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This episode was a great one with Chuck Sams, an enrolled member of the  Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Cayuse tribes, as well as the 19th director of the United States National Park Service from 2021 to 2025. He now serves as one of two of Oregon's members of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the director of Indigenous programs at the Yale Center for Environmental Justice, and senior fellow at the University of Oregon Law School. Chuck has extensive experience in environmental stewardship and has spent nearly over 30 years doing salmon and watershed restoration work all across the Pacific Northwest and across the country on larger scale watershed restoration. We talk with him about tribal planning, lessons we can learn from indigenous nations, relationship building between tribes and government entities, and the current hot topic: data centers.  Articles and resources mentioned in the episode: Oregon, Umatilla tribes aim to co-manage proposed wildlife area in Union CountyA small Central Oregon town shoots down data center developmentOffshore wind looked like a sure thing for Oregon — until it wasn’t. What went wrong?Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome to another episodes of the Better Planners Podcast brought to you by the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association. This episode is a conversation between a few of the podcast team members who are professional planners in Oregon. They talk about how things have changed since the beginning of 2025 for planners and the profession. The conversation includes topics on government distrust and community engagement, as well as, what self care for planners may look like and takeaways for working as a planner in today's environment.  The podcast team would love to hear from the listeners on topics discussed in today's episode. Write an email at [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast.  APA article mentioned in the episode:  "Planning Right Now is Daunting and Emotionally Exhausting": https://www.planning.org/planning/2026/feb/planning-right-now-is-daunting-and-emotionally-exhausting/ Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome to part 2 of our two-part series on sounds of cities. In this episode we focus on how the sounds of cities have influenced and inspired art and culture, including some of the most famous musicians of this generation. We get into Billie Eilish, Adele, Aminé, Dr. Dre, Kendrik Lamar, and more! Find a playlist below that will add to the listening of this episode. Feel free to listen before, after, or during the episode. Playlist: Bad Guy - Billie Eilish (song)Rumour Has It - Adele (song)Hong Kong musician (video)Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - Kendrik Lamar (album)Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar & 50 Cent FULL Pepsi SB LVI Halftime Show (video)Woodlawn - Aminé (music video)Symphony in D: A Symphony for Detroit, by Detroit (video)Metro Manners PSA: Super Kind - Eating イーティング (video)Additional Resources: Finneas Reveals Everyday Sounds Hidden in "Bury a Friend" and "Bad Guy"Why does music bring back memories, what the science saysWant to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome to another episode from the Better Planners Podcast brought to you by the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association. This episode is part 1 of a 2-part series on sounds of cities, both the good and the bad. In this episode we focus on the negative impacts of sounds on cities, especially around noise pollution. What is the definition of noise pollution, who is responsible for creating regulation, and why are certain sounds regulated and others not? We'll also discuss the health impacts sound has on humans and then what inventive ways are cities dealing with noise pollution. Where can planners play a role and what tools already exist out there?  Research: Noise Control Act of 1972Noise pollution: more attention is neededConducting a Case Study: Brooklyn Bridge ParkIntegrating soundscape in urban design, planning and landscapeWant to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Today's episode is a great one! We interviewed Gary Hamer, the current Director for Strategic Planning at Partner Tulsa, but his previous role with the City of Tulsa led to the implementation of a locally owned, full service grocery store in an underserved area of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In this episode we cover how Gary, as a planner, was able to use federal funds to assist in building a community led grocery store, lessons learned and the importance of community engagement and community leaders, as well as the impact of local businesses to the economics and livability of a city or neighborhood.   