A two-day training program in planning concepts and procedures conducted by prominent planning and legal professionals.

What?
Twelve hours of education in land use, comprehensive planning and legal issues. Course completion provides participants a Certificate of Achievement granted by the Georgia Planning Association and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

When? Where?
January 29 & 30 : THOMASVILLE
April 8 & 9 : HAWKINSVILLE
July 15 & 16 : HELEN
October 7 & 8 : WASHINGTON

Who should attend?
Planning Commissioners; Zoning Board of Appeals members; other Citizen Planners and Planning Officials; Government Planning Staff and Elected Officials

AGENDA:

Day One
Community Vision and Planning:
An overview of the importance of community vision in planning for the future. What is the role of the planning commission in helping define and implement that vision? How can you work with your community’s citizens and governing body to make that vision a reality?

Getting the Most out of Your Local Plan:A discussion of comprehensive planning in Georgia and plan implementation methods. A variety of tools can be used to implement your community’s plan and not all of these tools are regulatory. Learn how and when to apply each type of tool, and where you can go for more help.

Day Two
The Good, the Bad and the Legal:
Learn the latest on legal issues in planning and zoning, including takings, due process and vested rights. This session covers the importance of the comprehensive plan as a legal basis for decision-making. Instructors will guide participants through Georgia’s current laws governing the exercise of zoning powers and conflicts of interest, the latest changes enacted by the General Assembly and relevant Georgia case law.

Doing the Right Thing in Planning and Zoning:Participate in interactive exercises that provide participants hands-on experience in meeting the challenges of making the right decisions, based on sound planning and ethical principles. The popular Quinn County exercise demonstrates how it feels to face an agenda full of challenging development and zoning issues. Instructors will teach participants the skills to make good decisions and conduct effective meetings.