2026 Annual Conference
The Planning Association of Washington is delighted to announce our 2026 conference theme: “Pathways to Possibility: Planning, Policy, and Practicality”. We hope to see you in Chelan on April 22-24, 2026, for learning, networking, and exploration!
Registration for the PAW 2026 Annual Conference will close on April 13th, 2026, at 10:00am or once capacity is reached – whichever is first. Register today to secure your spot!
PAW is excited to be using a conference app for the 2026 Annual Conference! The app information will be sent directly to all registrants by the end of March 2026.
Please email info@planningpaw.org with any questions.
Lodging information:
To secure lodging under the Planning Association of Washington discounted room block at Campbell’s Resort in Chelan, WA, call 1-800-553-8225 and provide group number #689269. Lodging fills up quickly, so book your room soon!
Registration information:
Registration Rates:
Early Bird Member Rate (2/3/26-3/10/26) $330
Early Bird Non Member Rate (2/3/26-3/10/26) $430
Member (3/11/26- 4/15/26) $380.00
Non Member (3/11/26- 4/15/26) $480.00
Speaker $280
Student: $175, please email info@planningpaw.org for scholarship information!
Cancellation Policy:
Registration cancellations with a refund request are accepted until Monday, April 13, 2026, by 10am, and will be refunded via check. We are able to switch registrant information with another person should registrant not be able to attend up until the day of the event.
PAW Student Scholarships:
Please apply here for student scholarship.
WCRP Scholarship Offer:
The Washington Counties Risk Pool is proud to support member attendance at this event by reimbursing the cost of one registration per member county. Scholarship reimbursement may not be combined across multiple registrations. Any travel, meals, or lodging associated with this event are the responsibility of the county.
Those interested in this scholarship opportunity should contact their county risk manager. Not sure if your county is a WCRP member? Email MemberServices@wcrp.wa.gov to learn more.
Mobile Workshops:
Mobile Workshop | Walking Tree Tour @ Chelan Riverwalk Park:
Join us on 4.22.26 for a guided tree walk along the Chelan Riverwalk designed specifically for municipal planners. This short, hands‑on session highlights how trees function as essential green infrastructure that supports stormwater management, cools urban heat islands, improves walkability, and strengthens community resilience. Participants will practice identifying common urban species, explore how tree selection and placement influence long‑term maintenance, and discuss how planning codes and development standards can better integrate healthy urban forests into the built environment.
The Walking Tree Tour presented by Drue Epping, Director of Pacific Northwest & West Coast, American Forests. Registration is required for this mobile workshop. This is a free tour. The group will meet in front of Campbell’s Lodge at 1:30pm and the tour will conclude by 3:30pm.
Mobile Workshop | Chelan Butte Wildlife Area
This mobile workshop will utilize a full afternoon (4.22.26) during the conference to visit the Chelan Butte Wildlife Area for a hands-on experience to learn about shrubsteppe habitat and habitat connectivity opportunities and challenges in the region.
Terrestrial habitat connectivity is critical to maintaining Washington’s biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and climate adaptation potential. As landscapes become increasingly fragmented due to transportation infrastructure, urban expansion, and other land-use changes, wildlife populations face growing barriers to movement, increasing risks of habitat loss, population extirpation, and wildlife-vehicle collisions.
The Chelan Butte Wildlife Area is predominantly shrubsteppe, including ponderosa pine and mixed coniferous forest at higher elevations, and riparian vegetation along creek bottoms and springs. The wildlife area supports a variety of wildlife including mule deer, bighorn sheep, golden eagle, and sagebrush lizard. There are also a variety of recreational opportunities including wildlife viewing, hiking, biking, birding, snowshoeing, and hunting.
The workshop will involve walking about 3 miles. Bring or wear long pants, boots, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water. Binoculars and local plant and animal guidebooks are optional but encouraged. Please dress for the terrain and weather. Also, please be aware that roads are unpaved and rough. Please be aware that no restroom facilities will be available.
This Wildlife Mobile Workshop will be presented by Ken Muir, Habitats and Species Riparian & Shrubsteppe Biologist, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife; Glen Kalisz, Habitat Connectivity Biologist, Washington State Department of Transportation; and Liz Bockstiegel, Climate Resilience Planner, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Transportation will be provided from Campbell’s Resort (please meet at Registration). This tour costs $35, and registration is required. We will depart from Campbell’s at 1pm and the tour will conclude at 3:30pm.
Mobile Workshop | Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Chelan
Thursday, April 23rd | 4:15 PM – 5:45 PM
Note: This is a mobile workshop. Pre-registration is required.
For our THIRD annual tour, we will meet at Campbell’s Resort lobby by 4:15 pm. We will walk approximately two blocks, as we go through three notable historic buildings, all on East Woodin Avenue, the “Main Street” of downtown Chelan:
- Saint Andrews Episcopal Church. This is a vernacular church built of logs in 1898. The building features a bell tower, stained glass and largely original interiors.
- The Ruby Theatre. It is Washington state’s oldest continuously operating cinema and was built in 1914. While there, attendees will get to see the largely intact interior features and the 1919 Wurlitzer Player Piano.
- The Lake Chelan Historical Society Museum. This building was erected in 1907 as the Miners and Merchants Bank. It houses exhibits and artifacts on local history, along with a gift shop.
Our tour leader, as in previous years, will be local architect and former Planning Director Larry Hibbard. PAW Board member Jonathan Kesler, AICP, will assist him. Attendance is free but limited to 25, so sign up today!