Building Livable Communities

The 18th Annual Ahwahnee Conference for Local Elected Officials
March 13-15, 2009
Yosemite National Park

(A special pre-conference session will be held on the evening of March 12th)

Announcements:

• Participant Confirmation Letter. A particpant confirmation letter was sent out to all registrants. If you did not receive this information about the event via email, please download the Participant Confirmation Letter.
• Registration - Thursday, March 5, 2009.  A $50 late fee will be added to registrations after this date. Please contact us if you would still like to register.
• Lodging - February 10, 2009. You may still be able to find lodging in Yosemite. However, you may still be able to find lodging in Yosemite when using the Lodging Request Form.

This Year's Topic

This year's conference will again focus on effective, cutting-edge, local government responses to Climate Change including measures that concurrently rebuild the local economy through green jobs — a special opportunity that appears to be getting a big boost from the new Administration in Washington.

Since we last met, much has happened at the State level to address global warming. There is some confusion about SB 375, CEQA and general plan guidelines, and the California Air Resources Board's AB 32 implementation plan. We will receive updates and clarification from members of the CA Air Resources Board, the Office of Planning and Research, the California Energy Commission, and the California Transportation Commission. We will hear from local elected officials about new, cutting-edge projects that reduce the major sources of greenhouse gases and offer ideas for funding them. We will hear from communities actively engaged in green job development. And we will discuss some of the major barriers to moving ahead — focusing particularly on opposition from NIMBYs — and how we address this challenge.

The Thursday evening pre-conference session will address adaptation to climate change. Invited experts will help attendees predict the possible impacts on your communities of climate change and how your city or county can begin to address the related challenges ahead. There will be a $30 fee for this session.

Attendees say the format is uniquely structured to combine cutting edge solutions to critical problems with hands-on discussion of how to implement them. The main conference program begins at 7:30 pm on Friday, March 13th and continues through noon on Sunday. We will take Saturday afternoon off to ski, hike, or curl up by the fire. We encourage you to bring your family, attend the pre-conference session on Thursday evening, and use the session breaks to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Yosemite in the winter.

About Conference Registration

Registration fees for participants and guests include all refreshment breaks, Saturday continental breakfast, box lunch and dinner, and Sunday continental breakfast, plus all conference sessions and materials.

The registration deadline was Thursday March 5, 2009. A late fee of $50 will be added to registrations after that date. Anyone who is registered but cannot attend may send a substitute. The name of the substitute, along with complete contact information, must be provided in advance of the conference dates.

You download the registration form and send in the form with your payment. However, you should notify us first, that you want to register so we can make arrangements.

A particpant confirmation letter was sent out to all registrants. If you did not receive this information about the event via email, please download the Participant Confirmation Letter.

Lodging

The lodging deadline was February 10, 2009. You may still be able to find lodging in Yosemite. There may still be able to find lodging in Yosemite by using the Yosemite Concession Services Corp. Reservation Request Form to reserve your lodging. Lodging is not included in the registration fee. Travel insurance is also available (not required): Travel Guard Insurance Form

Forms:

• Yosemite Concession Services Corp. Reservation Request Form
• Travel Guard Insurance Form

Travel to Yosemite:

Visit the Park's website for directions to Yosemite. When planning your trip, be sure to call the National Park Service information line at 209-372-0200 for the latest road and weather updates. You can also use on-line mapping services which are available in the "Where" section on this page. More travel information is available on the Yosemite web site.

Sponsors

• California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
• California Energy Commission
• San Diego Gas and Electric
• Southern California Edison Company
• Southern California Gas Company

Agenda