Welcome to the Chapter's website!

The American Planning Association and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are organized to advance the art and science of planning and to foster the activity of planning -- physical, economic, and social -- at the local, regional, state, and national levels. The objective of the Association is to encourage planning that will contribute to public well-being by developing communities and environments that meet the needs of people and of society more effectively.

CCAPA - Central Section is a non-profit public interest and research organization dedicated to urban, suburban, regional and rural planning.  CCAPA membership is made up primarily of planners at all government levels, private consultants, local planning board members, professors, students and may also include landscape architects, environmental scientists, lawyers, and other professionals dedicated to sound planning principles.  Individual interests and expertise in the association include a variety of planning topics ranging from historic preservation to housing development. The association takes no position for or against growth, but rather promotes planning as a positive and proactive way to address change in our communities.

Planning is the process by which a community attempts to deal with existing conditions, and provide for future needs.  Though most often associated with guiding future land use and land development, local planning efforts can also include planning for public facilities and service needs, historic preservation, environmental protection, transportation, parks and recreation, and economic development.

Planning involves many tools, including economic and demographic analysis, natural and cultural resource evaluation, goal-setting, and strategic planning.  Planning provides options so communities and their citizens can achieve their vision of the future.  Many people equate planning with subdivision and zoning regulations. However, subdivision and zoning regulations are examples of implementation tools used as part of the process to fulfill the goals and policies set forth in the community growth plans. Good planning results in opportunities for smart growth that create livable, sustainable, and economically viable communities.

A general plan is supposed to be the blueprint for future development, a document decision-makers can use to plan for growth expected in a city or a county.  A general plan directs the long-range development and management by defining broad policy and program guidance. This guidance is essential to the government entity’s managers and its staff, and is of value to those organizations and individuals who have a substantial interest in how the city of county grows.

Browse our Web site for more information about the California Chapter APA - Central Section. If you have any questions or would like to speak with a representative of the California Chapter APA - Central Section, please e-mail us at contact@centralsection-apa.org or call us at (559) 434-8637.

At the CCAPA - Central Section, the members always comes first.