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Certificate Program in Land Use and Environmental Planning

Planning professionals come from a variety of backgrounds—social science, natural science, engineering and even the humanities, facilities and interior design. Regardless of your background, the UC Davis Extension Land Use and Environmental Planning Certificate Program will give you the foundation you need to master the body of knowledge every planner should have. Through theory and practice, this program delivers—addressing practical aspects of planning in the context of larger issues, future implications of present decisions and processes for examining alternatives.

Achieve your goals

• Broaden your conceptual framework in planning.
• Develop ideas, strategies and skills for more effective job performance.
• Learn to work more effectively within the increasingly complex regulatory and environmental context of planning.
• Improve your ability to solve problems and work with a wide range of constituencies.
• Network with other professionals.
• Gain comprehensive knowledge you can apply immediately.

For professionals like you

This program is designed for planners, resource managers, administrators and analysts who desire a broader, deeper understanding of the field. It is also ideal for planning commissioners and other decision-makers who want to add to their civic responsibilities foundation. Professionals in related fields such as real estate, engineering, landscape architecture, law, public health, facility management and those wanting to learn more about planning will also benefit.

To earn the certificate

You must complete 20 units of required core coursework and eight elective courses with grades of "C" or better.

Quarterly schedule of courses

		UNITS	F	W	SP
REQUIRED COURSES	Environmental Planning and Site Analysis	4
	Urban Planning Design Studio	3
	Planning in California: Overview and Update	4
	Planning and Environmental Law	3
	Community Involvement and Communication in Planning	2
	Financial Aspects of Planning	4
Classroom format

Required Courses

Environmental Planning and Site Analysis

4 quarter units academic credit, X432.3. 40 MCLE Hours

Examine the major components of physical planning as they relate to achieving land use policy objectives. The instructor focuses on environmental site analysis, appropriate site selection and project development. Learn how to analyze opportunities, constraints, site suitability, site design and construction feasibility.

The following topics are examined as they relate to land use planning and site design:

• water quality and drainage
• solid waste management
• circulation design
• visual analysis
• design and mitigation for significant vegetation, habitat and conservation features topography, slope and natural hazards
• energy-related site issues
• analysis of construction details as they relate to site planning

The first two-day session covers the basics of the environmental planning site analysis process, including physical and cultural elements that influence planning and design; and techniques for gathering and synthesizing site data and presenting it in map and other formats.

The second two-day session covers environmental factors that affect landscape planning and analysis at the larger scale of watersheds and regions and how to use these in land use planning.

Approximately 20 hours of study and full attendance at all course meetings are required.

This course is not currently scheduled.

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Urban Planning Design Studio

3 quarter units academic credit, X432.6. 30 MCLE Hours

Receive hands-on practice in professional urban planning and design skills in a studio/lecture format. You will be fully immersed in planning and design principals, examples and case studies for today's communities. Critique land use plans and site designs, create and prepare site plans, and analyze and develop planning staff reports. Emphasis is placed on urban infill and sustainable community design and the challenges and complexities of planning and urban design in growing communities. In-class studio work and critique, as well as guest lectures, a hands-on downtown design modeling charrette and field visits are also included. There will be a minimum of 24 hours of planning and design work conducted outside of class.

Sections of this course open for enrollment:

• Urban Planning Design Studio    starts October 23

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Planning in California: Overview and Update

4 quarter units academic credit, X432.1. 40 MCLE Hours

Gain a comprehensive understanding of contemporary planning practices in California. Learn to unify and integrate the various aspects of planning and understand their applications.

Learn about:

• State planning
• Land use regulation
• The General Plan process, specific plans and zoning
• Planning implementation tools
• The relationship between land use planning to environmental review and transportation
• Property rights and takings
• Local government boundary issues
• Redevelopment and the fiscalization of land use

Take home the most recent edition of William Fulton's Guide to California Planning. Approximately 20 hours of study and full attendance in all course meetings are required. A course assignment will be mailed to you approximately four weeks before class begins and must be turned in on the first day of class.

This course is not currently scheduled.

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Planning and Environmental Law

3 quarter units academic credit, X432.8. 0 GEN CEUs, 0 GEN Hours

Gain the knowledge needed to analyze a case, discuss the salient legal points in a professional manner and communicate legal principles with members of the public, decision-makers, other planners and governmental counsel. Learn about the traditional aspects of planning law-from nuisance and trespass to constitutional law. Study the General Plan, subdivision controls, variations on zoning controls and extractions, eminent domain and the impact of climate change on land use. Discuss environmental law including a survey of the public trust doctrine, CEQA, NEPA and specific resource issues including coastal management and wetlands.

This course is not currently scheduled.

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Community Involvement and Communication in Planning

2 quarter units academic credit, X432.7. 20 MCLE Hours

Learn the theories behind and the practice of involving stakeholders in urban planning and design decisions. Practice selected communication and facilitation techniques. Examine how to assess a case situation and determine what type of processes are right for each planning or design project. A series of techniques used in planning and design as well as public processes are highlighted and their strengths and weaknesses are addressed. Learn different approaches to communicating complex and technical planning information to community groups. Several simulated negotiations are included in which you will engage as stakeholders or facilitators to resolve complex public policy problems in urban planning. Examine case studies and analyze what went well, what went wrong and why.

Prerequisites:

Planning in California: Overview and Update, Urban Planning Design Studio.

This course is not currently scheduled.

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Financial Aspects of Planning

4 quarter units academic credit, X432.4. 40 MCLE Hours

This course provides planners with an understanding of how planning decisions impact the economic feasibility of a proposed project—for the developer and the public agency.

Included in the course is a series of guest speakers who will cover such topics as fiscal impact analysis: how it's done and why it's so important; public financing: why it's needed and what alternatives are available; integrating fiscal and financial analysis into the planning process; the developers' perspective; how planning decisions affect the "bottom line;" striking a balance between the goals and objectives of public and private-sector participants.

Approximately 20 hours of study and full attendance to all course meetings are required. A course assignment will be mailed approximately four weeks before the course begins, which you are required to complete before the first day of class.

This course is not currently scheduled.

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Elective courses: Eight elective courses are required from Land Use and Natural Resources offerings. Courses are selected by the participant to allow exploration of a broad range of topics or to concentrate on a particular area, such as CEQA and environmental regulation, subdivision, zoning or planning issues. Please check with the Land Use and Natural Resources department at (530) 757-8878 to be sure the course you are interested in qualifies as an elective in this certificate program as some restrictions do apply.

Classes in Sacramento, Davis and Online.