Community Planning Institute (CPI)
Program Description
In partnership with the Georgia Planning Association, the Office of Planning and Environmental Management provides a series of classes called the Community Planning Institute to Georgia’s planning commissioners, elected officials and staff. The Institute provides information about local planning for land use, growth and development, and water resources management.
The Community Planning Institute consists of five classes:
- Preparing your comprehensive plan is a day of plan development instruction following Georgia’s 2013 local planning requirements. The day’s lessons include best practices for involving the community in the planning process and a discussion of good examples for each plan element from existing community plans. The day ends with an interactive activity on good plan preparation.
- Using your comprehensive plan effectively provides an overview of the importance of planning for the future and sets the stage with a brief introduction to community planning. It explains the benefits of local planning, who should be involved in the process, and what is included in a useful plan. The day ends with a real-life example of a community that uses its plan effectively, to the benefit of all its citizens.
- Tools for implementing your comprehensive plan covers lessons learned about various methods available to implement your community’s plan, not all of which are regulatory. Learn how and when to apply each type of tool, and where you can go for more help. This session covers the importance of the comprehensive plan as a legal basis for decision-making and discusses how to stay legal in your planning and zoning, including takings, due process and vested rights. Instructors will guide participants through DCA’s Model Code, helping understand how to use the Code, and how to match the sample codes to local issues.
- Managing your water resources is an overview of Georgia’s water resources and what local governments can do to wisely use and protect these resources. The day starts with a brief history of water planning in Georgia, followed by an overview of state and regional water issues. After lunch, the session includes best practices for stormwater management. The day ends with an overview of better wastewater management practices, and a hands-on activity to put the day’s lessons into useful perspective.
- Planning for hazard mitigation provides an overview of the importance of planning to enable quicker recovery from future natural disaster events. This session includes best practices for hazard mitigation in the context of land use planning (including GIS mapping.), and discussion of proposed model zoning code sections and how to apply them. It explains the benefits of proactive land use planning by local governments to both enable better recovery efforts and diminish the negative impacts of such a hazard event on your community.
Coming in July of 2013
Community Planning Institute workshop.
Please check back for more information.
Contact Information
For more information about Planning and Environmental Management, please contact the Office of Planning and Environmental Management at 404-679-5279
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
60 Executive Park South, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30329-2231
