Tuesday, September 27

Planning For Resiliency
Ballroom B

Red Lodge and the surrounding region experienced historic flooding in June of 2022.  Three months later, the Community and surrounding area continues to struggle through challenges of repairing impacted public infrastructure and private property damage.  This presentation will provide insights into disaster response in the immediate aftermath of the flood and long-term needs.  We’ll share personal stories, photos and aerial imagery to highlight the magnitude of the disaster and the need for a long-term response.  We will highlight opportunities and challenges of working with state and federal agencies in planning for recovery and resilience moving forward amidst increasing fragility.

Presenter: Brent Moore, AICP
Brent Moore, AICP, is Regional Vice President for Interstate Engineering. Having lived in Red Lodge 16 years, Brent has completed numerous projects throughout the community, most recently related to Red Lodge flooding in June of 2015. He has a Masters in Urban Planning from Florida State University.

Presenter: Courtney Long

Courtney Long is the Planning Director and Floodplain Administrator for the City of Red Lodge. Prior to becoming a Planner her experience and education focused on natural resource conservation, having worked with local, federal and state agencies and NGOs.   She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Environmental Science from Appalachian State University and a Graduate Certificate in Conservation Planning from the University of Montana. 

1.25 CM

Planning For Community
Ballroom C

The 2021 Legislature passed SB 174, adding the requirement that conditions of approval must be specific, documentable, and clearly defined, when mitigating impacts to primary review criteria. Further SB 174 requires the local governing body to identify the regulations and statutes that form the basis of their decision. This workshop is intended to provided planning department staff with tips and tools on how to write effective staff reports that comply with Montana law.

Presenter: Karen Alley, J.D.
Karen Alley is MACo’s Associate General Counsel, specializing in land use law. Karen spent 10 years as an attorney in Havre, MT. In that time, she engaged in general private practice, criminal defense, and as a prosecutor. Karen was the Hill County Attorney prior to moving to MACo. Karen is a native of Townsend, MT and spends her free time running the trails around Helena.

1.25 CM

Planning For Transportation
Conference Room 1

How does a project go from an idea in someone’s head to inclusion in a long range plan to being scoped and nominated for funding to design/engineering to construction? What are the opportunities for public involvement along the way? This moderated roundtable discussion will explain current practices and identify gaps in the process/opportunities to make sure projects are meeting community goals, especially as they relate to non-motorized safety, mobility, and accessibility.

Presenter: Ben Weiss
As Senior Planner and manager of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Program for the City of Missoula, Ben Weiss has spent the last decade helping implement policies and plans aimed at improving the conditions for and increasing the numbers of people biking, walking, and rolling. He strives to coordinate efforts across various local and state agencies to ensure the transportation network is safe, comfortable, and convenient for all. Ben likes to spend his free time on the river with his family.
There will be additional panelists for this session, including representation from MDT.

2.25 CM

Mobile Tour

Shiloh Conservation Area is a storm drain treatment facility constructed in 2014 to pilot contaminant removal through wetlands.  Eventually, the city will be required to remove certain contaminants before stormwater is discharged to the Yellowstone River. There are several methods to treat stormwater but we did not have enough data on performance to plan for when those regulations take effect.  This facility has been operating well but has provided us some much needed information that will be used to meet future regulations.

Presenter: Tyler Westrope, PE

Tyler Westrope has been an engineer with the City of Billings for the past 17 years.  At the City of Billings Tyler’s work is focused on general project management with an emphasis on stormwater specific projects, stormwater infrastructure master planning, project approvals and stormwater policy development.  Tyler enjoys working within the statewide stormwater community to further his knowledge as he continues to improve planning and policy to ensure responsible development occurs within the City of Billings.

1.25 CM    

Planning For Resiliency
Conference Room 5

Introduce the community land trust model, how it creates permanently affordable homes and its versatility for meeting the needs of a community. Discuss ways CLTs, planners, and private developers can streamline processes to create more CLT homes in Montana. Discuss how affordability restrictions can be used by planning offices to help ensure new homes are accessible to local workers. Share how density incentives can dovetail with CLT restrictions to create permanent affordability.

Presenter: Hermina Harold

Hermina worked at NMCDC, Montana’s longest-running CLT organization, for ten years. She co-managed development of a commercial food hub building, establishing Burns Street Center’s neighborhood food programs, and worked with homeowners. Hermina collaborates with civic organizations, non-profits, city and county planning offices, and others to leverage resources and build homes for low- and moderate-income Montanans. She is passionate about building vibrant and equitable communities.

Presenter: Bill Henry

Bill provides support to current and prospective Trust Montana homeowners, stewards properties around the state to ensure they remain permanently affordable, and coordinates new projects in collaboration with the Board and the Director. Bill graduated with an M.S. in Community and Environmental Planning from UM. He has worked with the Montana Food Bank Network and has experience working for local government, as an employment professional, and as a general contractor.

Planning For Community
Ballroom C

The last 10 years have seen an enormous change in many fields of information technology, including geospatial. Planning professionals now have unprecedented access to content, tools, and analysis through web-based mapping. This new Web GIS pattern empowers planners to make better, more sustainable decisions without being GIS experts or investing substantial resources in training or infrastructure. This session will examine how several cities are leveraging GIS in their planning practice. The purpose is to show how other planners are solving planning & housing problems with GIS today in new, innovative ways.

