ABSTRACT. Executive Director James M. Drinan, JD will discuss the exciting changes undertaken by the APA leadership over the past two years, highlighting enhanced communication, organizational transparency, the expansion of membership value, and new partnerships within the profession and with related disciplines. He will also address how we tell the great story of planning.

ABSTRACT. In 2015, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) launched the House Bill 2 (HB2) Alternative Funding Program to fund transportation needs throughout Virginia. The ultimate goal of the HB2 Program is to provide a transparent and accountable methodology in prioritizing transportation projects for funding opportunities across the state. However, following this first year of the HB2 Program, applicants begun to learn what it takes to identify, develop, and submit a successful candidate project that would score highly against key evaluation criteria in a heavily competitive environment.

This presentation will provide a brief summary of the HB2 Program as well as describe the important role planning plays in successfully influencing the ability to get projects funded for construction. This success starts by developing thorough planning practices and strategies in support of acquiring this additional funding.

Incorporating the preliminary planning process into the HB2 Program allows applicants to define a project’s purpose and need that is succinct with the regional transportation vision. Successful planning elements that can assist in meeting the funding criteria can include a well-defined project scope, traffic operation improvements (i.e., reduce congestion), safety enhancements, economic vitality, conceptual designs and layouts, project cost estimates, identification of environmental constraints, and potential constructability issues. These strategies can help localities in selecting, preparing, and submitting applications that better meet alternative funding requirements and evaluation criteria.

ABSTRACT. The University of Virginia (UVa) has implemented a bicycle share system to expand the range of transportation options available on the University campus of 1,135 acres. Bicycle share is a recent form of urban mobility that allows for rapid check-in and check-out of bicycles located in stations distributed across an area to provide bicycle transit. Bicycle share is spreading rapidly in cities and municipalities across the United States, but has been implemented on very few campuses. UVa is one of the first campuses nationwide to develop and launch a robust bicycle share system. It is used by the University and local community as well as visitors to the University.

This presentation will share insight and the technical expertise of developing a bicycle share system for a campus environment, and the multiple factors involved in the planning process and implementation. In addition, data will be shared on the success of the bicycle share system after one year of operations, including various and interesting ways of visualizing bicycle share data for system management and planning.

This session has the following learning objectives:

1. Identify the steps in planning a phased bicycle share system that could be applied to both a campus and/or municipal environment. 2. Recognize the variables contributing to the startup and operation costs of a bicycle share system, along with a real-world example of how to fund those costs. 3. Learn the process of implementing a bicycle share system, including vendor selection, and the day-to-day operational requirements of the system. 4. Show ways in which bicycle share can be implemented in the context of a sustainable multi-modal transportation system. 5. Visualize what data is available from the system and how that data can be analyzed to monitor and plan for the system.

ABSTRACT. As part of the Transportation Land-Use Connections (TLC) program run by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), Foursquare ITP conducted an innovative transportation study for the new (and as of yet, unopened) College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Hughesville campus. The project deals with an interesting transportation issue faced by many institutions that exist outside of a dense/urban setting – understanding the needs of commuter students and how to most effectively get them (and their professors!) to campus. The demographics of Southern Maryland has changed significantly over the past 25 years (including a population that has more than doubled) and the rural landscape of the tri-county region offers many unique and complex transportation challenges.

To address these challenges, Foursquare ITP evaluated the transportation systems that exist in each county and developed five propensity indices for the study area, including: where students, commuters and transit oriented populations live; and where residents work and make non-¬work trips. The indices employs myriad socioeconomic and demographic data to determine if existing transit services matches the demand of the region’s population. CSM student zip codes and trip data were also used to generate flow maps displaying travel patterns to the new Hughesville campus.

A plan recommending a phased implementation of transit services was then developed in accord with the plans for the roll out of the Hughesville campus. Route recommendations were integrated within each county’s future transit vision to assure their inclusion in upcoming regional and local planning efforts. Finally, Foursquare ITP developed land-use and TDM recommendations to integrate transit service on campus and through the area’s rural road network, and to encourage non-SOV trips to the campus.