Learn more about the Oasis Grocery store: Planning Magazine: Partnerships and Federal Funding Build an Oasis in a Food Desert He Opened the First Black-owned Grocery Store in Tulsa in 50 Years (video)Oasis Fresh Market Opens in North Tulsa (video)Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome to another episode of the Better Planners Podcast! This time Mary is joined by four other planners who also happen to be our podcast volunteers! They bring stories and advice from all across Oregon with various backgrounds and expertise. In particular, we focus on the good, bad, ugly, and funny parts of working in urban and rural planning. We also provide some good advice for new planners or folks in planning grad school or people who are looking into planning as a career. We hope this episode brings fun, relevant, and informative stories to new and old planners alike.  Article mentioned by Alexa as part of her funny story: https://vtdigger.org/2019/06/23/westfords-middle-finger-there-to-stay/  Enjoy!  Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

In this episode, Mary and Shelley interview planner and artist: Miguel Vazquez! He is a FAICP planner who likes to mix the worlds of art and planning together. We discuss how to think like an artist to become a better planner and why that is important. We also discuss various projects he's been involved in where art was used to assist in planning activities. Miguel is also heavily involved in the Latinos in Planning Division of the American Planning Association (APA) and the California Chapter of the APA. In the episode, Miguel discusses an activity around dancing and movement as part of that year's annual conference for California APA. You can watch the outcome of that here: https://youtu.be/IogrB6cyGfc?si=yW0p-thoMY25PVPR Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

The Better Planners Podcast is back for 2025! In this episode, Shelley and Mary interview James Rojas and John Kamp to talk about their new book, Dream Play Build: Hands On Community Engagement for Enduring Places and Spaces. They talk extensively on their process with using hands-on community engagement methods to create an equal playing field for everyone to get involved in community planning work. Find their book at Island Press. Find James Rojas at PlaceIt.org. Find John Kamp at Prairieform.com.  Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome to another installment of a pocket park episode! In this one, Mary and Shelley discuss all things high speed rail, including the new federal funding to study a potential high speed rail line in the Pacific Northwest. What are the exciting opportunities, but also what are the pitfalls? Is it worth it to be able to go from Portland to Seattle in 1 hour, but it'll take years to fund? What about the existing Amtrak line? We talk all about it in this episode. What is a pocket park episode? It's a shorter episode on highly relevant, planning related topics that are happening in the public realm in real time. Episode Resources: WSDOT Ultra High Speed Rail Study https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-studies/ultra-high-speed-rail-studyPresident Biden Announces $8.2 Billion in New Grants for High-Speed Rail and Pipeline of Projects Nationwide https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/president-biden-announces-82-billion-new-grants-high-speed-rail-and-pipeline-projectsFY22 Corridor Identification and Development Program Selections https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/fy22-CID-program-selectionsHigh-speed rail projects get a $6B infusion of federal infrastructure money https://www.opb.org/article/2023/12/08/high-speed-rail-projects-get-a-6-billion-infusion-of-federal-infrastructure-money/Lawmakers introduce bill that would require ultra-high-speed rail project to extend to Eugene https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/25/cascadia-bullet-train-pacific-northwest-transportation-portland-seattle-eugene-politics/Rail Advocates Still Pushing For Northwest Bullet Train Despite Anti-tax Mood https://www.opb.org/news/article/bullet-train-portland-seattle-vancouver-car-tab/Cascadia bullet train stuck at the station as feds dole out big bucks for rail https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2023/12/08/cascadia-bullet-train-stuck-at-the-station-as-feds-dole-out-big-bucks-for-rail/.What I learned from taking a train across the US (VOX) [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=von_IMi97-wWant to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Shelley and Mary have a second pocket park episode for you all! This one is a shorter episode on a very interesting topic: Offshore Wind Energy. Is there going to be one along the Oregon coast? We talk about how this federal project got to this point, where it is today, and the controversies surrounding the project. Will there be environmental issues, public engagement concerns, tribal nations engagement, and more.  What is a pocket park episode? It's a shorter episode on highly relevant, planning related topics that are happening in the public realm in real time.  Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

