On-Demand Content

Planners consistently are being challenged by the issues emerging from our changing communities, environment, economy, and politics. This session will explore the benchmark innovative approaches, successes, and failures of planners in addressing these and the lessons for our future.

Chapter President’s Session

As General Plan requirements continue to evolve, so must our approach to planning. At this session we will discuss the requirements of SB 1425 and AB 1889 and how jurisdictions can address wildlife and habitat connections, rewilding, and the cobenefits of open space, climate resilience, and equity.

Learn why legalizing middle housing matters and how to make it happen. Hear success stories from Portland—1,000+ new, more affordable middle-housing units—and experience from Sacramento, Berkeley, and Oakland on how to best help your Council tackle this policy issue.

VP for Equity & Diversity session

Planners from around the state are more than ever looking to address the complexities of place and identify.  This engaging discussion focuses on how planners can bring joy and curiosity to planning, and explore strategies for authentic, inclusive planning that empowers local voices.

With humor, heart, and hard-won insight, the 2025 APA California Conference opens with a dynamic keynote conversation between two transformational civic leaders—LaTanya Bellow and Tyller Williamson—who are not just navigating change, but shaping it with bold leadership, inclusive vision, and relentless purpose.

The session kicks off with a warm welcome and a light-hearted story that reminds us all of our humble beginnings. From there, the keynote dives into why planning matters more now than ever, setting the tone with this year’s theme: “Waves of Change.”

Bellow and Williamson will explore the power of perspective in the face of pressing statewide and local challenges—housing shortages, climate adaptation, political division, and a fatigued planning workforce. But instead of framing this as a storm, they’ll reframe it as a set of waves—each one an opportunity to fall, learn, or fly. Through powerful stories and hard-earned wisdom, Bellow and Williamson will illustrate how planners can shift from saying “no” to asking “how”—and from code enforcers to community storytellers and bridge builders.

Panel speakers will discuss broad social and cultural movements throughout Indian Country, such as Landback and Water is Life, and their influence on tribal conservation land use policies and programs within their communities.   Additionally, we will discuss the California Natural Resources Agency’s Tribal Nature Based Solutions Grants and how this program is enabling not only the return of ancestral lands, but to conserve and protect it.

Elected Tribal Leaders and California Natural Resources Agency program staff will elaborate and expand on some of the considerations, challenges, and nuances of facilitating state funded land return to California Native American Tribes. With a multitude of conservation and preservation projects across multiple jurisdictions with varying deed restrictions, ecologies, and project goals, the panelists represent how specialized “culturally informed” planning must be for Tribal communities to have healthy communities.

This session will cover advancing policies to enhance wildfire resilience, including latest General Plan Safety Element requirements, best practices for evacuation assessments, and land use strategies that qualify communities for the Fire Risk Reduction List to unlocking priority grant funding.

What are the best practices being used to support the work of appointed planning Boards and Commissions? How are they identifying and enabling these individuals in their work, and what are the mindsets that currently appointed members believe are successful to their work?

Our panel of experts will provide an overview of ethics as defined by the AICP Code and compare other key professional associations including the ICMA for City Managers, AEP for Environmental Planners and ASCE for Civil Engineers as a preamble. Next the panel will present in a role-playing

California has seen a surge in collaborative regional housing trust funds in recent years. The initiatives promise to increase locally available funding through collaborations between municipalities and lending institutions that accelerates affordable housing development to meet the RHNA.

California planners face challenges managing regulatory changes, high volumes of applications, and the need to create a competitive edge for economic development. This session will offer practical methods to understand and improve application, development, and permit review processes.

VP for Policy & Legislation session

APA California’s Policy & Legislative team will provide the Chapter’s annual update on the 2025 State legislative session. Learn which bills passed, what didn’t make it, important bills signed into law that will impact planning practice, and how to prepare for implementation.

Staff reports are FUNdamental! From content to templates, learn how to craft a staff report that tells the story, is well organized, easy to read and ensures that all interested parties have the key pieces of information needed to make an informed decision.

VP for Policy & Legislation session

APA California’s Policy & Legislative team will provide the Chapter’s annual update on the 2025 State legislative session. Learn which bills passed, what didn’t make it, important bills signed into law that will impact planning practice, and how to prepare for implementation.

