13 Oct 2025 Georgia Planning Association Recap
Transformation and Connection: Athens hosts the 2025 Georgia Planning Association (GPA) Conference
Last week Jonathan Gelber (VP), Tate Wilson (Director), and Gabby Oliverio (Sr. Consultant) joined planners from across Georgia in Athens for the annual fall Georgia Planning Association (GPA) Conference.
This three-day event brought planning professionals together to learn from each other and discuss some of the most pressing topics in our profession to-date. As recently shared by GPA President, Kristen Wescott, AICP, we are currently witnessing an ever evolving policy landscape and facing questions about true connection.
While policy changes have always been a constant in our world and in the planning profession, some political shifts have been swifter than in recent years past. This has made it ever more important to keep our thumbs on the pulse of these shifts and where they may be going. As planners, we will have to adapt more quickly than we maybe have before and be willing to work and think creatively on how the needs of our communities can be met. Planning has and will continue to be an iterative process and as such this current policy environment will just be another step in that process as the profession and work continually transforms.
This transformation is also inclusive of connection, both amongst planning professionals and the connection within the communities we serve. As professionals, how are we connecting and supporting each other? Are we leading by example in our communities? The social cohesion we perhaps may have taken for granted is not always guaranteed. It requires constant conversations that are true dialogue – where the ultimate goal is common ground and the betterment of all.
As planners our role is to work to help bridge these gaps.
Fall Conference Recap
These two broad trends were represented throughout last week’s conference. The breakout sessions were tied to four main themes:
- Planning Practice Today – with topics ranging from leveraging historic parks for diverse ecosystems, how to better integrate community in public engagement, and how we can transform land use and infrastructure planning.
- Crucial Infrastructure – with topics including best practices in freight and comprehensive transportation planning, social impact of public art, and how to leverage partnerships.
- Inclusive Communities – with topics ranging from transformative ways to revitalize city cores, the ARC’s Green Communities Program, design guidelines, and reflections from prior GPA presidents.
- Resiliency in Action – with topics including developing policy around artificial intelligence (AI), climate actions plans across the State, and resources for addressing changing landscapes.
Both Jonathan and Tate co-hosted invigorating sessions at this year’s conference! On Day 1, Tate helped lead a session with Allison Stewart-Harris from TSW and Christy Dodson from Code Studio about our current use of the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and what planning in Georgia could look if we used alternative practices.
On Day 2, Jonathan helped lead a session with Austin Shelton with the City of Doraville and Lance Morsell with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) about the long journey Doraville has taken to bring its vision of a revitalized city center to life and what best practices can be applied to other communities.
These and other sessions were also complimented by several mobile session opportunities to experience the rich history of Athens, learn about current regional and transit initiatives Athens is part of, and multiple creative documentation sessions to spend time witnessing the culture and day-to-day of the City.
A final KB highlight was the formal announcement that Tate will be joining the GPA Board as the new District 3 GPA Representative! We are very proud of her accomplishment!
