Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Mountain Combined Room

Join us in the Yogo in for a little morning yoga. Flow to Let Go Yoga Class is open and modifiable to all levels of fitness. Mats can be provided for a $2 dollar fee or bring your own mat from home. Sign up is required!

Link to sign up for this class https://balancestudiomt.com/events 

Pick-up your badges, register for the conference, register for a tour, or get a question about the conference answered.

Depot Ballroom

The world around us is changing at an accelerated pace, and the future is more unknowable than ever before. Tech innovations, societal shifts, climate change, economic restructuring, political shifts, and unknown implications from COVID-19 make it difficult to effectively plan for the future. The path forward requires adjusting, adapting, and even reinventing planning processes, tools, and skills to meet the needs of a changing world. This interactive learning experience uses strategic foresight in planning and is an essential learning lab for anyone who wants to make the future a better place.

Presenter: Zhenia Dulko

Zhenia, a planner and researcher with an MA in Planning from the University of Illinois at Chicago, is currently a Foresight Manager at American Planning Association. In her role, she focuses on developing the annual Trend Report for planners and advancing the application of strategic foresight in the planning profession.

1.5 CM AICP

Gypsum Room

The MSL will offer a hands-on course with our mobile computer lab that will instruct students how to find and use MSL GIS data and other authoritative open data GIS sources. Course exercises will include creating online maps using ArcGIS Online and performing basic analysis. Activities will include usage of online tools to create useful maps and perform quick analysis that planners often need to do. Familiarity with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro is recommended but not required. .

Presenter: Matt Trebesch

Matt Trebesch is a GIS Analyst at the Montana State Library (MSL). At the MSL, he manages a variety of statewide projects. His current projects include implementation of the MSL’s Geospatial Governance, MSL ServiceNow ticketing system, and Open Data Hub. He also provides statewide support of MGIA (Formerly MLIA) grantees. His previous GIS experience includes GIS coordination with a municipal GIS department in Montana. He has a B.S. in Earth Science from Montana State University, Bozeman.

4 CM AICP

Mountain Combined Room

Roundabouts are becoming more common in communities throughout Montana, but when do you know a roundabout is right for your community? This session will provide an overview of different types of roundabouts and discuss a range of criteria that planners should consider when evaluating roundabouts, including operations, placemaking, multimodal mobility, and traffic safety. The presentation will be supported by several case studies of roundabouts in and around Montana. The session will also include a facilitated discussion where attendees can share locations where they are considering the installation of a roundabout and discuss the potential benefits and challenges.

Presenter: Peter Walker-Keleher, PE, AICP

Before transitioning to work as a civil engineer and planner, a sustainability consultant, a public involvement lead, and a value engineering facilitator, Peter was a classroom teacher. He’ll make sure and keep things lively with the panelists and workshop attendees and send anyone who misbehaves to the principal’s office. Peter co-presented on the Choosing by Advantages decision making process during MAP 2023.

Presenter: Bill Delo

Bill is a transportation planner with 25 years of progressive experience in multimodal transportation planning. Bill’s project experience spans multiple transportation modes, including active transportation, traffic analysis, parking analysis, and transit planning. Bill has managed projects for a variety of Federal, State, and local agencies in locations across the West. He is skilled at working with communities and stakeholders to build consensus and develop community-driven plans

Presenter: Aaron Wilson, AICP

Aaron Wilson is the Transportation Planning Manager for the City of Missoula, where he oversees the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization, Missoula In Motion, and the City’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Program. His focus in this position is currently figuring out how we make ambitious plans and goals a reality. Prior to concentrating on Missoula’s many transportation issues, Aaron gained experience understanding how our natural and built environment systems interact through work on land use planning, open lands preservation, and wildfire research. Aaron attended Cornell University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, and later earned a Master’s degree in urban and regional planning at Portland State University.

1 CM AICP

Meet at Registration Desk

We will host a walking tour of Lewistown Main Street discussing various projects and business developments and what partners and resources it took to be successful. Some locations will have short presentations by the business. The tour will go as follows: Creekside Marketplace & Pavilions/Central Feed Grilling LaFountain Building L-Town Pizza One Health/Crowley Block Makers on Broadway Broadway Apartments Fergus County Courthouse/On Your Way Restorative Physio. Additional tour collaborators will participate to tell the story of this historic Main Street and how these projects utilized partners and resources to become successful.

Tour Guide: Carly Wheatley

Carly Wheatley is the Deputy Director of Snowy Mountain Development Corporation the regional Economic and Community Development Organization serving six counties in Central Montana. Working closely on the development she will take the group through a guided tour of Lewistown’s historic Main Street.

2.5 CM AICP

Depot Ballroom

In 2022, Butte completed the Uptown Butte Master Plan and we’ve been busy with identifying funding and carrying out implementation ever since. This session will focus on how to identify and secure funding sources, the importance of momentum, and how to articulate project benefits. Ongoing projects include wayfinding, pedestrian lighting, zoning code updates, crosswalk enhancements, intersection improvements, new construction, and the formation of a business improvement district.

Presenter: Shanna Adams, PE, ENV SP

Shanna Adams is the Principal at Adams Consulting, LLC. Adams Consulting helps small and medium sized communities find and secure the funding they need for their most pressing infrastructure and community development projects, so they can grow their local economy sustainably. She has over two decades of experience as a project manager / civil engineer and she has helped her clients secure over $20M in the last 3 years alone.

1 CM AICP

Mountain Combined Room

As Southern Alberta municipalities face looming water scarcity planners must push for the development and implementation of policy and regulatory tools to help secure a sustainable future for their communities. Educational campaigns are necessary to put this conversation at the forefront as municipalities look to respond, alongside the provincial government and other stakeholders, with meaningful solutions for urban and rural development in a drought-prone region.

Presenter: Ryan Dyck

Ryan is a southern Alberta native and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban & Regional Studies from the University Lethbridge. As a Planner with the Oldman River Regional Services Commission Ryan provides planning services for Vulcan County, Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, and the Towns of Cardston and Magrath. Ryan has a passion for small communities and a strong interest in planning law and is a Registered Professional Planner with the Canadian Institute of Planners.

1 CM AICP

Depot Ballroom

Montana is facing a housing crisis. In response, many communities are developing policies that promote housing diversification in new and infill development. These proposals sometimes meet fierce opposition stemming from concern over perceived changes in neighborhood character, property values, and quality of life. This session explores how to balance these concerns and the need for equitable and affordable housing by accommodating gentle density increases in a context-sensitive manner.

Presenter: John Houseal, FAICP

John has established himself as one of the nation’s top urban planning professionals and has been inducted in the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners by the American Planning Association. He has been a featured speaker at national, regional, state, and local events and conferences for issues related to urban planning, zoning, transportation, context sensitive design, innovation, graphic communication, and the environment.

1 CM AICP

Mountain Combined Room 1

Buffalo, Wyoming, experienced substantial growth pressure during the Covid Pandemic. With limited staff and consultant support, the Town has developed a GIS inventory of the water sewer system/developed a Capital Improvement Plan and an Updated Land Use Plan, all as interactive on-line tools for the public.

Presenter: Brent Moore, AICP

Brent is the Regional Vice President for Interstate Engineering. He has lived in Red Lodge for over 18 years, and manages a team of professional planners, grant writers and structural engineers who have been assisting in the renovation of the Pea Cannery.

1 CM AICP

Mountain Combined Room 2

We will be joined by Monica Clinton, who will be walking us through the basics of mindfulness, breathing techniques, and paying attention on purpose as a way to enrich your life, your mood, and your mind!

Presenter: Monica Clinton

Bio coming soon

1 CM AICP

Depot Ballroom

Join the MAP Board for our annual membership meeting.

