The Power of Parcel Data: Leveraging Land Ownership Information and Water Insights for Smarter Planning
Jun
20
1:00 PM13:00

The Power of Parcel Data: Leveraging Land Ownership Information and Water Insights for Smarter Planning

CM #9311248

Guest Host: APA Water and Planning Network APA Water and Planning Network

Every water challenge — whether it’s managing resources during drought, guiding development through availability assessments, restoring wetlands, or protecting watersheds — starts with a foundational question: Who owns the land? Land ownership determines access, responsibility, and the potential for action. Yet for planners and water professionals, this data has historically been difficult to access and integrate. To bridge this gap, the Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) — a mission-driven organization enabling data-driven decisions for the greater good of land, water, and people — has developed a nationwide parcel database that reveals, with unmatched precision and interoperability, who owns what land across jurisdictions, state boundaries, and complex ownership structures. CGS is exploring new opportunities to weave water data into this platform and open the door for deeper insights into how land and water systems connect. This webinar will introduce the unique dataset, share early use cases, and invite discussion about how integrating land ownership and water data can help planners and water managers answer questions like: “Who owns land critical to watershed health?” and “Where are land use patterns influencing water access or infrastructure investments?” Join us for a preview of what’s possible at the intersection of land and water data — and help shape where we go next.

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Planners at the Park
Jun
24
5:00 PM17:00

Planners at the Park

Calling all Orioles fans! Join your fellow planners for a fun-filled night out at Camden Yards - come network, unwind, and watch the Orioles take on the Texas Rangers. Mix and mingle with colleagues at Pickles Pub before the game. We hope you can join us for a night of home runs and high fives!

When: Tuesday, June 24th. Game starts at 6:35

Happy Hour: 5:00 at Pickles Pub

Cost: $25 per ticket 

Notes: Seats are available on a first come first serve basis to APA MD members only. Our block of seats are located in Section 12. In order to receive your ticket, you must have a MLB Ballpark account and access to the mobile app.

⚾ Space is limited, so sign up and reserve your seat today!

Questions? Contact Sarah Diehl at contact@apamaryland.org

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Baltimore Street Redevelopment Project Walking Tour & Lunch
Jun
25
11:00 AM11:00

Baltimore Street Redevelopment Project Walking Tour & Lunch

Join Matt Miller, Executive Director of the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, for a walking tour of the award-winning Baltimore Street Redevelopment Project followed by buffet lunch at Ristorante Ottavianni, including pasta, salad, and woodfired pizza.

Baltimore Street has long been a center of commerce and activity in downtown Cumberland. In 2017, the City of Cumberland began the process of reimagining a segment of Baltimore Street that had been converted to a pedestrian mall in the 1970s. Following years of planning and construction, the transformation of Baltimore Street was celebrated with a grand reopening in November of 2024. Baltimore Street is once again a vibrant, thriving gathering place for residents and visitors. The redevelopment project celebrates the region’s cultural and natural resources, and features broader sidewalks, added green spaces, and a reintroduction of vehicle and bicycle traffic.

The tour will begin at The Rosenbaum, 118 Baltimore Street, Suite 202.  Participants should park at the George Street Parking Garage, which is 1.5 blocks away.  

Cost: $20 per person

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FAICP Q & A Session
Jun
11
2:00 PM14:00

FAICP Q & A Session

FAICP - eligible members and nominators are encouraged to join the Fellows Q&A Sessions held at the following dates and times: 

  • January 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Please register at the following link.

  • March 13, 2025, at 1:00 PM. Please register at the following link.

  • June 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Please register at the following link. 

For prior nominees who may have specific questions or concerns to be addressed personally, we encourage you to email Fellows@planning.org.

More information on FAICP can be found here.

Additionally, we are continuing to gauge interest in an April AICP Study Session. Please contact our Professional Development Officer, Andrew Gray, AICP at contact@apamaryland.org if you are interested. This event will take place at Towson University.

 

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Utility Scale Renewable Energy
Jun
6
1:00 PM13:00

Utility Scale Renewable Energy

APA Michigan Chapter

The State of Michigan's MI Healthy Climate Plan and the subsequent adoption of PA233 has resulted in communities needing to consider renewable energy development, including solar energy, wind energy, substations, and battery storage. Join us for a deep-dive into planning and zoning for renewable energy so you can better guide your communities to a position that is based on good planning.