Foursquare ITP has used similar methodologies on interesting and challenging projects on other college campuses, including a transit study for Blacksburg Transit (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA.

ABSTRACT. Ever wonder if you are using the best software application for a certain task? Or does your organization’s IT policy (or budget) limit your ability to access cutting-edge business tools? Specialized graphics and productivity applications aren’t included in standard workplace operating systems, which can leave planners thirsting for more computing horsepower, especially in an era of increasing service demands. But if expensive, proprietary software is not within your organization’s budget, should that become a barrier to better quality, more efficient workflows, and professional growth? No!

A popular technology work-around is available through the use of free, user-friendly web applications that enhance productivity and keep within the boundaries of common workplace IT rules. This session 1) explains how to leverage cloud-based products and services to enhance your workflow; 2) highlights some of today’s most popular tools; and 3) explains how best to use them. The session also identifies the most common software-based tasks planners encounter, organizes them by function, and recommends which popular proprietary, open source, and web-based apps work best.

This fast-paced and substantive session will inspire attendees to confidently reach outside the standard set of workplace tools for the next technology-based task. The format is intended for 20 minutes of presentation time, and 10 minutes of follow-up questions and discussion with the audience (20x20 format). The presentation is delivered from the perspective of a former public sector planner who has worked closely with county and city IT managers to explore acceptable computing practices that support common planning tasks. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to match software by function, and a list of 20 tools to start using today.

ABSTRACT. Geographic information systems (GIS) are tools in every planner’s tool box, but how do citizens interested in planning get access to the power of GIS? With the expansion of GIS into the online world opportunities abound. This session demonstrates some of the online GIS tools used in Prince William County to provide planning information to citizens: •Pending Cases Map – An interactive map showing pending rezonings, special use permits, comprehensive plan amendments and public facility reviews destined for public hearing before the Planning Commission and Board of County Supervisors. •County Mapper – An extensive tool showing long-range land use, zoning, special use permits and a wealth of other land development, environmental, service area and infrastructure data. •Capital Improvement Program – An interactive map showing CIP projects. •Historical Commission Resource Map – A tool developed for the Historical Commission to help in reviewing development applications for impacts to cultural resources. •Trails and Blueways Council Map – A tool developed to help Trails and Blueways Council members review trails plans and development applications to guide expansion of the county-wide trails network. Participants will learn how these map services and many more provide a wealth of information to citizens interested in planning.

ABSTRACT. Do you know which trends will affect our profession most profoundly in the coming decades? Driverless cars? E-Retail? Drone Deliveries? The Shared Economy? This fast paced 20x20 session will flash a series of surprising facts and projections before your eyes that will open your perspective to the changes our profession could be facing in the coming decades. From deep structural changes deriving from demographic dynamics and potential economic shifts to more mercurial trends like bike, car and apartment sharing, planners are standing on the edge of a vastly changing landscape. Sadly, this session can’t tell you how to prepare for these changes, but in 20 slides, it hopefully will inspire you to explore, learn and prepare better yourself.

ABSTRACT. Virginia planners and localities can take advantage of the latest travel and consumer trends to showcase the cultural assets of their communities and promote local commerce. The increasing reliance on smartphones as travel tools, the desire of consumers to support small businesses and “buy local,” the “gamification” of everyday experiences, crowdsourcing and online/mobile accessibility of travel-related content, and the growing popularity of “nerdy” group activities, all combine to present exciting possibilities for engaging residents, attracting visitors, and strengthening communities.

The smartphone app Traipse, developed by a planner and launched in 2015 in Staunton, Va., combines elements of scavenger hunt, geocaching, historic walking tour, and food tour to provide a new and exciting experience for tourists and residents alike. Traipse leads users on a walking tour of historic landmarks and local businesses, or in non-urban settings on a driving tour of cultural heritage and agri-tourism sites. At each stop, users get information about that site and are challenged with a location-dependent riddle or puzzle to solve. Upon completing the challenge the user sees additional facts about the location, and a promotional offer from the business when applicable. Traipse is available as a free download on both iOS (Apple) and Android phones (www.traipse.co).

