New York Planning Federation - Environmental and Planning Consultants

Zoning School

The New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal Land Use Training Program for Local Government Officials is an online training program designed to teach the basics of New York land use law. The program is made available to governmental officials, planning and zoning board members, municipal risk managers and others for noncommercial purposes. The program has nine tutorials and quizzes and a glossary with links to definitions and various New York State statutes.

The program is produced by the Pace University Land Use Law Center and the New York Planning Federation. It is made available through the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal, which is owned by the 530 New York Municipalities it insures.

For more information, click here.

In addition, the course can be downloaded (1.6 meg) from the New York Planning Federation. Designated officials should contact Lael Locke at llocke@nypf.org to be faxed quiz answers

Zoning School Frequently Asked Questions

This program contains nine lessons, each covering a different aspect of law and practice applicable to the work of local land use boards. It allows local governments to self-certify their boards when the board has satisfactorily completed five of the nine lessons.

1. Why should our local boards be certified?
Certification lets the public know that your local boards are knowledgeable about the land use and legal issues involved in the decisions they make regularly. In addition, in 2006, the State legislature established minimum training requirements of four hours annually for municipal planning and zoning boards. The certification program is one of several ways in which local boards can meet the new training requirements. Local governing bodies decide what type of training their boards will receive each year.

2. Which local boards may participate?
Planning boards, zoning boards of appeals, town boards, city councils, and village boards of trustees may all participate. In addition, special purpose groups such as CACs or comprehensive planning committees may also take part in the program. Finally, zoning officers, CEOs and municipal attorneys may participate.

3. Who is responsible for certifying each local board?
A designated official from each participating board is responsible for obtaining tutorials, testing, and certifying the board. No special training is needed for this person, other than the directions provided in the tutorial package.

4. How can I obtain the tutorials?
They are available as hard-copy binders or CDs, or via the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal or New York Planning Federation websites as downloads. There is a charge of $50 for a hard-copy binder and CD, except for communities that have completed a planning and zoning training course through the Pace Land Use Law Center or New York Planning Federation. Downloaded tutorials are free of cost. Copies may be made by municipalities from the any of the sources of the tutorials, provided they are not used for commercial purposes. There are no other fees associated with the program or certification.

5. How many tutorials are there?
There are nine different tutorials:
- Zoning - The Basics
- Comprehensive Planning
- Subdivision Regulations
- Site Plan Approvals and Conditions
- Variances
- Special Use Permits
- Environmental Review
- Local Board Procedures and Decisions
- Strategic Local Laws

6. How many tutorials do I need to do?
You need to complete a total of 5 tutorials, although some local boards choose to complete all 9.

7. Can this program be used to satisfy the new training requirement?
Yes. For purposes of qualifying for the new State training requirement, the program will count for four training hours.

8. Can I work on a different set of tutorials than another member?
This is the board’s decision. Members should take the courses that round out their experience and teach them subjects they need to know to be productive members of their particular board.

9. Where are the questions and answers?
The questions are located at the end of the tutorials. The designated official may obtain the answer key by e-mailing either Tiffany Zezula of Pace University at tzezula@law.pace.edu or Lael Locke of NYPF at llocke@nypf.org.

10. Who grades the exams?
The designated official should grade the exams. That person should keep a record of which members have successfully completed the tutorials, and testing dates.

11. How many members need to pass the program?
All board members must complete and pass the program for the board to be certified.

12. What is a passing score?
A passing score is 80% or 8 out of 10 questions correct.

13. Is there a second chance to re-test?
Yes. Members who do not pass the first time may re-take the exam whenever they are ready.

14. How long is certification good for?
Certification is good for two years. Turnover in board members and new planning and zoning information that becomes available make periodic re-certification beneficial.

15. Who do I send the certification form to?
Hudson Valley communities should send the form to Tiffany Zezula at the Land Use Law Center, Pace University, 78 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 19603. All other communities should send them to the NYPF, 440 3rd Ave. Watervliet, NY 12189. You will receive a certificate as well as acknowledgment in the NYPF’s newsletter Planning News.

16. If I would like to request the tutorials or if I have a question, who can I call?
Please call Tiffany Zezula at 914-422-4034 for Hudson Valley communities, and the NYPF at 518-270-9855 for all other New York communities.

17. How can our board get more in-depth training?
The tutorials are intended to provide basic knowledge in planning and zoning law. More in-depth training can be arranged through either the Pace Land Use Law Center or the NYPF on request.


