Georgia Planning Association Fall Conference

The 2025 GPA Fall Conference is Wednesday, October 8 – Friday, October 10, at the Classic Center in Athens, GA.

Fall Conference

Please join us for the 2025 GPA Fall Conference from Wednesday, October 8 through Friday, October 10! We can’t wait to gather planners, community leaders, and partners from across Georgia for three unforgettable days of learning, inspiration, and connection at the Georgia Planning Association’s Fall Conference, Bridging the Gaps: Planning for All.

Download or View Schedule Here

Contact GPA’s VP of Programs with questions.

Fall Conference Highlights

This year, we’re thrilled to welcome you to Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia Bulldogs, a vibrant downtown, and historic neighborhoods, where the energy of the city will set the perfect stage for exploration and collaboration.

New this year, start your mornings with energizing wellness activities before diving into Breakfast Talks, Thursday’s focus on APA/AICP Policy and Programs and Friday’s Breakfast and Ethics.

Also debuting this year is a one-of-a-kind Creative Documentation Exhibition, featuring artistic and innovative works produced from the three mobile workshops, an inspiring look at how planners and participants interpret the urban environment.

Packed with opportunities to expand your knowledge, sharpen your skills, and build lasting connections, the Fall Conference also offers certified planners the chance to earn APA required CM credits in ethics, equity, law, and sustainability and resilience. Those preparing for certification can take advantage of focused AICP Exam Preparation sessions.

Other highlights include the opening reception, keynote address, and dinner on October 8, the annual membership meeting and GPA Awards luncheon on October 9, and a special evening reception co-hosted by the Emerging Planners Group and the University of Georgia’s Master of Urban Planning and Design program.

Whether you’re eager to gain fresh insights, exchange innovative ideas, or reconnect with colleagues and friends, Athens is the place to be this fall. Don’t miss Georgia’s premier planning event, we can’t wait to see you there!

Download or View Schedule Here

Keynote Address
Planners’ Legislative Advocacy: Atlanta, Washington, Nairobi

We are especially excited to present a panel keynote address featuring Bruce Stiftel, Georgia Legislative Committee Chair; Whitney Shephard, Immediate Past GPA President; and Jason Jordan, APA’s National Policy & Advocacy Director and UN-Habitat delegate. Together, they will lead a thought-provoking discussion examining how advocacy is shaping planning at the state, national, and international levels.

Spring Conference 2025

Registration is Open

Hosted at The Classic Center, the conference will showcase an action-packed lineup of more than 30 dynamic sessions, four student presentations, and seven interactive mobile tours highlighting the best of Athens-Clarke County. Each evening, gather with colleagues for lively receptions that spark conversation, celebrate achievements, and build connections.

Registration Fees

	9/20 - 10/1	10/2 - Onsite
GPA Member Fee	$345	$395
GPA Non-Member Fee	$400	$425
GPA Planning Official Fee	$200	$220
GPA Retired/Unemployed/ Student Volunteer Fee	$200	$220

Daily Registration Fees

Wednesday, 10/8 Only	Thursday, 10/9 Only	Friday, 10/10 Only
$150	$200	$150
Access to all Wednesday sessions, breaks and the Welcome Reception and Keynote Address Dinner.	Access to all Thursday sessions, breaks and includes the Awards Luncheon.	Access to Friday sessions and breaks.

Mobile Sessions

Choose from seven interactive mobile tours highlighting the best of Athens-Clarke County. Register for one or multiple mobile sessions. Each session is an additional registration fee of $20. Register early to secure your spot as capacity is limited. Please wear comfortable walking shoes for any of the mobile sessions. Below are brief descriptions; you can learn more on the registration page.

Mobile Session 1: Creative Documentation: Site Sketching
Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Capacity: 15
Learn and practice hand sketching skills while exploring downtown Athens.

Transportation: Walking Tour
Activity Level: Intermediate

Mobile Session 2: Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Facilities
Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Capacity: 25
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Athens-Clarke County manages waste—from recycling at the RMPF, where materials are sorted and sold to mills, to the 400-acre landfill, where about 300 tons of waste are disposed daily if not diverted.

Transportation: Bus
Activity Level: Some walking

Mobile Session 3: Moving Together: Transit Partnerships & Regional Planning in Athens
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Capacity: 34
The mobile workshop will take attendees on a 15-minute facility tour and a 45-minute bus tour through Athens, GA, showcasing how ACC Transit collaborates with local and regional partners to expand service, enhance access, and build a more connected and responsive transportation network.

Transportation: Bus and walking
Activity Level: Walking

Mobile Session 4: Creative Documentation: Writing the Commons
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 10:30 am – 11:45 am
Capacity: 15
Explore creative writing as a method for listening to and documenting public space.

Transportation: Walking
Activity Level: Intermediate

Mobile Session 5: Wheelchair Accessibility
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Capacity: 20
This interactive mobile workshop will serve to draw attention to wheelchair accessibility. By utilizing wheelchairs, participants will conduct an audit of downtown Athens’ sidewalks along the route.

Transportation: Walking and wheelchairs
Activity Level: Beginner

Mobile Session 6: Creative Documentation: Photography as Urban Documentation & Placekeeping
Thursday, October 9, 2025, 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
Capacity: 15
View public spaces in a different way through using your camera lens as a tool for preservation and design.

Transportation: Walking
Activity Level: Short Walk

Mobile Session 7: Old Is New: Historic Athens & Renovated Spaces
Friday, October 10, 2025, 9:00 am – 10:15 am
Capacity: 30
This is a walking tour focusing on some of the historic aspects of downtown Athens and some renovations that have helped continue the lives of some historic buildings. The tour will focus around the areas of Hot Corner, Athens a historically Black business hub and tweed Recording, the renovated portion of a historic block that is a brand new recording studio and school.

Transportation: Walking
Activity Level: Low Impact Walking

Conference Hotel Blocks are Open

Hyatt Place
Athens Downtown

412 N Thomas St, Athens, GA 30601
(706) 425-1800
Group Rate: $199.00 (+ tax) per room per night
Parking: $14 per day
Cancellation: Cancel 48 hrs prior to arrival to avoid charge of one-night room and tax.

Book Now

Homewood Suites by Hilton Athens Downtown University Area

750 E Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
(706) 548-3500
Group Rate: $159.00 (+ tax) per room per night
Parking: $18 per day
Cancellation: Cancel 24 hrs prior to arrival to avoid charge of one-night room and tax.

Book Now