Following the success of it's professional certification program called American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the American Planning Association (APA) has announced a certification program for selected citizens as well.
The new program will be called AICB. Qualified citizens who pass a rigorous certification exam will be invited to join the American Institute of Certified BANANAs.
"We've recognized for some time that some citizens in our communities are BANANAs, and believe that we should 'Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything,'" said AICB program manager Dr. Nim By, AICP.
"We've condensed the key principals of this approach to planning into a certification program so that BANANAs can now be recognized for their tireless work to prevent planning and development that might benefit a community," Dr. By continued.
The new BANANA program will include a series of affordable webinar-based trainings, followed by a 2-hour certification exam at licensed testing centers across the country. One unusual aspect of the certification will be that AICB candidates will need to demonstrate practical experience in BANANAism by documenting or recording at least one meeting in which the citizen has been disruptive or caused a planner tremendous grief.
The new AICP program is expected to be launched today, April 1, 2013.
Read the full story: APA Launches New Citizen Certification Program
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