Planning 101

Course Description

The professional disciplines of property appraisal and land use planning directly affect each other. Highest and best use - a defining concept of property appraisal - cannot be accurately determined without knowing how local land use plans, policies and regulations affect the future of an area and development of a specific site. In addition, land use planning can directly affect property values, as plans and regulations interact with markets.

Land use planning and regulation, in turn, may not be successfully implemented without understanding the real estate market and property values. This is especially true when the character and uses are planned to change through redevelopment.

Learning Objectives

Throughout this course, students will gain an understanding of:

• the history and legal basis of land use regulation
• the hierarchy and relationship of policies, plans, and regulations
• the purposes of comprehensive plans
• zoning and entitlement systems
• subdivision of land
• the role of public process
• current trends in land use regulation
• data sources within government planning organizations
• a diagnostic approach to determining how property may realistically be used

Case Studies: Throughout this course, several "case studies" will be used to highlight issues of land planning, regulation and appraisal. These case studies are hypothetical, but are drawn from real examples. They are intended to help illustrate to students how more complete understanding of land use planning can help produce more accurate valuations.

Course Outline

• History of Planning
• Plans, Policies and Regulations
• Comprehensive Plans
• Other Types of Plans
• Zoning and Entitlement
• Subdivision of Land
• Data Available
• Public Process
• Land Use Regulation Trends
• Putting it all Together

Approved by the AQB's CAP and IDECC for 5 hours of Continuing Education Credit. It contains numerous multiple choice exams, interactive exercises, and is completed with a multiple choice final exam.