Planning & Development Academy
Click on the class types below for session dates and registration.
Details
Course Hours: 4 hours
Session Time: 8:30 am to 12:45 pm (Central Time)
Instruction Type: Online
Instructor: Kristi Avalos
Location: Zoom
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Dates
Click the session date to open the registration form.
September 22, 2026 (Registration closes Sep. 14)
Cost
$200
100% refund for withdrawal 14 days prior to session start date
50% refund for withdrawal 5 days prior to session start date
No refund for no-shows or withdrawals within 4 days of the class date
Summary
Regulations, and standards, and laws, oh my! Self-evaluations and transition plans are a daunting concept for anyone responsible for complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mandated for public entities by Title II of the ADA, they are designed to establish accountability between governments and the disabled community, and well-implemented ones can pivot the course of litigation with the Department of Justice. What does that look like though? Even seasoned employees of state and local governments find themselves struggling to sift through the layers of planning, funding, data collection, and more when it comes to developing effective self-evaluations and transition plans. Kristi Avalos, who has 40+ years of accessibility experience, has the ability to sort through the vast confusion as she collects answers to the hardest questions.
Target Audience
- Title II or Title III Entities
- Schools or Universities
- DOT (Transportation)
- DOA (Agriculture)
- DOE (Education)
- DOC (Corrections)
- Military Bases
- Risk Managers
- Legal Counsel
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinators
- Architects
- Engineers
- Interior Designers
- Transportation Planners
- Directors of Public Works/Parks
- Human Resources Directors/Managers
- Facilities Managers
- Mayors
- Urban Planners
- Public Housing Agency Owners/Agencies/Property Managers
Topics
- Technical requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Interactions between federal, state, and construction laws
- Qualifications for designating an ADA coordinator
- Program access versus facility compliance
- Funding, planning, and prioritizing your project
- Data collection and integration
- Policy development and implementation
- Mitigating risks and avoiding litigation
Details
Course Hours: 4 hours
Session Time: 8:30 am to 12:45 pm (Central Time)
Instruction Type: Online
Instructor: Kristi Avalos
Location: Zoom
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Dates
Click the session date to open the registration form.
September 11, 2025 (Registration closes Sep. 3)
Cost
$130
100% refund for withdrawal 14 days prior to session start date
50% refund for withdrawal 5 days prior to session start date
No refund for no-shows or withdrawals within 4 days of the class date
Summary
A park can be almost anything. It can be as small as a green space or as large as a theme park. But regardless of its size, it is required to be accessible, and accessibility can be challenging. This class is designed to highlight the nuances parks may have and detail the requirements for accessibility. Whether the park has water features, sporting options, hike/bike trails or amusement rides, accessibility will be needed to serve all patrons.
During this 4-hour session, we will focus on accessibility in these Parks & Rec amenities.
- sports venues
- parks
- playgrounds
- amusement rides
- hike and bike trails
- water features such as pools/spas/splash pads
- beaches
- water sport access for boating
This course is designed to address all of the issues for Parks and Recreation facilities, including outdoor developed areas.
Details
Course Hours: 4 hours
Session Time: 8:30 am to 12:45 pm (Central Time)
Instruction Type: Online
Instructor: Kristi Avalos
Location: Zoom
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Dates
Click the session date to open the registration form.
June 2, 2026 (Registration closes May 25)
Cost
$130
100% refund for withdrawal 14 days prior to session start date
50% refund for withdrawal 5 days prior to session start date
No refund for no-shows or withdrawals within 4 days of the class date
Summary
If your emergency plan for your citizens with disabilities is just a blanket statement “and we will assist those with disabilities,” then this class is for you! Do you have accessible sheltering facilities? Do you and your citizens know where the accessible sheltering facilities are located? Do you know what to have on stock in shelters specifically for citizens with disabilities? Do you know what to do if someone has a service animal? How do you plan to communicate with your citizens during an emergency and do you already have a list of interpreters and translators “on-call” for such events? Come learn the answers to these questions and more as we guide you through the process of developing your emergency plan for the inclusion of citizens with disabilities.
Details
Course Hours: 12 hours
Instruction Type: In Person
Instructor: TBD
Location: NCTCOG, Centerpoint II, 616 Six Flags Dr, Arlington, TX 76011
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this course.
Dates
Click the session date to open the registration form.
TBD (Registration closes TBD)
Cost
$250
Lunches are included
100% refund for withdrawal 14 days prior to session start date
50% refund for withdrawal 5 days prior to session start date
No refund for no-shows or withdrawals within 4 days of the class date
Objectives
The objective of this two-day CPD workshop is to provide a detailed overview of planning and zoning in Texas and is designed to address practical issues in zoning and land development.
This workshop addresses, in detail, matters related to zoning, land use, comprehensive planning, platting and subdivision regulation, impact fees, economic development, and legal issues associated with land use and development in Texas. Participants will receive a detailed book (electronic version) on land use in Texas and handouts of the PowerPoint slides used in the presentation.
Target Audience
This workshop is geared to planning and zoning commissioners as well as members of zoning boards of adjustment and municipal support staff.