Depot Room

The state legislature is preparing to convene, and a new Congress is about to be elected. Local elected officials are looking for solutions to challenging problems. What is the role of planners in advancing policy ideas and solutions? How can planners increase their influence with elected officials and impact on policy outcomes? This session will examine how planners can be more effective advocates and how we can prepare for the upcoming legislative sessions. We will examine APA’s Voice of Planning research and provide guidance on how to powerfully and persuasively communicate the value of planning. As Montana’s housing reforms move into implementation, hear what’s happening on housing legislation in Washington and across the nation and how APA is advancing change through the Housing Supply Accelerator. Get a look at the issues and agendas likely to shape the debate in Washington in 2025. This workshop will prepare you for the political environment ahead and provide new insights on the communication and advocacy skills planners need.

Presenter: Jason Jordan, AICP

Jason Jordan oversees public affairs programs for the American Planning Association and is responsible for strategic outreach to decision-makers and influencers who interact with the planning profession. He is responsible for advancing the organization’s legislative and policy agenda, including policy development, representation of APA, management of advocacy networks and campaigns that elevate the voice of planning. Jason was a visiting policy fellow with the Royal Town Planning Institute in London and director of the Center for Transportation Excellence. He is a partner in the public affairs and government relations firm, Advocacy Associates, LLC. Previously, Jordan worked for U.S. Senator Max Cleland and in policy and management positions for several organizations. He has degrees from Emory University and American University.

1 CM AICP

Gypsum Room

Are you gearing up to conquer the AICP qualifying exam? Join us for a session designed to equip you with effective study techniques, an understanding of exam formats, and connections to fellow planners preparing for the same challenge.

Presenter: Lindsey Romanello, AICP

Lindsey is an associate planner for SE Group, a private consultant firm that focuses on community and recreation planning around the country. She received her master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Arizona, where she focused her studies on rural communities in the western United States. Lindsey has a public sector background and has worked as a planner for several municipalities in the Rocky Mountain west, including Missoula County. During this time, she has focused on long-range planning and the implementation and creation of land use policy. She is currently a resident of Missoula, Montana and is the board secretary for the Montana Association of Planners.

Mountain Combined Room

The presentation involves an intro of the First Nation and traditional opening prayer/land acknowledgement by Chief Longjohn. We would discuss the needs which led to the ATP, the planning process, highlight the key outcomes of the ATP, and the implementation plan including efforts already underway. The ATP is the first known ATP for a First Nation in Canada, and will highlight the unique elements of the Plan – it links cultural sites, provides educational signage, local art and addresses safety.

Presenter: Paul Whitenect, RPP, MCIP

Paul is licensed Planner from Saskatoon, Canada. Paul is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and spent 30 years as a Planner with the City of Saskatoon. During his tenure, Paul managed a variety of work units including Neighbourhood Planning, Bylaw Enforcement, Licensing, Urban Design, and Housing. Shortly after his retirement in 2022, Paul joined Danny at Casa Boldt Consulting working on a wide variety of projects, including the Sturgeon Lake First Nation Active Transportation Plan.  

Presenter: Vice Chief Solomon Stewart

Tansi (Tawn-say) – Solomon (Sol) Sanderson is a proud member of the Sturgeon Lake First Nation. He has served as an elected Councillor for the past 5 years working towards making Sturgeon Lake First Nation a better place for its membership. His role as part of the leadership team actively involves Sol in various sectors of governance including: 

• Vice Chief in the absence of the Chief 

• Health Portfolio Councillor 

• Housing, Infrastructure, Major Capital (roads, subdivisions, etc.) 

• Retail management 

• Political direction & policy development 

• Policing & public safety  

• Overall community wellness and growth 

Sol has spent the vast majority of his adult life working in and contributing to the overall improvement of the quality of life for the Sturgeon Lake community including: 

• Educational policy and operations in the capacity of Chairperson – Education Advisory Committee,  

• Advisory positions for programs from Head Start to Post Secondary Education. 

• Strengthening social and family services for many rewarding years. 

