The Nebraska Planner: January Edition

A joint publication of APA Nebraska and NPZA

Author

APA Nebraska
January 30, 2026

A new year is underway, and with it comes a fresh edition of the Nebraska Planner. As we kick off 2026, this issue features timely updates and opportunities to stay engaged, including a 2026 Legislative Update, a preview of our Conference Keynote Speakers, and highlights from the Hyde Lecture Mini Series. Be sure to check out this issue and stay connected with what’s happening across Nebraska’s planning community.

Announcements

Registration is Open for the 2026 Nebraska Planning Conference!

We hope you’ll join us in Kearney, March 4–6, for the Nebraska Planning Conference for three days of learning, connection, and inspiration with colleagues from across the state and beyond. With engaging keynote speakers, timely discussions, and opportunities to share ideas and experiences, this year’s conference promises to offer valuable takeaways for planners at every stage of their career.

Register today at: https://npza.org/conference/

Booked on Planning Latest Episode: Road to Nowhere

Cities rarely break all at once; more often they fray through policy choices that seem neutral, even benevolent. Our conversation with historian Emily Lieb traces how Baltimore’s “Road to Nowhere” never reached a ribbon cutting yet still carved deep wounds into Rosemont, a Black middle-class neighborhood. The damage began with a pencil stroke: a highway alignment shifted in the late 1950s to run through Rosemont just as school board actions accelerated racial transition.

To catch up on all our back episodes, search for "Book on Planning" wherever you listen to podcasts or head to www.bookedonplanning.com

Nebraska Planning Handbook Update

NPZA is excited to announce that the Nebraska Planning Handbook is currently being revised, and the new edition will be released in early 2026. In conjunction with the handbook, NPZA is preparing a Zoning Administrator Certification Program to enhance education and continuing education among zoning professionals in the State of Nebraska. More information will be coming soon!

Interested in Becoming a Sponsor of APA Nebraska?

Sponsorship offers a valuable opportunity to support the planning profession while increasing your organization’s visibility among planners, local officials, and community leaders across the state. APA Nebraska sponsors help make our conferences, workshops, and professional development opportunities possible. We invite firms, agencies, and partners to join us in strengthening planning in Nebraska—while building meaningful connections along the way.

From the Presidents

Happy New Year 2026! Hoping all of you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and took time celebrate and reflect on the previous year while looking forward to the new year filled with new ideas for the future. 

2025 has been a great year for the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association and as we all are aware, planning always comes with new challenges and new creative ideas to tackle any obstacle in front of us.  

The Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association (NPZA) and the Nebraska Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-NE) have scheduled the 2026 Nebraska Planning Conference for March 4-6 at the Younes Conference Center North, in Kearney, Nebraska. Keep an eye out for save the date emails and other information on the upcoming conference that will be available soon through the newsletter, email blitz or on the NPZA Website. We are looking forward to another great conference with a broad ranges of sessions with topics that are sure to appeal to everyone.

Hope to see most of you at the conference in March and wishing you all a great start to 2026!

For more information on the annual conference, or on NPZA itself, please check out the NPZA website or follow our activities on Facebook and Twitter as well.

-          Judy Clark, NPZA President

As of January 1, I began the honor of serving as President of APA NE. Thank you to our membership for this opportunity to serve and for your continued engagement in strengthening the planning profession across Nebraska. I am excited to build on the chapter’s momentum and work alongside our Board, committees, and members in the year ahead.

I also want to extend sincere thanks to our outgoing leaders, former President Stephanie Rouse and former Vice President Cale Brodersen, for their exceptional leadership over the past two years. Their efforts significantly strengthened the chapter and positioned Nebraska APA for long-term success. Together, they expanded the reach of the Booked on Planning podcast, reactivated the Legislative and Mentorship Committees, and successfully secured three grants from National APA.

These grants will support a new outreach program introducing students, from grade school through high school, to the planning profession; fund a part-time administrative position to assist with communications, conferences and workshops, awards and sponsorship management, and other key administrative needs; and help organize and streamline the chapter’s financial management systems. Their leadership has left the chapter stronger, more visible, and better equipped to serve our members.