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Multi-Modal Transportation Impact Studies
Jun
5
1:00 PM13:00

Multi-Modal Transportation Impact Studies

CM #9311245

Guest Host: APA Private Practice Division + Transportation Planning Division

The session will focus on preparing and reviewing multimodal transportation impact assessments rather than just preparing a traffic impact study. A review of the recently updated Institute of Transportation Engineering (ITE) Recommended Practice on Preparing and Review of Multimodal Transportation Impact Assessments will explain the benefits. Speakers from cities that have developed and applied a new multimodal process will explain their process and the lessons learned. Dan Hardy, the Chair of ITE’s Committee, will review its Recommended Practices on Multimodal Transportation Impact Analyses for site development. Melissa Hayes, the Project Manager for the City of Nashville, will describe how the city replaced traffic impact studies with multimodal guidelines. Nashville applied ITE’s recommended practices along with examples from Austin, Seattle, San Jose, and Washington, D.C. Melissa and dan’s work will be discussed to show the positive impact on not only Nashville, but other communities.

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Reviving Small Towns: Building Resilient Communities for the Future
May
22
8:30 AM08:30

Reviving Small Towns: Building Resilient Communities for the Future

Join us in Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County, for a dynamic one-day conference showcasing the town’s remarkable revitalization. Discover how this historic area has evolved into a thriving destination, balancing growth with community charm.

Our agenda features insights from local leaders, planners, and economic development experts, including a session with the owner of a cooperative winery, a walking (or trolley!) tour led by town planners, and discussions on the successes and challenges of revitalization. See firsthand how Leonardtown has enhanced its waterfront park, attracted new businesses, and set the stage for future development.

The day wraps up at the winery—where you can unwind, enjoy a glass of wine, and continue the conversation. Don't miss this opportunity to experience and learn from Leonardtown’s transformation!

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Landscaping Codes to Conserve Water and Reduce Wildfire Risk
May
16
1:00 PM13:00

Landscaping Codes to Conserve Water and Reduce Wildfire Risk

Guest Host: HMDR Division.

Communities have long used landscaping codes to reduce water consumption, but a few stand-out cities have crafted codes that pair water-wise goals with fire-wise principles. Join experts for an hour-long webinar exploring how these double-duty landscaping codes can reduce fire risk and encourage water conservation in your community.

CM Credit: 1.5

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Envisioning Sprawl Repair: Lessons from the 2025 Student Planning and Design Competition
May
9
1:00 PM13:00

Envisioning Sprawl Repair: Lessons from the 2025 Student Planning and Design Competition

Planning Webcast Series:

CM #9309088

Guest Host: Urban Design and Preservation Divisoin.

Across the United States, a shift is underway to reimagine auto-oriented landscapes, leading to a surge in collaborative projects to improve connectivity and revitalize public spaces within auto-centric areas. This year's Student Planning and Design Competition focused on the Colfax and Federal Interchange site in Denver, Colorado. Situated adjacent to Empower Field at Mile High on the east and multifamily neighborhoods to the west, the site presents a unique opportunity to explore sensitive and strategic infill solutions. Join us post-conference to discuss the student work and the broader response to sprawl repair.

CM 1.5

Register



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Meet Me in the Cafeteria: Reflections from School Food Planning Practitioners
May
2
2:30 PM14:30

Meet Me in the Cafeteria: Reflections from School Food Planning Practitioners

CM #9309087

Guest Host: APA Food Systems Division + Public Schools and Communities Division.

Join our virtual cafeteria with the APA Public Schools and Communities Division and APA Food Systems Division to learn more about the intersections between school planning and food systems planning through a panel of school food planning practitioners. Panelists will reflect on their current work, how they arrived at their focus area in this field, challenges ahead, and example projects. They will also reflect on the how and why planners might engage at the intersection of schools and food. This session will also highlight how APA Divisions’ cross-collaboration can open new avenues of opportunity and learning to reach planners’ professional goals. Participants will gain insight into the various roles planners take on at the intersection of food systems and public schools, how school food planning supports jurisdictional priorities, and how planners can create opportunities for thriving public schools and food systems.

CM 1.5

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Apr
24
11:00 AM11:00

Flint Water Crisis Deep-Dive: Lessons Learned. Presented by EPA’s Former Flint Emergency Coordinator

Presenting Organization: Environmental & Public Health International

This online drinking water training is presented by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) former Flint Safe Drinking Water Act Emergency Coordinator. The role of the coordinator was to ensure safe drinking water for the people of Flint. The coordinator worked with the City of Flint, Flint’s public water system, & the state of Michigan to ensure compliance with EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act & EPA’s drinking water enforcement authorities.

