The Penobscot Valley Council of Governments (PVCOG) will hold its third annual Planning Day from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 9, at the Cabinet Room of the Bangor Airport Hilton.

The featured speaker will be Randall Arendt, associate director of the Center of Rural Massachusetts at University of Massachusetts, who is known for his expertise in managing growth in rural communities.

A former eight-year planner with the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, Arendt is familiar with the types of issues municipalities face in Penobscot Vally. He is the co-author of “Dealing with Change in the Connecticut River Vally: A Design Manual for Conservation and Developement,” which received the 1988 Professional Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Arendt will accompany his talk with slides focusing on strategies which can be used to accommodate growth while preserving farmland’s rural character and traditional architectural values; preserving open space; providing affordable housing; and avoiding suburban sprawl.

The cost is $3.50. Anyone interested may register by calling Mary-Jane Freese at PVCOG (942-6389), or pay at the door.