The 2022 American Planning Association (APA) Virginia Chapter Annual Conference is the Chapter’s signature event. For our 52nd Annual Conference, we will continue to offer a Conference Program that exemplifies the best of Virginia’s planning practice, theory, projects, and persons. The conference is scheduled for July 17-20, 2022 at the Richmond Marriott in downtown Richmond.

We will be announcing a central theme for the 2022 conference soon; until then we are requesting quality conference session proposals that meet the ever-changing needs of Virginia's diverse planners. With the recent addition of mandatory CM credits in the fields of Equity and Sustainability & Resiliency, topics that may qualify for those credits are encouraged. Other priorities may be given to sessions that exemplify those topics identified by the Conference Planning Committee including: women & minorities in planning, career development & advancement, planning management, finance & budgeting, new & emerging technologies (solar, broadband, apps), civic engagement and public participation.

All session abstract proposals are due no later than Monday, February 28. Late submissions may not be accepted.

Any conference-related questions can be directed to admin@apavirginia.com

Monday, February 22 - More information coming soon!

Monday, March 22  

In 2015, the Library of Virginia acquired a plat that had been drafted in the latter half of the nineteenth century by T. R. Dunn, a civil engineer in Petersburg, Virginia. What made the plat unique was that it followed in every way the precepts of Joseph Smith’s Plan for the City of Zion. Smith, who founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), issued the Zion plan in 1833 as a set of instructions for how the faithful were to lay out future LDS communities.

This webinar will explore the extensive analysis conducted by Library of Virginia researchers to confirm the Dunn plat’s adherence to Smith’s Zion plan. It will focus on the Dunn plat’s land-use characteristics and the development pattern envisioned for the prospective settlement. The webinar will show that the Dunn plat represents a compelling artifact of Virginia’s urban planning history.

Presenter: Joseph W. Grubbs, Ph.D., AICP, GISP

ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Joseph W. Grubbs, Ph.D., AICP, GISP, led the Library of Virginia’s research into the Dunn plat. Grubbs specializes in the spatial dimensions of urban development and has nearly three decades of experience in urban planning, land-use policy, and geospatial analysis. Grubbs currently serves as the business intelligence and GIS service lead in the Office of Public-Private Partnerships, Virginia Department of Transportation.

Register Now

Have you missed a past webinar and want to watch it?  Visit our YouTube page! All recorded webinars are eligible for CM credits

Interested in presenting? Email us! info@apavirginia.com

Additional CM Credit Opportunities

APA VA wants to hear from you! As in every community we plan, there are stories to its citizens. As a community of planners, we would like to highlight some of our amazing planners across the Commonwealth. If you or someone you know has a great planning story to tell, please reach out to Robert Narvaez, AICP, Director of Inclusion or anyone on the APA VA Board. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Members of the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) are committed to supporting economic prosperity for all residents and businesses in the Commonwealth. Planning provides opportunities for all Virginians to look into the future and work towards a long-term vision for their communities. Planners are reliable and trusted sources of information committed to the communities they serve. Annual updates to the legislative agenda do not negate previous years’ priorities. The Chapter supports good and legal planning efforts that enables localities to address need in their communities.

The Chapter supports legislative and administrative actions, which are outcome-based and incorporate a review of return on investment, in order to ensure efficient expenditures of resources.
The Chapter opposes legislation that focuses only on the short-term economic benefit of actions without considering potential impacts, long-term economic or otherwise, on residents and businesses in the Commonwealth.

The Virginia General Assembly convenes January 12. The Chapter’s Legislative Committee will begin the weekly 1-hour virtual meetings at Noon on Friday, January 7th.  These meetings will continue throughout the session each Friday at Noon.  For Zoom meeting credentials email us at admin@apavirginia.com 

Planners continue to play an essential role in community response to the pandemic. From holding online public meetings, to positioning your community for economic recovery, to using data analysis to ensure the recovery is equitable, you need information to help you serve your community. Visit our COVID-19 resources collection, organized by topics that are foremost in your mind.

Below is a link to the Department of Labor's COVID-19 resources and guides.

Click here for APA National's resources