Different parts of the country face unique planning challenges not experienced elsewhere. In the American West, there are several such planning challenges:

• Providing affordable housing for resident workers in resort communities with predominantly upscale housing;
• Accommodating transportation needs of residents of island communities with limited opportunities for employment and shopping;
• Allocating water supplies. (Water is a BIG issue in the American West, with interstate compacts determining how much water each state can use, as well as competing demands of agricultural and urban usage);
• Balancing good land stewardship with property rights and creating economic opportunities for residents; and
• Accommodating growth in resort communities with geographic limitations for outward expansion.

Each one of those challenges would make a great topic for a mobile workshop especially within the 2012 National Conference's Los Angeles venue. To have all of those topics covered in one mobile workshop is a good use of your agency's training dollars.

"Santa Catalina Island: A Microcosm of Small Town Planning Issues in the West", on Tuesday, April 17, does all of that and more! For much less than the cost of several mobile workshops, you will experience firsthand how Santa Catalina Island and the City of Avalon have addressed these issues. Your learning experience will be enhanced, as well, by the breath-taking beauty of the Island community.

Avalon, California — on Santa Catalina Island

Catalina Casino

In addition to actually seeing how Santa Catalina Island addresses each of the five challenges listed above, you'll also be intrigued to learn more about:

• Why there is freshwater and saltwater service to each structure on City sewer and water;
• Why there is a 17-year wait to keep a car on the island; and
• Why the Casino is not for gambling, and what it is used for.

Your mobile workshop hosts will be Siri Eggebraten, Associate Planner for the City of Big Bear Lake, California; Anne Krieg, STaR Vice-Chair of Programs; and Dale Powers, STaR Immediate Past Chair. En route to the island, Siri will give an overview of California planning law, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the role of the California Coastal Commission in land use decisions. After landing at Avalon, attendees will be welcomed by Amanda Cook, Planning Director for the City of Avalon. The group will be taking trolley cars up to Wrigley Memorial Gardens. During the trolley ride, Amanda will share with the group the historical context of Santa Catalina Island and how that context has influenced land use planning. At the Memorial Gardens, Mel Dinkel of the Catalina Island Conservancy which controls over 80% of the land area of the island will describe the Conservancy's role as steward of the undeveloped land and the role of eco-tourism in business development.

Lunch will be served at the beautiful Catalina Island Country Club. During lunch, a representative of Hamilton Pacific LLC will share with attendees the challenges of constructing affordable housing on the island, where the scarcity of available buildable land drives up housing costs; Audra McDonald of the City of Avalon will discuss transportation grants that help offset the high costs of travel to the mainland; Wayne Griffin of the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce will talk about the impact of tourism on the local economy; a representative of Southern California Edison will share with the group how saltwater is converted to freshwater; and, a representative of Environ Strategy will explain why saltwater is run into structures on the island.

Catalina Island Country Club

Triana of Avalon — affordable housing

Of course, it wouldn't be a STaR mobile workshop without some interesting wrinkle. After the formal presentations, attendees will have 90 minutes to join in a special investigative exploration of Avalon (on foot or by golf cart) based on what was presented at the workshop; visit the Casino with its unique architecture and history; visit the various tourist attractions of the area; or simply walk around and enjoy the beauty and unique architectural styles of the City of Avalon.

Unique architectural styling

Avalon business district

Finally, on the return trip there will be a trivia contest based on a combination of learning experiences, and just plain fun! Prizes will be awarded and all attendees are guaranteed to win a memento of their experience on the island.

The all-day workshop leaves at 7:00am from the Convention Center and returns to the same place at 7:30pm. There will be a fair amount of walking on this workshop, so bring good walking shoes!

While this mobile workshop is more expensive than others, the awarding of 8.0 AICP CM credits makes the experience well worth the expense. It's like participating in 5 different workshops without paying for 5 different workshops.

If you have any questions about the mobile workshop, contact me at (320) 493-8930 or dalepowers@ziaplanning.com. I look forward to seeing you in April!