Louis City and County who want to see growth in and more equitable use of affordable housing resources. Join us at this virtual presentation as Jenny Connelly-Bowen, Executive Director of the Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis, Cristina Garmendia, Founder and Principal at URBNRX, teach us about the Report Card's process, findings, and companion resources and options for plugging into affordable housing advocacy.

February 2022 Luncheon: 2020 Census Results

With 2020 Census results gradually being released, some communities have expressed surprise (and disappointment) in their decennial census population results. US Census staff member Craig Best will lead a discussion on how to navigate the US Census process for requesting the Census Bureau to review and re-consider 2020 Census results and how communities can prepare to conduct a Special Census when that option becomes available in late 2023. Co-presenter Scott Hanson, AICP will also provide his insights as city planner for an Illinois community that formally appealed their 2010 Census results and later conducted a successful Special Census.

May 2021 Luncheon: Planner Advocates - How to Establish and Defend Good Planning through Understanding Zoning Laws

Planners are generally the primary drivers in local governments for more progressive and sustainable land use.  But, good planning can be either hard to adopt at the local level or not followed by local governments if implemented.  This presentation will discuss the laws that control planning and zoning, and how those laws can be used to adopt and maintain the type of progressive and sustainable planning and zoning regimes that planners envision.  It will also discuss planning and zoning tools to achieve these goals and how to educate local legislative and planning bodies about the legal dynamics between planning and zoning to become better advocates to further these goals.

About the Presenter

Bob Menees works in private practice with Menees, Menees & Wynne and is also a Staff Attorney with Great Rivers Environmental Law Center.  His private practice focuses on general civil litigation, land use/zoning, municipal and property law.  His environmental practice focuses on water, environmental justice, endangered species, land us/zoning, air and hazardous waste.  He is also an Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University where he teaches Environmental Law and Land Use Law.  Bob graduated with honors from Southern Illinois University School of Law and received his Masters of Law (LLM) in Environmental and Natural Resources Law with honors from Lewis and Clark College Northwestern School of Law in Portland, Oregon.  

April 2021 Luncheon: Tower Grove Connector

Join the Saint Louis Metro Section of the American Planning Association on Wednesday, April 21st for a presentation on the Tower Grove Connector, an upcoming 1.4 mile cycle track linking Tower Grove Park with Forest Park Southeast. Speakers from Lochmueller Group, SWT Design, and Trailnet will guide us through this innovative project, including:

• What a cycle track is and where/when they are appropriate solutions
• The multiple steps of the planning process that identified high priority bicycle corridors in the City of St. Louis and ultimately determined the route of the Tower Grove Connector
• Innovative funding solutions used to bring the Tower Grove Connector to life
• Where the Tower Grove Connector is in development and how you can get involved
• Additional planning factors that impact the success of projects like the Tower Grove Connector

Katy Shackelford is a pioneering accredited urban planning professional with over 9 years of experience. Katy specializes in transportation planning, economic development, and public policy. She has a talent for creating catalytic community impact using infrastructure investment. Prior to joining Lochmueller Group, she spent five years as an urban planner and economic development specialist in Peoria, IL. Her focus areas include economic development in post-industrial communities, sustainable growth and development, and transportation as a community catalyst. Katy earned a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Tech, with graduate certificates in economic development and public policy. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Ball State University.

Paul Toenjes began his professional career in academia teaching inner-city children at an elementary school in Louisville, KY. Concerned over the lack of natural spaces, environmental justice issues, and the conditions of his student’s neighborhoods he turned to urban planning and landscape architecture at Louisiana State University. Though still a teacher at heart, today Paul is passionate about how good planning and design can help to improve a community and to help its residents fall in love where they live. During his time as both a studio and project manager with SWT Design, Paul has been integral in projects that address many contemporary planning and design challenges, from economic development and transportation, to green infrastructure, placemaking and sustainable site design. He has led projects across a wide variety of scales from small pocket parks to regional bike/pedestrian network plans, always understanding that good planning is critical to realizing a successful built work.