Discover innovative public financing options for public agencies, including Development Impact Fees, Community Facilities Districts, Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs), and Climate Resilience Districts (CRDs). Learn practical strategies for successful implementation and compliance.

Getting housing built can be complicated — what do you do when all the “easy” sites are gone? We get it – we’ve been there! Come for case stories and conversations from housing developers, cities, and consultants on how to get housing built, even – or, rather, especially – when it’s not easy.

Strategic Code Enforcement enables local governments to expand their collaborative capacities and enhance cross agency coordination so they can proactively implement and administer land use regulations, permits, and building and housing codes. Leeper & Schilling, co-authors of the 2025 Solano Press Guidebook, will outline the core principles and practices of Strategic Code Enforcement, along with concrete strategies that can align code administration, permit processes and compliance actions with broader planning and policy goals. Participants will assess their current zoning code compliance and enforcement policies, programs and personnel by undertaking a simple SWOT analysis and diagnostics checklist.

Living shorelines are at the heart of nature-based approaches to coastal adaptation strategies that protect communities and enhance ecology. This panel, comprising experts in funding, policy, and design, will present on multiple scales and share implementation lessons learned.

Chapter Historian session

This year’s Betty Croly lecture will profile historic female, under-represented, and allied civic leaders, artists, social activists, and planners/designers who have helped to shape the indelible landscapes of the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley that continue to inspire us today.

After a decade of devastating fires, the El Dorado Resource Conservation District and the City of Placerville have partnered to develop a tailored wildfire resiliency strategy. Experts will share proactive, community-driven approaches to mitigate wildfire risks in the Wildland Urban Interface.

Planners are enhancing tribal consultations under AB 52 and SB 18 while fostering deeper collaboration with tribes. This session shares findings from a statewide review, featuring insights from planners and tribal members, innovative case studies, best practices, and a legal framework overview.

APA California President Carey Fernandes, AICP, will deliver closing remarks celebrating the conference achievements and officially introduce the 2026 Los Angeles Conference Host Committee, setting the stage for next year’s gathering.

Plenary Details:

Urban planning is more than a profession—it’s a calling rooted in service, community, and the pursuit of a better future. But in today’s fast-changing and often polarized landscape, with deepening divides, climate urgency, and growing resource constraints, how do we stay true to our mission? What keeps us grounded when the rules change, the path forward blurs, or our values are put to the test? Many planners find themselves navigating policy directions they may not fully agree with, or struggling to reconcile long-held professional values with new political, environmental, and economic realities. 

This plenary brings together bold voices from the public and private sectors for an unflinching and inspiring conversation about resilience, integrity, and purpose. Together, we’ll explore the “why” behind our work—what drives us to keep showing up, speak up, and push forward when the stakes are high and the terrain is rough, and the “how” we stay grounded in our professional purpose during times of uncertainty and transition. 

Whether you’re developing or implementing policies, advocating for equity in a polarized environment, or simply seeking renewed motivation, this plenary will offer clarity, courage, and connection to the deeper reasons we chose this work—and why it still matters more than ever, leaving us inspired with renewed purpose as the conference concludes.

This session will focus on practical programs and tools, multijurisdictional partnerships, and financing strategies that local governments — both urban and rural — are using to make ADU development easier and more affordable. Includes short presentations and key takeaways to advance ADUs everywhere.

APA California’s Policy & Legislative team will provide the Chapter’s annual update on the 2024 State legislative session. Come find out which bills passed, what didn’t make it, important bills signed into law that will impact planning practice, and how to prepare for implementation.

APA California’s Policy & Legislative team will provide the Chapter’s annual update on the 2024 State legislative session. Come find out which bills passed, what didn’t make it, important bills signed into law that will impact planning practice, and how to prepare for implementation.

In a unanimous decision, and without providing guidance on the practical impacts of the decision, the United States Supreme Courts ruled in Sheetz v. County of El Dorado that “essential nexus” and “rough proportionality” requirements apply to development impact fees in California. This panel will discuss the potential impacts of, and best practices stemming from, the Sheetz decision, along with other legislative requirements (like AB 602) that impact how we establish, collect, and report on impact fees.

