Planning Academy
What is Planning Academy?
The Planning Academy is a course designed to educate and engage residents, business leaders, and community leaders in the City’s planning process. As part of the City’s Smart Growth implementation strategy, the objective is to assist participants in becoming more effective Smart Growth advocates in future City of Sacramento planning efforts.
Sessions are designed to include discussion, Q&A, interactive group exercises, and field trips.
Classes cover a broad spectrum of planning topics and issues, including:
- An overview of planning in Sacramento
- How development projects are reviewed
- The City’s General Plan Update
- Smart Growth and the regional context
- Affordable housing and infill development
- The transportation–land use connection
- Sustainability, Health, & Livability
- Economic Development
The Planning Academy will give students the tools needed to:
- Identify the regional benefits and impacts associated with urban sprawl versus Smart Growth
- Identify elements of successful development projects
- Participate in future City of Sacramento planning efforts
- Educate other community members about Smart Growth and how they can support smart development proposals.
Class Schedule Archives
See below for information and materials related to presentations, lectures, and discussions from previous Planning Academy sessions.
Fall 2007 Class Schedule
Class 1: Planning 101, Part 1 (Wednesday, September 12):
Overview of planning, history of planning in Sacramento, the “MATRIX”, and how to obtain information about development projects.
Planning Department and Development Services Department Overview
Class 2: Planning 101, Part 2 (Monday, September 17):
How development projects are reviewed by the Development Services Department. Lectures from experts in zoning and environmental review.
(No class materials to post)
Class 3: Planning 101, Part 3 (Wednesday, September 26):
Overview of principles of urban design and livability, and how urban design is taken into account when development projects are under review.
Urban Design: Patterns, scale, and quality spaces
Class 4: Regional Planning for Smart Growth & Livability (Monday, October 1):
Regional planning, the SACOG Blueprint, and an overview on Smart Growth and livability.
The Blueprint Vision for the Sacramento Region
Land Use Planning for Sustainability and Livability
Class 5: The 2030 General Plan (Monday, October 8):
How general plans guide future growth, the latest on the City's General Plan Update, and how the City plans for affordable housing.
City of Sacramento General Plan Update
City of Sacramento Affordable Housing Tools
Class 6: Getting Around in Sacramento: The Land Use and Transportation Connection (Monday, October 15):
How land use can support public transit, why you can't build your way out of gridlock, and what acronyms like LOS and TOD mean.
Department of Transportation Presentation
Sacramento Regional Transit Presentation
Class 7: Infill and Economic Development (Wednesday, October 24):
Infill development is the cornerstone of Smart Growth and economic development makes it happen. How can the City encourage growth from within?
Saturday Tour #1 (Saturday, October 27, 8:30 a.m.-noon): Take a bus tour to the major opportunity areas that have been identified in the General Plan Update.
Class 8: Smart Growth in Sacramento (Monday, October 29):
What is Smart Growth? What does it look like? How can it help Sacramento become a more livable city?
Class 9: Sustainability, Health, and Livability (Tuesday, November 6):
How planning for sustainability can affect the health and livability of our city.
Sacramento's Sustainability Master Plan
Saturday Tour #2 (Saturday, November 10, 8:30 am-noon): Tour of the downtown area that focuses on residential infill projects.
Class 10: Panel Discussion- Obstacles to Smart Growth and the Importance of Citizen Involvement
Graduation/Reception (Tuesday, November 20):
Participate in the graduation ceremony; meet with your mayor, city council members, fellow classmates, and course instructors.
Spring 2007 Class Schedule
Class 1: Planning 101, Part 1 (Monday, April 9):
Overview of planning, history of planning in Sacramento, the “MATRIX”, and how to obtain information about development projects.
Class 2: Planning 101, Part 2 (Monday, April 16):
How development projects are reviewed by the Development Services Department. Lectures from experts in zoning, design review, and environmental review.
Class 3: The General Plan (Wednesday, April 25):
How general plans guide future growth, the latest on the City’s General Plan Update, and how the City plans for affordable housing.
Saturday Tour #1 (Saturday, April 28, 8:30 a.m.-noon): Take a bus tour to the major opportunity areas that have been identified in the General Plan Update.
Class 4: Regional Planning for Smart Growth & Livability (Monday, April 30):
Regional planning, the SACOG Blueprint, and an overview of Smart Growth and livability.
Class 5: Smart Growth in Sacramento, Urban Infill (Monday, May 7):
Local urban infill developers on Smart Growth and green building projects.
Class 6: Sustainability and Sustainable Development (Monday, May 14):
How development can be more sustainable; the City’s sustainability agenda.
Saturday Tour #2: (Saturday, May 19, 8:30 am-noon): Tour of the downtown area that focuses on residential infill projects.
Class 7: Getting Around in Sacramento: The Land Use-Transportation Connection (Wednesday, May 23):
How land use can support public transit, why you can’t build your way out of gridlock, and what acronyms like LOS and TOD mean.
Class 8: Health & Livability (Monday, June 4):
How land use and public health are linked.
Class 9: Panel Discussion (Monday, June 11):
The inside perspective from our diverse group of panelists on the local political setting and obstacles to Smart Growth.
Graduation/Reception: (Tuesday, June 19):
Participate in the graduation ceremony; meet with your mayor, city council members, fellow classmates, and course instructors.
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