Dobrzenski took the two-week, 30-hour North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials Certification Course from November to December at the suggestion of Planning Director Mark Hetrick.

“I had met the requirements as far as experience, and everyone at the town is always trying to seek training and be more effective in their positions and improve their professional standing,” Dobrzenski said.

The course is offered to planners who have worked in the field for at least two years and have taken an introductory, one-week zoning course. The second course covers greater detail on specific topics like enforcement and the quasi-judicial process.

An exam follows the course and consists of 30 questions, scenarios or multiple choice options. Those taking the exam must answer a minimum of 21 of the 30 questions correctly to receive certification. Dobrzenski passed the exam and became a North Carolina Certified Zoning Official in doing so.

Dobrzenksi said it is fairly common for experienced zoning officials to have this certification, but said the class and exam were challenging.

“It was much more than just memorization,” he explained. “It was a lot of situational, mock-type questions where you had situations and needed to figure out the applicable zoning requirements. Others were about the best enforcement method for a particular violation.”

He found the course valuable, noting almost everything taught was something he faces on a day-to-day basis in Zebulon.

“I learned a lot about dealing with conflicts, zoning inspections and a lot of different methods for enforcing our zoning ordinance,” Dobrzenski added. “A lot of it was real useful for the Zebulon zoning ordinance — whether working in the field, on site plan reviews or issuing notices of violations or civil citations.”

The zoning course is offered through the N.C. School of Government and sponsored by the NCAZO. It is designed for officials in the planning and zoning field who spend much time interpreting and enforcing local zoning ordinances.

Eight hours of continuing education are required every two years after the first five years of certification passes. Aside from additional training Dobrzenski said the additional training will open up more doors for additional opportunities with the NCAZO, like networking and workshops.