CDPA holds its annual meeting in Albany

The Capital District Planners Association, a section of the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association, held its Annual Meeting and mentorship event this evening. About 30 members were present to approve an update to its bylaws and to elect a new executive board.

The new section officers are:

• Section Director Jesse Vogl, AICP

• Deputy Section Director Liz Podowski King

• Treasurer Melissa Marton

• Communications and Media Officer Sergio Ramirez

• Professional Development Officer Ethan Warren

• Secretary Mirren Galway

• Programming Officers Matthew Lee and Tess Drauschak

• Student Representative Shan Prevatt

Queen City Hub Revisited

The City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning recently engaged on a strategic planning initiative. The city will review the progress made and utilize data to refresh the strategies necessary to achieve the vision of the city’s 2003 Queen City Hub Plan in light of the hidden challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the team has prepared a survey to gather data from several different perspectives about the state of downtown.

If you’d like to learn more, please check out: https://www.buffalony.gov/1707/Queen-City-Hub-Revisited-2024-Downtown-A

Call for proposals! NY Upstate Chapter Conference

The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA), Southern Tier APA Section is proud to announce that the 2024 Annual Chapter Conference will be held in Ithaca, New York at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, from Wednesday, October 9 through Friday, October 11.  The Planning Committee is now seeking proposals for presentations from those willing to share their talents to make this year’s program memorable.

The conference theme “Planning for Protopia: Designing with Empathy in Upstate New York” will bring together urban planners, designers, and community stakeholders to envision and create a future for Upstate New York that is prosperous, equitable, and sustainable. This year's conference emphasizes the importance of designing with empathy – understanding and incorporating the lived experiences and needs of diverse residents into the planning process. This Conference is an opportunity for planners and allied professionals, planning students, and community advocates to learn and share successful strategies for revitalization in their communities and the Upstate region.

The 2024 Conference Planning Committee is developing a conference program to bring various planning, design and other allied professionals together to learn from each other, as well as acquire new skills. We are seeking presentations that present cutting edge skills and/or highlight current issues relevant to planners throughout Upstate New York. We are also developing ideas for mobile workshops and ways to encourage involvement of graduate students and citizen planners. Sessions are also sought on Law, Ethics, Equity, and Sustainability & Resilience that would fulfill the 1.0 hours (each) of AICP Certification Maintenance (CM).

If you have a presentation that you would like to share at the conference, please submit your session proposal by 4:30 pm on July 22, 2024 through this short online form .

If you have questions about sessions, submittal requirements or related topics, please contact Ray Burger at rburger@dryden.ny.us or 607-844-8888 ext 213. Questions about the conference can also be directed to the Southern Tier Section Director, Greg Hutnik at planner@danby.ny.gov.

2024 Chapter Conference - Save the Date

The Upstate New York Chapter of the American Planning Assocation is excited to announce the dates of the 2024 Chapter Conference this fall! Join the Southern Tier section as our host this October in their backyard.

October 9 through October 11, 2024
Southern Tier Region

Call for Nominations is now open

Call for Nominations!

Serving as an elected leader in APA offers a tremendous opportunity to sharpen your skills, expand your networks, and work directly to strengthen the impact of the organization. The portal for candidate self-nominations will be open through May 30th at https://apa.directnominations.net and includes all the groups and positions up for election this year. Learn more at https://www.planning.org/elections/

Chapter Administrator, expressions of interest sought

The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association is seeking expressions of interest from qualified firms or individuals able to provide the services of Chapter Administrator. The Chapter Administrator provides services as a consultant in accordance with a Scope of Services and is not an employee of the Chapter or the American Planning Association. The term of the agreement for the engagement is typically 12 months. The Chapter is accepting expressions of interest through May 24, 2024. A full request for proposals is expected to be released by May 31, 2024.

Prior scopes of service have included the following tasks:

• Coordinate of communications among Executive Board, Sections and the general membership as directed, primarily through electronic forms of communication and often occurs weekly.

• Assist with the Annual Conference and a spring chapter event, including soliciting and managing sponsorships, and promoting both events.

• Assist the Professional Development Officer to register and promote upcoming Certification Maintenance and other development opportunities.

• Manage chapter communications, including email updates (via MailChimp or similar), postings to the web site (CMS-based), and monitoring the Chapter email account (via Google Workspace).

• Solicit sponsorships for the website, annual conference, and any other opportunity by email and possibly phone follow-ups.

• Act as a liaison to partner organizations on behalf of the Chapter in order to facilitate more effective communication between the Chapter and our allied professional organizations, including AIA, ASLA, and the New York Planning Federation (NYPF).

• Perform additional tasks not included in the scope and assigned by the Executive Board as agreed upon and documented in a written task order on an hourly or other fee basis.

You may submit an expression of interest to the Chapter President via email at president@nyupstateplanning.org. Please provide the following:

• Name of the firm or individual expressing interest.

• A summary of key qualifications and experience working with membership-based organizations.

