Planning Commissioners Academy
March 5-7, 2025
Hyatt Regency Sonoma
170 Railroad St, Santa Rosa, CA
Designed for planning commissioners and staff members of all tenures from throughout the state, the Planning Commissioners Academy expands an individual’s knowledge on a wide range of topics relevant to the planning commissioner’s role within their city and fosters relationships and communication with peers. Now more than ever, the opportunity for planning commissioners to learn from and network with each other provides invaluable support.
Save the date for the next academy, March 5-7, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma in Santa Rosa.
For questions about the conference, please contact Associate Manager, Event Program, Kayla Boutros.
Please see our event and meeting policies.
Academy Information
2024 Academy Session Materials
- Becoming an Effective Planning Commissioner
- CEQA Advanced
- CEQA Basics
- Harassment Prevention Training - AB 1661
- How to Apply Objective Design Standards Comply with State Law and Retain Local Control
- How to Apply Objective Design Standards Comply with State Law and Retain Local Control - Soto
- How has the Recent Streamlining of Housing Laws Redefined the Role of Planning Commissioner
- Managing Public Meetings in a Contentious Era
- Planning Commission 101 - The Nuts and Bolts - Early
- Planning Commission 101 - The Nuts and Bolts - Malisos
- Planning Commission 101 - The Nuts and Bolts - Roberts
- The Tip of the Iceberg - Everything that Happens Before the Public Hearing
- Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws and Principles (AB 1234)
- Legislative Update
Previous Academy Session Materials
- CEQA Advanced
- CEQA Basics
- Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors and Officials (AB 1661)
- Hyatt Regency Orange County Floor Plan final
- Legislative Update
- Objective Standards How to Apply Objective Standards to Comply with State Law and Retain Local Control - Rosen
- Objective Standards How to Apply Objective Standards to Comply with State Law and Retain Local Control - Malisos
- Planning Commission 101 The Nuts and Bolts of Planning - Anderson
- Planning Commission 101 The Nuts and Bolts of Planning - Early
- Planning Commission Roles, Responsibilities and Restrictions - Houston
- Planning Commission 101 The Nuts and Bolts of Planning - Roberts
- Planning for the Future Creative Strategies and Lessons Learned
- Processing Housing Development Applications under SB 330 - Curtain
- Surplus Land Act Know the Impact Before You Transact
- Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws & Principles AB 1234 Training
- When the Gavel Strikes Tips for Efficient Effective Public Meetings
- CEQA: Advanced
- CEQA: An Introduction
- Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors and Officials (AB 1661)
- How Planning Commissioners Can Be Leaders for Equitable and Engaged Communities
- How to Prepare Findings and Conditions of Approval
- Legislative Update
- Planning Commission 101 - Early
- Planning Commission 101 - Hauge
- Planning Commission 101 - Roberts
- Post-COVID-19 Zoning Playbook: Value Capture Meets Quality of Life
- Streamlined Housing Laws and New Housing Legislation
- Tools for the Trade: New Resources for Planning Commissioners
- Understanding and Navigating SB 9 in Your City
- Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws and Principles (AB 1234)
- Wildfire Planning in the General Plan
Speaker Center
In the Speaker Center, you can find resources for all speaker-related details including deadlines, presentation guidelines, layout, and structure, speaker agreements, and presentation submission directions.
Should you have any questions, please contact the education department.
Important deadlines
Feb. 28: Deadline for advance conference registration. Speakers receive complimentary one-day registration or 30% off full conference registration. Please contact Megan Dunn by Feb. 28 for more information. Once that is complete, you will be prompted to book a hotel room. NOTE: Feb. 3 is the discounted hotel rate cut-off. However, hotels are subject to sell out prior to the deadline – reserve early!
Our goal is to provide exceptional educational experiences, networking opportunities, and innovative tools that will make attendees and their cities more successful. Studies show that adults learn best when they are actively involved in the process rather than passively listening or watching. Most academy attendees are knowledgeable about the subject, and therefore are interested in hearing what others know and what their experiences have been. Accordingly, we urge you to plan your presentation with these suggestions in mind.
The most common complaints on session evaluations from prior academies are:
- "The presentation was a 'sales' pitch for a particular product or service."
- "I couldn't read the slides."
- "One speaker took so much time that the others were not able to give their full presentations."
- "I'd like more practical knowledge."
Please consider the following as you prepare for your presentation:
- Relevant content for experienced audiences that stretches thinking and provides new approaches.
- Content that is delivered in an engaging way and draws on the experience of the attendees.
- Examples and case studies of real success (and successful failures).
- Try to add stories, anecdotes, testimonials, or demonstrations that emphasize your point. We all remember a good story, and thus more easily the lesson with it.
- Provide tools and information that the audience can implement.
- If there are other speakers in your session, coordinate with them in advance to decide your speaking order and ensure that all presentations fit into the assigned time allotment. If you do not have the contact information for your co-presenters, please contact us at education@calcities.org.
- Selling from the podium creates conflict of interest problems. Education sessions at the Planning Commissioners Academy should never be an advertisement. Therefore, presentations may not include any commercialism for specific products or consulting services.
The League of California Cities encourages our presenters to use the most engaging educational platform possible when speaking at the Planning Commissioners Academy. We recognize that each session has a unique format and presentation style based on the preferences of the speaker(s) and content being presented, but the following examples are provided as a general guideline in planning your session.
Panel Discussions: 75 minutes, with up to 3 speakers
Presider (5 minutes)
- Welcome
- Frame session
- Introduce speakers
Speaker(s) #1, #2 and #3 (20 minutes)
- Summary of relevant experience
- Learning objectives
- Core session content
- Summary of key points
Presider (10 minutes)
- Facilitate Q&A
- Final comments
Concurrent Session: 75 minutes, 1 speaker
Presider (5 minutes)
- Welcome
- Frame session
- Introduce speaker
Speaker #1 (60 minutes)
- Summary of relevant experience
- Learning objectives
- Core session content
- Summary of key points
Presider (10 minutes)
- Facilitate Q&A
- Final comments
As a reminder, sessions may not include any product/service demonstrations or commercial presentations for specific products or consulting services. Please contact the education department with any questions, concerns or assistance needs you may have.