(1) Conference: The presiding officer, as a matter of discretion, with or without a motion from a party, may direct the applicant or applicant's representative to appear before the presiding officer for a conference to consider:

(a) The definition and simplification of issues;

(b) The necessity or desirability of amendments to the pleadings;

(c) The possibility of obtaining admissions of fact and of documents which will be premarked for admission into evidence in order to avoid unnecessary proof;

(d) The limitations of the number of expert witnesses;

(e) Briefing schedules;

(f) Other matters that may aid in the disposition of the proceeding.

(2) Order: The presiding officer shall make a written order that recites the action taken at the conference, the amendments allowed to the pleadings, and the agreements made by the parties as to any of the matters considered, and which limits the issues for hearing to those not disposed of by admissions of counsel/party. The order when served and filed controls the subsequent course of the case, unless it is modified at the hearing to prevent manifest injustice.