Presenter: Keith Cooke
Keith is the Industry Manager for Planning and Community Development at Esri. A graduate of Auburn University, he’s been a GIS professional since 1994 and has worked as a planner and GIS manager at the regional and municipal level in Alabama and North Carolina. Prior to this role, he was an account executive at Esri for 15 years working with over 100 local governments. He is a frequent speaker at GIS, community planning, and economic development events and an active member of the APA.

1.25 CM

Planning For Community
Ballroom A

The Subdivision Review Timeline, from pre-application, through element and sufficiency, and to final decision is full of twists that result in pitfalls for many planning departments. This workshop is designed to provide planners with a comprehensive checklist to track a complex subdivision from the beginning to final decision. It is intended to provide an overview of the subdivision review process and provide a guide to ensure the statutory deadlines are maintained by the planning department.

Presenter: Karen Alley, J.D.

Karen Alley is MACo’s Associate General Counsel, specializing in land use law. Karen spent 10 years as an attorney in Havre, MT. In that time, she engaged in general private practice, criminal defense, and as a prosecutor. Karen was the Hill County Attorney prior to moving to MACo.

Karen is a native of Townsend, MT and spends her free time running the trails around Helena.

1.25 CM

Planning For Resiliency
Ballroom B

West Billings groundwater conditions have been studied for more than a decade as agricultural land has been developed. A new groundwater investigation in coordination with the MBMG and City of Billings is currently underway to assess the impacts to existing and future development’s access to drinking water and use of waste water systems because of decreasing groundwater quantity and quality in the area. Some existing subdivisions are already seeing well levels drop and water quality decrease.

Presenter: Elizabeth Meredith Hydrologist
Elizabeth Meredith is a professor and hydrologist with the Montana Tech and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG). She is leading a current groundwater investigation in coordination with the MBMG and City of Billings of the western area of Billings both inside and outside the City Limits. Professor Meredith has been teaching and conducting research at Montana State University Billings but is affiliated with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. She has authored many publications.
Presenter: Boris Krizek Environmental Engineer
Boris Krizek is the Environmental Engineer for the City of Billings Environmental Affairs Division of the Public Works Department. He has worked for the City for more than 20 years overseeing the City’s state and federal environmental permitting, stormwater management regulations for development, and other City system permitting.
Presenter: Jon Reiten Hydrologist
Jon Reiten is a professor and hydrologist with Montana Tech and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG). He has been a professor at Montana Tech since 1985. He has conducted extensive research around Montana, including on initial research on the hydrogeology of the west Billings area in 2002 and updates to the modeling used for the west Billings area in 2019.

1.25 CM

Planning For Community
Ballroom C

Are you interested in integrating youth into your organization’s planning processes or into a specific initiative? Are you committed to building lasting connections with historically marginalized communities, while also contributing to the diversity of our profession? This workshop will provide the theoretical underpinnings to approach both goals, while also providing a problem-solving forum for the immediate practical application in your own community.

Explore case studies from across the country and jump into implementing YEP!’s award-winning methodology for engaging students in planning and integrating youth input into planning processes within your community.

Youth Engagement Planning (YEP!) is a non-profit that creates customizable tools for youth participatory planning and project-based learning – involving more than 7,000 students (ages 5-26), educators, and community partners nationwide. This workshop will introduce YEP! methodology, best practices, and project examples from across the country for developing young people’s civic leadership, integrating younger voices into planning processes, and recruiting diverse voices into our profession.

We will touch on principles for customizing your approach and content for age 5 versus 15 versus 25; tips for partnering with school districts; and hard-earned lessons in what works and what doesn’t. We will then break into implementation small groups.

Participants are encouraged to come with both general questions and upcoming engagement opportunities in mind. Our goal is for every participant to leave with an action plan for their own community.

Presenters: Corrin Wendell, AICP, Anna Laybourn, AICP, and Jessica Garrow, AICP

Please see today’s Keynote information for Bio’s.

1.25 CM

Planning For Transportation
Conference Room 1

Integrating TDM into municipal code is essential to shifting a community’s travel habits. Not only should TDM be considered in the built environment when a new development is proposed, there are also programmatic strategies aimed to educate and encourage the use of transportation options that should be incorporated. Learn what Missoula, Bozeman and other case studies throughout the country are doing to embed TDM into requirements for new developments, parking & employers.

Presenter: Katherine Auge
Katherine is the TDM Program Manager for the City of Missoula where she manages Missoula In Motion: a program dedicated to increasing the use of sustainable transportation within the Missoula Valley. Katherine is originally from Buffalo, NY and attended Boston College.

Aaron Wilson AICP
Aaron Wilson is the Infrastructure & Mobility Planning Manager for the City of Missoula, where he oversees the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization, Missoula In Motion, and various other transportation and infrastructure planning projects. 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.

Presenter: Candace Mastel
Candace Mastel is a Planner with over 25 years in the fields of city and regional planning, campus planning,
construction management, land development, and transportation planning. Having worked in the private and public
sector over the years, she has gained a deep appreciation for both sides of any story and the “coming to the middle”
for reaching compromise. After a career enhancing trip to the Netherlands in 2015 she decided to refocus her work
pursuits in the field of transportation and mobility. The trip also encouraged her to change her lifestyle to become a
year-round bike commuter. Outside of work her passions include mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, reading,
chocolate, and her family, friends and dogs.