Join us for our Closing Plenary featuring the remarkable Olivia Sandusky, an Emmy award-winning news anchor for NBC Palm Springs and the recipient of this year’s APA California Award for Excellence in Communications Initiative Award. With nearly five years of dedicated reporting on the Coachella Valley under her belt, she brings a wealth of experience to the table, covering a broad spectrum from local politics to the impactful coverage of the devastating Tropical Storm Hilary. 

Olivia’s keynote will delve into her extraordinary documentary on the Salton Sea, undoubtedly one of the most demanding planning projects in the state. She will shed light on the multifaceted planning efforts required to revive the Salton Sea and underscore its paramount significance to the neighboring communities. Her insightful discussion will emphasize that strategic planning not only enhances the aesthetics of these communities but also profoundly influences the health and well-being of their residents.

California’s rural cities can become beacons of sustainable land use and transportation patterns. These cities were once independent, resilient, diverse economic engines. This panel will discuss challenges, opportunities, and tools that can be used to foster walkable rural “Smart Growth” tomorrow.

As we open the 2024 Annual Conference, planners from around the state are more than ever looking to forge new approaches to address the complexities of place and identity.  This is more than just geographic location, it’s rooted in injustices and inequities in our structures and systems.

This plenary creates a space to better understand our opportunity as planners to address systemic and structural wrongs – from affordable housing to zoning.  We’ll hear from APA President Angela Brooks, FAICP on how planners can take an active role in addressing racial inequities.  From the institutional perspective, Dr. Larissa Estes, who leads the California Racial Equity Commission will discuss the Commission’s approach to identifying tools and best practices to address inequities facing historically underserved and marginalized communities.  Finally, we’ll hear from Gabe Maldonado – who as a leader in the Inland Empire, has created equitable and safe places to support the health of LGBTQ+ youth, veterans, and BIPOC communities.

This session will feature the Five Wounds Urban Village Plan and will discuss an interagency collaboration effort to advance equity in land use policies to balance small business preservation, housing production, and cultural and historic identity through anti-displacement strategies.

Explore California’s cannabis landscape through the lenses of regulation, cultivation, and community impact. This session will highlight state compliance, the cultivator’s journey, and economic and social equity strategies aimed at fostering a more inclusive cannabis industry.

The surge in industrial warehousing has prompted moratoriums across the country.  Municipal codes and land use plans were not designed with high-tech, high-turnover warehouses in mind.  What can planners do to ensure equitable and sustainable implementation and operation of these large facilities?

Urban planning’s future demands ongoing consideration of public health concepts. With health elements in planning introduced about 20 years ago, this panel compares the theoretical intent with real-world implementation efforts, aiming to critique and refine potential applications for planners today.

Join us for our Opening Plenary session, featuring the legendary Cheech Marin, taking place on Sunday, September 29 at 8:30am. Widely acknowledged as a cultural icon, he is perhaps best known as one half of the hilariously irreverent, satirical, counterculture comedy duo Cheech and Chong. Cheech is recognized today as a preeminent advocate for Chicano art.

Like it or not, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has arrived and has the potential to revolutionize the planning profession. This panel will discuss basic AI methods, provide examples of AI in current planning practice, and explore planners’ ethical responsibilities and challenges.

We need more housing! As retail shrinks and housing demand grows, redevelopment of aging commercial centers offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to breathe new life into our transit corridors. Learn from industry experts about what one California city is doing now to revive its commercial core.

The Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) assures the reclamation of mined lands in California, including the support of production and conservation of California’s mineral resources.

Leading housing experts from cities, HEU consultants, HCD, and housing law and legislative experts will lead an interactive discussion on how to improve the 7th Cycle requirements and processes, and possibly influence the legislation to improve the process efficiency, and effectiveness.

Leading housing experts from cities, HEU consultants, HCD, and housing law and legislative experts will lead an interactive discussion on how to improve the 7th Cycle requirements and processes, and possibly influence the legislation to improve the process efficiency, and effectiveness.

Per State guidance, jurisdictions should update their General Plan every 10 years, but the process can be costly, long and stressful. This panel features planners from cities that recently completed an update or are in process now and statewide experts to share insights for those considering a GPU.

This session will analyze the Code of Ethics from two professional organizations – the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and the International City Management Association (ICMA) and explore ethical complexities navigating recent cases.