November 17, 2017
REPORT CARD 2007-2017: WHAT DOES IT MEANS FOR 2017-2027?

Presenters: Curtis Alling, Ascent Environmental; David Tilley, City of West Sacramento and (invited) James Corless, SACOG

How has the Sacramento Region made progress on sustainability, climate change, smart growth over the last 10 years? This session will retrospectively examine what we’ve learned in the last ten years, and how these lessons can inform the planning profession in the next year. We’ve promoted smart growth principles, the Blueprint, sustainable practices and climate action. We’ve experienced the great recession and a severe drought. We’re dealing with significant changes at the national level and assessing what it means for Sacramento and California. What have we learned and how can we apply lessons learned to the future? If only we had a crystal ball!

Click here to download James Corless's presentation
Click here to download Curtis Alling's presentation
Click here to download David Tilley's presentation

October 20, 2017
Integrating Rural and Urban Planning: Working Together to Support California's Diverse Commnities

Hosted by ILG & SACOG

Presenters:David Shabazian, Sacramento Area Council of Governments; Monica Palmeira, California Strategic Growth Council; and Robert Tse, USDA

The rural areas of California have never been more important to the overall economic and social health of the state of California. As the state struggles with the issues of drought, groundwater management, climate change, forest health and fire prevention, and economic development, the diverse rural regions of California provide many opportunities for statewide solutions. State and regional planning rarely consider rural issues to the degree urban communities are studied and planned. In order for California to successfully address these challenges and benefit all residents, policymakers and planners need to understand the interconnections between rural and urban communities and engage with and invest in rural communities to develop strategies and programs that meet their needs. This session will explore tools and opportunities that could strengthen the health and prosperity of rural California and increase statewide sustainability.

Click here to view David Shabazian's presentation
Click here to view Monica Palmeira's presentation
Click here to view Robert Tse's presentation

September 26, 2017
Carolyn Coleman: Closing Keynote Speaker at APA State Conference

Hosted by APA
Presenters: Carolyn Coleman, Executive Director of the California League of Cities

For this session, the Speaker Series will join up with the 2017 State APA Conference to hear from Carolyn Coleman, Executive Director of the California League of Cities. Ms. Coleman will speak on important issues facing our cities and will draw upon the Conference theme “Capitalizing on our Diversity”. She brings 25 years of experience as a leader and an advocate in the public and private sectors to her role as executive director of the League of California Cities. She joined the League of California Cities in December 2016 after a decade with the National League of Cities (NLC) in Washington, D.C. as senior executive and director of federal advocacy. During her tenure at NLC, she oversaw the organization’s advocacy efforts and worked closely with city leaders and the 49 state municipal leagues throughout the country to advance NLC’s priorities in matters before Congress, the Administration and the courts. Prior to working with NLC, Coleman served as deputy mayor for the city of Indianapolis where she focused on economic development, infrastructure and community engagement. She previously practiced law and held marketing leadership positions in the private sector.

August 25, 2017
Public-Private Partnerships for Developing Affordable Housing

Hosted by AIA & ULI
Presenters: Frank Myers, McClellan Park and Marina Wiant, California Housing Consortium

Since 2012 and the changes to redevelopment agencies in the State, affordable housing has been more difficult to finance and construct. Developers and local agencies have had to be more creative about assembling funding sources, leveraging new fnancial tools, and being more collaborative. Public-private partnerships (PPP) within the Sacramento region have successfully tackled the issues of affordable housing and can help guide future projects. The West Gateway Place project was the first project in the State with an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant to break ground. The first vertical project in the new Downtown Railyards will be an affordable housing project that leverages the previous investments in infrastructure and will benefit from future public and private funding for parks, schools, and other urban amenities benefitting these future residents.

Click here to view Frank Meyers's presentation
Click here to view Marina Waint's presentation

July 28, 2017
Sacramento: City of Trees? Addressing the Inequitable Distribution of our Region’s Urban Forest

Hosted by Sacramento Tree Foundation
Presenters: Fatima Malik, UC Davis Health; Matthew Van Donsel, Sacramento Tree Foundation; and Trent Eskew, Pacific Housing Inc.

Recently, a new project launched by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) confirmed the long-held belief that Sacramento is the “City of Trees.” Using Google Maps’ street view data to measure tree cover in 17 cities around the globe, Sacramento was found to be number one in the United States and ranked third overall. While exciting news, there is still much work that needs to be done. Trees are integral to human health. People who reside in neighborhoods with more trees have lower rates of obesity, are more active, show lower levels of depression, and live longer lives. Unfortunately, the Sacramento Region suffers from stunning inequity when comparing the canopy cover of different neighborhoods, preventing many from reaping the benefits of our glorious canopy. Join us as we explore a brief history of Sacramento, highlighting the lack of investment in certain communities. Learn how urban greening dollars are working to build community engagement while expediting tree planting in under-canopied neighborhoods. Discuss how we can plan for the future, making sure that trees and green spaces are at the forefront during the design of new communities instead of merely an afterthought.

Click here to download PDF of presentation slides (Part 1).
Click here to download PDF of presentation slides (Part 2).

June 26, 2017
SB 1000: Bringing Environmental Justice into the General Plan

Presenters: Sahar Shirazi, OPR and Katie Valenzuela Garcia, Valenzuela Garcia Consulting
Moderator: Erik de Kok, AICP, Ascent Environmental

SB 1000 requires general plans in California to address environmental justice (EJ), either as a stand-alone element or integrated into other applicable elements. This session will cover EJ basics, SB 1000’s specifc requirements, implementation guidance from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), and practical examples and lessons learned in planning for the needs of disadvantaged communities. The goals of this session include: help planners understand what EJ means and how it can be applied through planning; clarify the specifc requirements of SB 1000, including when and to whom the requirements apply, how to define “disadvantaged communities”, and how EJ considerations must be addressed at the general plan level through policy and implementation; hear from OPR staff on the latest General Plan Guidelines update effort, including guidance on implementing SB 1000 requirements; and review key principles, best practices, and lessons learned from “early adopter” communities in addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities through planning.

Click here to view Erik de Kok's presentation
Click here to view Sahar Shirazi's presentation
Click here to view Katie Valenzuela Garcia's presentation