In May of 2009 the California Planning Roundtable was held in Fresno.
The California Planning Roundtable (CPR) is an organization of experienced planning professionals who are members of the American Planning Association (APA). The mission of the Roundtable is to provide a forum for prominent planners to exercise creativity and leadership in promoting understanding of California’s critical public policy issues, and recommending action.
Each year, the Roundtable chooses one or more timely and significant California planning issues for study, and publishes the results of the inquiries in papers or articles that are widely distributed to California planners, the California legislature, and local public officials. The Roundtable also organizes and conducts panels and other presentations for the APA California Chapter annual conferences. These include an annual panel on leadership in planning, and other timely, topical conference sessions.
During the Roundtable’s dinner at Palamino’s I spoke to them about the Tower District. My talk centered on the history and current state of the Tower District as well as my involvement. Through questions from the planners, we also covered archop, Creative Fresno, Pecha Kucha, agriculture (urban and rural).
It was an engaging experience that has led to another opportunity. Tomorrow, I’ll be part of the Leadership Panel that the Roundtable organizes at the APA California 2009 Conference. Below is some information about the panel. I’ll follow up afterward with a summery of the discussion and information about the other distinguished panelists. It is truly an honor to be including on this panel.
SESSION TITLE: Developing Leadership
How Do Planners Support and Develop Community Leaders
TIME: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 from 3:45pm to 5:15 pm.
CONFERENCE LOCATION: The Resort at Squaw Creek, Lake Tahoe
PANEL ORGANIZER: Elaine Costello, FAICP
http://www.calapa.org/2009-conference
SUMMARY: How can planners support and develop community leaders? A panel of planners and community leaders will engage in a discussion with the audience on why and how we build the leadership skills of people in our communities.
ABSTRACT: For the past 9 years, the California Planning Roundtable has produced a leadership session at the annual APACA conference. These are interactive sessions designed to help develop and refine leadership skills. They are always well attended.
This year’s session will address how to build the leadership skills of the people who live and work in the communities we are planning. Effective community leaders are essential to good planning-especially to the implementation of plans. We want to explore how planners can work with the public to help them assume and fulfill leadership roles.
Our panel will be composed of both professional planners and community leaders. We will explore several topics, including:
• Why and how did the community leaders on the panel become involved?
• Why is leadership an important skill for community members? Should planners have a role in building the leadership skills of members of their community? Are their risks in developing community leaders?
• What are the most effective ways to mentor the leadership skills of community members? What are some of the good tools for developing community leaders? What does not work?
• What approaches should planners take with different types of community leaders- Council members, Planning Commissioners, Developers, Local Businesses, and Neighborhood Residents?
Elaine Costello, FAICP, has been in leadership positions on major Bay Area planning projects for over 30 years
Tom Jacobson, JD, MCP, AICP, Chair, Department of Environmental Studies and Planning, Sonoma State University and Of Counsel to the Sohagi Law Group
Maia Schneider, Director of Community Development and Government Relations, Tahoe Forest Health System
Darin Dinsmore, Principal, Dinsmore and Associates
Kiel Famellos-Schmidt, Founder, www.archop.org
James Shelby, Councilmember, City of Citrus Heights
James Rojas, Urban Planner, Community Activist, Artist
