Frequently Asked Questions
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
PLANNING OR ZONING OFFICIALS OR
EMPLOYEES
S.C. Code §§ 6-29-1310 –
6-29-1380
Who is required to receive educational training?
• Appointed officials who serve
on a planning commission, board of zoning appeals, or board of architectural
review
• Professional employees who
are employed as a planning professional, zoning administrator, zoning official,
or as a deputy or
assistant to these positions
What
training is required?
•
Officials and employees must
attend a minimum of six hours of orientation training.
•
Thereafter, there is an
annual requirement to attend at least three hours of continuing education.
•
New officials and/or
employees must attend orientation training within 180 days prior to and no
later than 365 days after initial
appointment or employment.
What
is the deadline to comply?
•
Municipalities and counties
with a population over 35,000 must have complied by January 1, 2006.
•
Those entities under 35,000
must comply by January 1, 2007.
Who
is exempt from the educational requirements?
An appointed official or professional employee who has one
or more of the following qualifications is exempt:
•
Certification by the American
Institute of Certified Planners
•
Holds a masters or doctorate
degree in planning from an accredited college or university
•
Holds a masters or doctorate
degree or specialized training or experience in a field related to planning as determined by the
advisory committee
•
Licensed to practice law in
The official or employee must file a certification form and
documentation of exemption with the clerk by the first anniversary date of
appointment or employment.
What
are the requirements of the local governing body?
•
To identify their appointed officials
and professional employees who are required to receive training no later than
December 31st of each year and provide a list to the clerk to council and to
each planning or zoning entity in the jurisdiction
•
To annually inform each
planning or zoning entity of the educational requirements
•
To sponsor and provide
approved education programs or to fund approved education programs provided by
another sponsor
What are the clerk to council’s responsibilities?
•
All filed forms and
documentation that certify compliance with educational requirements for three
years after the calendar year in which each form is filed.
•
All filed forms and
documentation that certify an exemption for the tenure of the appointed
official or professional employee
What
are the consequences for failure to comply?
An appointed official is subject to removal from office and
a professional employee is subject to suspension or dismissal from employment
if he/she:
•
Fails to complete the
requisite number of hours of orientation training and continuing education
within the allotted time or
•
Fails to file the required
certification form and documentation with the clerk.
Failure
to comply may also call into question any decision or recommendation
made by officials or employees and open the county up to liability.
A local governing body is prohibited from appointing or
employing a person who has falsified the certification form or documentation.
What
if I didn’t attend the teleconference training?
Can it still be seen?
SCAC has taped the teleconference and will rebroadcast it in 2006 during the months of January-March on Channel 322 over the ETV Public Services Network. The State Planning Education Advisory Committee has placed restrictions on the use of taping for education credit. You must have a LIVE proctor to facilitate discussion when viewing a rebroadcast or tape. The proctor must be a person who is exempt under the statute and has filed an exemption form with the clerk OR who is exempt under the statute and works for a Council of Government (COG).