Taylor March directs Trailnet’s walking, biking and transit advocacy campaigns and educational programs. His work centers on community outreach and engagement as the key to successful planning and advocacy. Taylor believes that infrastructure solutions are the most effective and equitable way to eliminate traffic fatalities on our streets. In his role at Trailnet, Taylor has worked with the City of St. Louis to bring over $7.5 Million in outside investments for active transportation infrastructure projects. These projects were identified by community outreach and represent more than $11 million of infrastructure spending for people walking, biking, and taking the bus. Before joining Trailnet, Taylor worked as a photovoltaic solar designer and project manager, and his passion for engineering, infrastructure, and the environment informs his advocacy for streets. Taylor is a full time bicycling, MetroBus, and walking commuter and a League of American Bicyclists Certified Cycling Instructor.

March 2021 Luncheon: Neighborhood Anchors

Schools are community assets that go beyond the four walls of the classroom and their outcomes are entwined with the surrounding neighborhoods they serve. Join the APA St. Louis chapter for a panel discussion to jumpstart conversations about how urban planners and community developers can partner with school districts, whether in collaboration with active community schools or planning for equitable re-use of vacant school buildings. We will be joined by Danny Wicentowski from the Riverfront Times and Carrie Collins, Director of Education for Beyond Housing.

About the Presenters: 

Danny Wicentowski is a staff reporter with The Riverfront Times who covered the recent wave of SLPS school closures and the redevelopment of vacant buildings.

Carrie Collins is the Director of Education for Beyond Housing. Through her role, Carrie develops relationships between the Normandy School District, organizational partners, and the surrounding community. This includes the Family Engagement Liaisons program that builds more bridges between home and school. In addition to her role with Beyond Housing, Carrie has extensive experience as a school principal and educator in St. Louis-area schools.

March 18, 2021: "Challenge 2021 - Celebrating Twelve Years of Making Green Work for St. Louis Businesses"

Growing Jobs for Our Region with Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc. to present the 2030 Jobs Plan.

SLMS APA is a supporting partner of this event. The St. Louis Green Business Challenge, a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden, supports the integration of sustainability measures into business planning and operations. Thinking sustainably and the 2030 Jobs Plan are issues of interest to planners and elected officials alike. We look forward to seeing you there.

December 2020 Luncheon: Virtual Architectural Tour of St. Louis

St. Louis is full of seemingly normal buildings with secretly big histories. Amanda Clark takes us on a virtual walk to some of her favorite hidden architectural history treasures, including a senior living facility with an Olympic legacy, a Soulard landmark with repairs from the 1896 tornado in plain sight, and a beautiful grave marker – that was covered by the New York Times in 1865, not for who it contained, but for how it came to be.

October 2020 Luncheon: Colin Gordon, Author of Citizen Brown and Mapping Decline

Thank you for joining the St. Louis Metro Section for the October 21, 2020 Luncheon via Zoom with Colin Gordon, Author of Citizen Brown. Colin Gordon is the author of books focused on the choices that have lead to declines in Saint Louis. Citizen Brown explored St. Louis development with data. Explore the books further with the story maps from Citizen Brown and Mapping Decline. This luncheon is eligible for 1 CM Credit. Hear the recording of Citizen Brown here.  

November 2020 Luncheon: Conversation with Vivian Gibson Author of The Last Children of Mill Creek

Vivian Gibson grew up in Mill Creek Valley, a neighborhood of St. Louis razed in 1959 to build a highway. Her family, friends, church community, and neighbors were all displaced by this act of “urban renewal.” The last Children of Mill Creek is a moving memoir of family life at a time very different from the modern-day, when many working-class African-American families did not have indoor plumbing and when sundown laws were still in effect-and a document of an era that is now often forgotten or denied.  Pick up a copy of The Last Children of Mill Creek for a more meaningful conversation. 

September Luncheon 2020 via Zoom

Topic: The Economy We Need: Planner's Role

Bob Lewis discussed actionable steps planners should consider to lessen income gaps, increase equal opportunities, and grow the economy. 

June Luncheon 2020 via Zoom

Brickline Greenway is a planned open space, bicycle and pedestrian network in the heart of St. Louis linking Forest Park, Fairground Park, Tower Grove Park and Gateway Arch National Park. Originally envisioned in the late 1990s as an east-west linear park, the concept has evolved to reach far north and south into numerous city neighborhoods. Brickline Greenway will transform St. Louis by connecting the city’s most treasured places—vibrant neighborhoods, parks, business and arts districts, employment centers, transit hubs, and dozens of cultural and educational institutions—to create inspiring experiences and equitable opportunities for growth.

APA & APWA Community Planning Month Presentation and Happy Hour

Matt Brandmeyer Send Off Celebration

St. Louis Metro Section Matt Brandmeyer shall depart for Skokie, Illinois (Chicagoland) later this year. APA will celebrate Matt Brandmeyer, dedication and service to the Saint Louis Region on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 5pm-8pm, at ITAP in the Central West End, 16 S Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108. Matt Brandmeyer served as St. Louis Metro Section of the APA President, Illinois State Section Director, St. Louis APA Vice President, Treasurer, and Board member for years. 

Planning, Community Development & Friends Happy Hour

This happy hour will take place on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at Schlafly Tap Room.

CBN Medical Marijuana Brown Bag In October
Join Community Builders Network's Civic Capacity Committee for a conversation about medical marijuana dispensaries & how neighborhoods can plan ahead.
This workshop, eligible for 1.5 CM law credits, will take place on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 from 12 pm-1:30 pm.

SLEDP's LOIS App, Site Selection, and Data as a General Service

Dawn Doty, Data Analyst with the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (SLEDP) will give an overview of the Partnership’s LOIS app, site selection toolkit, and data as a general service.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

11:30 am to 1:00 pm

11:30 AM Registration & Networking

12:00 PM Presentation

Location:

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership

7733 Forsyth Boulevard, Suite 2200

St. Louis, MO 63105

Speaker: Dawn Doty

Dawn Doty is the Data Analyst in Business Development at the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (SLEDP), a 501c4 economic agency serving the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Dawn started her career in economic development at St. Louis County Economic Council (SLCEC) in 2004 then spent seven years specializing in commercial site selection at St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC). Since SLDC and SLCEC bonded in the creation of the SLEDP in 2013, Dawn has been serving as a technical resource for economic research, commercial real estate analytics, and GIS mapping with the goal of creating substantive analytics to elevate the profiles of our communities and the commercial properties within them. Dawn has authored three ESRI Story Maps and three LOIS-viewers on the SLEDP website. Dawn continues to work to with data providers and researchers to enhance these tools for value-added website content and more seamless intergovernmental communication. 

Click here to register for September Luncheon

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December Holiday Party

Join your fellow planners in a fun evening of bowling, socializing, and celebrating the finale of another exciting year! This year's Holiday Party will be held at Flamingo Bowl Plam Room on Washington Avenue. The venue includes 4-lanes of bowling, a pool table, lounge seating, big screen TV's, and a cash bar. 

Registration includes shoe rental, 2-hours of unlimited bowling, food, non-alcoholic drinks, and a chance at various prizes. Alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase. 

Food Menu: Unlimited Pizza, Mixed Green Salad, Toasted Ravioli, Chicken Tenders, Quesadillas. 

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

3:00pm-5:00pm

Flamingo Bowl

1117 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63101

Register Now for the December Holiday Party

November Luncheon 

The Vacancy Collaborative (VC) is a coalition of partners committed to the reduction of vacant property as a top priority in St. Louis. Reducing the negative impact of vacancy is a complex puzzle, that requires coordination to achieve a shared vision.

The VC is not a stand-alone entity, but a coalition of community representatives, private and non-profit stakeholders, and City agencies. The VC helps to coordinate existing vacancy efforts under one umbrella and encourages the public and private sectors to work together toward solutions in a comprehensive and coordinated way.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

11:30 AM Networking and Social

11:50 AM Planning Champion Awards (Sundy Whiteside & Vacancy Collaborative)

12:00 PM Presentation

UMSL At Grand Center

3651 Olive Street

Saint Louis, MO 63108 

Tara Aubuchon & Laura Ginn, Vacancy Collaborative

https://www.stlvacancy.com/collaborative.html

Register for the November APA Luncheon online here

The Gateway Arch Reconsidered

Architectural and urban historian Michael Allen examines the urbanist consequences of building the Gateway Arch, including the obliteration of an emergent creative loft district, a political push that was based more on self-interest than good design and a series of choices that disconnected the center city from the riverfront. It's too late to change the outcome of history but not too late to learn from the way decisions about how to build the city's greatest monument -- and first large scale mass demolition project --were made.

