WP | WS 2025 Conference - Call for Proposals

The Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute invites you to submit a proposal to present at our 34th Annual Western Places | Western Spaces Conference on March 6-7, 2025 at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law.   

The West is aging -- our population, our physical infrastructure, and our intellectual infrastructure. At our 2025 conference, we'll dive in to how best address the issue, adapt for the future, and plan for our communities to age well. Learn more about the conference and submit your proposal below:

Topic Tracks

• Housing

  In some communities, the housing stock is aging; in others, the housing stock is not designed to serve the needs of the future. Across the board, housing is unaffordable for too many.  Seniors, in particular, are affected:  of those who are housed, 1/3 are considered cost burdened by housing. And our existing housing supply is not designed to accommodate older inhabitants. What policies do we need to make a dent in this housing crisis? How can we remove restrictive zoning, streamline permitting processes, establish design standards, or offer incentives for development of more flexible, accessible, and affordable housing? How can we develop successful intergenerational housing? How can we create and sustain local investments and maximize federal funding?  

• Energy

  Our aging, fragmented energy infrastructure is inadequate to meet future demand and technology. Lack of transmission capacity is delaying our transition to healthier, cleaner renewable energy. Current zoning laws, ordinances, and local opposition limit siting of wind and solar. How can we ensure local and state laws support the development of renewable projects and the promotion of electrification? How can we establish setback, noise, and height regulations that balance community concerns and support the responsible development of renewable energy? How can we build community resilience using microgrids and distributed energy technologies?  

• Water

  The legal system and infrastructure supporting the development of water resources in the West were established many decades ago and are inadequate to ensure equitable, sustainable supplies in the face of a changing climate. As the West gets hotter and dryer, water demand is increasing, while supplies are decreasing. How do we equitably balance the demands for water? How do we better manage stormwater, groundwater, and surface water supplies? What policy approaches, new infrastructure, and other investments are needed to ensure a sustainable water supply?

• Transportation & Mobility

  How can we improve public transportation, bike/pedestrian infrastructure, and mobility options to ensure access to housing, healthcare, and other resources? And how do we ensure that under-resourced and/or rural communities have adequate infrastructure investments?

• Small Towns & Rural Communities

  Small towns and rural communities are especially affected by aging populations and aging infrastructure. What challenges most affect these communities, and what strategies, tools, and investments can help them thrive? 

• Land Conservation & Open Space

  Access to quality parks, open space, and healthy food are critical for our communities to age well. How can we equitably and strategically invest in parks, green infrastructure, and ecosystem services to mitigate climate impacts and promote healthy communities? How can we better protect rural ag land, open space, and wildlife habitat in the face of growth? How can we promote urban agriculture? 

• Climate & Disaster Resilience

  Facing a future of wildfires, flooding, and drought, how can we prepare for a hotter, drier future and help our communities develop better policy tools to protect against future disasters? What strategies can help us avoid building in harms’ way or retreat to safer ground?

• Legislative Developments & Legal Issues

  What intellectual or regulatory infrastructure is holding us back or hindering our ability to meet the needs of the future? What are the most important legal issues impacting land use and real estate development this year? What legislative efforts will allow for, or stifle, innovation and progress? What issues should we be monitoring?  How should our regulatory systems and approaches be updated to better support our goals and objectives?

• Tools & Technologies

  What new tools and emerging technologies, like AI, can help us plan better communities, make more strategic and data-driven decisions, or improve professional practice?

• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

  The last few years have shed a spotlight on the embedded inequities in urban planning and land use. How do we ensure that everyone has a voice in the decisions that impact their communities?

• Professional Responsibility & Ethics

  Designed to provide continuing educations credits in ethics and professional responsibility for professional planners and attorneys.