Short Course for Planning and Elected Officials
The 2021 Short Course for Elected and Appointed Officials will have six sessions this year. These sessions will be presented in person at the conference and virtually with the recordings available on the conference website for six months. They will not be on Zoom or live streamed this years. The sessions include Introduction to Planning and Development Regulations: A Historical Perspective, Quick Facts to Become A Better Commissioner and Board Members, Plans for the Future, Words and Jargon You Need to Know!, The Importance Of Comprehensive Planning, and Using Zoning and Subdivision Regulations to Implement Your Comprehensive Plan and Vice Versa.
For over 46 years, the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association has provided training for planning commissioners and elected officials. APA Texas recognizes the importance of training for citizen planners who willingly give their time to provide input and guidance in current and long-range issues facing their communities.
The Short Course curriculum includes two tracks of sessions aimed at covering basic planning issues as well as important challenges and opportunities that face planning officials in Texas communities. The program includes 8 sessions that include an Introduction to Planning in Texas: Roles and Responsibilities; Introductions to Zoning and Subdivisions; Comprehensive Plans; Transportation Planning; Park Planning; Infrastructure Planning; Development Process, and topics of current and local interest. Trainers include chapter and national leaders along with local planners and planning commissioners.
Short Course Registrants can also attend all of the program sessions of the APA Cross-Chapter Collaborative Conference, held at the same time and location as the Short Course.
A Guide to Urban Planning in Texas Communities
The handbook for the Short Couse is A Guide to Urban Planning in Texas Communities, first published by APA Texas. The Guide is an extensive collection of articles that cover all aspects of planning in Texas. Written by experts and regularly updated, the Guide includes the basic topics and more technical approaches to a wide range of issues. In addition to being the basis for the Short Course, it has been used as a textbook at several universities.