Approved for 1 CM Credit

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

11:30 am to 1:00 pm

11:30 AM Registration & Networking

11:50 AM Special Presentation

12:00 PM Presentation

1:10 PM Walk to Arch

Location:

The Old Spaghetti Factory

727 North First Street

St. Louis, MO 63102

Speaker: Michael Allen, Senior Lecturer, Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, Washington University in St. Louis, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Click here to register for August Luncheon

Lake St. Louis Comprehensive Plan: Our City, Our Plan, Our Future (June Picnic Luncheon)

Recipient of the 2019 SLMS APA Outstanding Plan Making Award

Louis Clayton with the City of Lake St. Louis and Stephen Ibendahl with the i5 Group will present their experiences in developing Lake St. Louis’ Comprehensive Plan. The 2016-2017 Lake Saint Louis Comprehensive Plan is the first adopted comprehensive plan for the City of Lake Saint Louis since its incorporation in 1975. As the City has seen rapid growth in recent years, the City needed a comprehensive plan that created a shared community vision for the growth of the community. The resulting Lake Saint Louis Comprehensive Plan utilized a “values-based” approach in shaping the plan recommendations with plan principles included ‘An Outdoor Lifestyle’, ‘Neighborhood Vitality’, ‘Community Character’, ‘A Prosperous Economy’, ‘Fiscal Responsibility, and ‘Community Cohesion’. An extensive community engagement process and a thorough planning process resulted in a plan that was based on market realities, but also matched the vision and values of the community. The plan has seen robust implementation with the plan providing guidance for extensive new development, updates to the zoning code, trail planning, and community identity. 

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 
11:30 am to 1:00 pm

Speaker: Louis Clayton-City of Lake St. Louis, Stephen Ibendahl-i5 Group

Wildwood Community Park 
2153 Highway 109, Wildwood, MO 63038

The new, main entrance to Community Park can be accessed by taking Highway 109 to Pond Grover Loop Road (just north of Highway 100).  At the roundabout, go west on Pond Grover Loop Road. This road will take you straight into Community Park.  A secondary entrance is located off of westbound State Route 100, west of State Route 109. The entrance will be the first driveway on the right, after the Highway 100/Highway 109 intersection.

Click here to register.

A Sustainable Nation: Urban Design Patterns for the Future

If you think our country is on the wrong course environmentally, then this talk and book are for you.
 
Our society should be able to rally to face urgent challenges like global warming, but we are not. In his new book Sustainable Nation: Urban Design Patterns for the Future (Wiley 2018) Doug Farr argues persuasively that we have been going about it all wrong and proposes a reset and a clear path forward. This sobering and inspirational talk will forever change your understanding on the challenges we face, and your role moving forward.
 
Farr offers an inspirational perspective on the unique opportunities we now have to make such a difference through improving society’s health and wellbeing quicker than ever before. Learn how design patterns “from the future” challenge the business as usual approach by municipalities, developers, planners, and architects; and learn how we can accelerate the implementation of these patterns to quickly tackle some of our country’s most daunting problems—sprawl, obesity, and carbon pollution—in St. Louis and beyond.

Speaker: Doug Farr - Principal of FARR Associates

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 3:30PM

Location: 

T-Rex

Washington Avenue, 5th floor

Saint Louis, MO 63101

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St. Louis Metro Section Strategic Plan (May Luncheon)

The St. Louis Metro Section serves the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area including 16 counties in Missouri and Illinois. To better under and represent the planning needs and aspirations of the St. Louis Metro Area, we ask for your input in crafted the Strategic Plan that will guide our Section from 2019-2021. The luncheon shall include a presentation about the current draft and dialogue about what you wish to see in our plan. 