This training will provide you a fundamental understanding of underlying regulatory and technical decisions that led to Flint’s disaster. By improving your overall knowledge of the water crisis, you will be able to prevent similar, irresponsible decisions from impacting other communities. A comprehensive understanding of what happened in Flint will enable us to make better public health decisions, improve the quality of drinking water, and increase lead service line replacement efforts in communities.

If you have additional questions, please contact us.

Training Information: Flint Water Crisis: Drinking Water Training

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Web Skills & Platforms for Planners (Planning Webcast Series)
Apr
18
1:00 PM13:00

Web Skills & Platforms for Planners (Planning Webcast Series)

CM: #9303639

Guest Host: APA Technology Division

As planners increasingly embrace digital tools, understanding the workings behind the web has become crucial. Just as “Code is the new concrete,” planners who understand the “infrastructure” of websites can more effectively engage with digital platforms to serve their communities.

This webinar, Planning Webcast: Web Skills for Planners, will provide an essential foundation in web skills, equipping participants to evaluate, design, deploy, and maintain websites. Participants will gain insights into everything from user-friendly design principles to back-end fundamentals, collaboration with web developers , or key no-code platforms. The session will also highlight web tools like Google Sites, Wix, and AI-driven resources that simplify coding and optimize functionality. With knowledge of these tools, planners can confidently navigate and harness the potential of web technology to enhance their planning efforts.

A Q&A will follow. The goal of this webinar is to equip planners with essential web skills and knowledge, enabling them to effectively evaluate, design, deploy, and maintain websites. Participants will also learn how to collaborate with web developers and utilize online tools to enhance their planning efforts through websites.

CM 1.5

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Shaping Intentional and Equitable Spaces in Baltimore and Beyond
Mar
21
2:00 PM14:00

Shaping Intentional and Equitable Spaces in Baltimore and Beyond

  • Enoch Pratt Library Central Branch (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Dear APA Maryland Membership,

Conscious Baltimore, is a new chapter of the global Conscious Cities movement—a grass-roots collective fostering healthy built environments to enhance the quality of life in our communities. 

For this year’s Conscious Cities Festival, the Conscious Baltimore chapter and the International Arts + Mind Lab are working together to facilitate an enriching and compelling conversation which will aim to answer the question: How can we shape the built environment with greater intention and how might that look in Baltimore, Maryland?

Please join us for this free talk, titled Shaping Intentional and Equitable Spaces in Baltimore and Beyond, at 2pm on Friday, March 21st, at the Central Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library (Creative Arts Center, 2nd Floor). You may register online. Additionally, we would appreciate your help in getting the word out about this event; please share the attached flyer with anyone who you think might  be interested.

Thank you, and I hope to see you next month!

Sincerely,

Megan Oliver, Conscious Baltimore Chapter Fellow

The Conscious Cities movement is supported by the work of The Centre for Conscious Design and its Fellows. Conscious Cities events have been happening all around the world since 2016, if you would like to explore past events and watch recordings of talks please visit the CCD’s Video Library. 

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FAICP Q & A Session
Mar
13
1:00 PM13:00

FAICP Q & A Session

FAICP - eligible members and nominators are encouraged to join the Fellows Q&A Sessions held at the following dates and times: 

  • January 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Please register at the following link.

  • March 13, 2025, at 1:00 PM. Please register at the following link.

  • June 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Please register at the following link. 

For prior nominees who may have specific questions or concerns to be addressed personally, we encourage you to email Fellows@planning.org.

More information on FAICP can be found here.

Additionally, we are continuing to gauge interest in an April AICP Study Session. Please contact our Professional Development Officer, Andrew Gray, AICP at contact@apamaryland.org if you are interested. This event will take place at Towson University.

 

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Unlock the Power of Digital Twins for Planning
Feb
27
to Feb 28

Unlock the Power of Digital Twins for Planning

Digital Twins have the potential to revolutionize planning as a critical decision-support tool. Picture a dynamic digital replica of a district, corridor, city, or region—powered by real-time data and capable of simulating external trends, future scenarios, and local interventions. But how do we turn raw data into such a transformative tool? 

Join us on February 27-28 from 12-2pm CT for two interactive, 2-hour online training sessions designed to explore planning-specific use cases for digital twins and guide you through developing a local or regional digital twin strategy. 

While digital twins are already widely used by engineers, product designers, and facility managers, the next frontier is scaling them from isolated assets to entire urban systems. In these sessions, you’ll learn from pioneering examples of digital twins in planning and participate in hands-on exercises to start building your expertise. 

Don’t miss this chance to enhance your planning skillset with cutting-edge tools driven by technology and data.

4|CM Credits 

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