These varied experiences have strengthened Sol’s dedication and commitment to advancing the wellbeing of the Sturgeon Lake community, and continuing to advance a healthy, safe, and prosperous community for current and future generations. 

Presenter: Danny Gray

Danny is a licensed Planner from Saskatoon, Canada and the President of Casa Boldt Consulting. He is proud of his Nakoda Oyate heritage and is a member of Carry the Kettle First Nation, in the Treaty 4 Territory of Canada. Danny is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and spent his first five years of practice as a Planner with the City of Saskatoon. Following this, Danny worked as a Planner in the private sector, delivering a wide range of Planning projects to Canadian communities, until early-2022 when he started his own planning consultancy. He is a skilled practitioner, who provides professional planning services to small and mid-sized municipal and Indigenous communities across Western Canada.  

Meet at Registration Desk

The Lewistown Trail System consists of 20 miles of multi-purpose trail winding through the community. The trails are usable year-round. Every few miles, the terrain switches, from paved urban pathways connecting businesses and schools downtown, to the crushed gravel cutting swaths through remarkable natural areas. The City of Lewistown Parks and Recreation and Bike Walk Montana will be leading a bike tour of the trail system. Don’t worry, we won’t be biking the full twenty miles! Make sure to bring your bikes to the conference!

Tour Guides: Kelly Henderson and Logan Smith

2.25 CM AICP

Depot Ballroom

Planners are being asked to lead quality, robust community engagement efforts on projects with limited time and capacity. Limited resources, coupled with waning trust in government agencies, ongoing shifts in the coverage of local media outlets, and shifts in how the public finds trusted local information, puts planners at risk of increased misinformation, skepticism, or disengagement on projects within local communities. How might planners counteract these forces by building stronger, more sustainable, and more strategic partnerships with non-profit organizations and community groups?

Adam Jesperson, MT Nonprofit Association Executive Director, Aaron Wilson, Missoula Transportation Planning Manager, and Rachel Huff-Doria, Facilitator and Owner/ Director of RHD LLC will participate in a panel discussion to discuss how local nonprofit organizations and community groups can become partners in community education, engagement, and implementation on projects.

Presenter: Adam Jesperson

Adam joined the Montana Nonprofit Association in 2019 after more than a decade of progressive experience in nonprofit management, leadership, fundraising, and grant writing. Raised in rural Montana, Adam received his bachelor’s degree from Carroll College and his master’s in business administration from the University of Montana. Trained and experienced in Lean management and person-centered design, Adam is passionate about helping people, teams, and organizations across Montana find their stride in being more effective and impactful and has been recognized for his ability to dive headlong into finding solutions and for his cooperative and thoughtful leadership approach. Adam lives in Helena with his wife and two daughters and enjoys hiking, skiing, and all that Montana has to offer.

Presenter: Aaron Wilson, AICP

Aaron Wilson is the Transportation Planning Manager for the City of Missoula, where he oversees the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization, Missoula In Motion, and the City’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Program. His focus in this position is currently figuring out how we make ambitious plans and goals a reality. Prior to concentrating on Missoula’s many transportation issues, Aaron gained experience understanding how our natural and built environment systems interact through work on land use planning, open lands preservation, and wildfire research. Aaron attended Cornell University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, and later earned a Master’s degree in urban and regional planning at Portland State University.

Presenter: Rachel Huff-Doria

As a former non-profit executive director, campaign manager, registered lobbyist, and member of countless boards, committees, and coalitions, Rachel Huff-Doria has seen first-hand the pitfalls that happen when planning and engagement processes fail to account for real-life complexities. 

In 2020, Rachel opened RHD LLC to support civic and non-profit leaders spearheading collaborative planning efforts with facilitation, thought partnership, and co-design. Her work has helped countless civic and non-profit leaders and agencies build on their strengths, get clear on their vision, values, and strategies, and get comfortable with the discomfort of learning and growing in community.

