2012 Land Use Planning Workshops
Click on title of workshop below to see full description.
All programs are four-hours in length (either morning or afternoon) except for the Basics and Beyond the Basics.
Basics of Planning and Zoning (full day)
3/29 - St. Paul and 5/2 - Little Falls
Faculty: Richard Thompson and Michael Couri
This workshop covers the nuts & bolts of planning, zoning & subdivision regulation. Participants learn how planning and zoning is developed and where they fit into the process. How do the different “players” maximize their impact? Among topics to be addressed are:
- The history, how the system has gotten to where it is today, the authority and limits to planning and zoning
- The basic land use and zoning tools: comprehensive plans, zoning and subdivision ordinances, amendments, permits, enforcement
- Legal basics: avoiding litigation, what is “due process,” what is a taking, conducting public hearings, making findings of fact, and understanding the 60-day rule
- Who participates in the planning & zoning process; YOUR role, responsibilities and opportunities
- Hands-on simulations of actual planning and zoning dilemmas
- Hot issues, answers to your questions
Audience: Designed for thos new to land use planning or interested in a review of the fundamentals.
Thursday, March 29 - St. Paul
Wednersday May 2- Little Falls
9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (check-in 8:30 AM)
Registration Fee - $125/Person
Beyond the Basics of Planning and Zoning (full day)
5/17 - Shoreview
Faculty: Phil Carlson and Desyl Peterson
Participants learn about preparing and using planning tools to deal with a wide variety of development problems, plus obtain a review of the legal requirements for conditional use permits, interim use permits, variances, and nonconforming uses. This workshop covers:
- A quick review of planning history, comprehensive planning, and zoning tools
- Innovative ways to guide land use and development, from PUDs and performance zoning to design guidelines and “cutting edge” applications
- Sustainability – what it is and how to apply sustainable principles to planning and zoning
- The environmental review process – EAWs, EISs, and AUARs: tools to expedite careful review of complex projects
- Detailed discussion of zoning tools to handle various development issues
- Legal issues in more depth: How to implement the comprehensive plan in zoning and subdivision ordinances? What to require for variances? When to grant conditional uses? When to use interim use permits? How to treat nonconforming uses? When to require easements?
- Case studies—actual urban, suburban and rural situations!
- Answers to your questions on community zoning issues
Audience: For those who have a solid general knowledge of the planning process (1-2 years on Council, Board or Zoning/Planning commission) or who have attended “The Basics.”
Thursday, May 17 - Shoreview -
9:00 am - 4:30 pm (check-in 8:30 am)
Registration Fee: $125/person
Your Role as a Planning Commission Member
3/29 - Wilmar and 6/7 - Eagan
Faculty: John Shardlow
As a Planning Commission member, you contribute hours of unpaid time to your community. Have you discovered that serving in this capacity is a bit more challenging than anticipated? This workshop will focus on what you need to know to be successful in this important position. You’ll learn practical tips that can make the difference between results and regrets. Topics include:
- Keeping the “Big Picture” in mind
- Setting significant (but realistic) Commission goals
- Preparing an annual work program
- Changing non-productive patterns of work
- Forging healthy relationships with elected officials and staff (Plus…what to do if those relationships are unhealthy!)
- Ways to facilitate public participation in the planning process
- Effective tools & techniques (planning report models and findings of fact designed to complement one another, primer on parliamentary procedure)
- Handling controversial issues
Audience: For members of City, County, Township Planning Commissions; also valuable for members of Boards of Adjustment and Appeals and other advisory commissions.
Thursday, March 29 - Willmar - 1:00 – 5:00 pm (check-in 12:30 pm)
Thursday, June 7 - Eagan - 1:00 – 5:00 pm (check-in 12:30 pm)
Registration Fee: $60/person
Advanced Planning & Zoning for Professional Planners
4/18 - St. Paul
FACULTY: John Shardow and Joel Jamnik
Designed in response to demand for in-depth offerings for practitioners, this training workshop updates and expands the highly evaluated program offered in 2010. Participants will:
- Benefit from a rapid-fire review of the fundamental principles and key legal issues.
- Receive an update on variances (including the Krummenacher case and pending legislative amendment), conditional use permits & interim use permits
- Gain an in-depth understanding of the importance and specifics of an effective and complete public record
- Learn how to both prepare and enforce development agreements, with special emphasis on dealing with defaults, stalled projects and successor developers
- Explore ways to conduct more effective community participation (e.g., visual preference surveys, using new technology while maintaining a legal foundation for decision making)
- Review what’s involved in developing better tools such as form-based and performance based codes, code amendments to minimize discretionary permits
- Hear the latest on key recent court cases that affect local planning and results to date of the legislative session
- Feature: This program will include a section titled Your Hot Topics which will cover content and questions identified as priorities on a survey to be completed ahead of time by registrants.
