Planning + Development Services Department

The Planning and Development Services Department helps the community plan for the future, ensures the safety of buildings and infrastructure and supports neighborhoods.

Planning and Development Services includes staff from several divisions.

Current Planning

Current planning staff:

• Applies the City’s long-range goals to development proposals.
• Assist developers in submitting development applications.
• Help residents understand the development review process and how to get involved.
• Supports the City Council, Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals on land use and development issues.

Strategic Planning

The strategic planning division:

• Coordinates the City’s long-range planning efforts.
• Evaluates development needs in specific areas of the community.
• Reviews the City’s comprehensive plan annually.
• Operates the neighborhood conservation program, which helps sustain aging neighborhoods that do not have homeowners associations.
• Manages the Neighborhood Executive Committee, which connects neighborhood and homeowners association leaders to share ideas, address challenges and strengthen their communities.
• Supports City staff and the community with mapping and analysis using geographic information systems.

Building Safety

The building safety division:

• Processes building permit applications.
• Reviews construction plans for compliance with building codes, engineering standards and environmental requirements.
• Conducts detailed inspections at each stage of the construction process

Community Services

The community services division supports the community with:

• Provides a strong code-compliance program encompassing both property maintenance and zoning issues. 
• Supports the rental registration program
• Inspects and licenses trash haulers. 

Engineering Services

Engineering Services staff:

• Reviews traffic and stormwater impacts for new residential and commercial developments.
• Reviews construction plans for site development requirements related to streets, stormwater, streetlights, grading, erosion control, traffic, water quality, floodplain development and other civil engineering issues.
• Inspects infrastructure construction to ensure compliance with approved plans and standards.
• Oversees floodplain management and regulations.