Understanding the Complexities of Tribal Planning

This presentation familiarizes non-tribal planners with the challenges facing American Indian reservations. It covers planning for land, air, water, and society from a tribal perspective. Tribal and non-tribal planners detail why tribes plan, the police powers derived from inherent sovereignty, and how federal sources enable and affect Indian tribal governments’ development of planning and zoning regulations.

As tribes develop their land to meet their members’ economic challenges, tribal leaders recognize critical issues of proper land-use controls, building, permitting, planning, and zoning that are needed for a prosperous community. This presentation covers tribal power to plan, how it differs from non-tribal planning, and current challenges in conflicting jurisdictions. Learn how to build relationships that mutually benefit partners who plan on or near Indian reservations. The presentation explores federal case law and policy and discusses how tribes have shaped their planning laws to meet contemporary planning challenges.

NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Foundational. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.