J-U-B at the 2025 Western Planner Conference
November 21, 2025

In October, three members of our Planning team – Alison Tompkins, Angela Singleton, and Brian Carver, attended this year’s Western Planner Conference in Bend, Oregon, where planners from across the West gathered to share ideas, strategies, and tools for building resilient, equitable communities.

Conference Highlights

They attended a diverse lineup of sessions touching on some of the most timely issues in planning today. A few notable takeaways included:

Strengthening Collaboration with Tribal & Indigenous Communities

Sessions emphasized the importance of early, consistent engagement and shared decision-making—practices that continue to grow in relevance across J-U-B projects.

Hands-On Workshop: Form-Based Codes

A practical workshop on the foundations of form-based codes proved beneficial as this is an area the Planning team has been actively exploring for future business development.

Addressing Housing Affordability

Conversations centered on policy tools, zoning strategies, and partnerships will inform how we help communities better respond to the affordability crisis impacting much of the West.

Economic Development Through Energy

A session featuring our client, the City of Umatilla, discussed how data centers and energy-dependent industries are shaping local economies—an area where our firm is already providing value and can continue to grow.

Navigating the Politics of Climate Change

This discussion highlighted new approaches to youth engagement—strategies that could be directly applied to community engagement efforts across J-U-B projects.

Sharing J-U-B’s Expertise

Both Brian and Alison stepped into presenter roles this year, contributing their expertise across two separate sessions. Their participation not only elevated our visibility among Western planners but also reinforced J-U-B’s reputation as a leader in thoughtful, community-focused planning.

Looking Ahead

Sheri Freemuth, AICP, Senior Planner and Discipline Lead, is preparing a brief conference summary for Cory as we begin planning next year’s conference participation and budget. If you attended sessions or made connections you’d like included in future reporting, please reach out to her.

A big thank you to Alison, Angela, and Brian for representing J-U-B so well in Bend—and for bringing back ideas that will support our clients and communities in meaningful ways.