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Panel Discussion

Navigating the Political Landscape

RESPECT: Overcoming Politics in Planning

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM CT

Location: HPCC, Room 420AB

CM: .75

Moderator and Speaker(s)

KC

Kevin P. Costello, AICP

Executive Director
Boone County Planning Commission
Burlington, Kentucky

Speaker(s)

Todd M. Kinskey, FAICP (he/him/his)

Sr. City Planner
ZoneCo, LLC
Cincinnati, Ohio
Joyce Braverman

Planning Director
City of Shaker Heights
Shaker Heights, Ohio

Slides

Planners have always found it difficult to deal with the political side of planning. Often, the political side wins and the planner moves on to another community. What about planners who have stuck around for a few decades to see the true benefits of their work? These are the planners who have balanced competing interests and, in some cases, out-smarted elected officials in promoting planning in their community.

Battles are fought and elected officials often change. This presentation focuses on three planners from different-sized communities in Ohio and Kentucky who have led their communities to think in the long term and not just the election cycle. Learn some lessons about overcoming politics and put planning at the top to benefit the entire community.
Closed Captioning

Learning Objectives:

Learn strategies for building trust with the public and elected officials.
Share examples with seasoned planners of confronting political challenges to achieve community-planning success.
Balance competing interests to achieve community goals and complete projects.