Understanding laws and regulations is key to implementing effective planning policies and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local statutes. Planetizen Courses offers classes on a wide range of regulations and legal issues that planners routinely come up against. Learn about code drafting, ethics, land use regulation, and how to navigate legal processes.

Law and Policy Courses

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cargo ship with freights
Economic Thinking for Planners: Gains from Trade, Labor, and Immigration
Peter Gordon
47 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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map view of mixed housing types
The YIMBY Movement: Opportunities and Challenges for Planners
Mark Vallianatos
66 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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Bird-eye view of a freeway in constructions alongside a housing district
Federal Takings Law: Balancing Private Property Rights with the Public Interest
Peter Henn
55 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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electronic church sign on street corner
Regulating Electronic Message Centers
James Carpentier
49 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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wide angle shot of Austin Texas with a freeway and city skyline
Environmental and Sustainability Standards
Carlos Zapata
61 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM

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cars in traffic emitting pollution
Transportation Planning: Effects on the Environment, Health, and Social Justice
Richard Willson
57 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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storefronts with different building heights
Right-Sizing Zoning for Better Outcomes
Christy Dodson
129 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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adult store exterior with neon signs
Regulating Sex Businesses, Part 1: Principles and Foundations
Eric Damian Kelly
61 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

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busy street with cars and pedestrians in India
The Human Scale
81 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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Image of a sign saying open space conservation easement area
Federal Takings Law: Balancing Private Property Rights With the Public Interest, Part II
Peter Henn
75 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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group of bicyclists in bike lane
Creating a Low-Carbon, Resilient City
Michael R. Boswell, Tammy Seale
48 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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modern house called Falling Water by architect Frank Lloyd Wright
Historic Preservation: How-to Guide
Meredith Johnson
73 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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metro train with buildings in background
Transportation Planning: Land Use and Transportation Systems
Richard Willson
62 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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aerial of los angeles with apartment buildings
Prospects for Zoning Reform
Jenny Schuetz
96 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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neon entertainment signs
Regulating Sex Businesses, Part 2: Practical Tips
Eric Damian Kelly
62 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

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screen capture of the four panelists
The Future of Cities After COVID-19
James Brasuell, Allison Arieff, Mariela Alfonzo, Scott Frazier, William Fulton
57 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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Image of a suburban area skyline birdeye view with houses, commercial buildings, and greenery
Zoning Code Reform: Legal and Practical Considerations When Making “Quick Fixes” to Your Zoning Code
Peter Henn
102 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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sign placed in grass next to street
Legal Issues in Sign Codes
James Carpentier
59 Mins
  • AICP CM

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aerial view of a large outdoor parking lot with cars
The High Cost Of Minimum Parking Requirements
Donald Shoup
65 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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aerial view of cars at large intersection
Transportation Planning: Travel Behavior Principles and Modelling Approaches
Richard Willson
55 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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tall trees and mountains with a night sky of stars
Lighting Regulations and Dark Sky Places
Lindsay Malbon
66 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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bright neon signs in las vegas
Defensible Sign Regulations
Eric Damian Kelly
63 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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stores and buildings on main street
Introduction to Planning
Mary Reilly
46 Mins

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Image of International Symbol of Access next to weighing scales
US Disability Access Laws for Planners
Jonathan Katz-Ouziel, Thomas Hamed
109 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

Top Law and Policy Instructors

Richard Willson

Richard Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State...

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Daniel Parolek

Daniel Parolek is a nationally recognized thought leader in architecture, design, and urban planning, specifically in...

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Eric Damian Kelly

Eric Damian Kelly is a lawyer and planner with more than 35 years of experience working...

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Peter Gordon

Peter Gordon is Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy...

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Peter Henn

PETER J. HENN, Esq., AICP, is a land use attorney at Jones Foster in West Palm...

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Mary Reilly

Mary Reilly is a land use educator with Michigan State University Extension.

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Alan Weinstein

Alan Weinstein holds a joint faculty appointment at Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and...

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Jennifer Raitt

Jennifer Raitt is the Executive Director of the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments. She has nearly...

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Nolan Gray

M. Nolan Fray is the Research Director for California YIMBY, an expert in urban land-use regulation...

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Álvaro Huerta

Dr. Álvaro Huerta is a Religion and Public Life Organizing Fellow at Harvard Divinity School and...

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Lance Freeman

Lance Freeman is a Professor in the Urban Planning Program at Columbia University in New York...

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Brad Neumann

Brad Neumann is a MSU Senior Extension Educator who serves as an educational resource for local...

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Wayne Beyea

Wayne Beyea is a faculty member and senior specialist - outreach within the MSU School of...

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Malak Hakim

Malak Hakim is a nationally accredited urban planner.

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James Carpentier

James Carpentier is State and Local Government Affairs Manager with the International Sign Association (ISA).

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Lisa Wise

As a planner and Certified Public Accountant, Ms. Wise has 20 years of professional experience in...

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Thomas Hawkins

Thomas Hawkins, a Florida licensed attorney, has represented parties on all sides of the planning and...

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Mark White

S. Mark White is recognized as an expert in zoning and planning/land use law.

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Carol D. Barrett

Ms. Barrett is a highly acclaimed expert in planning ethics.

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Thomas Hamed

Thomas Hamed, AICP is a transportation planner who specializes in commuter transportation and mobility for all...

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Jonathan Katz-Ouziel

Jonathan Katz-Ouziel is an autistic planner, an independent accessibility consultant, and the founder of Opossum House...

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Elizabeth Doerr

Elizabeth Doerr is a writer with expertise and awareness around social and racial justice issues and...

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Lynn Peterson

Lynn Peterson is a nationally recognized transportation and land use integration expert.

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Jonathan Ochshorn

Jonathan is a registered architect with an academic background in structural engineering and urban design as...

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All Law and Policy Courses

US Disability Access Laws for Planners Sign Up

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US Disability Access Laws for Planners

Instructor: Jonathan Katz-Ouziel

Explore the key disability rights laws that shape planners' work — including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Architectural Barriers Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 — to understand their core provisions.

4.33
109 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
Generative AI, Ethics, and the Future of Urban Planning Sign Up

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Generative AI, Ethics, and the Future of Urban Planning

Instructor: Tom Sanchez

Explore the ethical and equity implications of using generative AI in urban planning. This course addresses bias, transparency, public trust, emerging tools like digital twins, and offers practical guidance for responsible adoption.

4.30
66 Mins
CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
Equitable Transit Oriented Development Sign Up

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Equitable Transit Oriented Development

Instructor: John Hersey

Equitable transit oriented development (eTOD) prioritizes inclusive community development in multi-modal regional growth.

4.38
57 Mins
CIP
AIA CES
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

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