APA Small Town & Rural Planning Division
LightNews LightNews
banner
apa-star.bsky.social
APA Small Town & Rural Planning Division
@apa-star.bsky.social
44 followers 66 following 130 posts
We're small town & rural planners, in the US and across the world.
Posts Replies Media Videos
apa-star.bsky.social
Webinar: Zoning for our Future: Solar, Windfarms, EV, and Manufactured/ Modular Homes
Friday October 31, 2025 | Noon CDT
www.ohioplanning.org/aws/APAOH/pt...
#zoning #wind #solar #EVs #housing
AI image wind-solar-modular housing
October 30, 2025 at 4:22 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Checkout Garrett Stritzel's amazing project, Rural Justice, which won the 2025 James Segedy Honor Award for Small Town and Rural Planner

StaR members log on to d/l the STaR News and read about it:
www.planning.org/divisions/sm...
#SmallTownRural #smalltown #rural #planning #awards
October 20, 2025 at 1:52 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR John Keller Planning Initiative Awards for 2025.
Checkout these amazing award-winning projects, from Michigan, Ohio, and Wyoming.

STaR members, log on & d/l your Fall newsletter with all the details: www.planning.org/divisions/sm...
#SmallTownRural #planning #awards
October 18, 2025 at 1:07 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Fall News highlights STaR Award Winners
Brownwood, TX Downtown Plan Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Honor
Longmeadow, MA Climate Resilience Plan Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Honor
Burwell, NE Comprehensive Plan Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Merit
Greencastle DePauw Master Plan (Indiana) Vernon Dienes Plan <50k Merit
October 16, 2025 at 10:41 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Nine Meals from Anarchy--what happens if your local food supply stopped? Local farms & smart planning build resilience. Nebraska 2019 floods taught hard lessons. Prep matters—families & towns need to act now.

Read: ruralresurrection.com/nine-meals-f...
STaR Member d/l the newsletter for more!
Farmers market
October 11, 2025 at 3:44 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR Members: Your Fall 2025 Small Town & Rural Planning News is posted now on planning.org.
* Cooperative Extension & STaR Planners
* From the Chair
* STaR Awards, Part II
* Nine Meals from Anarchy
* VA honors STaR Planner
* The Power of Heritage
October 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
APA Small Town & Rural Planning Division
STaR Annual Division Business Meeting
ONLINE

Tuesday, September 30, 2025
10:00 AM Alaska Time
11:00 AM Pacific Time
Noon Mountain Time
1:00 PM Central Time
2:00 PM Eastern Time

Members--Check your email for the Zoom link.
#SmallTownRural
September 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Does your County's Comprehensive Plan address the needs of #Retirement age residents? There are 305 of retirement-destination counties across the US identified in ERS’s County Typology Codes data. Are you one?

ers.usda.gov/data-product...
#SmallTownRural #econdev
August 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Who is #Rural?
A team at McKinsey & Company explored this question earlier this year--there are many answers. They pick up on the USDA ERS Rural-Urban Continuum codes and use this lens to look more closely at common characteristics of rural counties across the US.
www.mckinsey.com/institute-fo...
August 12, 2025 at 2:16 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR Members: Discover practical solutions for managing short-term rentals (STRs) in small town & rural gateway communities from GNAR.

Log onto American Planning Association and d/l your Summer Small Town & Rural Planning news for all the details.
www.planning.org/divisions/sm...
#rural #zoning
August 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
A note from former STaR Sec-Treasurer Bob Barber:
What can running teach us about planning? For Robert L. Barber, FAICP, it offered lessons in health, mobility, and designing communities that move. Read more in #PlanMag plnn.org/4mkVwBw
August 8, 2025 at 2:16 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR Members: Cultural preservation is emerging as a vital tool for rural planning & economic development. Read your editor's take on putting history & culture to work, in the latest edition of the Small Town & Rural Planning newsletter.
www.planning.org/divisions/sm...
#SmallTownRural #Planning
August 6, 2025 at 2:37 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR Member Christian Neuschmidt, AICP, has published an edition of APA's Zoning Practice on "Avoiding Pitfalls in Zoning Engagement."

Log onto APA's website and d/l your Summer 2025 STaR news.
Here's a better link than in the Newsletter:
www.planning.org/publications...
August 5, 2025 at 2:57 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Nebraska's Big Rodeo is are a big event in Nebraska's Sandhills this week, but every week is a big event in Burwell, Nebraska, recognized with Marvin Planning Consultants with a Vernon Dienes Merit Award this year (small jurisdiction).
#SmallTownRural
July 24, 2025 at 1:27 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR Members: log into your APA web account and d/l the latest Small Town & Rural Planning news for Summer 2025, including Chair Mark Staples' update.
Not a STaR member? Join APA today! www.planning.org
#smalltownrural
July 22, 2025 at 1:37 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
STaR Members: Log onto your APA Planning account and download the Summer 2025 edition of Small Town & Rural Planning news.

www.planning.org/divisions/sm...
#smalltownrural #planning #zoning #rural
July 21, 2025 at 1:49 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Checkout these amazing projects that have won the Vernon Deines - Small Jurisdiction Merit Awards.
This award is given to an outstanding comprehensive plan or special project plan that addressed the development of a neighborhood, community, county, or region.

#SmallTownRural #planning #awards
July 12, 2025 at 2:45 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Checkout amazing winners of Vernon Deines - Large Jurisdiction Merit Awards, given to outstanding comprehensive plan or special project plan that addressed the development of a neighborhood, community, county, or region.
StaR members log on to d/l the STaR news.
www.planning.org/divisions/sm...
July 11, 2025 at 1:39 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Checkout this year's James A Segedy Merit Award winner.
StaR members watch for email updates about the STaR newsletter where you can read all about winning projects. And we'll have more on this project in the Fall newsletter, too. #rural
July 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
Checkout these amazing projects which have won APA STaR John Keller Planning Initiative Merit Awards.
Given to an outstanding initiative or program in public education, workshops, ordinances, or enforcement that promotes planning in small towns and rural areas.
StaR members watch for email updates.
July 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
With summer tourism season upon us, could you use a refresher on Short Term Rentals? As part of their Gateway Community program, Utah State Extension is presenting a short-course online on Understanding & Managing Short-Term Rentals.
#zoning

extension.usu.edu/gnar/gnar-ac...
June 10, 2025 at 1:55 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
How is your #SmallTownRural jurisdiction managing land use conflicts around wind & solar energy generation? #zoning

Webinar Friday 6/6 Noon CDT

www.ohioplanning.org/aws/APAOH/pt...
June 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
#NPC25 Online TODAY. 4/25 at 11am CDT
Tribal Community Development--Equitable Planning for Indigenous Land.
CM: 1 Equity
Moderator Tom Lampo is a STaR Member!
#STaRCurated #Arizona
April 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
#NPC25 online NOW. Check out today at 10am CDT, Reconnecting Communities: Inclusive Solutions to Overcome Transportation Barriers. Moderator Itzel Vasquez-Rodriguez with RCAC (Rural Community Assistance Corporation).
The Annual Membership Meeting of APA and AICP is online at 2pm CDT.
#STaRCurated
April 24, 2025 at 1:53 PM
apa-star.bsky.social
#NPC25 online--Empowering Colorado’s Rural Communities: Statewide Housing Technical Assistance
TODAY 4/23 @ 10:15am CDT
#CommunityBuilders
#STaRCurated #rural #housing #zoning
April 23, 2025 at 2:06 PM