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 Continuing and Professional Education’s 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.
Through comprehensive training from industry experts, you’ll:
Our program offers:
Thinking about earning your Land Use and Environmental Planner Certificate? If you started the certificate by taking a core class after September 1, 2018, agree to complete the entire program in three years or less and we will cover the cost of your final course (up to a $675) and waive the $125 registration fee. Learn more.
This program is designed for professionals in disciplines associated with land use policy, analysis or development, including:
You must complete 20 units of required core coursework and eight elective courses with grades of "C" or better.
Other than the required courses listed below, all courses in the Planning and Sustainability area of study count as an elective towards the Land Use and Environmental Planning Certificate. If you have questions, please contact us.
Course content is frequently revised to ensure that the program is up-to-date with the latest industry standards. For this reason, you must complete all of the course requirements of your certificate within five years from the day you enroll in the first course. A certificate will not be awarded if the requirements are not completed and your application for candidacy is not received within this timeframe.
Gain an understanding of how planning decisions impact the economic feasibility of a proposed project for the public agency and developer. Learn how money flows into a governmental agency, what they can or can’t do to increase that flow and how debt fits into the whole equation.
Topics in this course include:
Approximately 20 hours of study and full attendance to all course meetings are required.
Course Code Planning in California: An Overview Quarter Academic CreditLearn the concepts, structures and processes of land use planning and development decisions. This four-day course delivers an overview of general plans, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulation, permit processes, property rights, environmental review, public finance, natural resources and urban design. The instructor and guest presenters place these topics in wider contexts, valuable for both experienced planners who need a review and others who want solid introductions.
By the end of the course, the participants will:
Examine the major components of physical planning and site design as they relate to achieving planning objectives. Review regional landscape analysis, physical and man-made factor analysis and watershed and program analysis. Special focus is given to analyzing site suitability and sensitivity for development, site selection and feasibility studies and conceptual design that responds to site conditions.
In this course, you will:
This course provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the legal framework in planning and environmental careers. The course reviews the various legal sources of planning and environmental law, including statutes, regulations, and case law. It provides students with a working understanding of how to apply planning and environmental legal requirements, especially within the context of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the State Planning and Zoning Law, and other local, state, and federal environmental laws. Students will also learn how and when to coordinate with, provide support to, and get support from lawyers throughout the planning process.
Approximately 20 hours of project work and regular attendance are required.
Course Code Urban Planning and Design Studio Quarter Academic CreditReceive hands-on practice in professional urban planning and design skills in a studio/lecture format. Immerse yourself in planning and design principles, 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.
Course Code Community Involvement and Communication in Planning Quarter Academic CreditPlanners use zoning plans, spatial data, and population projections to design land use plans and revitalize physical spaces. Planners decisions can have important and long-lasting impacts on many people. Municipal planners often confront conflict, often about deeply controversial issues. Elected officials, civil servants and professional experts have long played an important role in how these decisions are made, but advocacy organizations, civil society groups and individual activists have become increasingly effective at influencing decision-making in the public sphere. This means that the role of planners is often to determine how diverse groups of people can effectively make decisions about the places and spaces they seek to improve? This course teaches students how to design and implement participatory planning processes in a democratic context.
Course CodeStay up-to-date on recent developments in California law affecting land use, planning and environmental compliance. Experts from the field provide succinct and practical analysis on recent case law and significant legislative and administrative changes that took effect this year.
Participate in discussions and get answers to your questions. Take home a legal syllabus of cases discussed and prepared by the law firm of Perkins Coie, LLP.
Course Code CEQA Update, Issues and TrendsImplementation of CEQA continues to be a challenge for professionals due to annual legislative, regulatory and judicial developments. CEQA practice is constantly evolving, raising new issues and revealing new trends. Learn recent developments and emerging trends, and exchange ideas about handling key issues in the environmental review process. Examine recent CEQA legislation, as well as recent and upcoming regulatory changes.
Review the latest CEQA court decisions and their practical implications, including:
Clarify and deepen your understanding of CEQA and the implications it has for your organization, plan or project. Discuss the latest changes to the state CEQA guidelines, new case law and legislation.
There are strong connections between the built environment and public health. Land use and public health professionals are working together to develop a framework for understanding how land use decisions can improve public health and how the public health profession can support healthier community planning. Learn about the historic and present connections between planning and public health and the most recent efforts by public health to inform land use policy and practice. Delve into projects at the grassroots, local and state public health department levels and learn from practitioners at all levels. Examine new tools that local public health departments have devised to work collaboratively with land use and transportation planners including, the General Plan "Health" Element, Health Impact Assessments and health indicators. Apply your experience and knowledge using the public health lens on specific project examples.
This course is designed for land use and transportation planners, city and county staff and planning commissioners interested in improving the public health of their communities and working with their public health systems. Public health and health professionals and students interested in reducing chronic disease through community design and environmental policy will also benefit from learning these innovative approaches.
Course Code Complete Streets: From Adoption to ImplementationLocal jurisdictions are increasingly recognizing the economic, social and environmental benefits of planning, designing and building Complete Streets, streets that accommodate a wide range of community transportation needs and all users. In-class exercises will be used to define Complete Streets design policies and practices and suggest methods for shifting agency procedures so as to incorporate Complete Streets design strategies into land development, maintenance and capital improvement projects. Participants will learn:
Learn a step-by-step approach to preparing and writing CEQA documents. Project managers will learn how to set up their projects to improve author efficiency, effectiveness and client satisfaction. CEQA authors will gain skills for writing clear, concise CEQA sections that address client needs. Editors will receive a complete overview of the document preparation process and their role in that process. In this activities-based workshop, you will discuss outlining, write sections, develop techniques for tracking references and critique project start-up packets and other materials.
