A Message From the Chapter President - Spring 2019
Takeaways from the 2019 National Planning Conference
A milestone coming out of the 2019 National Planning Conference is APA’s adoption of its Social Equity Policy guide. In Hawaii, we sometimes take social equity for granted due to our diverse population and acceptance of different cultures. Even planners in a diverse state such as ours, though, may find reading through the policy guide worthwhile. Many times, we use the terms “equity”, “diversity”, and “inclusion” interchangeably. Carlton Eley, one of the guide’s authors, reminds us that these are three distinct terms with distinct benchmarks. Diversity is reflective of representation, so a diverse audience would be one that is reflective of the general community. Inclusion can be equated to empowerment, so the purpose of public forums should be to engage the community early in the planning process and receive input that will be given serious consideration during the decision-making process. Finally, equity is synonymous with parity across groups comprising a community, and cannot be attained without a process that incorporates diversity and inclusion. The policy guide should be available on APA’s website shortly and we will let you know when it is available.
Speaking of equity and diversity, Ulalia Woodside, Kawika McKeague, and Antoinette Freitas presented a thoughtful session about indigenous planning in an urban context at the conference. They will be presenting a local variation of their session at one of our monthly lunch programs and HCPO so be sure to check it out.
Finally, congratulations to Kauai County and their consultant SSFM International for receiving the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan for preparation of the Kauai County General Plan. The Burnham Award recognizes a comprehensive plan that advances the science and art of planning. Also, thanks to SSFM International for co-sponsoring the chapter’s pau hana at the conference which was enjoyed by more than 40 attendees from Hawaii.