The purpose of this workshop is to provide local officials and the citizens who serve on local planning commissions and boards of adjustment with a basic understanding of the constitutional and statutory framework for comprehensive and regulatory planning in Alabama.

What you will learn:

• The legal authority and responsibility under Alabama law for planning commission and board of adjustment members - what each can do and cannot do.
• Where the planning commissions' authority ends and the board of adjustment's authority begins; the relationship between the city council and the planning commission.
• How the law says an aggrieved party can appeal a determination by boards of adjustment, building inspector, etc.

When your city decides to create a planning commission, enabling legislation in Alabama states that your commission must prepare a master or comprehensive plan. Therefore, preparing and adopting a master plan is a mandatory requirement, not an option.