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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aerial view of boston with housing and city skyline in background
Constitutional Limitations on Planning and Zoning
61 Mins

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government building with columns
Form-Based Codes 101: Legal Aspects
Daniel Parolek, Daniel K. Slone
85 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

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vintage photo of a boat with migrants near ellis island
A Brief History of Immigration and Planning
Álvaro Huerta
65 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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map of building types
Form-Based Codes: Using Building Types, Part 1
63 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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church surrounded by city buildings
Federal and State Religious Land Use Statutes
Alan Weinstein
61 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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Neighborhood
Taking Meaningful Action Towards Fair Housing
Jennifer Raitt
53 Mins
  • CIP
  • AICP CM

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columns in front of government building
Planning and the Law: Procedural Due Process
Thomas Hawkins
69 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A

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aerial of residential streets
How Does Zoning Work?
Brad Neumann
49 Mins

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aerial photo of atlanta georgia skyline
Form-Based Codes 101: Citywide and Countywide Code Updates
Lisa Wise, Daniel Parolek, Mary Madden, Peter Park
59 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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two elderly people crossing the street
The Pedestrian Safety Crisis in the U.S.
Angie Schmitt
53 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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various maps of building types
Form-Based Codes: Using Building Types, Part 2
53 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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group of telecommunication towers
Complying With Federal Law in Regulating Telecommunications
Alan Weinstein
67 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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aerial view of houses
U.S. Housing Policy: What Every Planner Needs to Know
Jennifer Raitt
59 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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aerial of freeways connecting
Economic Thinking for Planners: Overview
Peter Gordon
56 Mins
  • AICP CM
  • SACPLAN CPD

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aerial view of rural farm land
Overview of the Zoning Process
Brad Neumann
38 Mins

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child playing with bubbles in park
Introduction to Healthy Communities
Matt Raimi
72 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • SACPLAN CPD

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aerial of los angeles apartments and housing
Controlling Rents
Michael Manville
76 Mins
  • CIP
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM

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cars and buses on busy street with metro train in background
Transportation Planning: The Role of Transportation Systems in Social and Economic Life
Richard Willson
47 Mins
  • AIA CES
  • AICP CM
  • CNU-A
  • 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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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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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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electronic church sign on street corner
Regulating Electronic Message Centers
James Carpentier
49 Mins
  • 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

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

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools Sign Up

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

Instructor: Emily Talen

Urban planners and urban designers are interested in building places that embody beauty and hope. In this course, Emily Talen, PhD, FAICP, presents free urban design software tools that can help urban planners and urban designers visualize changes in the built environment to support the overarching goal of creating better places.

4.28
59 Mins
AIA CES
AICP CM
CNU-A
SACPLAN CPD
Conceptual Drawing for Planners Sign Up

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Conceptual Drawing for Planners

Instructor: JJ Zanetta

In this course, we will learn effective ways of drawing as a means to communicate design ideas and explore digital tools that support traditional drawing.

4.34
73 Mins
AICP CM
SACPLAN CPD

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Software

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English (1) ‌