Involving Planning Officials

Involvement Approaches
Many chapters have found ways of including planning officials in their programs and decision making. The national organization has a focused seat on the Board of Directors for a planning official; several chapters have chosen the same strategy for giving a voice to planning official members. What are some other approaches?

• Establishing a committee dedicated to planning official concerns
• Inviting planning officials to participate in presenting sessions at the chapter conference
• Inviting planning officials to serve on the chapter’s policy and advocacy committee
• Involving planning officials in outreach efforts to draw more officials into APA
• Having planning officials do planning promotion, such as speaking to local Rotary, Lions, and other civic groups
• Inviting planning officials to write a column for the chapter newsletter
• Involving planning officials as trainers in planning official programs

Role of the Planning Official
As PODO, part of your role is to be a goodwill ambassador for planning. You may find that planning officials will call you for advice on knotty problems. Consider this part of your role as well.

You can always call upon other chapter officers and the national APA staff to assist you, but your experience and judgment will often be used to promote good planning, even in the form of personal advice. Planning commissions are important to good planning and the APA needs to communicate that message in all of its efforts.