Training and Educational Programs

5th Thursday Dinners

Planning and zoning appeals boards across the County meet on almost every day of the week throughout the month. Many offered training sessions conflict with one or more scheduled meetings or hearings. However, BRPC has found that no board meets on the 5th Thursday of a month. Each time a 5th Thursday occurs, BRPC sponsors a dinner/training session aimed at planning boards, zoning appeals boards and building inspectors (although everyone is welcome!) Past session topics have included: exempt uses under zoning, special permit decisions, and a primer on updating zoning. The dinners are a great way to learn more about zoning and planning topics, and are also a fun social event!

October 5th Thursday

The next 5th Thursday Dinner will be held on October 29, 2009, at Berkshire Hills Country Club. Jim Barry, from the Department of Energy Resources, and BRPC staff will lead a discussion of the 'Green Communities Act.' What does it mean to be a green community, and what do towns need to do to achieve that status?

The materials and information provided will be especially valuable to selectboards, town administrators, planning boards, zoning boards of appeal, building inspectors, finance committee members, and energy committees.

October Green Communities 5th Thursday Invitation

Please contact Sarah LaValley for more information about the 5th Thursday Program.

January 29, 2009 5th Thursday

Speaker: Don Dubendorf, Esq,
"Special Permit Specifics"

Practice - How Would You Make These Decisions Better?

January 31st, 2008 5th Thursday

Speaker: Syd Smithers, Esq,
"Drafting Defensible Special Permit Decisions"

"Drafting Defensible Decisions" training handout

Court Case Examples training handout

Training Session Audio files

Part 1 (7.8 mb, 22 minutes)

Part 2 (7.8 mb, 22 minutes)

Part 3 (9.2 mb, 25 minutes)

Citizen Planner Training Collaborative

The Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC) provides local planning and zoning officials with tools to make effective decisions regarding their community's current and future land use. Fall training sessions are held throughout the state on a variety of topics, including:

Zoning Exemptions
Roles and Responsibilities of Planning and Zoning Boards
Special Permits and Variances
Comprehensive Permits
Planning for Agriculture
How to Hold a Perfect Public Hearing
Low Impact Development

CPTC offers Training workshops delivering both basic and advanced core curriculm, internet access to core training units, a bylaw collection, many planning related links, and training calendars. On-demand training for a small fee can also be offered to any community needing to focus on a specific topic.

The 2009 Spring Conference will be held on Saturday, March 21 at Holy Cross College in Worcester. The day-long coference offers an opportunity to participate in several training sessions in one stop. More details will be announced soon.

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Education Online

The Lincoln Institute is currently offering the online course: Planning Fundamentals . This course is designed as an introductory planning course for members of planning boards, planning commissions, zoning boards, conservation boards, and other related planning positions. Register at www.lincolneducationonline.org.

U.S. EPA Smart Growth Policy Database

The US EPA lists a collection of policies enacted in municipalities throughout the country which work to promote the principles of Smart Growth. The database can be browsed by objective, by policy, or by the state in which the policy was enacted. The database can be visited at http://cfpub.epa.gov/sgpdb/browse.cfm