This session will detail the context in which tools like Traipse can preserve and enhance capital-P Places by providing residents and visitors a means to learn about and explore them, and have fun while doing so. It will describe how Traipse worked with the City of Staunton and various community organizations to launch the app. If desired, it can also provide a tutorial or even demonstration of the app should circumstances allow. This could be done through a traditional session or as a 20/20 presentation followed by an Unconference session in which participants could try out the app.

ABSTRACT. The future is now. Self-driving vehicles are making their way into cities and towns across America and Virginia. But what are the planning implications of this new and emerging technology, and are planners in the Commonwealth prepared to address complex and interrelated issues that will arise from self-driving (or autonomous) vehicles? This session will explore big picture topics of the aforementioned idea: The "futurism" and historical context for self-driving vehicles in our society; what are the impacts to the way we plan for and fund our transportation network; how will pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity integrate with driver-less vehicles; how can we evaluate our current and future land use decisions, and will these decisions advance or hinder self-driving vehicles in the transportation network? This 20x20 session may not have all of the answers but it will provide the context and case studies to implore planners to think more broadly about how innovative technology and planning should be integrated and evaluated.

ABSTRACT. The City of Virginia Beach and VHB worked in partnership with US Fish & Wildlife Service and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to develop an Alternative Transportation Study for the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (BBNWR) and False Cape State Park (FCSP). The goal of the study was to assess options for visitors to reach BBNWR and FCSP without using private motor vehicles. In this fun and fast-paced session, participants will learn how the study team identified and evaluated alternatives including bicycle and pedestrian enhancements; shuttle service; canoe/kayak access, and a water taxi.

The southeast corner of Virginia is flat. And low. And wet. The area is also beautiful, and attracts visitors seeking opportunities for wildlife viewing, recreation, and quiet open space. Currently, access to BBNWR and FCSP relies primarily on a roadway system with heavy summertime congestion and limited provisions for non-vehicular modes. These factors set the physical context for proposed improvements.

In addition to the sensitive natural environment, an active political environment influenced the study process and outcomes. The project required coordination among local, state, and federal agencies, as well as neighborhood associations, stakeholder groups, and businesses. Public engagement included public meetings, web-based outreach, and small group discussions.

The final report outlines a system of alternatives programmed for development as individual projects as funding becomes available. The resulting network of improvements will enhance access to natural areas and provide amenities for adjacent neighborhoods.

ABSTRACT. Charming and functional tiny houses are popping up everywhere, often leaving local officials scratching their heads. Should they be allowed as permanent housing? Which building or safety codes should they meet? Are they a primary structure or an accessory dwelling unit? Are they a potential source of affordable housing? Should they be allowed as subdivisions?

This session will 1) define the fundamental questions planners should ask when considering permits for tiny homes, 2) provide insights into how tiny houses fit within conventional land use regulations (they often don’t), and 3) recommend how to amend development regulations to accommodate tiny homes (and still preserve neighborhood character and ensure safety).

This session will be highly visual, surveying popular tiny homes on the market today, along with costs, typical utility needs, and other issues to consider. Several real-world examples are provided, including tiny house-friendly communities, and tiny house neighborhoods used as both an alternative lifestyle or as a form of affordable housing.

The format is intended for 20 minutes of presentation time, and 10 minutes of follow-up (20x20 format). The presenter has extensive experience with the topic, having helped several communities in the Mid-Atlantic revise development regulations to accommodate contemporary housing options like backyard dwellings, garden apartments, and cottages. He co-hosted an APA-approved webinar in 2015 on this topic, and has written and co-written articles on tiny homes for Planetizen.com and APA’s Zoning Practice.

Tiny Houses are not generally designed for permanent occupancy, but they are being purchased and used that way, creating tension in many neighborhoods. Planners will find this session timely and informative, and walk away knowing how to help prevent tiny homes from becoming a big problem in their community.

