2024 APA MD & MPCA Joint Conference: Call for Session Proposals

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Proposals Today!

Deadline to Submit: May 31, 2024

The Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA MD) and the Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) announce a Call for Session Proposals for the 2024 joint planning conference, to be held October 20 through 22 at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland.  

Across the state, citizen planning boards work with professional practitioners and state and local planning departments to tackle 21st century planning challenges and to implement change. This year, APA MD and the MPCA have joined forces to celebrate the collaborative work of citizen and professional planners over the course of this two-and-a-half-day event. 

We hope you will be inspired by this year’s theme:

Two Tracks, One Destination: Citizen and Professional Planners Working Together to Shape Sustainable Development Across Maryland

We aim to address current issues, trends, challenges, and solutions that are shaping the work of professional and citizen planners, and we need YOU to make that happen. Attendees will include planning commissioners, board of zoning appeals members, historic district commissioners, professional planners, Maryland county and municipal staff, and planning students.  

We encourage you to propose new ideas, new presentation formats, solutions, tools, interactive sessions, and mobile workshops that engage our state and/or the Howard County landscape.  

Submissions should identify a presentation team (one to five people), focus on a topic that expands on this year’s theme, be formatted for either 15 minutes, 45 minutes, or 1.5 hours, and propose an engaging presentation.  

We also invite participants to consider presenting our Lightning Round sessions, where they join others in a fast-paced series of entertaining 15-minute mini-presentations. Note that the 15-minute Lightning Round proposals will be combined with other Lightning Round proposals into a session of 90 minutes (15 minutes per speaker/topic, 5 speakers maximum). 

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Save the Dates! APA MD and MPCA to Host First Collaborative Conference in Ellicott City October 20 – 22, 2024

“Two Tracks, One Destination”

Citizen and Professional Planners Working together to Shape Sustainable Development Across Maryland

Tackling challenging, but promising, 21st-century issues requires collaboration between engaged citizen planning boards and local planning departments. It takes an “all hands on board” approach to fuel sustainable development, creating vibrant places while protecting Maryland’s natural resources and supporting a healthy economy.

To further this venture, the Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA MD) the Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) and will hold a combined conference in 2024 at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City.

Over two and a half days, this conference will feature required training sessions and workshops on topics of interest to members of each organization as well as workshops and plenary sessions of importance to both. Additionally, tours of nearby Columbia and Historic Ellicott City are in the works

Be sure to visit the APA MD and MPCA websites for more information and look for updates and announcements right here in the “MPCA Corner.” (Subscribe today to have Planning Practice Monthly delivered to your inbox and never miss important planning news. Subscribe to receive APA MD updates)

APA MD is committed to advancing the planning profession and supporting its members across the state. Its mission is to foster collaboration, provide education, and recognize excellence within the planning community. Through effective communication, inclusive programming, and opportunities for professional growth, APA MD strives to empower planners at all stages of their careers. By promoting certification, facilitating networking, and celebrating achievements, the organization aims to attract and retain members while securing vital sponsorship to sustain its initiatives.

The MPCA is a statewide, nonprofit educational organization of municipal, county, and regional planning commissioners, and boards of zoning appeals members. It is dedicated to the continuing education and professionalism of its members, supporting improved efficiency and effectiveness of local planning boards and commissions. MPCA’s members work to improve the quality of life for all Marylanders through planning, environmental protection, historic preservation, and growth management.