Land Use Commissioner Training

2023/2024 Training Calendar

As of January 1, 2023, planning and zoning commissioners in the State of Connecticut are required to attend 4 hours of training each year. For more information on these requirements, review the CT Office of Policy and Management (OPM) guidelines here.

UConn CLEAR, in collaboration with OPM, has set up a statewide Land Use Commissioner Training Calendar to help towns and commissioners locate training opportunities in line with these requirements. This includes events from providers throughout the state. Click under each date on the calendar for further information about a training. There are also ongoing virtual trainings offered by CLEAR and CT DEEP that may meet training requirements. Explore the CT DEEP and UConn CLEAR Training tabs above for self-paced online training courses and other opportunities.

If you are a training provider and would like to add events to this calendar, please fill out this form and your event will be added once approved.

Please note: There is no certification process for these trainings. It is left up to individual town commissions to determine which trainings meet the guidelines.

Land Use Commissioner Training Calendar

Upcoming CLEAR Trainings

CLEAR Land Use Academy - Basic Training, Fundamentals of Reading Plans (1.5 credits)

Hosted by SCCOG
Date: September 28, 2023
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: 5 Connecticut Ave, Norwich, CT 06360

Learn More & Register

CLEAR Land Use Commissioner Training (4 credits)

Date: October 28, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration and Breakfast open at 8:30 a.m.
Location: UConn Middlesex County Extension Center, 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam, CT 06438
Cost: $45.00 (includes breakfast and lunch); $80 (includes breakfast, lunch and the book "What's Legally Required" by Michael A. Zizka)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Learn More & Register

Virtual Advanced Land Use Academy Training: 2/2/2023 – 2/16/2023

This February (2023), CLEAR's Land Use Academy is offering a virtual version of our “Advanced Training” for land use commissioners.  The training will be offered over three consecutive Thursdays in February. All sessions are from 4pm - 5:30pm.

The sessions will include:

  • Bias, Predisposition, and Conflicts, presented by Richard P. Roberts (Feb. 2);
  • Running a Meeting and Making a Decision, presented by Kenneth R. Slater, Jr. (Feb. 9); and
  • Fair and Affordable Housing, presented by Mark Branse (Feb. 16).

If a land use commissioner attended all 3 sessions they could meet most of their training requirement for the year, at least theoretically – it is ultimately up to each town to determine whether the statutory requirements are met.