American Planning Association California Chapter hosts APA California 2009 Conference on September 13-16 at Squaw Creek 

Lake Tahoe, CA: The Sacramento Valley Section of the California Chapter of the American Planning Association will host the annual conference at the Resort at Squaw Creek on September 13-16. The keynote speakers will be Sunne Wright McPeak, President and CEO, California Emerging Technology Fund; Joanne Marchetta, General Counsel, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency; and Peter Goin, Author and Professor, University of Nevada, Reno.

With 6,000 members, the California Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA California) is a network of practicing planners, citizens, and elected officials committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning in the state of California. APA California offers a wide spectrum of member benefits including information, services, and support to advance planning throughout the state.

The theme for the 2009 APA California Conference, “Long Views – Greater Vision” was selected to represent the long term impacts associated with the planning profession. This conference is geared for practicing planners, elected officials, architects and urban designers, landscape architects, scientists, housing advocates, environmentalists, neighborhood and community leaders.

The 2009 APA California Conference will include dynamic keynote speakers, over 75 conference sessions, 7 mobile workshops, a festive Opening Reception, a California Planning Foundation Auction to raise funds for student scholarships, an Excellence in Planning Awards Luncheon, Diversity Summit, consultants reception, free student sessions, and more.

Conference sessions and mobile workshops will be covering a wide variety of topics including green/sustainable building practices, urban design, smart growth, environmental planning and design, transportation planning and transit-oriented design, housing-related issues and design, diversity and people of color within the planning profession, design and demographic trends related to minority populations, historic preservation, planner ‘best practice’ topics, emergency preparedness and safe growth, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) issues, economic development and redevelopment, and the latest planning-related technologies.

The annual conference gives California planning professionals an opportunity to share best practices and explore approaches to improve our cities and communities. For complete conference information, please visit our website at www.apacalifornia.com or contact Lynne Bynder at (760) 799-2740 or lbynder@meetingsxceptional.com.