ABSTRACT. Today’s local governments generate huge quantities of data but seldom effectively use this resource wisely to make more informed decisions. Big data, cloud based analytic solutions and the widespread use of low cost computer technology such as ICMA Insights are altering the ways communities implement performance management systems. This forward thinking session shows how this evolution in technology is rapidly changing how organizations use performance management, alters our workplace cultures and changes our relationships with citizens. Explore how your community can begin to use comparative data, technology and analytics now available to your organization for enhanced decision-making and transparency.

ABSTRACT. Andrew McRoberts, an attorney with Sands Anderson PC and frequent speaker to planners and zoning officials, will share the handful of exceptions to the zoning law applying, including nonconforming uses, vested rights and grandfathering. The most recent developments in the law will be discussed.

ABSTRACT. Norfolk is known for resilience. It has survived wars, a plague, hurricanes, and social upheaval over almost four centuries. Time and again, the city has reinvented and rebuilt itself. This legacy has resulted in a citizenry accustomed to change and resilient to stresses and shocks. More recently, the city has taken on the serious policy and institutional challenge of planning for resilience for the next century. As Norfolk’s coastal risks continue to grow, the city has adopted a number of policy initiatives and has received technical support as a member of 100 Resilient Cities worldwide. This session will explore three of Norfolk’s resilience initiatives in the planning realm; a bold long term vision for the year 2100; the development of a new, 21st century zoning ordinance, and the creation of a vision for new transit oriented centers along the spine of high ground east of the downtown. These three initiatives; through comprehensive planning, zoning and detailed area planning show how the city is aggressively planning for a resilient and vibrant future. This session is of value to planners in exploring new dimensions of resiliency planning as well as the latest innovations in comprehensive planning, zoning revision and planning for Transit Oriented Development.

ABSTRACT. Bicycle level of service (BLOS) has been used to approximate bicycle comfort/suitability for decades and can be a terrific resource for identifying bicycle network deficiencies. While useful in a variety of applications, BLOS is often criticized for being a “black box” of data, often misrepresenting the “human” side of cycling. Using the Northern Virginia Regional Bicycle Plan as an example, this presentation discusses how web-based public engagement tools can be used to validate the BLOS results, ultimately leading to a more comprehensive understanding of regional cycling comfort. This approach to validating a model through public input represents a transparent process that balances “people and data.” The interactive web survey received over 1,200 responses from all over the region and the results, now hosted on a Google web map, will live on beyond the life of the plan. In this way, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the region’s jurisdictions can refer to the input when making future transportation decisions.

ABSTRACT. The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia have experienced rapid population growth in the past decade, due in large part to the expansion of their primary economic engine, James Madison University (JMU). As a growing college town, Harrisonburg has also seen increasing demand for options to walk, bike and take transit. The region is also a destination for out-of-state and international recreational road cyclists and mountain bikers alike. Planners from Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, JMU, and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) decided to capitalize on this momentum and solidify the region’s burgeoning bicycling and walking culture. Since 2012, the partners have hosted the annual Harrisonburg-Rockingham Bike Walk Summit, full-day event featuring a keynote speaker and intentionally structured break-out sessions to identify action items and leaders to advance new initiatives. Keynote speakers from The League of American Bicyclists, The Adventure Cycling Association and Roanoke Outside have spurred efforts to: • Evaluate the economic impact of bicycle tourism in the region • Develop and promote new recreational cycling routes • Conduct a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan process for Rockingham County • Create a Bicycle-Friendly Business Program in Harrisonburg

ABSTRACT. Rural and exurban communities have long offered flexible transit services such as dial-a-ride or deviated fixed route service. In recent years, more suburban communities have been studying and adopting transit services that are open to all and are a blend between traditional fixed route service and point-to-point paratransit. The benefits of a more flexible transit service are that it allows people to have access to transit in areas that may not require regular fixed route service, while increasing the productivity of underproductive routes, improving the efficiency of the overall transit system, and the inclusion of more people to have access to transit. At the same time, flexible services require daily scheduling and other administrative functions in order to schedule the flexible movements in as efficient a manner as possible to minimize service costs and increase the resiliency of the operator/jurisdiction.