We have a longer episode for you all this time, but it's a good one! In this episode we discuss the state of housing: how did we get here, what does the future hold, and we interview a few interesting projects happening in Oregon as they try find innovative ways to provide housing in their communities.  Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Shelley, Mary, and special guest Kristy Kilbourne, are back with a great episode discussing various issues that come up in the Planning Department or Planning Office and those workplace dynamics at play.  This episode actually came from a listener's voicemail who was seeking advice on issues in their own workplace. We discuss topics around poor leadership, the slow movement of government or bureaucracy, finding resources, and burnout.  To learn more about Kristy and her work, go to yourplanningcareer.com or her instagram at @passionateplanning.  Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Shelley and Mary are back for another fascinating discussion around urban planning and neurodiversity. In this episode they interview Dr. Gala Korniyenko, who received her PhD at The Ohio State University. Her research explores the nexus of urban design, neuroscience, and the planning process. More specifically, she focuses on urban planning and autism.  Sources: "Autism Planning and Design Guidelines 1.0", APA PAS Memo: https://www.planning.org/publications/document/9153208/"When Every Day is Sensory Overload", Planning Magazine: https://www.planning.org/planning/2018/oct/sensoryoverload/"Learn, Play, Thrive—Design Guidelines and Toolkit of Therapeutic Gardens for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder", 2020 ASLA Student Awards: https://www.asla.org/2020studentawards/1647.html"ASPECTT* The Design Index", Architecture for Autism: https://www.autism.archi"When We Design for Autism, We Design for Everyone", Metropolis: https://metropolismag.com/viewpoints/when-we-design-for-autism-we-design-for-everyone/ "Neurodiversity in Planning - Autism Friendly Environments", Royal Town Planning Institute (webinar): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO3X1P4zYmc"Hiring Neurodiverse People to Enhance Planning Teams", APA Planning Blog: https://www.planning.org/blog/9226561/hiring-neurodiverse-people-to-enhance-planning-teams/Air Travel and Autism: https://thearc.org/our-initiatives/travel/"Weston Recognized as an Autism Friendly Community", Western, Florida: https://www.westonfl.org/Home/Components/News/News/1003/18?arch=1&npage=2Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome to the first Pocket Park Episode! These episodes are shorter and focus on current events, stories, studies, etc, that are happening right now in the world.  In this episode, Shelley and Mary, focus on a case in Brookings, Oregon that revolves around the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). Will it have lasting impacts on religious institutions and land use across the United States? How can planners avoid situations where they get in hot water around the RLUIPA? What would constitute a time when the RLUIPA would be relevant? We get into it all!  Sources from the episode: "Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Oregon Church That Feeds People Who are Homeless or Hungry", US Dept. of Justice, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-statement-interest-religious-land-use-case-involving-oregon-church"The Quiet Religious-Freedom Fight that is Remaking America" The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/11/rluipa/543504/"Update on the Justice Department's Enforcement of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act: 2010-2016", US Dept. of Justice, https://www.justice.gov/d9/07-22-16_rluipa_report.pdf"RLUIPA Compliance Tips" APA Planning Magazine, https://www.planning.org/login/?next=/planning/2018/jan/legallessons/"What Constitutes a 'Substantial Burden' under RLUIPA?" Zoning Practice, https://www.planning.org/publications/document/9006935/Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners

Welcome back to Better Planners podcast in 2024! We're starting the year off with a big one on state housing policy in Oregon, what to expect for the 2024 legislative session, and how planners and other allied professions can participate in the public process at the state level. We talk a lot about variances, urban growth boundaries, infrastructure funding, and much more! While this episode does focus a lot on Oregon and our state policies, we hope this inspires you to become more engaged in your state legislative sessions and policies. Thanks for listening! Want to be a part of the podcast? Send in an email or voice message!  The team behind the upcoming Better Planners podcast wants to hear from you about the real life issues you handle as a planner. What are the honest, gritty, wicked problems you find yourself managing? To share your experiences, email [email protected] or leave a voice message by clicking: https://www.speakpipe.com/BetterPlannersPodcast Your message might end up in one of the upcoming podcast episodes. You can be as anonymous or as identifiable as you want. Where to find us: Website: https://oregon.planning.org/community/betterplannerspodcast/ Instagram: @betterplanners