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The
Westchester Municipal Planning Federation is a
voluntary association of officials from the county’s municipal governments, municipal
zoning and planning board members, consultants, lawyers and others concerned about civic
planning education. - Authorized under New York State’s General Municipal Law in
1962, the organization's purpose, as described in its constitution, is to "create an
effective and permanent countywide organization for the exchange of information among the
municipalities on matters of planning interest."
In cooperation with the Federation, the
Westchester County Department of Planning prepares the Municipal Planning Primer
series as a guide to the land use planning process. Three primers, including
Planning and Zoning Board
Clerks,
The
Planning Board and
The
Zoning Board, are available online.
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The Federation arranges programs and
speakers of interest to the Westchester planning community, including the
spring
land use training institute that introduces new members to key planning concepts
and keeps others up-to-date on the latest planning trends, ideas and legal
issues. This years annual Land Use Training Institute will
be held April 2, 7 and 17 at a new venue, the Pace Judicial Institute
on North Broadway in White Plains. Members of municipal planning and zoning
boards will be able to accumulate all their needed training requirements if they
attend at least 2 of the 3 nights. More information will be forthcoming as the
program is finalized
Effective in January, 2007,
minimum training requirements for municipal planning and zoning board members is
now the law. Four hours each year is mandatory for members of county, city,
town and village planning and zoning boards. There are many
different avenues of training permitted, and the Westchester Municipal Planning
Federation (WMPF) courses are a good place to start.
go to brochure
on the law
At anytime, local planning and zoning boards
members can access an online training program designed to teach the basics of
New York land use law. This program, created by the New York Municipal
Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR), is free to use and features nine tutorials and a
glossary with links to definitions and various New York State statutes. If
properly documented, participation in this program should be eligible for
earning required training credits. Go to zoning
school
WMPF
awards a $1,000.00 scholarship each year to a student who is currently enrolled
in an undergraduate or graduate planning program.
Priority is given to students who have direct contact with Westchester
County, either living or having lived here, or working here, or some other
meaningful relationship. Students
should also have a demonstrated interest in the planning issues confronted by
older, developing suburban areas. Applications
are reviewed in the spring of each year. This years scholarship application
deadline is April 11, 2008. Go to application
PDF or
webpage. WMPF is staffed and assisted by the Planning
Department, and its 15-member Board of Directors works closely with the Department on all
programs and activities.
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