The Institute is an educational collaboration of the PA Chapter of the American Planning Association and the PA State Association of Boroughs to provide a unique educational service that would improve planning in Pennsylvania through education.Together we provided valuable financial, technical, scheduling and administrative services to support PMPEI courses.
More than 1800 (approximately 2/3) of Pennsylvania’s cities, boroughs and townships have planning commissions, and they are served by over 10,000 planning commissioners and 7,500 Zoning Board members. Most have comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations. The PMPEI Planning & Zoning Course Program is designed to help these volunteers learn the responsibility of their positions and how they can carry them out effectively.
PA Chapter members sit on the PMPEI Board:
Jennifer Boyer, AICP, Upper Allen Township | term expires 12-31-2019 | email Jennifer
George Fasic, AICP, retired | term expires 12-31-2019 | email George
Tina Roseberry, AICP, Michael Baker International | term expires 12-31-2020 | email Tina
Jim Lettiere, AICP, Mifflin County | term expires 12-31-2020 | email Jim
For course information and registration please call Terri Dickow 800-232-7722 (ext 1042). You can also visit www.pmpei.org/ or www.classes.boroughs.org for information.
About the Courses
Course in Community Planning
This course is a 3-session in-depth course for planning commissioners and local officials to help them learn how to carry out their planning responsibilities under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Topics include comprehensive planning, multimunicipal planning, plan implementation, the roles and responsibilities of planning commissioners and elected officials, and how to develop an effective planning commission. A planning exercise based on Marcellus Shale natural gas development is included. (Please see calendar for course training dates)
Course in Zoning
This course is a 3-session in-depth “nuts and bolts” course in the drafting, amending, administering, and monitoring of zoning ordinances. Course topics include the MPC authority for zoning, basic and advanced zoning techniques such as overlay and performance zoning, flexible regulatory techniques, planned residential and traditional neighborhood development regulations. Ordinance reviews, map problems, ethical issues are included in the course. (Please see calendar for course training dates)
Course in Zoning Administration
This course is a 3-session in-depth course for zoning hearing board members, zoning administrators, planning commissioners and elected officials in the basic principles and practices for administering municipal zoning ordinances. The course covers the technical aspects of the various zoning applications and appeals. Participants practice the techniques and procedures for conducting effective zoning hearings in a “mock zoning hearing.” (Please see calendar for course training dates)
Course in Subdivision and Land Development Review
This course is a 3-session in-depth course for planning commissioners, local officials and others involved in the land development process. The course covers 1) the principles of subdivision and land development regulation; 2) ordinance standards and review procedures in the MPC, and; 3) project design techniques including flexible design concepts and options. Participants learn how to manage the review process and relate it to the comprehensive plan. Hands-on plan review exercises for designing innovative development options are included. (Please see calendar for course training dates)