2025 FALL APA-IL Virtual Plan Commissioner Training - Open to AllAll current & future commissioners, boards, and staff are welcome to attend. | Plan Commissioner Training in Homer Glen 6/19/25Lively discussion took place on topics such as findings of fact, commissioner responsibilities during public hearings, and forming recommendations to approve or deny a project. | |
Plan Commissioner Training
Planning officials work hard reading packets, reviewing cases, conducting public hearings, and considering policy matters; but they rarely get the chance to sit back and look at the big picture of what they do and the significance it has to the communities in which they live. Also, most officials are not professionals in the planning or development fields and can benefit from a bit of extra training on the topic. Even seasoned commissioners appreciate the chance to step back from the task of plan review and approval, learn what’s new in planning, and discuss their role with fellow commissioners. The APA-IL's in-depth curriculum includes:
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Planning History
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Tools of the Trade - master plans, zoning codes, etc.
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Role of the Commissioners
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Role of Others in the Process
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Basics of “Findings of Fact”
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Open Meetings/Ethics
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Regional Planning
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Special Topics - a custom-built to include particular issues that a community would like to cover. Examples include: site plan review, sustainability, design review, affordable housing, economic development, or transit oriented development.
Program
In general, our program is a 2 to 2 ½ hour workshop covering a wide range of planning and development topics that are fundamental for commissioners. We can also get into details on items of interest. Whether commissioners are new or have been serving for some time, they all find the session worthwhile. That's in no small part for the chance to discuss what they do without having it happen as part of a hearing or in a room full of concerned residents.
- Workshops typically fall on a regular meeting night.
- Trainers have solid planning experience in the public and / or private sector. We can include an attorney too.
- We are able to meet where you are comfortable. In-person and virtual sessions are available.
- We’ve done over 150 of these sessions, each is a little different because they are done as a discussion not a presentation.
- Some communities invite staff, elected officials, other commissioners, village attorneys or officials from adjacent towns -- all fine! Whether commissioners are new or have been serving for some time, they all find the session worthwhile.
If you would like a training in your community, please contact us.
A special thank you to the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University who provided the knowledge and support to help develop and make the training a success!
Latest News & Training
Past Training
2025 APA-IL Virtual Plan Commissioner Training - Open to AllAll current & future commissioners, boards, and staff are welcome to attend. | 1/29/25 Findings of Fact Webinar - Planners EditionPlanners, take the mystery out of findings of fact! Hear from planners and attorneys on this critical topic. Plus, enjoy an interactive discussion based on real public hearing scenarios. | APA-ISS Region 5 Citizen Planner WorkshopFree training for appointed and elected officials in the St. Louis area! |
Where we have held sessions
Click here if you have trouble viewing the map. Map prepared by the Chaddick Institute of DePaul University.
What out attendees say:
Violetta Cullen, City of Evanston - "I got a chance to hear from a lot of different municipalities that have the same type of problems that we did and compare ourselves."
I highly recommend it for everybody!
Keith Youngquist, Village of Mount Prospect - "What I great time! I've been a commissioner for 15 years. Don't know why I didn't do this training earlier."
