HOWARD COUNTY PlanHoward Academy

The PlanHoward Academy is a nationally recognized engagement program launched in the fall of 2017. The program was conceived as part of an engagement strategy for the county’s zoning rewrite effort and recovery following the 2016 Ellicott City flood. The department sought a way to educate citizens about the planning and zoning process. Staff worked to identify the number of people who could be accommodated during in-person meetings, ensure there would be a diverse group of participants representative of the population, and determine what content needed to be included.

PlanHoward Academy’s instruction consisted of a combination of in-person courses, at the county’s community college, and online courses. Sessions originally consisted of four classes but expanded to five because of the success of the first academy. Participants were divided into six cohorts of 25-40 students each. Each session was held once a week for five consecutive weeks, with each class building on the topics of the one prior. Each class included a lecture, open questions and answers, and table exercises. Online tutorials and guides were created to augment in-person classes.

These resources covered zoning information, community input, community registration, and search plan. The community input module contains flow charts that outline the development review process and optimal times for public input.

PlanHoward’s recruitment process was designed to encourage diversity in participation from residents of different races, ethnicities, ages, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and spatial (rural, urban, or suburban) origins. Applications asked for age, race, and zip code of participants.

The PlanHoward Academy has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Going forward, one County representative expressed the intention to include more equity components. Another representative recommended that learning outcomes and objectives be carefully considered, and that the initial launch should be as simple as possible. They also noted that audience requirements should not be overly vigorous, rather the focus should be on the lesson content. Additionally, improved accommodations for Spanish-speaking residents were recommended.

Conversations with peer jurisdictions that have organized a Neighborhood Planning Academy provide useful insights for the development of a similar program in Prince George’s County. Specifically, successful Neighborhood Planning Academies have dedicated staff that are responsible for managing the robust program design and implementation. The Planning Academy content should focus on connecting participants, both staff and residents, with local government and the history of the local community. Moreover, many communities apply for grants from local foundations to support the development and implementation of the program in year one. This is a critical funding support and can help reduce programmatic costs incurred by the department. Finally, the Neighborhood Planning Academy is most impactful if it builds upon previous outreach efforts and departmental initiatives.