These sessions bring in practicing planners with years of experience to share their knowledge of planning skills and processes. The practical tools and ideas expressed in these sessions are intended to be those that are not learned in the classroom, but that are equally important to a career in planning.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Planning Basics 1: LEED-ND

Gaines Charter Township plans to examine the potential of cooperating with neighboring communities to apply LEED-ND throughout the region.  Learn the basics of LEED Neighborhood Design in this overview led by their township planner. 

Brian Tingley, Gaines Charter Township

Landon Bartley, City of Grand Rapids

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Planning Basics 2: Technology and the New Planner 

Learn from a new planner about his experiences working on GIS projects for the City of Livonia's Planning Department, and how it compares to his experience with GIS course work in school. Pressures GIS planners face to keep up with new technology such as Sketchup are part of the job. 

Kevin Funtik,  Planning Technician Intern, City of Livonia

Eric Frederick, AICP, Project Planner, LSL Planning

1:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Planning Basics 3: Community Economic Development Tools, A Kalamazoo Example

Learn how economic development tools have been applied in a real life example in Kalamazoo.

Andrea Augustine, AICP, Planner, City of Kalamazoo

Marc Hatton, Redevelopment Project Manager, City of Kalamazoo