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About the South Carolina Planning
Education Advisory Committee
South Carolina Code requires the formation of a State Advisory Committee on Educational Requirements for Local Government Planning or Zoning Officials and Employees. The five-member committee operates under the name S.C. Planning Education Advisory Committee (SCPEAC). These five members, appointed by the Governor, are charged with:
- compiling and distributing a list of approved orientation and continuing education programs that satisfy the educational requirements in Section 6-29-1340;
- determining categories of persons with advanced degrees, training, or experience, that are eligible for exemption from the educational requirements in Section 6-29-1340; and
- making an annual report to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives that provides a detailed account of the advisory committee's activities, expenses, collected fees & determinations concerning approved education programs and categories of exemption.
Unless expressly exempted, each locally appointed official and professional employee must attend a minimum of six hours of orientation training in certain subjects and annually attend no fewer than three hours of continuing education in any of the subjects determined by the SCPEAC.
The subjects for the education may include, but not be limited to, land use planning; zoning; floodplains; transportation; community facilities; ethics; public utilities; wireless telecommunications facilities; parliamentary procedure; public hearing procedure; administrative law; economic development; housing; public buildings; building construction; land subdivision; and powers and duties of the planning commission, board of zoning appeals, or board of architectural review.
An appointed official or professional employee who has one or more of the following qualifications is exempt from the educational requirements:
(1) certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners;
(2) a masters or doctorate degree in planning from an accredited college or university;
(3) a masters or doctorate degree or specialized training or experience in a field related to planning as determined by the advisory committee; or
(4) a license to practice law in South Carolina.
An appointed official is subject to removal from office or suspension or dismissal from employment if he fails to complete the requisite number of hours of orientation training and continuing education within the time allotted by State Code, or fails to file the certification form and documentation required by State Code.