35th Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute Review

by Donna Bye, President, Western Planner

Western Planner at the 35th Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute: Western Places – Western Spaces: We the People, Under Pressure, exploring tensions in Land Use Law, Democracy and Federalism at 35/100/250 years

The conference was once again held on the beautiful Denver University campus with one day full of sunshine and spring in the air and the next day with 5+ inches of much needed snow.  It was fitting for many of the discussions around water and the lack of moisture for the region.  

Western Planner President, Donna Bye attended on behalf of WPR and joined Colorado seat Katie Guthrie who also attended to provide discussion on AICP planning ethics.  RMLUI offered WPR an opportunity to showcase a table full of WPR merch and materials for upcoming conferences in both Durango for the 1st Annual Western Matters Spring Conference coming up on April 23-24, as well as our partnership with South Dakota for the annual Western Planner conference being held in Sioux Falls in August. 

With over 400 attendees again this year, the RMLUI put on a great gathering.  This year the conference offered five separate tracks containing thirty-three panels and two plenary sessions as well as the keynote speaker on opening day. Content was through the roof with options to choose from.  The coordinators of the event deliver on a range of topics and issues many of the western states are facing. This was truly a conference that was all inclusive whether you’re from a small community or agency or live or work in a very densely populated area.  

I was able to attend the Friday Plenary lunch featuring speaker Susan Schulten, a Colorado State Historian.  Her presentation was titled Westward Expansion, the Secession Crisis, and the Creation of Colorado Territory.  She told the history of how westward expansion in America divided the country in the 19th century.  In 1857, the Supreme Court issued a decision against Dred Scott ruling that African Americans, were not included under the term “Citizens” in the Constitution and therefore could not claim rights and privileges of US Citizens.  The decision had profound consequences as the country began to develop westward, but as a landmark case, it illustrated that rulings in the judicial system affect how the social and political conflicts of those in slavery were exacerbated. As the territories developed, it was clear that many influential people helped shape the lines of statehood as we see today.  Even a 150 years later, we still face some of the same issues whether its water rights, land rights or equity.  But we can do better when we come together with a common goal.