The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University’s Land Use Law Center held its 24th Annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference in December 2025. The event continued the center’s tradition of bringing together experts in land use, environmental law, and public policy to discuss current challenges and opportunities for communities.
The conference opened with two sessions focused on ethics, followed by remarks from Dean Horace E. Anderson, Jr. of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. Dean Anderson highlighted the history and impact of the conference and recognized Tom Bourgeois, Director for Policy and Research at the Land Use Law Center, who is retiring after 25 years. “Tom’s contributions have been extraordinary,” said Dean Anderson. “His expertise in energy efficiency, distributed energy systems, microgrids, geothermal networks, and resilient infrastructure has positioned our Land Use Law Center as a national leader at the intersection of energy and land use policy. Tom leaves a legacy that has helped shaped cutting-edge research and informed sustainable development strategies across the Northeast and beyond, and we thank him for all he has done for the Law School.”
Arthur C. Nelson, Ph.D., FAcSS, FAICP, Emeritus Professor from the University of Arizona, delivered a keynote address on trends in housing demands over time. The program also included breakout sessions on timely topics related to land use planning.
Catherine F. Parker from the Westchester County Board of Legislators received this year’s Groundbreaker’s Award for her work on environmental resilience and sustainable growth in Westchester County. She was recognized for championing initiatives aligned with principles taught by the Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) program.
Shelley Poticha, Managing Director for Regional Impact at NRDC, gave a keynote address titled “Taking Ambitious Action Now: Lessons from the American Sustainable Cities Initiative.” She discussed how this decade-long initiative supports local leaders in experimenting with solutions to improve community sustainability.
The event also featured additional breakout sessions, a law update session, and a wine and cheese reception.
Before the main conference began, three individuals were honored at the Founder’s Award Reception: Thomas M. Roach, Mayor of White Plains; Maximillian R. Mahalek of Cuddy & Feder LLP; and Emily A. Petermann, a current Haub Law student.
The annual conference relies on support from sponsors who share its mission to advance sustainable development practices.
