{"id":590822,"date":"2026-11-11T00:05:23","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T00:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=590822"},"modified":"2026-11-11T00:05:24","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T00:05:24","slug":"3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap","title":{"rendered":"Asking the Right Questions Changes Everything"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-recap-of-the-3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit\">A Recap of the 3rd Annual Esri Planning Directors Summit<br><\/h2>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-766x431.png 766w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-2048x1152.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Keith Cooke delivers the keynote. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week in Chicago marked the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/about\/events\/planning-directors-summit\/overview\">3rd Annual Esri Planning Directors Summit<\/a><\/strong>. City, county, and regional planning directors from across the country \u2014 and the world \u2014 gathered to learn from one another about how GIS is being used across all types of planning initiatives.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This event was several years in the making. It was built around a foundational premise: planning directors, regardless of the size or location of their organization, have far more in common with each other than not. They need a space to come together, share stories, learn, and develop strategies they can bring back home.<\/p>\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-day-one-setting-the-theme\">Day One: Setting the Theme<\/h1>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keynote-ai-gis-and-the-power-of-a-good-question\">Keynote: AI, GIS, and the Power of a Good Question<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opening keynote delivered a theme that resonated throughout the entire conference: <strong>asking the right questions changes everything.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Attendees explored the evolution of artificial intelligence in the planning department. They saw how AI is changing GIS \u2014 but also how GIS is changing AI. Web GIS opened the doors by enabling non-GIS professionals to use geospatial tools. Now, AI assistants and agents are opening them even wider. Natural language conversations bring GIS to every level of planner and to city and county leaders alike.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-zoning-comprehensive-plans-and-long-range-planning\">Zoning, Comprehensive Plans, and Long-Range Planning<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two presentations tackled legacy zoning modernization:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Justin Lesko<\/strong> from the Municipality of Princeton, New Jersey shared how GIS supported updates to legacy zoning codes.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Ned Noel<\/strong> from the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin presented a parallel story of GIS-driven zoning modernization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cobb County, Georgia<\/strong> \u2014 the very definition of a rapidly growing county \u2014 demonstrated how GIS cast a wide net to engage and inform the public about their updated comprehensive plan.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>City of Anderson, South Carolina<\/strong> partnered with Esri partner <strong>Houseal-Lavigne<\/strong> to develop new area plans as part of their long-range planning efforts.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Cobb-County-Engagement-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590826\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Cobb-County-Engagement-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Cobb-County-Engagement-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Cobb-County-Engagement-767x431.png 767w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Cobb-County-Engagement.png 1277w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Engagement results from Cobb County&#8217;s comprehensive plan. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-federal-legislative-update-and-housing-policy\">Federal Legislative Update and Housing Policy<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Jason Jordan from APA<\/strong> delivered an essential update on the federal legislative landscape, including the latest on the <strong>Housing Supply Accelerator<\/strong> program.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the day&#8217;s highlights was the <strong>state housing policy panel<\/strong>, featuring:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ashon Nesbitt<\/strong> \u2014 Florida Housing Coalition<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>David Adkins<\/strong> \u2014 Council of State Governments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This was a new and much-needed addition to this year&#8217;s summit. More state governments are getting involved in local housing policies. That reality cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-planning-digital-twins-need-to-have-not-nice-to-have\">Planning Digital Twins: Need-to-Have, Not Nice-to-Have<br><\/h2>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/digital-twin-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590831\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/digital-twin-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/digital-twin-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/digital-twin-1-767x431.png 767w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/digital-twin-1.png 1354w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The various types of digital twin. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The day closed with an eye-opening presentation on the <strong>planning digital twin<\/strong>. Esri Practice Lead <strong>Christine Ma<\/strong> laid out the what, why, and how \u2014 helping directors in the audience understand why this approach is a need-to-have, not a nice-to-have.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-evening-reception-at-apa-headquarters\">Evening Reception at APA Headquarters<br><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That evening, the <strong>American Planning Association<\/strong> graciously hosted summit attendees in their beautiful office high above <strong>Millennium Park<\/strong>. It was a remarkable opportunity for so many APA members to experience that incredible space. The weather cooperated, and the views went on for miles.<br><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"737\" data-id=\"590829\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-66-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-66-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-66-1-300x216.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-66-1-767x552.jpg 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lake Michigan seen from the APA office.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"778\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"590828\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-64.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-64.jpg 778w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-64-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Image-64-767x1010.jpg 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Millennium Park from the APA office. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-day-two-innovation-ai-and-the-bigger-picture\">Day Two: Innovation, AI, and the Bigger Picture<\/h1>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/West-Dundee-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/West-Dundee-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/West-Dundee-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/West-Dundee-766x431.png 766w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/West-Dundee-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/West-Dundee-2048x1152.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tim Scott from West Dundee presents on planning redevelopment for an abandoned mall site. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-location-centric-permitting-and-arcgis-as-a-planning-system-0\">Location-Centric Permitting and ArcGIS as a Planning System<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Day two opened with an inspiring story from <strong>Sherburne County, Minnesota<\/strong>. Their team built a location-centric permitting system to meet the needs of their growing county.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Esri Product Manager <strong>Silvia Casas<\/strong> then helped put many of the presentations into context by explaining <strong>ArcGIS as a Planning System<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)<\/strong> showed how they support hundreds of local jurisdictions with authoritative geospatial content. This story is always close to my heart. I started at a regional planning commission. I understand the vital role these agencies play \u2014 especially for smaller jurisdictions.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-innovation-spotlight-euclid-place-engine-and-ai-in-planning\">Innovation Spotlight: Euclid, Place Engine, and AI in Planning<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Summit <strong>premier sponsor Houseal-Lavigne<\/strong> offered a fascinating display of innovation, highlighting:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Euclid<\/strong> \u2014 powerful staff support tools that streamline planning workflows<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Place Engine<\/strong> \u2014 game-changing, AI-driven functionality designed for planners<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An <strong>AI in Planning panel<\/strong> followed, featuring:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Devin Lavigne<\/strong><\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Silvia Casas<\/strong><\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Hermione Wang<\/strong> from Trimble, an Esri partner behind the Unity Permitting System<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The discussion was so valuable that we ran long and cut into lunch. Nobody seemed to mind.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3d-city-layouts-and-a-closing-keynote\">3D City Layouts and a Closing Keynote<br><\/h2>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LOJIC-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LOJIC-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LOJIC-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LOJIC-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LOJIC-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/LOJIC-2048x1152.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trisha Brush<\/strong> from the <strong>Louisville\/Jefferson County Information Consortium (LOJIC)<\/strong> wrapped up user presentations with a relatable story. Has your mayor ever walked in and asked for a 3D layout of your city? Trisha&#8217;s did. She shared exactly how her team made it happen.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Joel Albizo, CEO of APA<\/strong>, delivered the closing keynote for planning directors. It is easy for directors to lose sight of the big picture when day-to-day activities take over. Joel&#8217;s perspective \u2014 drawn from visits to state chapters across the country \u2014 was invaluable. His message reminded every director in the room why the work matters.<\/p>\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-two-days-one-big-takeaway\">Two Days. One Big Takeaway.<br><\/h1>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Joel-1-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-590834\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Joel-1-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Joel-1-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Joel-1-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Joel-1-1.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Joel Albizo closes out the event with an inspiring message. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over two days, we saw how planners are asking the right questions:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How do we engage more citizens?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Where do we need to update our future land use?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n<li><strong>What will the impact of an updated zoning ordinance be?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n<li><strong>Why do we need greater insight from our permitting system?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We had <strong>over 100 planners in attendance<\/strong> \u2014 and there is room for more.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you could not make it this year, <strong>plan to join us next year in Chicago.<\/strong> Learning from and engaging with your colleagues is essential for planning directors. We hope you take advantage of this opportunity.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[376],"tags":[6646,5832],"class_list":["post-590822","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-development","tag-pds","tag-planning-directors","industry-urban-and-regional-planning"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Planning Directors Summit Recap | Asking the Right Questions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Planning directors discovered how AI, GIS, digital twins, and housing policy are shaping the future of local government planning.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Asking the Right Questions Changes Everything\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f What happens when 100+ planning directors spend two days asking better questions?At the 3rd Annual Esri Planning Directors Summit in Chicago, planners from across the country came together to explore how GIS and AI are transforming every aspect of local government planning.A few standout moments: \u2705 AI assistants bringing natural language GIS to every level of planner \u2705 State housing policy making its summit debut \u2014 because it can no longer be ignored \u2705 Planning digital twins shifting from &quot;nice-to-have&quot; to need-to-have \u2705 A mayor who asked for a 3D city layout \u2014 and a team that deliveredThe right questions are driving real change in planning departments across the country. See how in our full recap. \ud83d\udc47\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Industry Blogs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-11T00:05:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-1024x576.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap\",\"name\":\"Planning Directors Summit Recap | Asking the Right Questions\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-1024x576.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-11T00:05:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-11-11T00:05:24+00:00\",\"description\":\"Planning directors discovered how AI, GIS, digital twins, and housing policy are shaping the future of local government planning.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-scaled.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Keith-Keynote1-1-scaled.png\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1440},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/articles\/3rd-annual-esri-planning-directors-summit-recap#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Asking the Right Questions Changes Everything\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Industry Blogs\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/583139d77632daab0a49ff7765d767e5\",\"name\":\"Keith Cooke\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Keith-Cooke-150x150.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Keith-Cooke-150x150.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Keith Cooke\"},\"description\":\"Keith Cooke is the Director of Planning &amp; Community Development Markets at Esri. A graduate of Auburn University, he has been a GIS professional since 1994 and has worked for planning and community development agencies at the regional and municipal level. Prior to this role, he was an account executive at Esri for 15 years working with over 100 local governments. 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