• Annotated resumes of key staff assigned to provide Chapter Administrator support.

• A fee proposal based on approximately 250 hours of work per year in consideration of the scope above.

• Contact information for additional questions or follow-up.

UAlbany GPSA visits Albany Rural Cemetery, sees ARCE app

The UAlbany GPSA hosted a successful tour of the Albany Rural Cemetery on April 24th. The tour showcased the Albany Rural Cemetery Explorer App (ARCE), which combines history and mapping for self-guided tours and will soon be available for free download.

Members of the Bender Foundation joined UAlbany students and faculty. The University’s Geography and Planning department, led by Dr. Rui Li, has generously contributed to the app's development. Friends of the ARC supported us invaluably during the tour.

NY Upstate Chapter endorses Federal land banking bill

The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association joined with the American Planning Association and more than 30 other organizations to endorse the bi-partisan Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act in the US Senate. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the bill that would further assist land banks across the U.S. with efforts to remediate blight and stimulate economic growth.

“Since New York State joined the land banking effort in 2012, land banks have become essential resources here and across the country,” said Sean Maguire, AICP CEcD, Chapter President. “We’re further encouraged that this bill, when paired with the efforts of New York State’s leaders in Albany, will continue to bring resources to help land banks advance a new model for redevelopment in all communities, and especially those communities negatively impacted by practices of discrimination and disinvestment.”

Read Sen. Casey’s announcement here.

Event: North Country Housing Symposium

The North Country is facing its own unique set of challenges as we navigate the housing crisis. This symposium will bring together a variety of perspectives and expertise that can provide guidance, tools, and important data for your role in tackling housing issues in your own community.

Registration is required and closes on March 10, 2024. Register here to attend.

NOTE: The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Assocation is not responsible for the event. Please contact the host for more information. CM credits for AICP members may be self-reported unless the event is otherwise approved and recognized by the Chapter for CM credit. Local land use board members (e.g. planning board, zoning board of appeals, etc.) required to obtain annual traning shouls verify with thier appointing jurisdiction if this training satisfies local requirements.

UAlbany GPSA visits Lake George, Albany Rural Cemetery Tour next

The Geography & Planning Student Assocation (GPSA) at the University at Albany recently explored Lake George at its most recent event. The GPSA is a student organization in the PAB-accredited Master of Regional Planning program at UAlbany. It seeks to educate and involve the next generation of urban planners.

“We had an excellent turnout, and the presentations provided valuable insights into the ambitious plan to transform Lake George into a vibrant year-round community,” said GPSA Liaison Devendra Kanithi. “The enthusiasm and collaboration of community leaders and stakeholders were inspirational.”

The GPSA’s next event is a guided walking tour of Albany Rural Cemetery on April 24, 2024. It will include a demonstration of the Albany Rural Cemetery Explorer (ARCE) app which was developed in partnership with the University at Albany. In addition to UAlbany students, the program is open to members of the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association. For more information, contact the GPSA at GPSA@albany.edu.

Job Opening: Planner, New Scotland, NY

The Town of New Scotland is seeking applications from qualified individuals to provide planning and zoning services. Duties will be to assist the Planning, Zoning and Town boards with zoning, planning and project review. May include grant writing and, possibly, economic development. Part-time and full-time employee status is under consideration. Salary range between $40,000-60,000 depending on experience and qualifications. Interested parties should submit a letter of interest and resume and/or prospectus that demonstrates how they meet the qualifications to Lisa Williams, LWilliams@townofnewscotland.com. Proposals will be accepted until February 23, 2024.

The Town of New Scotland is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Chapter President Sean Maguire appointed to APA Governance Committee

The American Planning Association has announced that Chapter President Sean Maguire has been appointed by the American Planning Association Board of Directors to its Governance Committee. Maguire will serve as a member of the committee starting January 1, 2024 and through December 31, 2024. The Governance Committee is charged with reviewing the Association’s Bylaws and governing policies and making recommendations to the Board of Directors.

Sean Maguire, AICP CEcD

“I’m honored to be invited to serve our association in this important role,” said Sean Maguire. “Recently, the APA published proposed changes to the Bylaws that are quite important to our members. I was pleased to join the New York Metro Chapter President on a letter asking for more time to consider these changes. I look forward to being involved in what is certain to be a very active discussion in the year ahead. I thank the APA President Angela Brooks and the APA Board of Directors for trusting me with this important responsibility and look forward to working with many of my colleagues in 2024.”

“As APA works towards achieving our strategic goals, we will again need the time and talent of many volunteers who graciously agree to serve,” said APA President Angela D. Brooks, FAICP.

Joint Statement by New York State APA Chapters

On December 14, 2023, the New York Upstate and New York Metro Chapters of the American Planning Association issued a joint comment regarding the proposed bylaw changes presented by a committee at APA. The letter noted our concerns with the process and proposal and requested more time to review and comment.

A copy of the joint comment letter can be found below. To learn more about the proposed bylaw changes, please visit https://www.planning.org/leadership/bylaws/revisions/.