APA St. Louis Summer Picnic 2026

Join the St. Louis Metro Section of the American Planning Association for a panel discussion on the topic of data centers at the 2026 Summer Picnic! The luncheon will be held on Wednesday, June 24th at the Quarry Pavilion in the City of Crestwood’s Whitecliff Park. The picnic and panel discussion will include a boxed lunch and beverages and 1 CM.

Communities across the St. Louis region are finding themselves at different stages of navigating the rapidly evolving and complex topic of data center development. Over the past year, multiple data center proposals have emerged throughout the region, from the City of St. Louis to St. Charles County and beyond. These proposals have generated important discussions regarding land use compatibility, utility capacity, electrical demand, water consumption, noise, lighting, and other community impacts.

Join the St. Louis Metro Section of the American Planning Association for a timely panel discussion specifically focused on what we as planners and allied professions should know as we consider the land use regulations addressing data centers, while balancing any community benefits that could be realized with their seemingly inevitable development. Whether your community is responding to a data center proposal today or proactively preparing for one in the future, this session will provide valuable insights into one of the fastest-growing and most consequential development trends facing communities today. Join your fellow planning professionals for an engaging discussion on the opportunities, challenges, and planning considerations associated with the infrastructure powering the digital age.

Panelists:

Miriam Keller

City Planning Executive - General Planning & Design, City of St. Louis

Miriam is the City Planning Executive for General Planning & Design with the City of St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency. In this role, she helps lead citywide planning and land use policy initiatives, and staffs the City’s Planning & Zoning Commission. The City’s Planning Office just completed an update to the City’s long-range land use plan, the Strategic Land Use Plan, and has begun an overhaul of the City’s Zoning Code in partnership with the Zoning Section of the Building Division.

Before joining the City, Miriam worked at Development Strategies, a St. Louis-based planning, development, and housing policy consulting firm. Miriam holds masters in Planning and Public Policy from Harvard University, and a Bachelors in Architecture from Washington University.

When she’s not planning, Miriam likes to garden, rock climb, and spend time with her boyfriend and their dogs in and around the Shaw neighborhood in St. Louis.

Elysia M. Russell

Sustainability Director, City of St. Louis

Elysia Russell is a St. Louis native, a Dutchtown resident and the Director of Sustainability for the City of St. Louis, with more than a decade of public service in community outreach, recycling, and sustainability that began at Brightside St. Louis. She recently led the update of the City’s sustainability framework through the 2025 Sustainability & Climate Plan. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science Management and is driven by a lifelong appreciation for conservation shaped by time spent with her family in Jamaica. Elysia is dedicated to advancing initiatives that ensure a high quality of life for all who live, work, and play in the city.

K. Andrew Weber

Partner, Hamilton Webber, L.L.C.

Drew Weber focuses his practice on local government, real estate, and corporate law matters. His local government law practice involves the general representation of municipalities and other political subdivisions in zoning and land use, administrative law, employment, and other matters. Drew currently serves as the City Attorney for the Cities of Cottleville and Warson Woods, County Counselor for Warren County, and the Assistant City Attorney for several other municipalities. He advises municipal governing bodies, planning and zoning commissions, boards of adjustment, and other special commissions. His experience includes negotiating and drafting complex real estate agreements and public works construction agreements with public and private entities, annexations, drafting and interpreting ordinances, and the formation of special business districts such as community improvement districts and neighborhood improvement districts.

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