President's Message - The Planning Commission a.k.a. The Citizen Planners

by Chuck Klingenstein, AICP

Utah APA Chapter President

I often refer to planning commissioners or citizen planners as the unsung heroes of the planning process.  In my opinion, in many communities of our state, these folks do not get the attention or recognition they deserve.  These are the citizen volunteers who meet an average of two times a month, often for long hours, applying their general plans and development codes to applications often without the aid of a planning staff.  In fact, Sydney Fonnesbeck, Director of Training for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, tells me that of the 236 incorporated cities and towns and 29 counties in our state, approximately 85 percent to 90 percent operate without the benefit of a planning staff.  This is truly an astounding statistic, especially given the importance and long-term nature of their decisions and recommendations.  Because of the critical nature of their positions, it is important that they all have access to educational opportunities just as elected officials and other appointed officials do.  One of the great sources of information and education is through membership in the American Planning Association and/or the Utah Chapter of the American Planning Association.

In the March issue of the Utah Planner, Alan Franke, Chapter Vice President and Chair of our Membership Committee, noted that there has been a decrease in the number of citizen planner members of the Utah Chapter.  This is a trend that has caused us great concern since we feel education is vital to all planning commissioners as well as professional planners.  While I can understand planning commissioners without staff having difficulties joining the APA or the Utah Chapter, I would hope that planners who provide planning commission staff support would make efforts to have all of their commissioners signed up as members.  Membership brings a host of educational opportunities plus a general support of planning.

Educational efforts come in many forms both on a local and national level.  On a local level, resources for citizen planners include:

• The Utah Planner Newsletter published 10 times a year
• The Utah Chapter Web site (constantly updated at www.utah-apa.org)
• Fall and Spring Conferences
• Support of the Citizen Planner Workshops as well as other planning related conferences and workshops
• Professional development
• Programs

At the national level resources for citizen planners include:

• Planning Magazine published monthly
• American Planning Association Web site (www.planning.org)
• The national conference every spring with its planning commissioner track
• Access to a variety of information including the Planners Bookstore, Zoning Digest, Planning, Advisory Reports, and Special Audio Conferences

It is my sincerest hope that we can attract more of the citizen planners of our state to participate in the activities of the Utah Chapter as well as the APA at the national level.  National and chapter membership is $65.00 for a planning commissioner.  There is also an option to sign up planning commissioners for membership in only the Utah Chapter for a fee of $30.00.

Our Planning Official (a.k.a. Citizen Planner) Development Officer is Bill Peperone. He has been working to connect up with planning commissioners of the state. I know he would like to hear from you. Please feel free to contact him at:

Bill Peperone
Hubble Engineering
1471 North 1200 West
Orem, UT 84057
(801) 802-8992 voice
(801) 802-8993 fax
bpeperone@hubble-eng.com

I know that he or any other members of the executive committee are eager to hear from you.  Please contact us and join in our efforts!  And most importantly, please support our efforts through your membership in the Utah Chapter.

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