Greetings PAW Members,

Across the state the periodic update is rolling along with the first due date approaching December 31, 2024 in the Puget Sound area. I know the work load for each of us becomes more intense during the periodic update, I hope you’re finding small ways to ease the stress and take care of yourself. I have enjoyed morning iced coffees at home and after work walks listening to planning and true crime podcasts.

Maybe take a moment and check in with a planning peer and offer some support, if you have the capacity.

The PAW Board is busy planning a variety of educational events for our members. I would like to encourage you to contact us if you would like to present at one of our upcoming Land Use Boot Camps. Details are provided below.

1.      Open Space Planning: Hosted at the Port Gamble S’klallam Tribe on the first or second Friday of November. Presentations at this training will include Floodplains by Design, habitat corridors and connectivity programs, and parks planning. If you have a local program, state program, or other planning effort you would like to share please contact me at mary.reinbold@commerce.wa.gov.

2.      Renewable Energy Siting: Hosted in Ellensburg in early November. Presentations at this training will include information on sited wind and solar panel sites, battery storage, and other information on the land use impacts of these uses. If you have a local program, state program, or other planning effort you would like to share please contact Matt Covert at MCovert@facetnw.com.

The board will be convening for our annual strategic planning retreat in October and I look forward to providing you an update shortly after.

Sincerely,

Mary M. Reinbold

AICP

Hi Everyone,

The last time we met we learned a little about the misconceptions of a building being placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In almost all cases, a prerequisite for preservation financial incentives includes listing on a historic register. One of the most common preservation financial incentives is the Federal Historic Tax Credit. This 20% Federal income tax credit can be used on income-producing buildings listed on the NRHP undergoing substantial rehabilitation. Federal Historic Tax Credits are commonly stacked with other financial incentives and are often used towards reuse of historic buildings for housing. The conversion of the Ridpath Hotel in Spokane to both market rate and affordable housing units is one such example. For more information, follow the link below:

https://dahp.wa.gov/grants-and-funding/federal-historic-tax-credit

Whatever your planning interest, the 2024 Western Planner Conference has sessions for everyone! From innovative sessions like "Exploring Affordable Housing on Public Lands", complicated issues like "Planning for Utility Scale Solar", exploring "Can a Plan Bring Healing to a Tourism Town?", practical information on "Mastering RFPs / RFQs", and many other sessions on housing, brownfields, public engagement, comprehensive planning and so much more. Add to these our focused applied workshops on Housing Solutions, GIS, and Planning Commissioner Training and you'll have plenty to bring home for your community. Check out the schedule here. 

Gonzaga University is now taking registrations for the Certificate in Climate Action Planning (CAP). CAP is a fully online program designed to help you develop knowledge and best practices to create and implement climate action plans in response to HB 1181.

Through weekly Zoom classes, practical assignments, and knowledgeable guest presenters, you’ll gain tools to mobilize community members in reaching emission-reduction and climate resiliency goals. You’ll also understand key principles of greenhouse gas accounting, learn how to conduct climate impact and vulnerability assessments, and create a plan for your community.



This course is approved for 70 APA/AICP CM credits. Class starts August 27 and enrollments are limited. Save 10% with the discount code SAVE10. To learn more, visit www.gonzaga.edu/climatecert. For questions, email CLL@gonzaga.edu or call 509-313-3579.

PAW's website has an Employment Board! There is a fee for job postings: $50 for members and $100 for non-members. Please submit your job posting and payment by clicking HERE for posting. The employment board is updated every week. For additional information, please email info@planningpaw.org.

ANNUAL SUPPORTING SPONSOR