Planning NEXT is excited to be part of the upcoming 2024 OKI Regional Planning Conference, where our team will be leading sessions on key planning topics, including community engagement, industrial area revitalization, and rural collaboration. Join us to learn more from our staff as they share insights and strategies through these impactful sessions:
Does it have to be so difficult? Rethinking public engagement in a polarized world
Topic: Community Engagement, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
With over 28 years of pushing the limits of community engagement, Planning NEXT is positioned well to address the challenges of effective community engagement in today’s polarized environment. Through sharing experiences from projects around the county, Planning NEXT Director, Sarah Bongiorno, and Planning NEXT Planner, Andrew Souders, will explore strategies for capturing the voices of all community members, including traditionally hard-to-reach populations, with a focus on real-world applications. Attendees will participate in an interactive discussion to crowd-source solutions for overcoming engagement barriers.
Working Together to Guide Rural Collaborations: How county planning can help lift local communities
Topic: Regional and County Planning
In this session, Planning NEXT Director, Sarah Kelly AICP, and Wayne County, OH Planning Director, Jennifer Kiper, will focus on the power of countywide planning in supporting small communities that lack resources for independent planning. Using Wayne County, OH, as a case study, the session will dive into strategies for fostering collaboration, pooling resources, and building partnerships with local organizations to address challenges like farmland preservation, zoning, and infrastructure.
Building on industrial legacy to harness your placemaking potential
Topic: Industrial Land Use, Planning Methods, and Tools
Through case studies from the City of Delaware, OH, and the Town of Plainfield, IN, Sarah Kelly, AICP, Anna Kelsey, AICP, Nic Langford, and Eric Berg, AICP, will highlight how communities are revitalizing downtown cores and reimagining light industrial areas to enhance placemaking, support economic vitality, and attract investment. Participants will learn strategies for transforming industrial spaces into quality places that blend with residential areas and become sources of community pride.
We’re thrilled to share our expertise and connect with other planning professionals. Looking forward to seeing you at the OKI Conference!
