The Latest News from PA Chapter of APA…
Complete Streets, Connected Community: Integrating Land Use and Mobility
June 4 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
In this session, we will explore the evolving concept of “Complete Streets”—a planning and design approach that prioritizes safety, accessibility, and mobility for all users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. While traditionally associated with roadway design, Complete Streets are far more than just traffic lanes and sidewalks. This session will delve into the broader urban design context, examining how streets interact with adjacent land uses and how the design of building frontages—especially first floors—can significantly influence the character and functionality of public spaces (read more).
Deadline to register is June 4.
Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence
By Amy McKinney
Congratulations to Zach Norwood, Crawford County Planning Director (and APA PA Northwest Section Chair), on winning a Career Recognition Award at the Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence!
Zach Norwood is a highly accomplished professional planner serving as the Planning Director for Crawford County. Zach has been with the county for 10 years and has served as Planning Director from 2017 to present. In this role, he has spearheaded significant initiatives, including leading a team of staff, volunteers, and consultants to develop the Countywide Comprehensive Plan – Crawford Inspired. Under his leadership, the plan has jumpstarted community initiatives across the county (press release).
APA PA Annual Conference
Save the Date for the APA PA Chapter Annual Conference: Planning the Keystone: Shaping a Resilient Future, which will take place from October 12 -14, 2025 at the Hilton Harrisburg.
Please consider becoming a sponsor, exhibitor or advertiser. More information is available online.
Planning Webcast Series
Earn over 50 AICP CM credits each year online—at no cost to members of participating organizations that support the Planning Webcast Series. Webcasts take place live on Fridays from 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET and are worth 1.5 CM credits (for live viewing only) unless otherwise noted. More information is available online.
PMPEI
The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute will be offering courses online and in person in 2025. Courses include: Building a Strong Planning Commission, The Limits of Zoning, Managing the Subdivision Review Process, and The Zoning Officer & Zoning Hearing Board. Please check the website for the most up to date information.
Opportunities for Giving
Each year the Chapter offers a scholarship to support individuals seeking funds for academic degree programs, internships, and professional development activities. If anyone would like to contribute to the Chapters Scholarship fund donations can be made online. We accept all major credit cards, and you can also send a check. Please make your check payable to “PA Chapter of APA Scholarship Fund” and mail it to P.O. Box 4680, Harrisburg, PA 17111.
Communication and Membership Committee
We are looking for volunteers to contribute articles for our monthly E-News. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Amy Evans or Amy McKinney.
Annual Awards: Submit Your Nominations
By Craig Peiffer, AICP
The PA Chapter of APA is pleased to invite nominations for the 2025 PA Chapter of APA Planning Awards, to be presented at the Annual Conference, October 12-14 in Harrisburg. It is the opportunity to showcase distinguished individuals and successful projects – the best and brightest in Pennsylvania planning! Deadline is Friday, May 23. More information is available online.
One-on-One with Angela Brooks
May 28 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Join Design Advocacy Group (DAG) for a special event as we host Angela Brooks, Philadelphia’s new Chief Housing & Urban Development Officer and Immediate Past President of the American Planning Association (APA), for a one-on-one conversation that will touch on issues related to affordable and accessible housing and community development. In this newly established role in Philadelphia’s administration, Brooks will oversee the implementation of Mayor Parker’s Housing Plan, which aims to achieve the goal of creating and preserving 30,000 units of housing. Leah Eppinger, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin and President of APA’s Pennsylvania chapter, will moderate the discussion. This event is a collaboration between DAG and APA Pennsylvania, and will be held at the Center for Design Philadelphia, 1218 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19107.
National Planning Conference 2025 (NPC25)
By Leah Eppinger, AICP
The recent American Planning Association National Conference in Denver brought together over 5,000 planners from across the nation, creating an energizing atmosphere of collaboration and innovation. The event showcased the planning profession’s ongoing commitment to creating positive influences in communities nationwide.
Among the conference highlights was the Pennsylvania Chapter’s special event, which drew significant attendance and fostered meaningful connections among planners from the Keystone State. The Pennsylvania Chapter gathering provided an excellent opportunity for members to exchange ideas, discuss regional challenges, and celebrate recent accomplishments within the state.
Throughout the conference, a palpable buzz centered around strategies for enhancing community impact. Sessions explored innovative approaches to inclusive planning, climate resilience, affordable housing, and transportation equity. Attendees expressed renewed enthusiasm for implementing these concepts in their home communities.
The Denver venue offered an inspiring backdrop, with the city itself serving as a case study in urban revitalization and sustainable development. Many attendees took advantage of mobile workshops to explore Denver’s neighborhoods and witness firsthand how thoughtful planning has transformed the city.
