The City of Las Vegas has adopted the first Form-Based Code in the State of Nevada following two years of hard work, focused education of city staff, officials and local residents, and robust community engagement. This is a major step in implementing the city’s Vision 2045 Downtown Las Vegas Master Plan. City officials believe the new code will lead to a more compact, vibrant downtown and support sustainable growth and economic vitality. The enthusiastic reception of the new code is a result of an “educational and informed” approach which featured the Form-Based Code Institute’s (FBCI) comprehensive three-course curriculum on form-based codes.

For city and county planners it is important to consider appropriate locations for the placement of EV charging stations. For most, this task probably means looking at land-use classifications and making zoning interpretations. This article was originally published in the North Dakota Planning Association newsletter. by Will Hutchings, City of Bismarck, North Dakota

Sid Fox, AICP is the Planning Director for Carbon County in Wyoming. He started with Carbon County in the spring of 2010. The planning staff of three serves as the administrative support for the County Planning & Zoning Commission. Their main role is to implement the County Comprehensive Plan through administration of zoning and subdivision regulations.

Several North Dakota city planners discuss their zoning process for medical marijuana facilities. On April 18, 2017, a new North Dakota law became effective allowing for the production and processing, sale and dispensing of usable marijuana, and medical use of marijuana.

Daniel S. Pava, FAICP, gives the rundown on what contemporary voices from the Rocky Mountain West had to say at the 28th Annual Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute.

How can states like Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico and others compete against their larger and more metropolitan neighbors in workforce attraction and retention? And then it hit me - baseball. by Aric A. Jensen, AICP

The 2019 Alaska Chapter of the American Planning Association State Planning Conference was a huge success. The following awards were presented and celebrated: Comprehensive Plan Award - Sitka 2030 Comprehensive Plan; Award for Planning Leadership - Planning Advocate of the Year—Sara Jansen; Award for Planning Team - Municipality of Anchorage Long-Range Planning Division; and Award for a Leader, Planner of the Year - John Czarnezki, Director of Economic Development and Planning for the City of Soldotna, AK. by Jon Cecil, AICP, Anchorage, AK

The Western Governors’ Association is launching an initiative in July 2019 to examine the challenges facing rural western communities and identify strategies to improve economic development opportunities, infrastructure, and quality of life in the rural West. WGA invites you to share your perspective to help shape the initiative.

The article is about the City of Phoenix, citizen groups, and the light rail expansion into South Phoenix where the design desires of citizens differ from project-funded design. On September 26, 2018, the Phoenix City Council voted to continue to move forward with the current two-lane design for the South Central Light Rail Extension. The vote followed a previous council decision, which requested Valley Metro look into a four-lane design and conduct extensive community outreach. by Joshua Matthews, AICP

Joy Hill has served as the Director of Planning and Zoning in Park County, Wyoming since June 2018. Prior to that, she was the Land Planner/GIS Manager for Big Horn County, Wyoming for six years.

Meet Angela Parker, AICP, CFM, who most recently served as president of the Western Planning Resources board which publishes the Western Planner. She has worked GIS projects in the areas Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. Today she is the Land Planner/GIS Manager for Big Horn County, Wyoming.

Western wildfires in recent years demonstrate the urgency in which we need to adapt to fire in order to be more resilient in the communities we call home. This article describes what may be called the modern wildfire situation with some of the forces driving wildfire conditions today, resources, and a community example planners can use to participate in wildfire adaptation in their communities. by Christopher Jones, Globe, Arizona

Beginning in 2014, fast-rising rents and home prices in Boulder fueled a city-led communitywide housing conversation, Housing Boulder. As part of this conversation, cooperative housing was proposed as a tool to expand housing choice. Unlike elsewhere, the definition of cooperative housing in Boulder isn’t solely resident shareholders in a corporation that owns a building. It is a group living arrangement with consensus governance and shared responsibility and resources. by Crystal Launder and Sloane Walbert, AICP

Welcome to 2019! I begin the year as the not so new president of Western Planning Resources, the publisher of Western Planner, having served in this capacity several years ago. Many thanks to Angela Parker, our outgoing president, who has relocated from Alaska to Wyoming and remains on the board.