This workshop session will consist of an informative lecture component and facilitated discussion. The lecture will review some of the suburban flexible services that have been planned and implemented in other locations around the country and in Virginia, as well as address the benefits and impacts of public-private partnerships with on-demand bus and shared ride services such as Bridj, Lyft Line, and Uber Pool. The presentation will discuss some of the pros and cons of publicly vs. privately provided services and the factors that jurisdictions should consider between the options in order to ensure a service that is reflective of needs and resilient to future changes in population and demographics. During the facilitated session, each group will discuss such topics as the feasibility/desirability of such service in their region, what they see as the barriers to implementation, and what public agencies and private companies need to do to make on-demand mobility services work best.

ABSTRACT. Building on topics and tools introduced in Part 1: Building Equity Together, this interactive session will focus on application opportunities at a neighborhood scale using a Walkable Watershed approach. While watershed planning is not new, a Walkable Watershed is unique in linking environmental and social equity goals. This session will introduce the Walkable Watershed concept and encourage participants to explore applications for this approach in their own communities. Presenters will draw from their experiences with a diverse Walkable Watershed projects in Virginia.

After a brief introduction to the concept and strategies, participants will engage in a set of interactive exercises through breakout groups. Participants will learn how to identify and integrate other land use planning efforts (such as transportation, park and greenway initiatives) into watershed planning and how to select best management practices that meet multiple objectives. They will learn how to identify and engage a full range of stakeholders and build partnerships for long-term success. Participants will reconvene as a full group to share insights from the small group exercises.

The workshop session will conclude with snapshots of inspiration from Virginia communities including Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Petersburg. While each project represents a different phase of addressing water quality, the projects share a focus on an underserved community and the implementation of community-based planning to identify green infrastructure strategies and partnership building between local governments, community-based organizations and residents to achieve both watershed health and community revitalization goals.

Participants will finish with a clear understanding of equity tools and how city staff can work across departments to improve neighborhood resiliency through projects that improve quality of life in marginalized communities. The session is intended to be paired with Part 1: Building Equity Together: Using an Equitable Development Framework and Capacity Building Tools to Foster Dialogue, Action and Change.

ABSTRACT. DEQ’s Office of Wetland and Stream Protection (OWSP), in collaboration with the VIMS, has developed a wetland monitoring and assessment protocol to provide an ongoing assessment of the status of the Commonwealth’s wetland resources. The assessment protocol consists of a three-tiered approach using comprehensive coverage of all mapped non-tidal wetlands to achieve a GIS based analysis of remotely sensed information (Level I) while Level II and III are the calibration and validation portion. The data collected has been compiled into an online GIS-based viewer identified as the Wetland Condition Assessment Tool (WetCAT). One aspect of WetCAT is its interactive user interface, which allows users to overlay data such as permitted impacts and impaired waters and run various geoprocessing tools to visualize cumulative impacts, downstream flow, and upgradient drainage areas. The goal of WetCAT is to support DEQ’s regulatory decision-making, allow reporting of wetland condition, and provide information for policy development. Information derived from monitoring will be used to: 1. Report ambient wetland conditions in Virginia's Clean Water Act (CWA) Integrated 305(b)/303(d) report; 2. Evaluate wetland impacts from proposed projects during permit review; 3. Evaluate the performance of wetland restoration and other compensatory mitigation in replacing wetland acreage and function, and 4. Evaluate the cumulative impacts of wetland loss and restoration relative to ambient ecological conditions and water quality management needs. One of the advantages of the Virginia protocol is a comprehensive assessment of secondary impacts to wetland resources arising from activities that do not directly impact wetlands. This information can guide policy discussions on general land use management, stormwater, and land use planning. Linking decisions in these areas to wetland policy will be essential to achieving Virginia’s statutory requirement of no net loss of wetland acreage and function, and aid local governments with planning tools at a watershed level.

