By Libby Tyler, FAICP, Northern Director
The Northern board voted on and approved the March 19, 2026, bylaw amendments at their meeting on May 21, 2026. Below is a copy of the current bylaws.
Required Articles: The bylaws must include 10 articles covering topics such as section name, purposes, membership, board structure, duties, elections, meetings, financial policies, amendments, ethics, and dissolution.
Below is a summary of the key points: Section Bylaws
Key Articles
- Section Name and Area Served: APA California Northern, serving 15 counties in Northern California. It operates as a non-profit under APA California, a 501(c)(6) organization.
- Purposes: The section aims to promote planning-related activities, provide education, increase public awareness of planning, encourage ethics and professionalism, and foster community among members.
- Membership: Automatic for APA California members residing in the section’s geographic area. Non-resident members and Chapter-Only members have specific roles and restrictions.
- Section Board of Directors: The board consists of elected and appointed officers responsible for the section’s operations. Elected officers include the Section Director, Director-Elect, Administrative Director, and Treasurer. Appointed officers have voting rights and can be removed by the Section Director with approval from other elected officers.
- Duties of Directors and Officers: Detailed responsibilities are outlined for each elected and appointed officer, including roles such as Section Director, Director-Elect, Treasurer, and various program directors (e.g., Diversity Director, Events Program Manager, Communications Director).
- Elections and Terms: Elected officers serve two-year terms, with specific election procedures, nomination requirements, and voting processes. Vacancies can be filled by interim appointments or special elections.
- Meetings: Regular, executive, and emergency meetings are outlined, including quorum requirements and decision-making procedures.
- Financial Policies: Section finances must align with Chapter bylaws and financial policies, including budget adoption, revenue sources, reimbursement requirements, and reserve policies.
- Amendments and Referendums: Bylaws can be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Section Board. Members can petition for initiatives or referendums with 10% of member signatures.
- Ethics, Conflict of Interest, and Public Statements: Board members must adhere to the AICP Code of Ethics, disclose conflicts of interest, and follow procedures for making public statements on Section policy or positions.
- Indemnification and Dissolution: Board members are indemnified under California law, and the Section will be dissolved if the Chapter is dissolved.
Additional Provisions
- Committees: The Section Board may establish committees to address specific activities or issues. Committees report directly to the board but do not have voting rights unless the member is also a voting board member.
- Independent Contractors, Interns, and Speakers: Guidelines for contracting with independent contractors, unpaid interns, and speakers are provided, covering labor law compliance and ethical considerations.
Key Changes
- Adjustments to terms of office for elected officers.
- Clarifications on nomination, election, and voting procedures.
- Updates to financial policies and labor law compliance for contractors and interns.
Questions/comments: Contact Libby or Jeff at [email protected] or [email protected], respectively.
This document serves as a comprehensive guide for the governance, operations, and responsibilities of the APA California — Northern.