As planners return to their communities across the country, they carry with them fresh perspectives and practical tools to create positive change. The conference reinforced the vital role that planning professionals play in shaping livable, equitable, and resilient communities for generations to come.
Bike to Work Day
By Craig Beavers, AICP Candidate
Coming up on May 16th is National Bike to Work Day, celebrated annually on the third Friday of May. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 52% of all trips taken were less than three miles. This is a feasible distance for many to take other modes of transportation other than driving, yet many Pennsylvanians elect to drive instead. To promote biking as a healthy, safe, and sustainable alternative to cars, National Bike to Work Day was created in the 1950s by the League of American Bicyclists.
As planners, it is important to practice what we preach and promote multimodal transportation – not only in words but in action as well. Bicycle transportation promotes healthier communities, reduced carbon emissions, and more social atmospheres, all key goals that we strive to achieve in our work. If you are able, we encourage you to consider dusting off your bicycle on the 16th and taking it for a ride, even for a fraction of your typical commute.
Celebrating Trees & New Traditions in Columbia, PA
By Amy Evans, AICP
Columbia Shade Tree Commission Chair Julie Lehmer and Dan Sahd of Sahd Metal Recycling at the first Go Green Columbia event.
Columbia, a small borough of about 10,000 people on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, has a longstanding tradition of celebrating Arbor Day. For decades, this rested on the shoulders of a single volunteer who managed Columbia’s Tree City USA designation and coordinated the town’s Arbor Day Celebration in late April. Two years ago, the Shade Tree Commission and the Columbia Park Rangers, a park clean-up volunteer group, took on this role. With the transition came opportunities to expand the event’s scope while preserving all of the traditions the town loves, like the reading of Joyce Kilmer’s poem Trees by a Columbia High School Senior, distribution of apples by a local child playing Johnny Appleseed, musical interludes, and the planting of a tree in a public space in town.
The first Go Green Columbia event in the borough’s River Park.
On April 25th, the Shade Tree Commission and the Park Rangers joined with Sahd Metal Recycling, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Columbia Borough Police, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area and the Columbia Merchants Association to create the town’s most vibrant sustainability-oriented celebration yet: Go Green Columbia. This all-day effort kicked off with a borough-wide spring clean up focused on parks, streets, sidewalks, and large appliance disposal. In the evening, Sahd Metal Recycling, a local business who has held an Earth Day celebration for 20 years, paired up with the Shade Tree Commission’s celebration of its 33rd Tree City USA designation in a combined event that drew over 400 people to Columbia’s River Park. Many of these folks continued on to celebrate Columbia’s Fourth Friday at a variety of local businesses.
Former Shade Tree Commission Chair Amy Evans, AICP, with the new river birch planted on Arbor Day in her honor.
Courtesy of several local wildlife rehab facilities, attendees enjoyed meeting owls, a squirrel and a snack-loving groundhog named Elliott. People could also snag a photo with Smokey the Bear, pick from a variety of free tree seedlings, learn about outdoor recreational opportunities, and talk with environmental organizations like the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Susquehanna Riverkeepers.
Go Green Columbia began as simple conversations between people who care about Columbia. If 2025 is anything to judge by, its creative blend of old and new traditions will continue to spark new partnerships and capture the interest of new audiences.
Legislative Update
By Craig Beavers, AICP Candidate
The Legislative Committee is planning to provide monthly updates to inform our members on proposed bills, legislative priorities, and general advocacy for planning. Stay tuned for several exciting announcements in the coming months!
Highlights of APA PA’s Legislative Priorities for 2025
- Support Housing Reform through a Planner’s On-the-Ground Expertise, Vision, and Data-driven Approach
- Promote Consistency in Definitions and Language within the Municipalities Planning Code and Proposed Amendments
- Advocate for the Implementation of Permitting Reform Recommendations
- Support Transportation and Environmental Advocacy through the Lens of a Planner
Proposed Legislation in Harrisburg
- HB 750 of 2025-26 – This bill proposes to amend the MPC to require voters to approve, via referendum, any development proposal of high-impact warehouses or distribution centers. (In Committee)
- HB 997 of 2025-26 – This bill proposes to amend the MPC to allow for zoning hearing boards to utilize audio recordings instead of stenographer transcriptions at hearings. (In Committee)
- HB 1037 of 2025-26 – This bill proposes to amend the MPC to allow communities to add SALDO provisions for rebuilding pre existing single-family or two-family homes that may not conform to setback requirements. (In Committee)
Great Places in Pennsylvania: Submit Your Nominations
By Pam Shellenberger, AICP
The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association is looking for Great Places in three categories: Great Greenway/Trail or Preserve, Great Public Space and Great Transformation. Great Places are unique, memorable places that display a wealth of best practices in community planning and serve as models for other communities. They also have a true sense of place, cultural interest, community involvement, and a sustainable vision for tomorrow. More information is available online.