2026 APA Quad State Planning Conference

Each year I write about the Nebraska Planning Conference and the National Planning Conference. But once in a while, there are conferences that are regional in nature and have a greater impact on planning in the Midwest. This year’s Quad State Planning Conference is just that. Hosted this October at the Westin in Crown Center located in Kansas City, the event is expected to draw over 500 planning nerds from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. The heart of the Heartland (in my eyes).

Due to the states involved, the percent of applicable sessions is higher than the National Planning Conference. Some of the most applicable sessions to the typical readers of Rural Resurrection are:

• Gridlocked: Navigating Data Center Zoning, Infrastructure, and Impact
• The Housing Tradeoff Lab: Making Better Growth and Community Investment Decisions
• Flex Appeal: Designing Codes that Bend Without Breaking
• The Science of Wayfinding Live Podcast Recording
• Planning with Foresight: How to Use Scenarios
• Potholes or Parks? Inside the Tough Choices of City Budgeting
• Regional Planning Kickstarter: Injecting Creativity into Small Community Plans
• Planning Workshop on How to Support Artists in Your Community

This year’s keynote speaker will be Lauren Miller, AICP. Lauren is the President and CEO of the Planners Circle of Trust in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. As per the APA website: “Lauren specializes in zoning reform, streamlining processes, and fostering transparency through engagement, education, and empowerment. Recognizing the importance of supporting the next generation of planners, she is currently researching the impact of Gen Z’s transition into the workplace, while also providing career and mental health resources to planners at all levels.”

The 2026 APA Quad State Planning Conference appears to be a great source of planning-related training during National Planning Month.

If you are interested in attending, event registration is available through the KC-APA registration page.