DCA’s Office of Planning has selected the City of Dublin to host the Fall Community Planning Institute. The upcoming Fall CPI will look a little different with breakout sessions, a planning-centric movie playing in the 90-year-old renovated Art Deco Dublin Theatre, and sessions happening in several locations. Dublin’s own Tara Bradshaw will be regaling our attendees with tales of their successful downtown redevelopment while listening, walking, and seeing the vibrancy live and in person. 

We have planned a Historic Preservation presentation to take place in the glorious Downtown Carnegie Library while still offering mainstay sessions like Planning Essentials 101, Affordable Housing, How to Effectively use your Comp Plan, Unlocking CDBG Funds for your Community, Case Studies to Address Complex Land Use Scenarios, and more!

Only 50 slots are open for this engaging 1.5-day course. This event fills up fast. As always, this event offers CM credits through the Georgia Planning Association and American Planning Association.

Price: $275*

Although this event has already reached capacity, the waitlist is open! If you desire to see your community’s Planning Commissioners, elected officials, and/or community planning staff attend this workshop, please reach out to DCA’s Planning Outreach Coordinator to be put on the waitlist.

Learn More

Topics at this informative one and a half-day event will include:

• Planning Essentials in Georgia (.5 CM) – Juli Yoder, AICP
  Defines and elaborates the importance of community planning in Georgia.
• Rules for Local Comprehensive Planning in Georgia – Maintaining Your Comp Plan (2 CM) –Zane Grennell, DCA. Building off of the “Planning Essentials in Georgia” presentation, the presenter further dives into the comprehensive planning process in Georgia. The presenter discusses the importance of public participation, the visioning and goal setting process ultimately arriving towards the elements in the comprehensive plan; both required and optional elements.
• The PlanFirst Program (.5 CM) – Derrick Peevy, AICP, DCA
  The presenter will present DCA’s PlanFirst program. The PlanFirst program is a program that recognizes and rewards communities that clearly demonstrate an established pattern of successfully implementing their Local Comprehensive Plan.
• Community Engagement and Comprehensive Planning (.75 CM) – Allison Slocum, AICP
  The presenter will discuss the importance of community engagement before, during, and after the comprehensive planning process. The presenter will also share community engagement tips and techniques.
• Using CDBG Funds to Implement Your Comprehensive Plan (1 CM) – Glenn Misner, DCA
  The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program is a federally funded block grant to states that focuses on benefiting low- to moderate-income people by providing resources for livable neighborhoods, economic empowerment, and decent housing.
• Regulatory Tools for Implementation: Zoning; Ordinances; Maps; and Enforcement (.75 CM) – Paul Forgey, AICP. The presenter defines zoning, the role that it plays in the comprehensive plan and community and the importance of the planning commission. He ends the session with zoning ordinance scenarios, allowing the class to learn through participation.
• Planning Success Stories (1 CM) – Gwinnett County, City of Cochran, City of Douglas, Columbus/Muscogee County, City of Bainbridge. This group of presenters will undertake a quick-highlight story session of Success Stories-implementing their Comprehensive Plan and covering topics such as TADs, Main Street Redevelopment Fund, Establishing and implementing an Affordable Housing Fund, Urban Redevelopment Plan, Parks, and wayfinding signage, among other topics.
• Historic Preservation (.75 CM) – Torrey Long and Sandra Hall, DCA. While historic preservation is no longer an element required in Comprehensive Plans, it is still very important. Many communities recognize this and want to take supportive actions, one of which is including this element in their plan. Other great steps include the creation of local historic districts and including spaces and places on the National Register. The presenter will discuss this and what the State can do to assist communities in this process.
• Keeping your Main Street Vibrant (.75 CM) – Cindy Eidson. The presenter will discuss ways that main street cities around Georgia continue to implement their comprehensive plan, as well as how to continue growing business on Main Street.
• Planning for Affordable Housing (.75 CM) – Chris Hurley, DCA. The presenter will discuss the importance of incorporating the housing element in your local comprehensive plan.
• Solar in Georgia-Challenges and Opportunities (.75 CM) – Thatcher Young, Velo Solar. As Georgia’s communities explore ways to meet the ever-growing demand of energy production and efficiency, solar is an issue that presents unique opportunities and challenges. In this session, industry expert Thatcher Young will provide guidance and tools from universities, the solar industry, and the Nature Conservancy.

*If you are an active PlanFirst community, registration is free for up to two (2) representatives per designation period.

Please email Daniel Gaddis or call at 404.679.4934 if you have any questions.