Audience: Planning professionals serving in staff or consultant positions; targeted to those with at least two years of professional planning experience.
Wednesday, April 18 - St. Paul
8:30 am – 12:30 pm (check-in 8:00 am)
Registration Fee: $60/person
A "Practical" Guide to Variances in Shorelands & Floodplains
5/10 - Brainerd and 10/30 - Detroit Lakes
Faculty: Paul Radomski, Jenny Shillcox, Jed Burkett, Jim Ballenthin, local government officials
Minnesota variance laws have changed. Learn from the experts how to make decisions in light of the purposes and intent of those regulations. Topics include:
- The criteria for reviewing variance requests in cities and counties
- How to evaluate and develop findings for typical shoreland and floodplain variance requests
- How to determine whether a practical difficulty exists
- What it means to alter the essential character of a shoreland or floodplain
- When to impose conditions to mitigate impacts on public water resources; examples of what’s appropriate
Audience: Elected officials, appointed planning commissioners and members of boards of adjustment, local staff making recommendations on variances
Thursday, May 10 – Brainerd
Tuesday, October 30 – Detroit Lakes
1:00 – 5:00 pm (check-in 12:30 pm)
Registration Fee: $60/person.
Healthy Watersheds, Health Communities
6/27 Little Falls (New Date! New Location! FREE)
Faculty: Jean Coleman, Beth Knudsen, Sharon Pfeifer, local experts
Health communities arise from many factors including health water. Healthy water is determined by activities within surrounding watersheds. This workshop focuses on what local governments need to know about the health of their watersheds plus tools your community can use to create healthy watersheds. Participants will:
- Become familiar with the Watershed Assessment Tool (WAT) and its benefit as a big picture, integrative planning framework
- Learn about the five principal elements that contribute to watershed health (hydrology, geomorphology, connectivity, biology and water quality)
- Explore how healthier watersheds tie directly to the economic and societal health of communities
- Hear local success stories
Special Highlight: Interactive, guided demonstration of the Watershed Assessment Tool
Audience: Elected officials, appointed planning commissioners and members of boards of adjustment, as well as planners and zoning administrators
Wednesday, June 27 — Little Falls
1:00 – 5:00 pm (check-in 12:30 pm)
Registration Fee: FREE
Preparing for the Upturn During the Downturn
4/26 - St. Cloud
Faculty: Tony Schertler, Bob Streetar and Jay Demma
Current economic struggles have caused many communities to play a “waiting game”. This may seem logical when the future is so uncertain, but it actually results in missing a valuable opportunity. Take advantage of this workshop to get back on track by addressing some key questions:
- How should current market conditions affect your long term vision? How do you take advantage of a down market to prepare for an upswing?
- What are the important and essential actions you can take? What facts, issues, situations are important/essential to prioritizing your allocation of effort? Communication with stakeholders is particularly crucial so that you can maximize investment opportunities and avoid investment frustration.
- How does the “new normal” affect how you operate? Identify those issues that are unlikely to return to the previous norms versus typical market cycles.
- If your community doesn’t currently have the resources to cover costs, how do you prepare so that you can attract other resources when the market returns?
Audience: Elected officials, appointed planning commissioners and members of boards of adjustments, as well as planners and zoning administrators.
Thursday, April 26 - St. Cloud #1
1:00 – 5:00 pm (check-in 12:30 pm)
Registration Fee: $60/person
Home Occupations: A Growing Concern
6/20 - Waite Park
Faculty: Richard Thompson and Michael Couri
A number of converging trends (e-commerce, baby-boomers taking up permanent residence
in lake cabins, layoffs) have led to an increase in home-based businesses — and an upsurge in problems facing local governments. This workshop outlines the challenges and ways to address them through presentations, case studies and interactive examples. Participants will learn:
- The legal and historical basis for home occupations
- What constitutes a home occupation and what does not; relationship to commercial/industrial uses
- Potential problems—traffic, noise, odors, safety, environmental issues, signs
- How to create a firm and fair home occupation provision of a zoning ordinance; difficulties in administration
- Relationship to nuisance law
Audience: Elected officials, appointed planning commissioners and members of boards of adjustment, as well as planners and zoning administrators.
Wednesday, June 20 – Waite Park
1:00 – 5:00 pm (check-in 12:30 pm)
Registration Fee: $60/person
Housing Choices for Your Community
7/12 - St. Paul (New Date!)
