PMPEI

The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute

2011

Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute [PMPEI]

• An educational collaboration of Penn State Cooperative Extension and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association

• The Institute was created in 1992

• Administrative assistance is provided by the PA State Association of Boroughs

The PMPEI Mission

• The mission of the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute is to educate local and county planning, zoning, and elected officials to do the best job for the people who live and work in their community.

There are about

10,000 planning commissioners7,500 zoning board members1,000 zoning administrators

Every year about 15-25% are new in their position

PMPEI in 2010

25 courses

17 counties

573 participants

5,730 hours of instruction

The PMPEI Planning & Zoning Course Program

Currently 4 courses* -

♦ The Course in Community Planning

♦ The Course in Zoning

♦ The Course in Zoning Administration

♦ The Course in Subdivision & Land Development Review

* A new 2-session “Course in the Official Map” is in development

PMPEI Course features♦ In-depth instruction in topic

♦ 10-hour courses; 3 sessions*

♦ Based on municipal authority in the Municipalities Planning Code

♦ Varied: lecture, discussion, exercises

♦ Limited class size: 20-30

♦ Informal, interactive, cooperative environment for learning

• most common format

PMPEI Course features

♦ Taught by 2 PMPEI “Certified Instructors”

♦ Instructors have minimum 5 yrs experience in subject

♦ All instructors take a “Train-the-Trainer program

♦ Instructors are compensated

PMPEI Course Contents

TOPICS

♦ The Municipalities Planning Code♦ Planning Agencies♦ Comprehensive Planning♦ Planning Implementation♦ How to Have an Effective Planning

Commission

The Course in Community Planning

In 2010 a new teaching component was added to the course to highlight how to integrate Marcellus Shale natural gas development into the comprehensive planning process.

Instruction in the basics of this new land use and exercises to practice comprehensive planning were added.

The Course in Community Planning

The Course in Zoning

TOPICS▪ Zoning in Pennsylvania▪ The Authority to Zone▪ Drafting the Zoning Ordinance: 1▪ Drafting the Zoning Ordinance: 2▪ Ordinance Enactment & Amendment▪ Administering the Zoning Ordinance▪ Monitoring Your Zoning Ordinance

The Course in Subdivision &Land Development Review

TOPICS♦ A Planning Approach to

Subdivision & Land Development♦ Rationale for Regulation ♦ Overview of the Review Process♦ Agency Reviews and Information Sources♦ “Red-Penciling” a Plan♦ Project Design Standards♦ Between Preliminary and Final Plan Approval♦ Better Project Design

The Course in Zoning Administration

TOPICS▪ The Foundations of Zoning▪ Basic Zoning Terms▪ The Zoning Administration Team▪ The Zoning Officer & Enforcement▪ The Zoning Hearing Board▪ Variances▪ Special Exceptions, Nonconformities & Others▪ The Zoning Hearing Process▪ Mock Zoning Hearing

PMPEI Train-the-Trainer

PMPEI Train-the-Trainer

To maintain statewide uniformity of instruction all instructors take an intensive “train-the-trainer” program.

▪ In-depth review of course content

• Practice “team teaching”

• Learn key ideas of adult education

• Learn from experienced instructors

PMPEI Instructors

There are 54 Certified Instructors statewide-

38 Planners

5 zoning administrators

4 practicing attorneys

3 municipal managers

4 “other”

PMPEI Continuing Education

PMPEI Continuing Education

All PMPEI courses are accepted for continuing education credit by-

▪ Penn State University [1 CEU]

▪ PA Continuing Legal Education Board [9 cr.]

▪ State Bd of Certified Real Estate App. [10 cr.]

▪ State Real Estate Commission [10 cr.]

▪ State Registration Bd for Professional En- gineers, Land Surveyors & Geologists [10 cr.]

“Master Planner” Certificate Programs

• Three counties—Berks,Chester, and Lycoming— have set up “Master Planner” certificate programs

• Participants take 3 PMPEI courses over 2 yrs

• They earn a certificate of recognition for their achievement; Berks County holds an annual induction dinner

• In Berks County there are 2 program sponsors; Chester County has 4 sponsors; Lycoming has 5

Information

There are several sources of information about PMPEI and courses:

ECD www.economicdevelopment.psu.edu PSAB www.classes.boroughs.org PA APA www.planningpa.org PMPEI http://cax.psu.edu/pmpei/