Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Lehigh Valley
Government Academy
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) is pleased to continue to offer the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute (PMPEI) courses in community planning and land use regulations. These courses are targeted to planning commissioners, zoning hearing board members, zoning administrators, elected officials and others with an interest or involvement in planning. Offering courses in Community Planning, Zoning Administration and Subdivision and Land Development, the LVPC serves as the region’s primary planning and development educator for appointed and elected officials and private consultants. Nearly 300 people from the public, non-profit and private sectors have graduated from at least one of the courses since 2014. Included among them are 53 (plus 2019) people who earned the distinction of being named a Certified Citizen Planning for attending three courses, ushering in a new era of community land use leadership.
PMPEI is an educational collaboration of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs. All courses are eligible for continuing credits from the State Board of Registered Landscape Architects, Uniform Construction Code Officials, the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board, and the State Registration Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. Learn more about PMPEI courses at http://pmpei.org/
2020 COURSES
COMMUNITY PLANNING
WHAT IS IT?
This is a course to teach planning commissioners, local officials and others how to carry out their responsibilities under the PA Municipalities Planning Code (MPC)—the statute that endows municipalities with the authority to plan. For those who don’t know or fully understand the provisions of the MPC, this course shows how the MPC gives a jurisdiction the authority to make critical decisions involving land use, which can shape their community’s quality of life.
WHEN: 5:30-9:00 PM
- Tuesday, September 8, 2020
- Tuesday, September 15, 2020
- Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Classes will be at:
LVPC, 961 Marcon Blvd., Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18109
Food provided
ZONING ADMINISTRATION
WHAT IS IT?
Participants learn the basic principles and procedures to effectively administer municipal zoning code. The course covers the rationale and technical aspects of zoning and how to build effective relationships with others involved in zoning administration. Hands-on experience and practice exercises are built into sessions and students learn how to conduct a fair zoning hearing in a mock hearing session.
WHEN: 5:30-9:00 PM
- Thursday, October 8, 2020
- Thursday, October 15, 2020
- Thursday, October 22, 2020
Classes will be at:
LVPC, 961 Marcon Blvd., Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18109
Food provided
SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
WHAT IS IT?
This course explores the work of planning commissions in the subdivision and land development review process, from pre-application meetings through project completion. Participants learn new skills for administering the review process, reviewing plans and calculating the impacts of development. The course also covers techniques for incorporating internal and external reviews in plan review and how information sharing can improve local and regional planning.
WHEN: 5:30-9:00 PM
- Tuesday, November 3, 2020
- Tuesday, November 10, 2020
- Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Classes will be at:
LVPC, 961 Marcon Blvd., Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18109
Food provided
Citizen Planner Certificate
Complete three courses at the Lehigh Valley Government Academy and you will be awarded the “Citizen Planner Certificate”. Certificates will be awarded during a ceremony at a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission meeting.
2018 Citizen Planners
Front row (left to right): Makala Ashmar*, Malissa Davis, Prabodh "Sunny" Ghai, Lori B. Seese, John von Kerczek; Back row (left to right): Tina Roseberry, PMPEI course instructor, Austin Burker*, Jeffrey Fox, Pamela Pearson*, John Gallagher.
* Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute Outstanding Education Achievement Award recipients
Brian Carl
Weisenberg + Lowhill Township
Malissa Davis
Bethlehem Township
Jeffrey Fox
Pen Argyl Borough Planning Commission
John Gallagher
Bethlehem Township
Prabodh "Sunny" Ghai
Upper Macungie Township Planning Commission
Dharam Paul Nohar
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Pamela Pearson*
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Lori B. Seese
Lower Nazareth Township Planning +
Zoning Hearing Board
John von Kerczek
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Kyle Walbert
Upper Milford Township
Citizen Planner Alumni
Judith Acosta*
Leroy Bickert
Justin Burker*
Joy Cohen
Diane Donaher
Ashley Godshall
Hannah Haubert
Michael Kolba Jr.
Matt Malozi
Rob Melosky
Ngozi Obi
Geoff Reese
Cameran Smith
Vince Tranguch*
Keith Zehner
Makala Ashmar*
Becky Bradley
David Calhoun
Norman Daniel
Thomas Eighmy
Zach Graves*
Don Heiney
Michael Lilly
Shawn Martell
Sandy Nicolo*
Michael Prendeville
Sue Rockwell
J. Scott Stenroos
Duane Wagner
Gary Behler
Michael Bryant*
Deb Chesney*
Dawn Didra*
Mark Ernst
Wanda Gruber*
Gabe Hurtado*
Teresa Mackey
Eric McAfee
Robert Nolter
Lance Prator*
Robert Scott
Brent Stringfellow
Donna Wright*
* Denotes PMPEI Outstanding Education Achievement Award
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
961 Marcon Boulevard - Suite 310
Allentown, PA 18109
Phone: (610) 264-4544
Toll Free: (888) 627-8808
Fax: (610) 264-2616