Moving Planning Commission Meetings Online During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Big-City Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging planners around the country
to rethink how they work with various shelter-in-place and social
distancing guidelines. One particular hurdle is how to continue
with planning commission and other board meetings to keep
communities moving forward.


Emily Mack directs the Department of Metropolitan Development for
the City of Indianapolis, Indiana. She chats with APA's Jo Peña
about how, within a relatively short period of time, their team
developed a standard operating procedure for the online meetings
of their Metropolitan Development Commission, Board of Zoning
Appeals, and other governmental functions. Mack also outlines the
many lessons they've learned along the way while maintaining
these critical government services.