		Training Opportunities Report on training programs statewide This report prepared by Pace University School of Law Land Use Law Center, under the direction of the New York Planning Federation Education Committee, identifies many organizations and entities in New York State that offer land use education and training. View the report. Zoning School The New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal Land Use Training Program for Local Government Officials is an online training program designed to teach the basics of New York land use law. The program is made available to governmental officials, planning and zoning board members, municipal risk managers and others for noncommercial purposes. The program has nine tutorials and quizzes and a glossary with links to definitions and various New York State statutes. The program is produced by the Pace University Land Use Law Center and the New York Planning Federation. It is made available through the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal, which is owned by the 530 New York Municipalities it insures. For more information, click here. In addition, the course can be downloaded (1.6 meg) from the New York Planning Federation. Designated officials should contact Lael Locke at llocke@nypf.org to be faxed quiz answers Zoning School Frequently Asked Questions This program contains nine lessons, each covering a different aspect of law and practice applicable to the work of local land use boards. It allows local governments to self-certify their boards when the board has satisfactorily completed five of the nine lessons. 1. Why should our local boards be certified? Certification lets the public know that your local boards are knowledgeable about the land use and legal issues involved in the decisions they make regularly. In addition, in 2006, the State legislature established minimum training requirements of four hours annually for municipal planning and zoning boards. The certification program is one of several ways in which local boards can meet the new training requirements. Local governing bodies decide what type of training their boards will receive each year. 2. Which local boards may participate? Planning boards, zoning boards of appeals, town boards, city councils, and village boards of trustees may all participate. In addition, special purpose groups such as CACs or comprehensive planning committees may also take part in the program. Finally, zoning officers, CEOs and municipal attorneys may participate. 3. Who is responsible for certifying each local board? A designated official from each participating board is responsible for obtaining tutorials, testing, and certifying the board. No special training is needed for this person, other than the directions provided in the tutorial package. 4. How can I obtain the tutorials? They are available as hard-copy binders or CDs, or via the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal or New York Planning Federation websites as downloads. There is a charge of $50 for a hard-copy binder and CD, except for communities that have completed a planning and zoning training course through the Pace Land Use Law Center or New York Planning Federation. Downloaded tutorials are free of cost. Copies may be made by municipalities from the any of the sources of the tutorials, provided they are not used for commercial purposes. There are no other fees associated with the program or certification. 5. How many tutorials are there? There are nine different tutorials: - Zoning - The Basics - Comprehensive Planning - Subdivision Regulations - Site Plan Approvals and Conditions - Variances - Special Use Permits - Environmental Review - Local Board Procedures and Decisions - Strategic Local Laws 6. How many tutorials do I need to do? You need to complete a total of 5 tutorials, although some local boards choose to complete all 9. 7. Can this program be used to satisfy the new training requirement? Yes. For purposes of qualifying for the new State training requirement, the program will count for four training hours. 8. Can I work on a different set of tutorials than another member? This is the board’s decision. Members should take the courses that round out their experience and teach them subjects they need to know to be productive members of their particular board. 9. Where are the questions and answers? The questions are located at the end of the tutorials. The designated official may obtain the answer key by e-mailing either Tiffany Zezula of Pace University at tzezula@law.pace.edu or Lael Locke of NYPF at llocke@nypf.org. 10. Who grades the exams? The designated official should grade the exams. That person should keep a record of which members have successfully completed the tutorials, and testing dates. 11. How many members need to pass the program? All board members must complete and pass the program for the board to be certified. 12. What is a passing score? A passing score is 80% or 8 out of 10 questions correct. 13. Is there a second chance to re-test? Yes. Members who do not pass the first time may re-take the exam whenever they are ready. 14. How long is certification good for? Certification is good for two years. Turnover in board members and new planning and zoning information that becomes available make periodic re-certification beneficial. 15. Who do I send the certification form to? Hudson Valley communities should send the form to Tiffany Zezula at the Land Use Law Center, Pace University, 78 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 19603. All other communities should send them to the NYPF, 440 3rd Ave. Watervliet, NY 12189. You will receive a certificate as well as acknowledgment in the NYPF’s newsletter Planning News. 16. If I would like to request the tutorials or if I have a question, who can I call? Please call Tiffany Zezula at 914-422-4034 for Hudson Valley communities, and the NYPF at 518-270-9855 for all other New York communities. 17. How can our board get more in-depth training? The tutorials are intended to provide basic knowledge in planning and zoning law. More in-depth training can be arranged through either the Pace Land Use Law Center or the NYPF on request. New York Planning Federation 440 3rd Ave. Watervliet, NY 12189 518-270-9855 fax: 518-270-9857 e-mail: nypf@nypf.org

Training Opportunities