Saturday, Richland County is bringing together land-use planners and homeowners for a free, day-long conference addressing community growth and change.

The keynote speaker, Mitchell Silver, is the chief planning and economic development officer for the city of Raleigh, N.C., and president of the American Planning Association. His topic: “Taking Your Community to the Next Level with Planning.”

Neighborhood planner Tiaa Rutherford said the agenda was developed to have broad interest. “This is a conference that’s not just targeted for neighborhood associations,” she said.

The 8th annual event is 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln St.

Participants may drop in, but lunch is provided only for those who register online at www.rcgov.us or by calling (803) 929-6000.

The deadline to register is 5 p.m. today.

Here are three highlights:

• For average citizens, there are sessions on how to prepare for an emergency at home, work or in the car, the slow-food movement, climate change, how to “design out” crime through landscaping, and tax credits for historic preservation.

• For professional planners, a session on assessing what a community offers and needs, the legal requirements for community organizations and a Planning 101 class, led by Silver.

• For neighborhood leaders, a session on how to start a nonprofit, community gardening and overcoming foreclosures in your community.

“This region is at a pivotal point in its growth,” Rutherford said, and organizers worked to offer sessions that are current and relevant.

Silver is an award-winning planner with more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sector. He is nationally recognized for his leadership in addressing contemporary planning issues.