Economic Development Division at the 2013 National Planning Conference - Chicago

Please join the Economic Development Division at the following events during the 2013 APA Conference:
And on Twitter! @APA_EDD #APA13

Saturday, April 13• 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Can Planners “Create” Jobs (Facilitated Discussion)

If you don't have a job creation “story,” is your work missing the mark? A recent national survey released by APA indicates that the general public believes planners can facilitate job creation. But how do jobs get created—and what is really meant by terms like economic development? This session will explore how planners in both the public and the private sectors impact the job-creation process.

Sunday, April 14• 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Local Fiscal Challenges and Planning Solutions

As most local governments continue to face fiscal challenges, planners must be able to grasp the direct link between land use and fiscal conditions and craft realistic ways to implement plans despite shrinking coffers. This session will focus on current national efforts to better understand how planning decisions affect the fiscal viability of localities. Learn how to assess your community’s “cost to serve” and explore how to increase revenues without raising property taxes.

Monday, April 15• 9:15 am – 1:15 pm

“Chicago Lakeside” Economic and Physical Redevelopment (Mobile Workshop)

The site of the former U.S. Steel Southworks on the southeast side of Chicago presents an opportunity to reuse brown fields for more than 500 acres of fallow land. Tour this site and find out more about the proposed redevelopment project—a master planned undertaking coined “Chicago Lakeside” that includes residential, retail, commercial, and recreational areas. Explore the key elements of this highly complex development plan and learn about the political and governmental relationships that enabled it. Transportation: Motorcoach, walking. Includes lunch.

Monday, April 15 • 1:00 p.m.-2:15 p.m.

Value Capture

“Value Capture” helps communities capture a portion of the economic value created by entitlements and development to finance public improvements, infrastructure, and public goods. When does value capture work, and when does it not? Who pays, and who benefits? And is it an effective financing approach? This session will answer these questions. Learn how to capture value for public improvements and goods — and explore this tool at work in Arlington, VA, and Vancouver, Canada.

Monday, April 15• 2:30pm – 3:45pm

Turning the Economic Development Game Upside Down

Without much fanfare, the economic development game has pivoted. The primary focus of site selectors on low-cost, shovel-ready sites and incentives has shifted to include considerations about talent and quality of life. A successful ED strategy is now a "blend ED" strategy, requiring marketing, diagnostics, and a more sophisticated understanding of what businesses are searching for. This session will utilize the experiences of the presenters, along with their survey of prominent site selectors, to help planners understand how the "Game" is played today. The session will feature the use of electronic polling to help reinforce the lessons from the Site Selector Survey.

Monday, April 15 • 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Economic Development Division Business Meeting & Reception

Hyatt Regency Chicago, “Soldier Field” Room

Tuesday, April 16 • 4:00PM - 5:15PM
The Economics of Smart Growth

What factors most influence the fiscal impact of different land uses? And how can planners pinpoint the right mix of land uses to achieve fiscal sustainability? This session considers these questions. Learn how to encourage smart-growth development, including high-density planned communities that reap greater fiscal rewards than low-density sprawl. Case examples of cities in Arizona and Virginia will be used to contrast and compare different smart-growth techniques.