Good land use planning and regulation requires on-going training for all involved in the process

All local officials need to be familiar with the topics covered in the Basic Curriculum. Once the basic curriculum is mastered, Continuing Education should be sought on a wide range of topics following a planning track and/or a development review track, depending on the role you play in the planning process.

Workshops

Training workshops and conferences are conducted by a number of organizations in Vermont. These organizations are currently collaborating through the Land Use Education and Training Collaborative, providing training in the subjects shown on the curriculum as well as training on current planning and regulatory topics. This comprehensive training program does not yet exist but is in the works. The calendar shows all the upcoming education and training events available to local land use officials in Vermont.

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On-site Training

Provided at your municipality

Learn how you can fund on-site training with the Municipal Education Grant (MEG) program.

Bringing trainers directly to your town for workshops is a very effective method of training because it can be customized to your particular needs and can take place at your regular meeting time and location. You can also coordinate training sessions with neighboring municipalities to reduce the cost of on-site training and benefit from sharing ideas between towns. Many private planning consultants and land use attorneys are able to provide on-site training or you can contact the following organizations that provide on-site training services:

· Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) - Municipal Assistance Center

· Regional Planning Commissions

· Vermont Secretary of State

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Online Training Resources

The Basics:

Welcome Packet for New Members - a short introduction to local planning and land use regulation for new members of Planning Commissions, Zoning Boards and Development Review Boards (free).

Essentials of Local Land Use Planning and Regulation - An overview of municipal roles and responsibilities and the fundamentals of local planning and permitting in Vermont - what every board and commission member needs to know (free).

People Can Plan provides basic information about the local land use planning and regulatory processes in Vermont (free). NOTE: not yet updated with 2004 revisions to 24 V.S.A. Chapter 117.

Planning:

Vermont Planning Fundamentals - a FREE course for Vermont citizen planners developed by the Orton Family Foundation in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. This LEO (Lincoln Education Online) site also provides access to other free planning courses. Registration is required.

Planning Manual for Vermont Municipalities - A guidebook to assist planning commissions with preparing the municipal plan (free).

Citizen Participation Strategies for Municipal Planning in Vermont - A series of factsheets covering several citizen participation tools and techniques for use by local land use officials and others (free).

On-Line Publications - Vermont Forum on Sprawl - Handbooks on a variety of planning topics emphasizing smart growth development (free).

Development Review:

Zoning Administrator's Handbook - Identifies and discusses a number of common administrative problems and potential solutions as they relate to basic zoning principles and procedures. Also includes a procedural flowchart of the permitting and appeals process. (Free pdf document, 286 kb)

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