Planning 101

The Community Development Office provides planning commissioner training to a limited number of municipalities and counties per request.  These "Planning 101" sessions provide a general overview for planning commissioners who are new to the game, or in need of a refresher.  The Community Development Office requests that those wishing to schedule a Planning 101 workshop invite neighboring jurisdictions' planning commissioners and elected officials in order to reach a broader audience and effectively use state resources.

The agenda can be calibrated to fit your specific needs, but typically includes the following elements:

• Planning Authority & Enabling Legislation
• The Role of the Planning Commission in Relation to Elected Officials and Staff
• Effective Meetings and the Decision-making Process
• Basic Planning (long-range planning & implementation tools)
• Legal and Ethical Review (ex parte, conflicts of interest, etc.)

The session usually takes 2 hours depending on the agenda, and we ask that we are the only item on the agenda if scheduled during a regular meeting time.  Please contact Tareq Wafaie with any questions or to request a Planning 101 workshop in your neck of the woods.

"Attending the 'Planning 101' was most informative for me as a new member of the planning and zoning commission.  DOLA's resources now and in the future will be very helpful to the city planning and zoning commission".  - Planning Commissioner, 2011

2011 Planning 101 Workshops: