Citizens Planning Academy

Have you ever wondered how things get built in Greenville? Would you like to understand the role of the planning commission and city council in Greenville’s planning processes? Do you want to know how and why we should plan for future development that is 5, 10, or 15 years away?

Upstate Forever’s Citizens Planning Academy is an interactive, introductory course designed to provide a foundation for Greenville residents, business owners, and neighborhood leaders understand processes that drive local planning and land use policy decisions as well as the roles and perspectives of diverse stakeholders. City of Greenville and/or Greenville County residents who are motivated to become more informed, effective, and influential participants in local land use planning and policy decision-making are encouraged to apply. Participants learn about a variety of planning and development topics, such as the history of planning, how development projects come together, and how to get involved in planning processes for your community.

Fall 2022 SERIES

The Citizens Planning Academy is returning to its roots with four in-person sessions on Wednesday evenings during Fall 2022! Each session will be held in downtown Greenville from 5:30 - 8:00 pm on the following dates:  

• September 21 
• September 28 
• October 5 
• October 12 

Participation in this course is free but requires a firm commitment to attend all four sessions. Enrollment is by invitation based on selection committee review and evaluation of applications submitted online. 

The application window for the Fall 2022 Citizens Planning Academy has ended. Please visit upstateforever.org/email and sign up for email updates or follow Upstate Forever on social media for information about future opportunities. 

If you have questions about the Citizens Planning Academy, please contact Land Policy Director Sherry Barrett at sbarrett@upstateforever.org.