Planning excellence for Chester County.

Events:

The Course in Subdivision & Land Development Review
$160 ($115 is for PMPEI Costs and $45 for Programming)
2/1/24, 2/8/24, 2/15/24
6:30-9:30 PM Arrive at 6:00 for the first session
Food will be provided
West Chester University Graduate Center, Room 306
1160 McDermott Drive, West Chester, PA

This course deals with the work of planning commissions in the subdivision and land development review process—from pre-application meetings through project completion. Extensively revised in 2005, the course emphasizes the MPC as the source of authority to regulate development. Planning commissions have a central role play in the land development process which is an integral part of a community’s comprehensive planning program. New in the course are flexible design concepts and options for better project design. Participants learn new skills for administering the review process, reviewing plans, and calculating impacts of development. The course also covers techniques for incorporating internal and external reviews in plan review, and how information sharing can improve local and regional planning.

The Course in Zoning
$160 ($115 is for PMPEI Costs and $45 for Programming)
3/7/24, 3/14/24, 3/21/24
6:30-9:30 PM Arrive at 6:00 for the first session
Food will be provided
West Chester University Graduate Center, Room 306
1160 McDermott Drive, West Chester, PA

This course addresses the fascinating, complex, and contentious topic of zoning. We will examine how zoning evolved in the United States and how this history continues to shape the way zoning is practiced in 21st century Pennsylvania. The course begins with a review of the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) authority for zoning and presents “nuts and bolts” fundamentals for drafting zoning ordinances and amendments.

Included in the course are advanced techniques such as overlay and performance zoning, planned residential development, and traditional neighborhood development. The relationship of zoning to comprehensive planning and the need for them to be consistent is emphasized. The course includes mapping exercises and analyses of zoning ordinance provisions. Problem situations and ethical dilemmas in zoning are discussed. The role of the planning commission with other individuals and local agencies in zoning administration, as well as procedures for enacting zoning ordinances and guidelines for rezoning, are discussed in detail.

All planning commissioners, elected officials, code officers, zoning hearing board members and the public interested in zoning are encouraged to attend.

The Course in Zoning Administration
$160 ($115 is for PMPEI Costs and $45 for Programming)
3/26/24, 4/2/24, 4/9/24
6:30-9:30 PM Arrive at 6:00 for the first session
Food will be provided
West Chester University Graduate Center, Room 306
1160 McDermott Drive, West Chester, PA

In this course zoning hearing board members, zoning officials, and elected officials—regardless of experience—learn the basic principles, procedures, and information needed to effectively carry out their functions in the administration of municipal zoning. The course covers the technical aspects of zoning and how to build effective relationships with the public. Hands-on experiences and practice exercises are built into each session. Participants learn how to conduct effective and fair zoning hearings in a mock zoning hearing session. Course topics include the principles of zoning, key zoning terms, the zoning administration team, zoning officer duties, enforcement notices, and zoning hearing procedures, variances, special exceptions/conditional uses, and nonconformities.

Chester County 2020
PO Box 989
Malvern, PA 19355
610-332-9588
info@cc2020.org