Course Code Endangered Species Regulation and ProtectionReview current federal laws, regulations, policies and practices concerning threatened and endangered wildlife and plants. Gain practical advice for resolving endangered species conflicts with proposed projects. Examine key aspects of the federal Endangered Species Act and agency policies and guidelines on:
Also examine the most recent case law and policies regarding California's implementation of the Endangered Species Act, including:
Under the Endangered Species Act, Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) are becoming increasingly common regulatory necessities and planning tools for many, including joint-powers agencies, cities and counties, local districts and state agencies, energy companies and private developers in California. Recent listings of threatened and endangered species have resulted in conflicts with existing and planned land use and water projects.
Gain an overview of state and federal endangered species laws and recommendations for best approaches to conservation planning. Explore case studies of simple single species and complex multispecies HCPs. Topics include:
Examine the techniques and best practices for implementing Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs), Natural Community Conservation Plans (NCCPs) and other types of regional conservation plans for endangered species. Learn how to address the challenges of implementing a plan. Topics include:
Note: This course is distinct from the course Habitat Conservation Planning, which covers how to prepare HCPs and NCCPs.
Course Code Groundwater Law and HydrologyThis course is essential for professionals working in water resources in California. Effective groundwater management requires a combined understanding of the legal principles and physical characteristics of the resource. Acquire a working knowledge of groundwater law and hydrology, and discover new developments in case law, legislation and practice.
Receive thorough instruction on the physical characteristics of groundwater and the fundamental tenets of California groundwater law, including distinctions between percolating groundwater and surface water, the definition of basin boundaries, interrelated concepts of safe yield and overdraft, and different categories of groundwater rights. Examine alternative problem-solving approaches to address specific groundwater allocation and quality problems, such as management plans, physical solutions and court adjudication. You will also review case studies from groundwater disputes throughout California. Participants are encouraged to relate their own case studies and specific problems during the course.
Course Code Overview of California Water Law and PolicyUnderstand the complex and contentious process of allocating California’s water resources. Gain a comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory framework for surface water and groundwater rights, as well as the environmental laws that regulate water use. Topics include:
Learn the concepts of natural channel form and function in streambanks, and how to determine which restoration methods are most suitable for different types of sites. Case studies and discussions will emphasize the importance of channel cross-section and landform geometry as they influence a stream's connectivity with its floodplain. Students will learn how to evaluate channel conditions and assess restoration potential. Techniques for bank stabilization using natural materials and native vegetation will be discussed, including the use of various types of low rock and log toe structures, redirective techniques (vanes and weirs) versus resistive techniques (riprap and gabions), and biotechnical/bioengineering methods.
Course Code Successful CEQA Compliance: An Intensive SeminarCEQA is the state's most comprehensive environmental law. Its requirements influence virtually all prospective land use and public agency projects.
Learn how to clearly understand and comply with CEQA guidelines in this interactive seminar, designed to assist public agency staff, consultants, attorneys, developers, members of environmental organizations and others.
The first portion focuses on:
The second portion focuses on development of exceptional impact analysis and mitigation measures and the integration of other environmental programs. Specific topics include:
Land use and transportation planning fields have been rapidly evolving due to new legislation on sustainable communities and climate change and an increased emphasis on complete streets and multi-modal analysis. Explore the inextricable link between transportation and land use in the development of general plans, community plans, site plans and environmental impact analyses. Learn best practices, examine case studies and gain practical knowledge and skills to put to use in your community.
This two-day interactive course focuses on new policies, technical approaches, models and tools for managing challenging land use and transportation issues. Key topics include:
This course is for those interested in the consequences of SB 743, the world of GHG forecasting, the connection between general plans and CEQA, determining SCS consistency, knowing more about layered networks and the 15 new multi-modal LOS methods in practice, obtaining greater value from those expensive EIRs or just improving planning outcomes in the community.
Enjoy two intensive, interactive days with other professionals and obtain 14 hours of AICP or MCLE credit toward your professional development.
Course Code Thresholds of Significance in Environmental PlanningDetermining the significance of environmental impacts under CEQA is one of the most difficult and important decisions agencies must make, yet many agencies have not developed a consistent approach to judging significance and agonize over this issue on a project-by-project basis. Thresholds of significance are a proven method of streamlining the CEQA process. Learn about significance thresholds, the process for developing them and success stories.
Review California water quality regulations, relevant provisions of California state law and regulations and the federal Clean Water Act. During this interactive workshop, instructors will provide case studies, strategies and recommendations for effectively meeting agency requirements. Topics include:
This course will also cover recent updates and changes in California water quality regulations.
Course Code Wetlands Regulation and MitigationLearn about the regulation of activities affecting wetlands, permitting for activities in wetlands and wetlands mitigation planning. Gain an overview of federal and state laws and regulations protecting wetlands and other bodies of water, with a special emphasis on Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Topics include:
Engineers, planners and other professionals require a high degree of technical writing skill to prepare a variety of documents including reports, proposals, formal letters and emails. However, they often lack training in the craft of effective writing. Gain the necessary skills for communicating through clear and concise language in effective documents. Discover how to increase clarity in technical documents by learning skills related to audience needs, document organization, paragraph development and using powerful sentences. Acquire practical skills that you can use immediately to prepare high-quality documents. Strengthen your skills through a series of short writing exercises, and analyze examples of good and bad writing and the effect that both can have on the success of a project.
Note: Please bring a sample of your writing to class so you can practice your new skills.
