• President's Corner | December 2024

• Earn CM Credits While Visiting Italy!

• Year-End Learning: Upcoming Talks and On-Demand Webcasts

• APA WA PAW Joint Awards 2024

• 12th Annual Awards for Excellence in Sustainability

As we enter the home stretch of 2024, the Board is already starting to think about the Chapter’s work plan for 2025. Later this week, the Board will have its annual retreat in Seattle, during which where we’ll discuss where we want to focus our energy, resources, and attention next year. In preparation for the retreat, I spent some time reflecting back on the many things we were able to accomplish this year and - while we are not quite done with 2024 yet - I am pleased to share this list with all of you. 

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Now you can take a trip to Italy and receive as many as two-thirds of the required credits for AICP Certification Maintenance during five days of education and exploration.

Retired planner, author, and journalist Mark Hinshaw, formerly from Seattle, has organized a series of seminars and field trips in his adopted country of Italy. They will be held in the region of Marche (pronounced mark’-ay), in east-central Italy. Marche is filled with towns that typify daily life in Italy, free from the mass tourism that is choking places like Venice and Florence – although those cities are but a few hours away.

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Happy holidays, planners! We hope that you are all enjoying some well-earned time over the next month with friends and family. This also marks the end of the year, so a great time to catch up on CM credits! There are some great upcoming talks, as well as an on-demand webcast expiring soon.

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The 2024 Excellence in Planning Awards were given out during the American Planning Association – Washington Chapter (APA-WA) annual conference in Bellevue on Thursday, October 17th. There are seven categories of awards: 1) Students, 2) Implementation, 3) Comprehensive Planning/Development Regulations – Large Cities and Counties (city pop. > 40,000, county pop. > 60,000), 4) Comprehensive Planning/Development Regulations – Small Cities and Counties, 5) Transportation Plans, 6) Community Involvement and 7) Sustainability. The planning jury chose winners in three (3) categories: Implementation, Comprehensive Planning/Development Regs—Large Cities and Counties, and Comp Planning/Development Regs—Small Cities and Counties. 

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We are excited to announce that the nomination period for the 12th Annual Awards for Excellence in Sustainability is now open! These awards honor projects, policies, plans, and people who show exemplary leadership and inspiration in sustainability planning and implementation. The program is administered by the Sustainable Communities Division of the American Planning Association (APA-SCD).

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What pioneering environmental law, adopted by Washington State in the 1970s, was one of the first of its kind in the United States to mandate state and local agencies to consider environmental impacts as part of their decision-making process?

A) The Washington Clean Air Act 
B) The Puget Sound Growth Management Act 
C) The Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) 
D) The Shoreline Management Act (SMA) 

The answer to last issue's trivia question:

Which historical event in Washington State led to the development of comprehensive zoning laws that greatly influenced urban planning practices throughout the state?

A) The Great Seattle Fire of 1889 was a pivotal event that led to sweeping changes in urban planning and building regulations in Washington State. After the fire destroyed the central business district, Seattle implemented comprehensive zoning laws that influenced not only the reconstruction of the city but also future urban planning throughout the state. These laws introduced regulations on building materials, street layouts, and land use, setting a precedent for the structured and methodical development of urban areas to improve safety, efficiency, and livability.

Interested in submitting an article for the next newsletter? 

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

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