APA's mission is "Creating great communities for all" and its vision is to advance "planning through leadership in education, research, advocacy, and ethical practice." The Saint Louis Metro Section ask for your assistance in making St. Louis a great community for all.  

Wednesday, May 15, 2019 
11:30 am to 1:00 pm

Speaker: Matt Brandmeyer, Todd Streiler, Jonathan Roper

Boileau Hall
Saint Louis University
38 North Vandeventer Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63108

St. Louis Metro Section Strategic Plan (May Social Event):

APA site visit to LaBarque Creek bank stabilization project

APA planners and environmental planners from the Corps of Engineers will come together to learn about natural solutions to bank stabilization and will visit an example at LaBarque creek.  The Corps of Engineers has partnered with the Nature Conservancy to incorporate more nature based solutions to creek and river erosion in their projects.  The event will feature presentations from the Corps and The Nature Conservancy and a site visit to LaBarque Creek restoration project.  Networking will also take place on the beautiful campus of the College School's new Jan Phillips Learning Center, a certified Living Building Challenge, one of only 11 such structures in the world.

Location: 
Pavilion at The Jan Phillips Learning Center ( LaBarque Campus the College School)
4180 Doc Sargent Rd. Pacific, Mo. 63039

Stormwater Management & Watershed Planning in Madison County

Janet Buchanan with Heartlands Conservancy and Matt Brandmeyer with Madison County will provide an overview of their stormwater management and watershed planning efforts in Madison County. The County has undertaken an innovative, multi-year effort to identify flooding and water quality issues within local watersheds. The process identifies regulatory changes, ongoing program initiatives, and specific construction projects for achieving the plans’ objectives. The speakers will provide insights into the management framework, planning process, and their implementation strategy.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 
11:30 am to 1:00 pm

Speaker: Janet Buchanan & Matt Brandmeyer, AICP, Madison County, IL, Planning and Development Administrator 

Community Center
City of Olivette
1140 Dielman Road
Olivette, MO 63132

Bridging The Ideological Divide:
Addressing Community Bias with 4 Dimensional Planning

Biases—every community has them.  In the well-intentioned rush to address critical issues on their doorstep, people often lean on what they know.  Learn from case studies of two communities—Blacksburg and Quincy—on opposite ends of the cultural and ideological spectrums, and how their biases must be overcome to allow for needed change.  Key takeaways from this session include:

• Crafting processes that allow for a sufficiently broad analysis, education, storytelling, and dialogue
• The value of having a broad process, rather than one just emphasizes place, economics, or policy
• The importance of early interviews and listening in informing subsequent educational components in a planning process
• The importance of the planner’s role as facilitators and educators—what a community knows and what a community still needs to know are often equally important

Wednesday, January 16, 2018 
11:30 am to 1:00 pm

Speaker: Matt Wetli, AICP, Principal, Development Strategies

Boileau Hall
Saint Louis University
38 North Vandeventer Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63108

Holiday Luncheon 2018

Come and celebrate the holiday season with your fellow planners! The holiday party will include one voucher for the lunch buffet, complimentary parking onsite (including valet), complimentary $5 free slot play, holiday gift package raffle, and a 50/50 raffle with proceeds benefiting the Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018 
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Hollywood Casino
777 Casino Center Drive
Maryland Heights, MO 63043

Digital Equity + Broadband Conversation

Join us to talk about digital equity and how planning for broadband will create opportunities for all.  We'll hear from speakers with experience visioning and planning for digital equity and broadband at the national, state, and local levels, using Missouri as a case study.  

We invite you to join us virtually via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/pg/APATechnology/ or in-person at 4240 Duncan in the Cortex District.  Parking map here: https://cortexstl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/parkingborder2.pdf 

Sponsored by the APA Technology Division.  Please note this is not eligible for AICP CM credits but we hope you can join the conversation.

When & Where

Monday, November 5, 2018

5:30pm-7:00pm

CIC St. Louis @4240

4240 Duncan Avenue, Suite 200

Saint Louis, MO 63110.

