[ApaIllinois] May/June 2012 APA-IL Chapter Highlights

Fri May 11 12:14:44 CDT 2012

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May 2012 Chapter Highlights 
 Edition 109

 In this Issue

 From the 2012 APA
 National Conference 

 Congratulations Rob
 Olshansky, FAICP

 ISS Section Update

 CMS Section Update

  Legislative Notes

 Trees as a
 Legacy in Design
 & Development

 Job Postings 

 Save the Date!
 2012 APA-IL State
 Conference
 Sept. 19-21, 2012
 Champaign, IL

Registration
begins
soon!

>From the APA National Conference 
in Los Angeles, CA
Rob Kowalski, AICP, APA-IL President 

Greetings!

One of the responsibilities of the Chapter President is to attend the APA National Conference and represent the Chapter at a variety of leadership and business meetings. APA leadership meetings were held in conjunction with the conference in Los Angeles from April 13th-17th. This year was especially busy for the APA-IL at the National Conference because we also had the responsibility of promoting the 2013 National Conference which will be held in Chicago. Below is a summary of the various activities along with highlights of the “hotter” topics within APA at the moment: 

First off, what is “APA Leadership”?
APA Leadership is generally considered to be the APA Board of Directors, the AICP Commission, the Chapter Presidents, the APA Division Chairs and the Student Representative Council. 

Leadership Plenary
Just before the start of the National Conference, a plenary is held for APA Leadership. This is a presentation-style address by APA Executive Director, Paul Farmer, APA President Mitch Silver, and AICP President Anna Breinich. The highlights of the plenary include an inspiring address by Mitch Silver... 
(read the rest of Rob's column at ilapa.org...)

Congratulations Rob Olshansky, FAICP 

APA-IL congratulates Rob Olshansky, FAICP on being inducted into the AICP College of Fellows during the 2012 National Conference in Los Angeles.

Illinois State Section Update

The 2012 APA ISS Spring Conference in Decatur on March 22nd and 23rd was a great success, and was the first time both law and ethics credits were offered at an ISS conference. The theme “Farm to Plate: Illinois Food Production and Planning” offered a variety of openings for interesting sessions. Many thanks to Stephanie Ashe Brown, AICP who did a wonderful job organizing the Conference. Photo at right: Kent Massie, PLA, ASLA, taking attendees on the “Downtown Decatur Walking Tour” courtesy Phil Dick, AICP.

Planning continues for the 2012 Central Illinois Bike Summit on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at the Carol Reitan Hotel and Conference Center in Normal. A great start to the day with informal “coffee discussions” focusing on the hot bike topics of the day, like how to get bikes to those in need led by local bike repair/distribution guru Rick Heiser. Andy Clarke from the League of Bicyclists will bring us stories from the national level, informed by the recent National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. End the evening at an event at Medici. 4.25 CM offered! Registration is open and ends May 16th! Contact Mercy Davison at (309) 454-950 or at mdavison at normal.org if you are interested in attending!

Planning also continues for the Citizen Planner Workshops in Collinsville, Carbondale, Freeport, Peoria, Champaign-Urbana-Danville, Moline, and Bloomington in 2012. 

The 2013 APA-IL ISS Spring Conference will likely be in Collinsville. Dates TBA.

Chicago Metro Section Update 

The CMS Board held their first quarterly meeting on April 19, 2012. Discussion focused on a six item agenda that included a review of the State Chapter subsidy policy and preliminary ideas for the 2013 APA-IL State Conference since the Chapter will be involved in planning the 2013 National Conference as well. 

The Board also discussed future Chapter representation on the CMAP Land Use Committee. The Land Use Committee meets on a monthly basis. In recent years, a CMS Board member has been responsible for representing the Chapter. The Board wants to continue this commitment as a group, with the Vice President remaining the point of contact for communications. The Board plans to coordinate in advance of the monthly meetings to decide who will attend and represent the Chapter each month. 

Other agenda items included further clarification of the role of the CMS Vice President in the planning of CMS monthly workshops and a brainstorming session for the 2013 CMS slate. The CMS Board will meet again this summer. Please contact CMS President, Vijay Gadde, AICP, with any questions or concerns.

Save the date: June CMS Planners Workshop: Economic Development Toolkit for Planners, June 21st

Legislative Notes

The 97th General Assembly session got underway on February 1, 2012. Relevant Bills we continue to monitor include: 

HB4687 – Open Meetings – This bill would require local governments to make public meeting agendas ‘sufficiently descriptive.’ This, of course, is not very well-defined and could lead to problems for zoning and planning hearings. Some amendments may be added, which would help to better define these. Hearing on May 1 (Judiciary Committee) to consider additional amendments. As presented, APA-IL does not support.
HB3372 – Property Taxes – This bill, which was fast-tracked through the House, prevents local governments from capturing inflationary increases under Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) when assessed valuations decline, by changing the extension to 0%. Home-Rule municipalities are exempt, but this does make it difficult for localities to capture any inflationary increases. APA-IL did not support. This seems to have been halted in Committee in February.
SB3382 – ED-Notices – This bill provides that no economic development area may be
established or extended without the written approval of the taxing districts comprising a
majority of the total amount of taxes extended within the economic development area
in the previous taxable year. This can make establishing TIF District more cumbersome.
APA-IL did not support. This seems to have been halted in Committee in March.
HB5188 – Annexations – This bill concerns the annexation of contiguous territory, which would now require a 60% vote (vs. majority) of the owners of record of land in the territory to be annexed and 60% (vs. majority) of the electors, if any, to petition the circuit court for annexation, and requires that at least 60% (vs. majority) of the electors in the unincorporated territory cast ballots in favor of annexation for the territory to become a part of the annexing municipality. It also establishes procedures when no electors are present. This may make annexations more difficult. APA-IL did not support. This also seems to have been halted in Committee in March.

Trees as a Legacy in Design & Development 

An interdisciplinary symposium presented by The Chicago Botanic Garden and Bartlett Tree Experts on Thursday, June 28, 2012. Keynote address: Peter Walker, FASLA, Principal, PWP Landscape Architecture and Co-Designer of the National September 11 Memorial 

Explore design considerations, trees as engines of economic development, the challenges of urban soils, legacy trees in historic Chicago parks and how pests affect the sustainability of the urban forest. Network with architects, landscape architects, planners, parks professionals, property managers and more. Tour the Chicago Botanic Garden. And cap off the day with a reception and free performance by country artists Pamela Rose and Windy City Country. 

Job Postings

Intern - Planning and Zoning
Community Development Department 
Village of Schaumburg, IL

Research Intern
American Planning Association 
Chicago, IL

Director of Community and Economic Development 
City of Des Plaines, IL

ADA Certifier
Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)
Chicago, IL

ADA Certification Coordinator
Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)
Chicago, IL

Transportation Planner
McHenry County, IL

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APA-IL CHAPTER UPDATE IS THE OFFICIAL BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION - ILLINOIS CHAPTER (http://www.ilapa.org) WITH A CIRCULATION OF APPROX. 1,500.  

PAULA FREEZE, EDITOR: editor at ilapa.org  

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