Faculty: Cathy Capone Bennett, Local/Regional Government Practitioners & local experts
Everyone knows the housing market has changed dramatically in the past few years and its impact is being felt in communities throughout the state. More than ever before, it is critical for policymakers and practitioners to adapt to changing consumer demand and demographics, and be more strategic in meeting the future needs of their cities by offering a full range of housing choices. The workshop is designed to help participants understand the issues, what’s involved in moving ahead, and how best to begin. Topics include:
- Current Trends and housing options
- Principles and best practices related to the preservation and production of a diverse mix of housing types, sizes and prices
- The Minnesota –based Housing Tool Box: generating capital for housing options, preserving existing housing, expanding opportunities for new housing, using resources efficiently, helping residents succeed, and more!
- Case studies of successful housing initiatives covering the need addressed, process, results and lessons learned along the way:
— St. Paul location—metro examples from Livable Communities grant recipients
— Little Falls location—examples from the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund
Audience: Elected officials, appointed planning commissioners and members of boards of adjustments, as well as planners and zoning administrators.
Thursday, July 12 — St. Paul
8:30 am – 12:30 pm (check-in 8:00 am)
Registration Fee: $60/person
Planning and Zoning for Solar and Small Wind Energy
4/11 - St. Paul
Faculty: Brian Ross, Stacy Miller, Lise Trudeau
“Coming soon to your community: home and business wind and solar installations (whether you like it or not)! But does your comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance provide the guidance that you need? Are there nuisances associated with small wind and solar installations? Does your community have meaningful solar or wind resources? Find out how planning practice is accommodating the rapidly evolving world of ‘distributed generation’.”
Audience: Staff planners, planning commission members, elected officials, renewable energy developers
Wednesday, April 11 – St. Paul
1:30 – 3:30 pm (check-in 1:00 pm)
Registration Fee: $30
PDF Registration Form (Updated 5/16/2012)
Faculty Information
Jed Burkett is a Land Use/Loss Control Attorney with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. Prior to his current position, he worked as a staff attorney with the League’s Research & Inquiry Service. Before joining the League in 2001, Jed worked for the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the University of Minnesota’s Office of General Counsel, and the City of Minneapolis Planning Department. He has an undergraduate degree from Carleton College, and attended the University of Minnesota Law School and Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs.
Cathy Capone Bennett works as a consultant to ULI MN/ Regional Council of Mayors, a non-profit organization that actively engages public and private sector leaders in creating thriving, sustainable communities. She manages the Regional Council of Mayors Housing Initiative which partners to implement tools and strategies that support a full range of housing choices in connected, livable communities. Cathy has been consulting since 2006 and previously worked for the Minnesota cities of Mounds View and Roseville and the San Diego Economic Development Corporation.
Phil Carlson, has consulted on planning issues for over 35 years with the St. Paul firm Stantec (formerly Bonestroo and DSU). In addition to preparing comprehensive plans and writing zoning ordinances for numerous communities, he wrote the design guidelines for Burnsville’s Heart of the City development, West St. Paul’s Robert Street corridor and Mankato’s Urban Design Framework.
Jean Coleman, attorney and planner with CR Planning, Inc., has worked with local governments for 20+ years as a policy advocate and zoning consultant—currently focusing on community-based planning and innovative implementation techniques. Areas of expertise also include using GIS-based natural resource information in comprehensive planning, diverse tools for natural resource protection, public participation/conflict resolution techniques for developing policies and ordinances.
Michael Couri is a partner with the law firm of Couri & Ruppe located in St. Michael. Couri & Ruppe represents ten cities and 130 townships throughout the State. Mike received his law degree from the University of Illinois in 1988. He has been practicing in municipal law for 21 years and is currently the City Attorney for the cities of Albertville, Crosslake, Rockford and St. Augusta. Mike also currently serves as President of the Minnesota City Attorneys Association.
Jay Demma, Senior Planner, directs the real estate market research operations for Stamtec. He has over 15 years experience in real estate market research, having held various staff and executive positions at leading market research firms in the Twin Cities and Philadelphia before joining Bonestroo (now Stantec) in 2006. Jay has worked on hundreds of assignments throughout the United States, providing market expertise on virtually all land use types, especially housing, commercial/mixed-use and urban redevelopment.
Joel Jamnik is a partner with the law firm of Campbell Knutson. He currently serves as City Attorney for Braham, Burnsville, Farmington, Lindstrom, Long Lake, Monticello, Mora, North St. Paul and Woodland, and as Assistant City Attorney for the firm’s other city clients. Prior to joining Campbell Knutson, he was employed by the League of Minnesota Cities. He is a graduate of William Mitchell College of Law and St. Cloud State University.
