New Jersey Future and the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association host the 2023 Planning and Redevelopment Conference in a hybrid format from Wednesday through Friday, June 21 through 23. The first two days of the conference take place virtually from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., while the final day is in person at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The three-day program includes 36 sessions focused on all aspects of redevelopment and planning in New Jersey.
In the most intensively developed state in the nation, redevelopment is increasingly becoming the default method for accommodating New Jersey’s growth, and brings economic benefit to its already-built places while helping to preserve its precious open-space resources. The conference brings together hundreds of New Jersey professionals, elected officials, and community activists who share a passion and commitment to the Garden State.
The sessions are divided into categories such as planning and zoning, partnerships, healthy communities, equity and inclusion, resilience and sustainability, investment and infrastructure, and more. The roster of speakers includes many with connections to the greater Princeton area.
At 9 a.m. on June 21, Donnetta Johnson, executive director of the Stoutsburg-Sourland African American Museum, and Cliff Wilson of the Sourland Conservancy are part of “Partnership in Action! Implementing the Somerset County Preservation Plan; Protecting Open Space and Historic Resources.” Mia Sacks, president of the Princeton Council, participates in “Liability or Asset: Redeveloping Obsolete Sites,” scheduled for June 21 at 10:15 a.m.
Jacque Pierre Howard, founder of Trenton 365 and executive director of Black Cannabis, speaks as part of a panel titled “The Cannamess — and How to Sort Through It” on June 22 at 10:15 a.m.
Michael Kolber, senior planner for the City of Trenton, Chris Sturm, NJ Future’s policy director for land use, and others participate in an in-person panel, “Launching the Next State Plan,” on June 23 at 10:45 a.m.
Susan Bristol, a municipal policy specialist for the Watershed Institute in Pennington is a panelist for “Upstream/Downstream: Redevelopment or Retreat? Flood Protection Rules, Planning, and Mitigation,” also June 23 at 10:45 a.m.
James Thompson, campaigns director for the Hamilton-based NJ League of Conservation Voters, speaks on the panel “A Watershed Moment: Planning and Funding Stormwater Improvement Projects” on June 23 at 2:30 p.m.
Other featured sessions include “Inflation, Interest Rates, and Indicators of NJ’s Post-Pandemic Real Estate Economy” on June 21 at 11:30 a.m., “Delivering Walk-Bike-Ride Transportation in New Jersey” on June 22 at 11:30 a.m., and “The State of Planning and Redevelopment in New Jersey” on June 23 at 9 a.m.
For a full schedule of sessions and complete roster of speakers, or to register for the conference, visit pheedloop.com/njprc23/site.
