Planner and Commissioner — The Relationship Between Staff & Commissioners
Our series wraps up, as our seven participants point to ways of strengthening the relationship between staff planners and planning commissioners.
Getting Started as a Commissioner
It can be challenge to be a new planning board member — with the need to learn about basic planning tools, your board’s responsibilities, and how you can contribute most effectively.
These articles can help you gain your bearings. But they also have useful tips for even more experienced planning board member.
Recent Articles
Planner and Commissioner — Advice for Staff Planners
Today, suggestions for staff planners — based on our participants’ experience as planning commissioners.
Planner and Commissioner — Advice for Planning Commissioners
Our series continues, as we ask our seven planners what advice they’d give to planning commissioners — based on their experience as staff planners.
Planner and Commissioner — Surprises
Today, our seven planners tell us what most surprised them when they started serving on their planning commission.
Planner and Commissioner — Why Serve on a Planning Commission?
We asked seven individuals who have served both as professional and citizen planners to reply to a series of short questions. Today, they explain what got them interested in serving on their community’s planning commission.
New to a Planning Commission? 
As you begin to attend meetings, you will find that although many parts of the agenda are routine, there soon is likely to be a controversial or contentious matter. You may be uneasy having to discuss your points of view. But you want to be effective. What should you consider?
Planning Commissioner Roles & Responsibilities
Just what does it mean to be a planning commissioner? And how can you be more effective in your job as a member of your town, city, or county planning board? That’s a questions we’ve covered extensively in the Planning Commissioners Journal.
Just What Is the Job of a Planning Commissioner?
The primary goal of the Planning Comm’rs Journal has been to help planning board members do their job better. But just what is their job?
Why are You a Planning Commissioner?
Planner (and planning commissioner) Ric Stephens reflects on what motivates people to serve on planning boards.
Elaine Cogan’s Now that You’re On Board
PlannersWeb members can download Elaine Cogan’s “Now that You’re on Board: How to Survive … and Thrive … as a Planning Commissioner. It’s a great publication for planning board members to browse through, as it summarizes many of the key points Cogan made during her 18 years as a columnist for the PCJ.
Welcome to the Commission!
