2026 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.

Fun and Comradery in Kearney

In recent years, the conference has been held in Kearney, Nebraska. Kearney has become home to the conference as the facilities and staff at the Younes North Conference Center have been great. 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. The annual Cornhole Tournament Fundraiser is now a regular hit at the conference. 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.

A Great Learning Experience

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. Some of the ones that I’m looking forward to this year are:

• Managing Land Use Impacts Through Right-Sizing Your Zoning Code
• Reversing Donut Development: Land Banks and the Vacant Property Registry
• Emerging Issues between the Public Records Act and AI
• Heritage Tourism in Planning
• The Do’s and Don’ts of Building a Great Trail Network
• Pulaski, Iowa: Small Town America’s Changing Cultural Landscapes
• Housing Solutions for Nebraska

The keynote speakers for this year’s conference are:

• TJ Dlubac, AICP (LinkedIn) – President / Owner at Community Planning Strategies, LLC
• Josh Olhava, AICP (LinkedIn) – Planning & Development Supervisor at Ayres Associates
• Clint Runge (LinkedIn) – CEO & Founder of Archrival

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