ABSTRACT. Green Infrastructure Planning is practived at multiple scales from contructed green infrastructure such as bioswaled to landscape scale planning for connected forest and aquatic habitats and connecting cooridors. Yet many designers don't know how to connect all the dots -- green spaces within developments are isolated while large trees are replaced with engineered systems that cost more and perform less. In this session, participants will learn what to consider first and how to create attractive development plans that conserver the best resources and provide the community with key needs such as clean water, clear air, recreation and attractive, green communities. The session is based on the new book Strategic Green Infrastructure Planning: A Multi-Scale Approach.

ABSTRACT. Virginia's experience with Urban Development Areas has recently gotten a new infusion of interest due to the fact that adopting UDAs improves one’s HB2 funding eligibility for transportation projects. More than that, however, UDAs make good planning sense. Hear from three Virginia localities – urban and not so urban – that have found real value in the process of planning for and designating UDAs. The introduction from the Deputy Secretary of Transportation will set the stage, explaining why UDAs are an important tool for attracting Virginia’s 21st century workforce and how they can further the state’s transportation goals. Then hear three different examples from Norfolk, Salem and Amherst, of how UDAs are helping further good planning, expanding travel choices and build community!

ABSTRACT. This workshop is intended to update participants on the use of conservation and redevelopment planning under Title 36 of the Code of Virginia. After the 2005 Kelo Supreme Court case, changes to the Code of Virginia in 2007, and the 2012 voter's referendum that added stronger language protecting private property rights to Article 1, the Bill of Rights of the Virginia Constitution, many localities have shied away from formal redevelopment and conservation planning. Larger redevelopment areas and plans are not very accomplishable any longer, but smaller more targeted redevelopment areas can be crafted to help revitalize areas with significant blight. Conservation areas and combined conservation/redevelopment areas are still very doable. Using recently assembled and adopted plans, this workshop will outline the parameters of the current Code provisions, demonstrate how an area is surveyed and qualified as eligible for conservation or redevelopment, and explain the necessary elements that must be in such plans. It will also explain how eminent domain can be used to acquire blighted property and property with clouded title in a conservation or redevelopment area.

ABSTRACT. Road safety is an important topic to communities throughout the Commonwealth. According to 2011 VDOT statistics, 764 people lost their lives on Virginia roads and another 63,000 were injured. A recent report by the NHTSA indicates traffic fatalities increased at an alarming rate in the first 9 months of 2015, an increase of 9.3% over all of 2014.

In this session we will examine the principles behind the Vision Zero and Strategic Highway Safety initiatives. Methods for Planners to incorporate best practices will be reviewed, with the City of Alexandria’s recently developed Vision Zero policy serving as a local case study.

You’ll learn about: • The 4 E’s of addressing traffic safety. • How Planners can influence traffic safety. • An action plan to advance traffic safety in your community.

ABSTRACT. Recent court decisions, especially Reed v. Gilbert decided in June 2015 by the Supreme Court of the US, have implications for local sign ordinances and particularly for the regulation of temporary signage. Session attendees will receive an up to date accounting of the state of the law post-Reed highlighting what a Constitutional sign ordinance may provide and contain. The recent Norfolk sign ordinance will serve as a case study for some of the discussion.

ABSTRACT. Successful community economic development is a long-term commitment, not an election cycle buzzword. As such, in today’s ever increasingly complex world of site selection and competitive deal making for economic development projects (and subsequent announcements) there are certain things community leaders and planners can do to prepare their community, sites and infrastructure for that next economic development deal.

This presentation will cover the following topics:

*Trends in the site selection and economic development marketplace *Basics on planning and developing your sites and infrastructure *Understanding your product & target markets *Preparing your community for success *The site visit and afterwards – what you can do to differentiate your community

In addition, the speaker played a key role in the development of the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program and will provide an overview of the Tier rating system for sites and the certification process. Learn how this Tier System was developed and what you can do to get your site certified!