06/01/2026
6/10/26 Tales from the Front Lines: Getting Development Density Increases Approved
Virtual. CM | 1.0
Join the APA-IL Chicago Metro Section (AMA-CMS) and DePaul University's Municipal Design Review Network to explore how cities and suburbs are working to advance well-conceived projects that improve the vitality of downtowns, neighborhoods and corridors but result in density increases. We’ll look at the role of effective design, intensive community engagement, high-quality traffic analysis, and other techniques in moving beneficial projects to the finish line. We’ll have brief case studies, see how citizen feedback can improve projects, and summarize “best practices” for dealing with situations in which pushback is driven by misconceptions and emotion.
After several case studies, we’ll have ample time for Q&A and for attendees to share experiences from their communities.
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Time: Noon – 1 p.m. CT
Location: Via Zoom
Professional Development: CM | 1.0
Email questions to mdrn@depaul.edu
Speakers
Moderator: Andy Cross, AICP, is a Vice President at Lakota Group and has nearly 20 years of experience as a municipal planner, including positions in a Twin Cities suburb and in Highland Park, Illinois. Working with preservation commissions, architecture review commissions, plan commissions, and city councils, he has shaped local policy and helped citizen planners and preservationists achieve local success. Andy received his Master's degree in Urban Planning from UW-Milwaukee and serves on the Board of the APA-IL Chapter as the Professional Development Officer. Andy is also an advisor to DePaul’s Chaddick Institute.
Panelist: Katharyn Hurd, AICP, is a City Planner in the Department of Planning and Development in the City of Chicago. Katharyn previously served as an Urban Design Studies Instructor at the Boston Architectural College, has a master's in Urban Design from Harvard University, and is a LEED-AP BD+C certified professional. Katharyn has a BA in Land Architecture from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Panelist: Jeff Rogers, AICP, is the Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Des Plaines, where he oversees strategic initiatives in pursuit of the City’s development objectives. Jeff is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Municipal Design Review Network and previously served as Deputy Director of Community Development at the Village of Glenview and as a Planner for the Village of Bolingbrook. He holds a BA from the University of Washington and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.