Looking ahead, I am especially excited for the Nebraska Planning Conference, March 4–6 in Kearney, and for the outstanding keynote speakers who will help anchor this year’s program.

Our Wednesday keynote, The Art of Making It All Work, will be presented by TJ Dlubac and Josh Olhava—known collectively as the “Big Beautifully Bearded Planners.” TJ Dlubac is the Managing Partner and Founder of Community Planning Strategies, LLC, in Silverthorne, Colorado, and brings extensive experience as a former public-sector planner and executive. He is known for his collaborative approach, practical insights, and ability to connect planning policy to real-world implementation. Josh Olhava, Planning and Development Supervisor with Ayres Associates in Fort Collins, Colorado, and is well versed in land use planning policies, procedures and regulations, including their impact on the built environment. His experience spans both public and private sectors to include policy and plan development. Together, TJ and Josh will share lessons from real projects, using humor, storytelling, and interactive elements, to explore how planners bring clarity, coordination, and progress to complex and uncertain situations.

On Thursday, we will welcome Clint Runge, CEO and Founder of Archrival, for his keynote Navigating a New Generation Through Placemaking. Clint leads a nationally recognized youth culture agency that helps major brands better understand and connect with younger generations. His work focuses on the cultural forces shaping how young adults experience places, communities, and organizations. Drawing on insights featured in outlets such as Forbes, Inc., and Vogue Business, Clint will challenge attendees to think differently about trust, innovation, influence, and loyalty—and how those forces can inform more effective placemaking, community-building, and engagement strategies.

I look forward to the conversations, learning, and connections that await us in Kearney and throughout the coming year. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your President, and I encourage you to stay engaged and involved as we continue moving Nebraska APA forward together.

Bruce A. Fountain, AICP
President, APA NE

2026 Nebraska Legislative Session Update

Learn about what’s important for Nebraska planners that we are tracking, how the legislative process works, and how you can get involved.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/2026-ne-leg-update

Conference Keynote Speakers

Learn about the Keynote Speakers in Kearney, March 4–6, for the Nebraska Planning Conference. Join us for three days of learning, connection, and inspiration with colleagues from across the state and beyond.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/conference-keynote-speakers

Hyde Lecture Mini Series

The Hyde Lecture series, hosted by the College of Architecture in the spring and fall semesters, is a series of lectures that brings professional planners, architects, interior designers and landscape architects before students for an opportunity to engage with their work. In the Hyde Lecture Mini Series podcast, we get even closer, interviewing the speakers about their roles. This offshoot of the Booked on Planning podcast centers students with an interest in planning.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/hyde-lecture-mini-series

An Invitation to Mentor the Next Generation of Planners

We see mentorship as part of a broader effort to strengthen ties between the planning program and the communities it serves. The support of practitioners, alumni, and partners has been especially meaningful over the past semester and continues to shape and inspire the direction of the program.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/an-invitation-to-mentor-the-next-generation-of-planners

Elmwood Partners with UNL Students to Shape Future Economic Growth

Eleven students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Community and Regional Planning program spent the fall semester transforming classroom concepts into real-world impact by creating an economic development plan for the people of Elmwood. The collaborative initiative aims to chart a community-driven roadmap for economic growth while preserving Elmwood’s unique character.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/elmwood-partners-with-unl-students-to-shape-future-economic-growth

Carnegie Libraries

Over a century ago, access to books was a privilege, rather than a right shared by the public. Yet one man’s philanthropic vision changed the landscape of public learning throughout the United States. That man was Andrew Carnegie, a self-made industrialist millionaire with a dream.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/carnegie-libraries

Spiritual Wellness and the Built Environment

What if city design could prevent harm before it happens—and even lift our sense of purpose? We sat down with architect and planner Phillip Tabb to explore spiritual wellness as a practical, universal lens for shaping healthier streets, homes, and public spaces.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/spiritual-wellness-and-the-built-environment

We are always looking for content, so if you are interested in submitting an article for the next newsletter please email [email protected]

The Nebraska Planner Editorial Team

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