1 CM AICP

Gypsum Room

Wildfire is a “hot topic” in MT right now. Planners have a key role in implementing fire-safe development practices, ranging from coordination to education. This session will provide interesting fire-wise education from the BLM and projections on MT’s wildfire outlook from the Montana DNRC. We will cap the session off with a presentation/open discussion by Missoula County with a case-study on implementing fire-safety into the planning process.

Presenter: Shannon Bonney

Shannon Bonney is the Fire Mitigation and Fire Specialist for the North Central Land Office.

Presenter: Julia Berky

Julia Berkey is the Community Preparedness and Wildfire Coordinator for the Montana DNRC. Her background in research-based forest ecology resulted in a passion for restoring fire as an ecosystem process. This commitment has led her to pursue a career in fostering practices that allow communities to better live with fire.

Presenter: Tim Worley

Tim Worley is the Senior Planner for Missoula County. In this capacity, he oversees the planning and permitting section of community and planning services. Recently, Tim has worked with County fire specialists to implement fire-safe building practices into subdivision review. While the process isn’t perfect, he is leading the department in developing the planner’s role in fire-wise planning.

Presenter: Tim Laroche

Tim Laroche was appointed as Missoula County’s first Wildfire Program Manager in May 2023. Laroche started with the Lolo Hotshot Crew in 1996 before serving with the Missoula Smoke Jumpers from 2002 to 2006. Now serving as the wildfire program manager, Laroche works with federal, state, tribal, and local agencies to create a coordinated framework to promote fire-adapted communities and fire resistant landscapes.

Presenter: Max Rebholz

Max Rebholz serves as the first Wildfire Preparedness Coordinator for Missoula County, a position that remains unique despite worsening wildfire seasons around the world.

1 CM AICP

Mountain Combined Room

Adopting zoning in rural Montana is one of the tougher tasks to accomplish as a planner in Montana. Adopting county-wide zoning is nearly unheard off, yet some counties have pulled it off. In this moderated panel discussion, you will hear stories behind county-wide zoning from planners in Missoula County, Powell County, and Carbon County. Come learn and about their challenges and successes.

Presenter: Andrew Hagemeier, AICP

Andrew is the Director of Lands and Economic Development for Missoula County. Passionate about elevating the role of planning and empowering planners in Montana, Andrew currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Montana Association of Planners (MAP), where he is the Immediate Past President and serves as co-chair of the Legislative Committee. Over the past three legislative sessions, Andrew has been extensively involved in representing MAP on land use legislation.

Presenter: Amanda Cooley

Amanda Cooley has served as the Planning Director for Powell County, Montana for three years. In 2018, she obtained her degree in Sustainable Land Use Planning from Weber State University with a minor in Botany and an emphasis in the use of GIS. During this time, she was published for work on Dark Skies initiatives in planning, and completed nationally recognized GIS research on Redlining. Prior to her career in planning, she started and managed small businesses, primarily related to horticulture.

She enjoys her work as a rural county planner and can usually be found climbing up, sliding down, or backpacking across mountain ranges when she is not working.

Presenter: Forrest Mandeville, AICP

Forrest Mandeville, AICP, has worked in the planning profession in Montana since 2007 when he was hired to work in the Stillwater County Planning Department. In his current role, Forrest provides on-call planning services to counties and municipalities and works on a variety of private planning projects throughout Montana. Forrest has written and administered numerous planning documents, including subdivision regulations, growth policies, trail plans, and zoning codes.

1 CM AICP

Depot Ballroom

The City of Missoula is finalizing a street typology plan to better align street designs to their function within the transportation network and adjacent land uses. Moving beyond the standard functional class system, a street typology plan can help rightsize public and private investments in right-of-way projects, expedite design process, and help communities advance transportation goals.

Presenter: Ben Weiss

Ben Weiss is Senior Transportation Planner for the City of Missoula. With his hands in many pies – from long range planning to facility design to project development to safety promotion, education and encouragement – Ben helps Missoula maintain its place among the best places to bike and walk in the country. Ben has led several walk audits alongside Meg Traci and is working to incorporate them into the pre-design phase of all city-led transportation projects. Ben is also passionate about music and encourages conference attendees to tune in to 102.5 KBMF, a community radio station he helped co-found in Butte.

