Better Planners Podcast

Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association
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Brought to you by the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association (OAPA), Better Planners is a podcast that delves into in-depth conversations around relevant and timely stories that surround the urban planning realm including the ground-level work of planners, community development advocates, and allied professions. With an emphasis on amplifying the voices and stories of marginalized communities. The episodes will be a resource and guide to provide insights into planning related topics people face on a daily basis that may be inspiring, challenging, questioning, and/or innovative. This podcast is intended for urban, regional, and rural community planners. Or you could be a community advocate, student, newcomer, or seasoned professional, this podcast series will have something for everyone! So join us as we all become better planners! Instagram: @betterplanners 

  1. MAR 17

    Sounds of Cities Part 2 - Influence and Inspiration

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    46 min

  2. JAN 22

    Sound of Cities Part 1 - Noise Pollution

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    40 min

  3. 12/11/2025

    Community Led Grocery Store in Tulsa - How Planners Got Involved

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    53 min

  4. 04/22/2025

    Stories and Advice from Planners Across Oregon

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    52 min

  5. 02/11/2025

    Orchestrating the Vibes - Planning like an Artist

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    43 min

  6. 01/14/2025

    Hands-On Play as Community Engagement

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    49 min

  7. 10/01/2024 ·  BONUS

    Pocket Park Ep: Pacific Northwest High Speed Rail

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    26 min

  8. 08/06/2024 ·  BONUS

    Pocket Park Ep: Offshore Wind Energy in Oregon?

    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 betterplannerspodcast@gmail.com 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

    27 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Brought to you by the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association (OAPA), Better Planners is a podcast that delves into in-depth conversations around relevant and timely stories that surround the urban planning realm including the ground-level work of planners, community development advocates, and allied professions. With an emphasis on amplifying the voices and stories of marginalized communities. The episodes will be a resource and guide to provide insights into planning related topics people face on a daily basis that may be inspiring, challenging, questioning, and/or innovative. This podcast is intended for urban, regional, and rural community planners. Or you could be a community advocate, student, newcomer, or seasoned professional, this podcast series will have something for everyone! So join us as we all become better planners! Instagram: @betterplanners 

Information

  • Creator
    Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Better Planners Podcast
  • Show Website
    Better Planners Podcast

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