All things APA WA!

Issue 46

Month: March 2026

This month's newsletter includes:

President’s Corner | By Anne Broache, AICP

Supporting planners and communities through change, APA Washington provides resources, professional development, and a strong network to navigate challenges and build resilient, sustainable communities. Explore APA’s 2026 Trend Report, CM‑eligible trainings, and volunteer opportunities, and join us at our Annual Conference, October 7–9 in Vancouver, WA.

Planner's Pick

Each month, we're featuring standout planning-related content - books, podcasts, films, and more. Read this month's Planner's Pick.

Got a favorite? Send it our way for next month’s picks!

WA State Chapter Members Elected to the AICP College of Fellows

Please join us in celebrating our three Chapter nominees - Marissa Aho, Dave Andersen, and Janet Shull - who have been elected to the College of Fellows, the highest honor awarded by the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Continuing Education Opportunities

Keep your AICP CM credits up to date this March with a range of timely continuing education opportunities. Topics include park access, planning for aging populations, navigating uncertainty in today’s political environment, and more.

Submit Your Proposal for the Annual Priest Lake Conference

The APA Inland Empire Section invites you to submit a proposal for our annual Priest Lake Conference, which will be held from June 4 to June 5, 2026, at Elkins Resort in Nordman, ID!

Building Professional Pathways: Supporting WWU Planning Students at the 2026 APA National Conference

Western Washington University planning students are raising funds to continue the annual tradition of attending the APA National Planning Conference in Detroit. These efforts help ensure more students have access to this valuable professional opportunity.

The Spokane County Annual Point-in-Time Count: A Study in Regional Collaboration

For the third year in a row, Eastern Washington University professor, Matthew Anderson (and co-chair of Spokane County's Continuum of Care Board), has played in key role in the successful completion of Spokane County’s annual Point-in-Time Count (PiT). This census of people experiencing homelessness is part of a nationwide initiative mandated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

More Big Things Happening! 

Large-scale solar energy is expanding rapidly, but siting these projects often presents significant planning and community challenges. Rutgers University and the American Planning Association (APA) are partnering on a national survey to better understand:

  1. Community concerns and planning bottlenecks related to large-scale solar development, and

  2. How benefits agreements can help communities share in the advantages of renewable energy projects.

Your input will help identify how planners can support thoughtful, equitable renewable energy growth. The survey is anonymous and takes approximately 5–8 minutes to complete.

 

                           Trivia Question

In the Safe System / Vision Zero approach to traffic safety, who is responsible for preventing deaths and serious injuries?   

A. Individual road users, because crashes are primarily caused by human error
B. Police enforcement, because deterrence is the main safety lever
C. Transportation system designers (engineers, agencies, policymakers) — road users just follow the rules
D. Shared responsibility between system designers and road users, because humans make mistakes and the system must be forgiving

The answer will be shared in next month’s newsletter.

 

Interested in submitting an article for the next newsletter?

Contact the APA WA Communications Committee! Email Riya Debnath and Ben Braudrick at [email protected].

American Planning Association, Washington Chapter

[email protected] | (206) 682-7436 | www.washington-apa.org