Planners Visit ChesCo during APA's National Planning Conference
Posted April 26, 2023
More than 4,000 planners from across the globe recently came together in Philadelphia to learn about best practices and other strategies during the American Planning Association's 2023 National Planning Conference.
The conference was held from April 1-4, with more than 200+ sessions and 60 mobile workshops available for attendees to take a deep dive into the many facets of the planning world.
This year's conference focused on the ways in which community planning can lead the way to develop solutions to today's most pressing problems — touching on climate emergency; digitalization; diversification of transportation; future of work, upskilling, and reskilling; health equity and nature; housing affordability, availability, and accessibility; implementation of federal programs and grants; political shifts and polarization; and population diversity and inclusive design.
Various CCPC staff participated in the conference, including Executive Director, Brian O'Leary, who served as an orientation guide during the bus tours and tag-teamed with Sustainability Director, Rachael Griffith, to present the case study: Repositioning Suburban Centers for the Post-Pandemic World.
CCPC's Community Planning Director, Bill DeGuffroy, led a mobile workshop and walking tour of Phoenixville during the conference, titled, Phoenixville Rising, Coal Ash to Blob Bash. He also led the speed share session, Good Planning: Chester County, Pennsylvania, calling attention to the county's Vision Partnership Program.
Jeannine Spiers, CCPC's Senior Community Planner, led the Mobile Workshop, Agricultural Heritage Economy, Our Past is Our Future, with stops at Chester County's historic Brandywine Battlefield, New Bolton Center, and Longwood Gardens. And CCPC's Senior Urban Planner, Kevin Myers, led a mobile workshop focusing on the once vibrant steel town of Coatesville, Historic Steel City Foraging a Bright Future!
The American Planning Association thanked those who attended the conference, noting on the importance of planners and how they shape the work of their communities. "Thank you to everyone who was able to join us in Philadelphia for #NPC23 earlier this month! We've been so excited to see planners owning the amazing work they're doing in their communities." See the conference recap.