November Social
Armory Tour & Rockwell Brewery

You are invited on a guided tour of the Armory Building and "Behind the Scenes Tour" of Rockwell Brewery. Space is limited

When & Where

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

4:00 PM Armory Tour

5:00 PM Happy Hour @ Rockwell

Armory Location: 500 Prospect Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110

Rockwell Beer Company Location: 1320 S Vandeventer, St. Louis, MO 63110

Register for the November Social

November LuncheonAn Update On New Town St. Charles

Tim Busse, Town Architect of New Town St. Charles will provide an update on New Town St. Charles, covering topics from the history of New Town St. Charles to the early-on planning process, goals, objectives, lesson learned, and how New Town has evolved from the original concept to now.

When & Where

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

11:30 AM Networking

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch/Presentation

St. Charles County Government Building, 201 N. 2nd Street, St. Charles, MO 63301

Register For the November Luncheon

What Planners Do and Their Role in Creating Sustainable Communities

Creating sustainable communities -- including the economic prosperity, environmental health and social equity aspects -- involves many challenges.  In creating sustainable communities, planners collaborate to create solutions and implement policies that help lower consumption of natural resources, provide practical approaches to land use and reduce the overall impact on the environment.

Planning involves many specializations such as: Community Activism/Empowerment; Community Development; Comprehensive/Long-Range Planning; Economic Development; Environmental/Natural Resources Planning; Food Systems Planning; Hazard Mitigation/Disaster Recovery Planning; Historic Preservation; Housing; Land Use & Code Enforcement; Parks & Recreation; Planning Management/Finance; Transportation Planning; and Urban Design. These specializations help lead to new sustainable solutions that can include green buildings and housing, mixed-use developments, walkability, greenways and open spaces and transportation options. Planners work to improve the welfare of people and their communities, shaping their urban areas and neighborhoods into healthier, more efficient spaces.

Come learn more about the principles, processes and attributes of planners and how they work toward comprehensive plan standards for sustaining communities. We will explore the role of planners and creating sustainable communities in the context of equity and community capitalism to ensure that fairness and well-being are inclusive of all people in providing for housing, services, health, safety and the built environment.

When & Where

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

3:45-5:00pm

T-Rex

5th Floor, 911 Washington Avenue

Saint Louis, MO 63101

Visit OneSTL for more information. 

Presenter

Brian Hurd

Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Brian has been with Rise since 2003.  He is the Technical Assistance Program Manager providing organizational capacity building and management, training along with housing development consulting services to nonprofit organizations, financial institutions and government partners. 

Additionally, he serves as a field instructor for Washington University’s George Warren Brown School of Social Work. He also supervises all of Rise’s interns.  He has supervised and mentored nearly 30 practicum students and interns, helping to build capacity for the region’s community development system. 

It should be noted that he was a lead planner in the development of the Gravois Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods Plan which was adopted by the City of St. Louis back in May. He was the lead on the Youth and Education as well as the Employment and Business Development chapters of the plan. It is the first plan in the nation to use a racial equity lens in the development of a community-based plan. The plan recently won a St. Louis Section of the Missouri American Planning Association award because of its innovation for being privately-funded with grassroots support and due to its robust and inclusive community engagement.

One recommendation of the plan has already been implemented because of Brian’s vision and leadership, which is the creation of Rise’s Young Neighborhood Leaders pilot program. The program received $20,000 to launch with funding support from Citi Bank and the Incarnate Word Foundation. The program involves 1) Employing young people of color, particularly blacks, in neighborhood-based organizations and businesses within the Gravois Jefferson planning area; (2) Supporting their opportunities for professional black mentorship; (3) Facilitating youth-led community development; and (4) Fostering a more diverse, representative generation of civic leaders and neighborhood champions.

Brian has nearly 25 years of urban planning and community development experience.  Prior to relocating to the St. Louis area in 2002, he was a Senior City Planner for the City of Norfolk, Virginia where he specialized in several planning functions that included housing, community development, transportation, and economic development.

He received his undergraduate degree from the Historically Black College and University, Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He holds a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.  Brian completed financial management executive education at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and received the University of Missouri – St. Louis Chancellor’s Certificate of Planning and Zoning.  Brian is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional and also a Certified HOME Program Regulations Specialist.