Dedicating his career to determining what makes cities thrive, planner Jeff Speck, AICP released his latest book "Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Better Places." He recently answered three questions from the Western Planner.

The Rocky Mountain West is characterized as much by its vibrant and diverse communities as by its sweeping plains and rugged mountains. The annual Western Places/Western Spaces conference explores the social and development issues facing communities—from large cities to small towns—as well as concerns about managing and preserving our natural heritage. Join us March 7 & 8, 2019, as we explore these themes and more at the Western Places/Western Spaces — Designing for the Future: Building Enduring Value.

The local tiers of government in Cass County consist of the county, 27 incorporated cities, several additional unincorporated villages, 49 townships, and four water resource districts. This article, more specifically, will explore the role of the Cass County Planning Office and how it teams with the Townships. Republished courtesy the North Dakota Planning Association Newsletter. by Hali A Durand, Cass County, North Dakota

With over a decade of experience as a planner for the small maritime City of Blaine, Washington, Alex Wenger, AICP has designed and built several neighborhood parks and recreational facilities. Some of Alex’s favorite projects have been developing new public beaches and creating a new a nautical themed playground called the Marine Park Playground. Article republished courtesy of the Planning Association of Washington. by Alex Wenger, AICP

As part of Western Planner’s mission to be a resource for planners in the West, we are pleased to offer all WP articles published since 1980 FOR FREE. That is over 2,223 articles covering 37 years of planning issues in the West!

Julia Crain has been working for the Butte-Silver Bow Planning Department since 2011. Her formal title is special projects planner, which can encompass most anything that enhances the Butte area, including land uses for specific areas and improving the Silver Bow Creek and Blacktail Creek corridors. By Mike Smith. Article republished courtesy of the Montana Standard.

Neighborhood parks that are well-designed with diverse facilities and targeted programming plus good marketing initiatives encourage more people to be active, according to the national report called Active Parks, Healthy Cities.

One of the fascinating things about community development is the interaction between residents and municipal government and commercial development teams and municipal government, hereafter referred to as “staff.” Though some may believe those two groups are at odds, residents and commercial developers clearly have similar interests. by Bill Detweiler, Castle Rock, Colorado

Meet Meredith Duvall, a Planner for City of Gillette, Wyoming. She advises to get involved in your community outside of work in order to better understand how residents interact with the city. Article submitted by Megan Nelms, AICP.

This brief article describes the cycling experience that Candis Millar, AICP, and her husband enjoyed during a week in Copenhagen, Denmark in September. Some of our observations may generate ideas for Western Planners implementing bicycle plans in their communities. Story and photos by Candis Millar, AICP

In fall of 2016, the Utah State University bioregional planning team was invited to complete an assessment of the region’s varying land uses, and to generate plausible scenarios for local planners and decision-makers to use in future management plans. The bioregional team offered local stakeholders four plausible scenarios for the future of their region to help decision-makers navigate uncertainty and realize their ideal planning goals for 2040. by Andy Witt, Aubin Douglas, and Mary Oliver

As more people move to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), development will continue to affect the region’s ecological health. For 17 years, Valley Advocates for Responsible Development (Valley Advocates) has advocated for responsible growth management in the Teton Valley of Idaho and Wyoming, working to preserve our corner of the GYE. However, we’ve found that focusing on future growth alone is not enough to protect our treasured ecosystem. In addition, our regional community must also work to correct the development mistakes of the past. by Shawn Hill, Valley Advocates for Responsible Development

The information gained from the Clearwater Lidar Project has both short-term and long-term benefits across a broad spectrum of disciplines, and encompasses project planning, development, implementation, management, and education outreach. It is truly a phenomenal example of how multiple agencies at local, state, and federal levels can cross disciplines and pool resources for a common goal. by Alison Tompkins, Nez Perce County, Idaho

Community partners can be found anywhere we live. Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, or JBER (pronounced JBear), is one of Alaska’s largest employers, and for Anchorage a partner in planning, housing, outreach, and education. Planner Kristine Bunnell participated JBER’s Honorary Commanders Program and discusses how it gave her an opportunity to learn and to share planning knowledge.

The North Dakota Planning Association (NDPA) hosted its annual conference this year in Grand Forks on September 13, 2018. See photos and the presentations from the conference.