Beth Knudsen is the Watershed Assessment Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In her current position she is the project manager for the development of the DNR’s Watershed Assessment Tool. Beth has 22 years experience with the DNR including ten as watershed coordinator for the Wells Creek Watershed Partnership. She has also provided technical GIS support for modeling sensitive resources in Florence Township.
Stacy Miller, Solar Programs Administrator for the Minnesota Department of Commerce Division of Energy Resources, offers solar policy support and administers various solar programs for the state. She also serves on the Board of the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation as a public sector representative. Stacy began her renewable energy career with the University of Toledo in 1995—one of the leading thin film photovoltaic research institutions in the nation. She works closely with the Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul on their Solar America Cities project funded by the Department of Energy (DOE), and is the lead on the Minnesota Solar Challenge program, also funded by DOE. She holds a Master of Science in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
Desyl Peterson, Minnetonka City Attorney since 1984, was designated a GTS Master Trainer in 2007 and regularly provides training to elected & appointed officials on municipal matters. She is currently a member of the League of MN Cities Insurance Trust Board of Directors.
Sharon Pfeifer, Community Assistance Manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Central Region, specializes in regional analysis and solutions for natural resource protection. Sharon acquired funding and managed the development of two regional natural resources analyses: Growth Pressures on Sensitive Natural Areas and Using Natural Resource Information in Land Use Planning. As a Bush Foundation Fellow in 2005, she researched regional approaches to protecting natural resources in the U.S. and Europe.
Paul Radomski, a research scientist with the MN DNR, has worked over 20 years on issues such as water level regulation, fish harvest quota management, sport fishing regulations and shoreline alteration/development. He was the science advisor for Minnesota’s Alternative Shoreland Management Standards project.
Suzanne Rhees, a planner in the Minnesota DNR Division of Parks and Trails, has 25 years of experience in community/neighborhood planning and zoning with emphasis on innovative land use regulations and code reform. She has written or revised zoning ordinances for cities, counties and regional and state agencies, including portions of the Minnesota guidebook, Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development, and the APA’s Planning and Urban Design Standards. Previous positions include Senior Urban Designer with Cuningham Group Architecture
Brian Ross, co-founder of CR Planning, has worked with many communities on sustainable development natural resource policies, programs and regulations, including shoreland ordinances. He was primary author of the State of Minnesota’s guidebook on sustainable development practices, From Policy to Reality: Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development and a major contributor to the State’s guide to comprehensive planning, Under Construction.
Tony Schertler, Senior Vice President at Springsted Inc, currently serves as financial advisor for communities large and small throughout the Upper Midwest. He was previously on the staff of the City of St. Paul’s Department of Planning and Economic Development. He is an attorney with an extensive background in land use and real estate development and is currently responsible for creating incentive programs in those areas.
John Shardlow, FAICP, is a principal in the St. Paul office of Stantec (formerly Bonestroo and DSU). During his over 30 years of professional practice, he has assisted 100+ cities and counties in preparing and implementing their comp plans, zoning ordinances, and subdivision regulations. John has worked on a number of high profile regional planning efforts, emphasizing transit-oriented development and sustainability. He is frequently called as an expert witness in land use and zoning cases. In 2010 John was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the highest honor within the organization of his planning peers nationwide.
Jennifer Shillcox supervises the Land Use Programs Unit at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which houses the statewide Shoreland, Floodplain, Wild & Scenic Rivers, Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area, and Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway programs. She previously worked as a River Planner for the Unit’s river-related programs. Before joining DNR in 2008, Jennifer worked as a land use specialist for St. Croix County, Wisconsin; a planning consultant for the Community Growth Institute; and a program assistant for the IUCN-SSC’s Conservation Breeding Specialist Group. She holds a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Bob Streetar is Community Development Director for the City of Oakdale, and previously held a similar position in Columbia Heights. He teaches economic development fundamentals as an adjunct professor at Minnesota State University – Mankato, and is currently working on his PhD at Hamline University, focusing on economic development.
Richard Thompson’s background includes a wide range of positions in the field of land use planning. He has been St. Croix County (WI) planning director, a sector representative, manager of comprehensive plan reviews at the Metropolitan Council, and with TKDA Consulting Engineers, Architects and Planners. At TKDA, he served as town and city planner for various jurisdictions, handling all local planning needs. He currently serves as a consultant at the Metropolitan Council.
Lise Trudeau is an engineer at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, where she works with renewable energy and energy efficiency grants and programs. Her areas of focus include Wind Energy, Net Metering, interconnection, community-owned energy projects, and Green Pricing programs. Lise holds a Bachelors in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
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