Blueprint Learning Network

Futures Connected: California and Its Regions

September 25 - 26, 2007

Radisson Hotel, Fresno - Sequoia Ballroom

Hosted by: Fresno Council of County Governments California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)

Day 2: Wednesday, September 26^th

8:30 a.m. Welcoming and Opening Remarks

•    Jeff Loux, Director, Land Use and Natural Resource Program, UC Davis

•    Will Kempton, Director, Caltrans

•    Cynthia Bryant, Director, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)

   9:00 a.m. Integrating Water Planning with Long Range Sustainability

•    Aidan Hughes, Principal, ARUP

•    Kathy Wood, CSU Fresno Water Institute (invited)

•    Moderator: Jeff Loux, Director, Land Use and Natural Resource Program, UC Davis

•    Chris Acree, Executive Director, Save the San Joaquin River

•    Questions & Answers

Hear about international efforts to promote water conservation as part of holistic strategies towards sustainability, as well as specific efforts at the regional and local scale. This interactive panel will also address the intersection between long range planning and water systems at the local level.

10:30 a.m. BREAK

   10:45 a.m. Peer-to-Peer Exchange

The main business of the BLN Workshops -- in addition to the presentation of excellent research and discussions on the best approaches to Regional Blueprint Planning -- is interaction with other practitioners. Through a series of self-selected break-out sessions, participants will explore the relationship between blueprint planning and water, agriculture, social equity, health, and housing. Come prepared to ask questions and help solve key issues facing other practitioners.

12:00 p.m. LUNCH: Greenhouse Gas Reduction and the Business Climate

• Rick Maya, Sacramento Market Director, Bank of America

• Seyed Sadredin, Director, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District

• Jeff Roberts, Vice President, Granville Homes

Pundits from both sides of the political spectrum agree that Climate Change is the greatest challenge of our era. The luncheon panel will discuss the strategies for achieving lasting climate change through partnership between regional government agencies (i.e. Air Quality Management Districts) and leading businesses with a stake in lasting prosperity in the region.

   1:15 p.m. State of the Art Modeling and Integrated Planning for Jobs/Housing Balance

•    Moderator: Linda Wheaton, Deputy Director, Housing and Community Development Agency

•    Mike McKeever, Executive Director, Sacramento Area Council of Governments

New transportation strategies are forcing planners to ask critical questions about the future of our communities: Will multi-modal transportation systems replace single occupancy trips? Will agriculture workers represent a burden on aging infrastructure or an opportunity to forge stronger partnerships with employers? We focus here on innovations in transportation planning and how Regional Blueprint Planners can identify advantages and drawbacks.

   2:00 p.m. Media, Engagement and Blueprint Planning

•    Moderator: Terry Amsler, Collaborative Governance Initiative Director, Institute for Local Government

•    Russ Minick, Deputy Editorial Page Editor, Fresno Bee

•    Sandy Close, Director, New American Media

•    Juan Esparza Loera, Editor, Vida en el Valle

•    Questions & Answers

Media is more than a tool to get the word out about upcoming events and community forums. Media represents a strategic partner in connecting with key constituencies and crafting community-specific messages. This panel, moderated by the Institute for Local Government, the nonprofit affiliate of the League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties, will hear from experts in the field of public engagement.

   3:00 p.m. Beyond Business as Usual: Innovative Technologies for the State

•    Moderator: Pete Weber, Civic Leader

•    Ed Thompson, Executive Director, American Farmland Trust

•    Keith Bergthold, Affordable Housing Committee Chair, City of Fresno

•    Mehdi Morshed, Director, High Speed Rail Authority

•    Ron Silva, CEO, Westar Transportation

•    Questions & Answers

What bold initiatives can be pursued now and in the future to reduce vehicle trips and environmental impacts? What should we be doing now to deal with legal issues related to “rights of way?” This high powered panel, moderated by Fresno civic champion Pete Weber, will explore innovations and entrepreneurs working on the future today.

4:15 p.m. Wrap-Up and Action Items for Upcoming BLN

• Jeff Loux, Director, Land Use and Natural Resource Program, UC Davis