MUNICIPAL TRAINING

Aquidneck Island Planning Commission  Municipal Training Series
The AIPC has presented a series of special workshops aimed at refining the skills of Councils, Boards and Commissions throughout Newport County.  The program is designed to provide tools and ideas to enhance our communities.

Rationale
Boards and committees throughout Newport County are comprised primarily of community volunteers who donate countless hours to serve our municipalities.  Seriously committed to their work, our board and commission members are responsible for interpreting extremely complex laws and regulations.  Their decisions shape the future of our communities.  The Municipal Training Program assists our decision-makers by offering resources, training, expertise and counsel tailored to their needs.

Methodology
The Municipal Training Program addresses a multitude of “nuts and bolts” planning and land use elements, including: 1) discussion of the responsibilities of the zoning board of appeals, planning board, historic district commission and conservation commission, 2) understanding the local zoning code and subdivision regulations, 3) examining the standards for the issuance of use and area variances, and 4) understanding how judicial decisions in other parts of the state impact local planning boards, zoning boards of appeals, and governing bodies.

Classes have included the following:

Legal Considerations in Land Use Planning
Presentation by Andrew Teitz, Attorney and Professional Planner

Ethical Considerations in Land Use Planning
Presented by Jason Gramitt, Rhode Island State Ethics Commission

Shoreline Issues:  The Intersection of Local Zoning, State Coastal Resources Management Commission, and the Federal Army Corps of Engineers
Presented by Andrew Teitz, Attorney and Land Use Planner

Applying the Standards, the Historic District Commission Looks at Change
Pamela Kennedy, Deputy Director Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission

Creating Vibrant Communities: It Takes Teamwork
AIPC collaboration with Grow Smart RI, Sheila Brush Director of Programs and Nancy Letendre, Ursillo, Teitz & Ritch, Ltd.

Conservation Subdivision Design Workshop
Randall Arendt     Land-Use Planner, Site Designer

Putting Performance Standards to Work
Kenneth Buckland, AICP, LEEDS, The Cecil Group

Linking Land Use to Water Quality
Lorraine Joubert, Director/URI Nonpoint Education Program for Municipal Officials
University of Rhode Island, Cooperative Extension

Building Stormwater Management into Local Ordinances
Lorraine Joubert, Director
University of Rhode Island Nonpoint Education Program for Municipal Officials
URI – Cooperative Extension