2024 Nebraska Planning Conference

A regular subject on Rural Resurrection is the Nebraska Planning Conference. This is mainly due to the fact that I’ve been President of one of the organizations that put the event on. Although I’m no longer the President of the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association (@NPZA), I still help them and the Nebraska Chapter of the American Planning Association (@APA_Nebraska) to make it a great event each year.

Getting Krazy in Kearney

Once again, the conference will be held in the Younes North Conference Center. It’s a relatively new venue that has a wide range of amenities on site. Much more than you see in other conference centers in communities the size of Kearney, Nebraska.

Of course, Kearney is known for its crane-watching this time of year. But there’s one after-hours event that steals the show. But the annual indoor bags tournament stole the show last year. And it is sure to create quite a ruckus once again. The best part about the tournament is that the proceeds help to build a scholarship program at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln for aspiring community planners.

Cornhole Tournament at NEPC 2023

As for the sessions (the supposed reason why you’re there), the conference has tracts on housing, economic development, rural issues, and many other topics that are pertinent to rural communities. For those with AICP certification, the conference typically offers well over 40 sessions, many of which are eligible for CM credit.

The keynote speakers for this year’s conference are:

• Angela Brooks, FAICP, President of the American Planning Association and Director, Illinois Program at Corporation for Supportive Housing, and
• Karen Wolf, FAICP, President of AICP and Affiliate Instructor at the University of Washington

For those with involvement in the planning and zoning field in Nebraska, this conference is a must. Check out the NPZA webpage for more.