The Land Use Education Program (LUEP) offers a range of online, blended, and face-to-face training opportunities for local governmental officials, professional planners, and interested citizens. Our signature Certified programs are nationally recognized and offer a comprehensive training program for planning commissioners and board of zoning appeals members.
Land Use Development and Preservation
The LUEP aims to inform the discretion of Virginians as they make decisions regarding the use of Virginia’s land. The specialized programs help planning commissioners, BZA members, and other community groups, such as elected officials, professional planners, engineers, realtors, planning students, and interested citizens, make decisions related to land use development and preservation that are:
- Legal,
- Fact-based,
- Community-oriented, and
- Equitable
LUEP is the home of the nationally recognized Virginia Certified Planning Commissioners’ Program (CPC), the Certified Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Program, and other services such as an annual Legal Seminar, seminars/workshops on special topics, and customized training programs. LUEP is committed to offering the best possible training to those who give their time and talent to making their communities better places to live, work, and do business.
CPC Schedule and Cost
Tuition for the Certified Planning Commissioner Program is $750 per participant.
Due to market increases, tuition will rise to $750 per participant in 2025.
Tuition includes program speaker fees and experiences, materials, and online study. Participants/organizations are responsible for all other expenses incurred by participants, including travel and board. Participants will be invoiced upon acceptance to the CPC.
The CPC and BZA consist of two training sessions (opening and closing sessions) and a 10-week self-study component. The self-study component includes required readings and homework assignments. Attending and critiquing a meeting is also required.
116th Certified Planning Commissioner Program (Richmond, VA)
Opening Session:
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Friday, January 31, 2025
Closing Session:
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Friday, March 21, 2025
117th Certified Planning Commissioner Program (Virtual)
Opening Session:
Monday, April 7, 2025
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Closing Session:
Monday, June 2, 2025
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Opening Session:
Monday, July 28, 2025
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Closing Session:
Monday, September 29, 2025
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
BZA Schedule and Cost
Tuition for the Board of Zoning Appeals Program is $700 per participant.
*Due to market increases, tuition will increase to $700 per participant in 2025.
Tuition includes program speaker fees and experiences, materials, and online study. Participants/organizations are responsible for all other expenses incurred by participants, including travel and board. Participants will be invoiced upon acceptance to the BZA.
The CPC and BZA consist of two training sessions (opening and closing sessions) and a 10-week self-study component. The self-study component includes required readings and homework assignments. Attending and critiquing a meeting is also required.
47th Board of Zoning Appeals Program (Virtual)
Opening Session:
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024
Closing Session:
Friday, December 13, 2024
48th Board of Zoning Appeals Program (Richmond, VA)
Opening Session:
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Friday, April 25, 2025
Closing Session:
Monday, June 23, 2025
49th Board of Zoning Appeals Program (Virtual)
Opening Session:
Monday, August 11, 2025
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Closing Session:
Monday, October 6, 2025
LUEP Programs
Our programs include readings, speakers, and discussions on the local government planning process, the comprehensive plan, plan implementation, and the many plan implementation tools available to local government. The legal foundation of planning, zoning, and other planning techniques are covered in detail. Working with residents and interest groups of the community is emphasized, along with an understanding of community change and the new challenges facing Virginia localities.
Certified Planning Commissioners’ Program (CPC)
The Virginia Certified Planning Commissioners’ Program (CPC), which has received both state and national recognition and awards, is designed to provide the legal and technical background needed by citizen planners and decision-makers.
The program is designed to provide a basic foundation of planning law and history and to provide the technical expertise needed by planning commissioners to maximize their competency and ability to render legally defensible decisions and recommendations.
The program covers the "what" and "why" of planning in Virginia, in addition to reviewing the principles that guide the community planning process. Participants learn to respond to the range of issues that come before a local planning commission. The techniques of making legally defensible planning and zoning decisions are built into the course.
Program Objectives
This program consists of two training sessions (opening and closing sessions) and a 10-week self-study component. The self-study component includes required readings and homework assignments. Attending and critiquing a planning commission meeting is also required.
The opening session focuses on
- the principles and practices of planning
- the planning process
- the legal foundations for planning
- Planning Commission duties and responsibilities
- the tools of planning
- the job of the planning commissioner.
The closing session focuses on
- principles of meeting management
- communication skills
- decision-making skills
- conflict management
- principles of community visioning
- creative thinking
- leadership principles.
Between the two classroom sessions, there is required reading and a series of open-book tests and essays. Everyone is also required to attend a planning commission meeting in another locality and analyze and report on the meeting using an observation guide that is provided during the first session.
A cadre of highly regarded, skilled professionals with considerable experience in their respective fields provides all instruction during the program.
Who Should Participate?
CPC is for citizen planners and decision-makers to provide the legal and technical background needed. CPC covers the "what" and "why" of planning in Virginia in addition to reviewing the principles that guide the community planning process.
- Planning commissioners
- Elected officials
- Real estate persons
- Lawyers
- Builders and developers
- Engineers
- Architects and landscape architects
- Staff members serving planning commissions
- Citizen groups and community representatives
- as well as anyone else who works with matters normally going before planning commissions for decisions
Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Program
The Certified Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Program is designed to provide each participant with a comprehensive overview of zoning in Virginia and the critical role the BZA plays in deciding issues involving zoning and zoning decisions.
The course covers the legal foundations of zoning and the BZA's duties, powers, and responsibilities. It also reviews the role of procedural and substantive due process in BZA deliberations and the principles of meeting management and decision-making.
This program consists of two training sessions (opening and closing sessions) and a 10-week self-study component. The self-study component includes required readings and homework assignments. Attending and critiquing a BZA meeting is also required.
Who Should Participate?
BZA is for planning commissioners, BZA members, and professional planners. The course is especially valuable for newly appointed BZA members, zoning practitioners, and veteran members of local BZAs.
Legal Seminars
This one-day event focuses on major legislative actions passed by the Virginia General Assembly in the past year. Additionally, sessions offer in-depth analysis and guidance on recent proffer legislation and recent developments in Virginia's regional economic development programming.
The program is designed to provide BZA members, planning commissioners, professional planners, and interested citizens with the most timely and relevant information to guide their work on emerging issues.
LUEP History
The Virginia Certified Planning Commissioners Program was initiated by Dr. Michael Chandler of Virginia Tech in 1984, working with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
The nation’s first structured training program for members of the local Boards of Zoning Appeals followed in 1987. The entire Land Use Education Program was transferred to VCU’s Wilder School from Virginia Tech in 2018.
Dr. Chandler trained and educated more than 15,000 Virginians in matters involving land use planning and zoning practices since 1980. In 2024, Dr. Mike Chandler retired, and the incredible knowledge of Will Cockrell, AICP, continues as the LUEP Director.
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