Matthew Starley
Landscape Architect and Bioregional Planner
Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG)
Matthew Starley is a Landscape Architect and Bioregional Planner currently working for the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG) and will be joining the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District full time in October. He graduated with a master’s degree from Utah State University in 2019, where he was honored as the Graduate Olmsted Scholar. His professional experience includes: Regional planning, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Planning, Scenic Management Planning, Transportation and Trails Planning, Urban Design and District Master Planning, as well as Site Planning and Design. He is motivated by the intersection between natural systems and the developed world and hopes to promote the health and resiliency of physical and social ecologies at all scales.
Session(s):
Shoot for the moon – even if you miss, you’ll land on practical applications of dark sky-friendly lighting »
2025 APA UT Spring Conference, May 7, 2025 8:00 pmThis evening tour will showcase shielded and customized light fixtures designed to minimize light pollution on the Utah State University (USU) campus. In partnership with USU's Planning and Sustainability Department, the tour will highlight best practices for night sky-friendly lighting and demonstrate practical applications of these fixtures. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with panel participants from the earlier conference session.
Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land on an implementable dark sky ordinance »
2025 APA UT Spring Conference, May 7, 2025 4:15 pmA star-filled sky connects us to nature and each other, but light pollution, growth, and development have made it invisible in many communities. From rural to urban areas, what if you could help reverse or prevent this? Implementing dark sky regulations and cultivating community support are key. Join our panel of leading technical experts as they share in-depth knowledge and practical insights on creating effective and tailored ordinances, avoiding common pitfalls, and building lasting support.
Planning for Community Resiliency: Looking Beyond Hazard Response »
2021 Fall Conference, September 9, 2021 1:40 pmThe past year and a half have underscored the need for community resilience planning. Who could have predicted a global pandemic paired with localized issues of earthquakes and severe droughts? Yet frameworks of resiliency thinking allow planners to do just that – prepare for and adapt to the unexpected, aiming not just to survive but to thrive. Join Long Range Planners and partners from the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) as they explore:
- What it means to be resilient community
- How planning for resiliency differs between a more traditional municipality and a campus setting
- What lessons MSD planners have learned during the past year of planning in diverse Salt Lake County communities.
Water Quantity and Quality Toolkits for Utah Planners »
September 9, 2021 11:10 am
Integrating water and land use planning is essential for smart growth in Utah, but many communities lack the time and resources necessary to successfully integrate these two processes. Accordingly, the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy and Western Resource Advocates developed a toolkit called the Utah Framework for Community Action. The Blacksmith Fork Soil Conservation Districts and the Bear River Association of Governments have developed a Water Quality Toolkit for Utah Planners. This session will detail the toolkits and attendees will come away with an understanding for how these toolkits can be utilized in their own communities.
= Keynote