Gypsum Room

There have been significant court orders over the past 15 years where the court has analyzed what constitutes a sufficient application. This workshop will dive into the court’s analysis and provide some guidance into Element & Sufficiency Review.

Presenter: Karen Alley, JD

Karen Alley has served as Associate General Counsel for the Montana Association of Counties since October 2021. Her main focus is Land Use and Road Law. Karen joined MACo after 10 years as an attorney in Havre, MT. In that time, she engaged in general private practice, public defense, and as a prosecutor. Prior to her current position, Karen was the Hill County Attorney.

Mountain Combined Room

Are you an emerging planner, new to Montana, or a seasoned professional looking to gain fresh perspectives from fellow planners? This interactive session offers a unique opportunity to engage in round table discussions on a range of key topics in the planning field. Attendees will rotate through tables, spending 10 minutes at each, discussing the following topics with the table host and fellow participants:

• Planning Books and Resources with Lindsey Romaniello, AICP. Lindsey is an associate planner for SE Group, a private consultant firm that focuses on community and recreation planning around the country. She received her master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Arizona, where she focused her studies on rural communities in the western United States. Lindsey has a public sector background and has worked as a planner for several municipalities in the Rocky Mountain west, including Missoula County. During this time, she has focused on long-range planning and the implementation and creation of land use policy. She is currently a resident of Missoula, Montana and is the board secretary for the Montana Association of Planners.
• Project Management with Lindsey Morgan. Lindsay Morgan is a Planner III for Lewis and Clark County with almost 25 years of experience in land use planning. She has managed a variety of projects including growth policy, subdivision regulations, and zoning regulations updates, a joint infrastructure study with the City of Helena, a comprehensive parks plan, and a park master plan. She was born and raised in Great Falls, MT, and received her Master of Arts in Geography from the University of North Dakota in 2001. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis and golf, downhill skiing, traveling, cooking, and gardening.
• Zoning Administration with Bailey Minnich. Bailey Minnich is currently the Development Review Planner for the City of Bozeman.  She has over 17 years of experience in various jurisdictions throughout the state of Montana, with a primary focus on zoning and subdivision review.  She graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Geography, and her previous experience also included floodplain management.  She is dedicated to fostering sustainable urban development while ensuring community safety and resilience.  Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and two daughters, exploring the great outdoors.
• Community Engagement with Sarah Rosenberg. Sarah Rosenberg (she/they), AICP, is an Associate Planner and the Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Bozeman. She joined Bozeman in 2017 as a development review planner but has since taken over managing the Historic Preservation Program. Sarah is passionate about the layers of stories of place and people that make up a community. Within her work, she often is collaborating with local partners, works with students at Montana State University, and serves as the City of Bozeman’s LGBTQ+ liaison. Prior to working in Bozeman, she worked for municipalities in Colorado. She holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation and a Master in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado Denver. Outside of the office, Sarah can be found frequently adventuring with her wife and dog, tending to their backyard, and cooking delicious meals. Sarah serves as the Vice President for the Montana Association of Planners
• Working with Consultants with Monica Plecker. Monica Plecker has been a dedicated planning professional in Montana since 2011, with experience in both the public and private sectors. Currently serving as the Deputy Public Works Director for Yellowstone County, Monica continues to be actively involved in land use development and infrastructure planning. Previously, she was the Planning Division Manager for the City of Billings and Yellowstone County, overseeing both city and county planning initiatives, including the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). She is member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and the Montana Association of Planners (MAP) Board since 2016. In this session, Monica will share her insights and experiences in building consultant relationships.

Join us for a dynamic exchange of ideas and insights!

American Prairie National Discovery Center, 302 W Main St, Lewistown, MT 59457

Join us for a social and to recognize MAP Award winners for Planner of the Year, Plan of the Year, and Life Achievement Award. Heavy appetizers provided.