Annual Training Requirements

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss/OnlineTrainingHelp.htm

What types of courses are available?  Currently the NYS Department of State Land Use Training Unit is offering its two most basic courses:  Planning Board Overview and Zoning Board of Appeals Overview.  However, personnel are in the process of identifying other potential online courses for development.

What should I expect?  The student must complete a short pre-test before moving on to begin the instruction for each course.  Each course is divided into subject modules (similar to traditional chapters).  At the end of each module the student is expected to complete a short quiz in order to move on to the next module.  The number of modules and pages varies for each course.  At the end of the course the student is required to take a final exam and answer a minimum of 75% of the questions correctly in order to move on to display a �certificate of completion.�

How much time will it take to complete each course?  Each course is designed to take approximately two hours to complete.  Throughout the course there are web links to reference materials, such as NYS Statute, and DOS land use publications and legal memoranda.  The linked materials are designed to supplement what is discussed in the course.  Students are encouraged to view these materials to get a better understanding of the subject matter.  The anticipated two hour time frame for the course takes into account brief views of these materials.  In depth review and study of the materials may add additional time for course completion.

What types of �training credit� do these courses offer?  The courses may satisfy a portion of a planning board or zoning board of appeals member�s annual training requirement as set forth by the municipality.  If deemed locally as an acceptable form of training, we suggest that students present to their municipalities a printed copy of their passing test results and certificate of completion upon completion of each course. Unlike much of the live training offered by the Training Unit, these courses do not offer in-service credit for code enforcement officers or continuing legal education credit for attorneys.  Additionally, neither live nor online training offered by the Training Unit satisfies certification maintenance credit for members of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

How do I register for the courses?  Our staff must register each student and assign a UserID and Password (even if only to �preview� the program).  To register, please email us at mailto:LocalGovOnlineRegistration@dos.state.ny.us?subject=Registration [note to staff: default subject line containing �Registration�] with the following information:

Student Name; Email Address; Address; Phone Number; Position or Title in respect to municipal service (for example, planning board or zoning board of appeals member, planner, attorney, mayor or

supervisor, local legislative body member, etc.); Municipality of Service; County

Available Courses offered by the Training Unit at any time of any day at the eLearnNY website:

http://www.oft.state.ny.us/apps/eLearning/welcome.cfm

How may I contact the Training Unit?  For general online training questions unrelated to registration, you may email us at LocalGovOnlineTraining@dos.state.ny.us.  For technical questions related to online course user problems or questions related to online course subject matter, please email us at mailto:LocalGovOnlineHelp@dos.state.ny.us?subject=Help [note to staff: default subject line containing �Help�].  Otherwise, you may call (800) 367-8488 and ask to speak to a staff member of the Land Use Training Unit.  Do not contact the NYS Office for Technology directly under any circumstance.

Here is another online option if your municipality is a member of either NYMIR or the NYPF.

Land Use Training & Certification School

The New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal Land Use Training Program for Local Government Officials is an online training program designed to teach the basics of New York land use law. The program is made available to governmental officials, planning and zoning board members, municipal risk managers and others for noncommercial purposes. The program has nine tutorials and a glossary with links to definitions and various New York State statutes.

The program is produced by the Pace University Land Use Law Center and the New York Planning Federation. It is made available through the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal, which is owned by the 530 New York Municipalities it insures.

You can download the program FREE!

from NYMIR ( http://nymir.org/zoning_reg.shtml )

or the zip file (1.6 meg) from NYPF ( http://www.nypf.org/NYMIR_land_use_training.zip).