Effective January 1, 2007, a new statute requires members of planning boards, zoning boards of appeals, and county planning boards to receive a minimum of four hours of training a year.
The type of acceptable training is left to the discretion of individual municipalities, and could even vary for individual board members. Training can provide either basic skills or can offer new and advanced planning and zoning approaches.
Training opportunities could include courses offered by a municipality (perhaps a one-hour review four times a year by the planning/zoning board chair or municipal attorney of the lastest state mandates relating to planning and zoning, for example), a regional or county planning office or commission, a state agency such as the Department of State, a state association like the Association of Towns, Conference of Mayors, or NY Planning Federation, or even a college or other similar entity.
A wide variety of formats may also be used, including traditional classroom training, conference sessions, video and distance learning or even self-study.
The legislative body for each city, county, town or village approves a course or courses of training for its boards.
Below are links to more infomation regarding annual training requirements:
Below are links to on-line training resources: