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About Louisiana APA

Dig a little deeper to see a listing of our Chapter Officers, the makeup of various Committees, a synopsis of Chapter history and the advent of planning within Louisiana.

Our History

The Louisiana Chapter was formed in the 1975 when the Louisiana Chapter split from the Texas Chapter. Prior to 1978 the APA organization was called the American Institute of Planners (AIP). Francis "Frank" Keevers became the first President of the Louisiana Chapter and our first national conference of AIP was hosted by New Orleans in 1978. Learn more at the history link below.

 

Publications

The Louisiana Planner is the periodic newsletter of APA Louisiana. Since 2014 the Louisiana Chapter has shifted to digital delivery of news via mobile-friendly email marketing software. This allows timely and cost effective distribution of information. A poll of membership in 2016 validated e-delivery as a preferred mode by the majority of respondents. Click the Newsletters button to view an archive of recent e-newsletters. We are working to find and add older communications to this archive.

News blog (pre 2012)

 

Become a Planner

What is an Urban Planner? What do they do? Can they hone their skills by playing SimCity?
In truth the answers are as varied as the number of parishes in our state, if not as unique as each individual practitioner. Here are a sampling of definitions gleaned from a cursory search:

...a professional who works in the field of urban planning/ land use planning for the purpose of optimizing the effectiveness of a community's land use and infrastructure. -- Wikipedia

Planning shapes cities, towns, regions, and even rural  areas. ... [It] helps determine how communities will grow and how they will adjust to change. Planning creates the vision for the community, identifies current problems, analyzes trends, engages community members in dialogue about goals and issues, and sets the framework for growth and change. -- Planning.org

Like many professions, planning has grown and diversified in recent years to stray from the original core practices so that it now includes specializations in transportation, environment, urban design, energy, law, and yes, even education and health care. We're everywhere!

Planners work closely with other allied professions including architects, landscape architects, engineers, environmental scientists, historians, attorneys, elected officials, educators...the list goes on. The emphasis here is on diversity rather than defining a rigid "slot" where you belong. Planning is a bit of a hybrid, where a diverse set of skills can serve you well.

 

Student Resources

The University of New Orleans offers the only accredited urban planning curriculum in the state, though other universities offer degrees and training in allied professions including architecture, landscape architecture, and public administration. UNO's department of Planning and Urban Studies (PLUS) offers graduate and undergraduate programs. The UNO PLUS students have formed an organization called the Crescent City Shapers and they maintain a blog of local planning news and events.

 

Planning Schools

University of New Orleans' Department of Planning and Urban Studies (UNO PLUS)

 

Planning Commissioner Resources

APA-LA offers training sessions for planning commissioners across our state each year at our Annual Planning Conference, plus one or more other opportunities during the year. Contact Mart Black, AICP or Joanne Poret, AICP for details.

 

Professional Development

APA Louisiana offers numerous opportunities for professional development and earning certification maintenance credits. Check out the "Grow" pages of this site for professional development opportunities and information.

 

Conferences

Attend a Conference. Annual state planning conferences are held in late January of each year. Locations rotate around the state.

Planning Webcasts

Logo of Planning Webcast Series

The Ohio Chapter of APA maintains the official list of Planning Webcasts sponsored  by Chapters and Divisions. Over 40 CMs per year are available. View the official list and additional resources including downloads from past webcasts at the Ohio Chapter's website: ohioplanning.org/planningwebcast