He formerly served on the City of Maryland Heights’ Citizens Advisory Group for Greenways and Trails, the city’s Board of Adjustment and more recently the Planning and Zoning Commission.  He is one of the advocates of helping to make food systems planning an official division of the American Planning Association. As well, he is a founding member of the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition.

Brian is married to his wife of Rhonda, having recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary. They have two daughters, Gabrielle 11 and Olivia 8.

October Luncheon

Housing as an Infrastructure

Over the past 25 years, the equity movement has embraced the importance of place, and the vital role it plays in determining health, opportunity, and economic success. Housing is a necessity that is critical to creating place and opportunity.  But is it a right?  How can we harness the lessons gained from housing policies to deepen our understanding and propel this work forward? This session will share critical strategies that have helped improve neighborhoods, cities, counties, and regions, including: fostering authentic community ownership, developing local leaders, building organizational capacity, cultivating sustainable financing, and achieving population-level results.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

11:30 AM Networking

11:50 AM Community Champion Awards 

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch/Presentation

City of Maryland Heights, 11911 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043

Register For the October Luncheon

Presenter

Esther Shin

Esther Shin is President of Urban Strategies, Inc. She leads a team of professionals with expertise in human capital and economic development to help people in communities across the United States. Esther believes that all residents want safe, vibrant neighborhoods to work, live, and play. Esther has led or supported in securing nine Choice Neighborhood Implementation grants, amounting to more than $270 million in federal resources, which has leveraged more than $3 billion in additional investments. In 2016 Esther was selected by the Annie E. Casey Foundation for the tenth class of their Children and Family Fellowship. The Fellowship works to increase the pool of leaders with the vision and ability to frame and sustain major system reforms and community, capacity building initiatives that benefit large numbers of children and families. Esther holds a Master’s Degree from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis and Bachelor’s Degrees in both Political Science and English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis.

Community Planning Champion Award 2018

The St. Louis Metro Section of the American Planning Association is proud to announce the Community Planning Champion Awards will be awarded to Jacque Lumsden of CBB Transportation Engineers + Planners and Jenny Ryan of PGAV for their contributions to our communities. 

The Community Planning Champion Award may be awarded to recognize citizens and organizations who distinguish themselves through their leadership and exceptional efforts to advance their communities, places, and people. The Community Planning Champion Award honors persons who are making impactful contributions to their community through their actions, talents, and commitments.  These persons have a deep passion for their cause and a proven ability to catalyze commitment into action.  Only persons or organizations in the Greater Saint Louis Region are eligible. 

Jacque Lumsden and Jenny Ryan have truly serve as a role models to:

• Inspire positive action in their community,
  
• Encourage fellow citizens to partake in community and civic engagement,
  
• Advocate for specific community needs and issues while embracing compassion and inclusivity,
  
• Strive for strong, equitable, and vibrant communities for all people, and
  
• Establish significant and lasting impressions on land use and the built environment. 

Jacque and Jenny shall be recognized at the October 17th, 2018, professional APA luncheon on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at the Maryland Heights Government Center located at 11911 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Luncheon opens at 11:30 AM. 

Dreaming of an awesome and active riverfront for cycling, picnicking, dining, and living along the waters of the Mississippi River?

The adventure of Saint Louis began at the Mississippi. Revamp The Riverfront is a community event to reinvigorate our region's hidden gem, the Mississippi Riverfront.  With your imagination, our waterfronts can transform into places that attract residents, businesses, tourist, and recreational activity.  

The charrette portion of Revamp The Riverfront will be held at the William A. Kerr Foundation located at 21 O'Fallon Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.  Communities, from Quincy, Illinois, to Kimmswick, Missouri, are welcomed share their visions and plans of the Mississippi Riverfront.   

Explore the Mississippi Riverfront Trail, The Trestle, and more on our Revamp the Riverfront Bike Tours.   The tour routes allow participants to brainstorm while exploring real conditions, opportunities, and constraints for developing around our riverfront areas. The bike tour will end at the William A. Kerr Foundation for the charrette and further discussion.   Please bring a bike and wear a helmet. If you are in need of a bike, there are dockless bike available around Saint Louis. There will be an option for vehicles as well.  Complementary food and drink will be available. 

A few common elements to plan for are: 

• Enhance the quality of existing destinations
  
• Preserve uses and find compatible activity on the waterfronts
  
• Integrate surrounding neighborhoods
  
• Plan for barriers and constraints such as tracks, interstates, and topography

Bike Tour

On this six mile envisioning bike tour, riders shall see the elevated bike Trestle, pass by Produce Row, and shall stop at the Great Rivers Greenway Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing for a presentation overlooking the Mississippi River.  Next riders shall travel along the Riverfront Trail to Rootwad Park and back to the William A. Kerr Foundation. Explore the Bike Route.  

Schedule

12:00 PM  -  Kickoff at William A Kerr Foundation (21 O'Fallon St. St. Louis, MO 63101)

12:30 PM  - Presentations

2:45 PM   -  Broadway & Riverfront Trail Bike Tour

3:00 PM  -  Presentation at Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing on the Riverfront Trail

4:00 PM  -  Green Roof Top Garden Reception

Presentations By

America's Central Port
BatesForum
CBB Transportation Engineers + Planners
Development Strategies
East St. Louis, Illinois
Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative
Quincy, Illinois
Planning Design Studio

Sponsorship

RDG Planning & Design - Gold Sponsor

William A. Kerr Foundation - Venue

St. Louis Metro Section APA - Drinks

Roper's Ribs - Food

Volunteer

Revamp The Riverfront needs awesome volunteers like you to help keep the Bike Tourrette riding smoothly. Sign up online to help facilitate a bike tour or charrette. 

Share Your Vision

Take a few moments to share your vision and ideas for a remarkable riverfront on the Revamp the Riverfront Form.  

In The News

APA St. Louis Metro Section on The Charlie Brennan Show on 1120 KMOX. Listen Now (Start 18:50)

APA St. Louis Metro Section article on KMOX. Read Now. 

Register

Register For Revamp The Riverfront (Free to Participate) 

Riverfront Plans

• Mississippi Greenway Park Master Plan
• Quincy Next-A Strategic Plan For The City Of Quincy, IL

http://www.quincyil.gov/files/documents/document/000/000/820.ADOPTED_Quincy%20Next%20Strategic%20Plan_March%202018.pdf

The unofficial planning/community development/nonprofit/local government happy hour. 

When & Where

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

6:00-8:00pm

4 Hands Brewery

1220 S 8th Street

Saint Louis, MO 63104

Visit the Planning & Community Development Happy Hour Facebook Event for more information. 

Contact: John Cruz johnc@risestl.org for more detail.

Celebrate 20 years of St. Louis' only Urban Planning and Development Master's Degree program and the 200th anniversary of Saint Louis University as we Reclaim the Urban in Urbanism.

Joseph Heathcott, associate professor of urban studies at the Parsons School of Design at the New School in New York City, will kick off the celebration with a talk that explores the role that planning and development has played in St Louis over the years, followed by an alumni panel discussion. We will end with a happy hour celebration of the accomplishments of our alumni. 

When & Where

Friday, October 5th, 2018 
2:00-5pm: Keynote and panel discussion
5:15-7pm: Happy hour celebration

Il Monastero
3050 Olive Street
Saint Louis 63103.

To RSVP, click HERE. 

For more information contact Bob Lewis, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Development – bob.m.lewis@slu.edu

August Luncheon

Ferguson: The Rush to Judgement

Wednesday, August 22

11:30-12:00 Networking

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch/Presentation

Brentwood Community Center, Room C

2505 S. Brentwood Blvd

Brentwood, MO 63144

Click here for directions.

Former City Manager John Shaw recounts his experience managing the City of Ferguson during the Fall 2014 to Spring 2015 following the officer involved shooting that turned into an international event. He will discuss how he and others worked to address the needs and safety of residents, protesters, police and city staff while ensuring basic services were delivered. John will discuss his perspective from his role in government and talk about what lessons he has learned.