Get up to date on objective standards, new housing laws, and more at the 2025 Planning Commissioners Academy

By Cal Cities Education Staff

Session information for the 2025 Planning Commissioners Academy is now available! Scheduled for March 5-7 in Santa Rosa, the academy provides new and seasoned planning commissioners with updates about recent legislative and regulatory changes, as well as role-specific tools and guidance.

This year's academy will cover a range of topics, such as managing public meetings and new housing laws. The academy will also include introductory and advanced sessions on the California Environmental Quality Act.

Kicking off the academy is keynote speaker Shari Alyse, the host of the television talk show "Good Morning Joy" and an international bestselling author. With two decades in entertainment and wellness, Alyse became a fearless champion of joy after overcoming adversity. Featured on major networks and in top publications as a “joy expert,” Alyse’s mission is to ignite joy and connection worldwide.

The academy will also include overviews of the basic roles and responsibilities of planning commissioners. The full schedule is available in the “schedule” section of the academy webpage. 

Registration and hotel information 

Registration for the full academy starts at $675 for city officials from any Cal Cities member city. Conference registration includes admission to all educational sessions, the Wednesday reception, Thursday breakfast and lunch, and Friday breakfast. The deadline to register is Feb. 26. After this date, officials must register on-site if space is available.

The 2025 Planning Commissioners Academy will be held at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma, located at 170 Railroad St in Santa Rosa. The Hyatt is five miles from the Sonoma County airport and 65 miles from both San Francisco and Oakland international airports.

A limited number of hotel rooms are available at a reduced rate for conference attendees. The discounted hotel rate cut-off is Feb. 6, 2025. Hotels often sell out prior to the deadline, so reserve early!

For more information, visit the Planning Commissioners Academy webpage. Please direct all registration questions or comments to Conference Registrar Megan Dunn. Please direct any other questions to Associate Manager, Event Program, Kayla Boutros.