Mission Statement: The Department of Community Development is committed to enhancing the quality of life of the City’s residents, businesses and visitors, and to promote a safe, well-designed, physically integrated, livable and prosperous community.

Community Development includes the Planning Division and the Building & Safety Division. A description of each are noted below:

Planning
The Planning Division administers the City’s long-range and current planning programs, as guided by the City’s adopted General Plan and Zoning Ordinance to provide for the types and mix of land uses necessary to serve the needs of existing and future residents, to ensure that projects are developed to achieve a high level of quality, to improve the livability of neighborhoods, and to enhance the economic health of the community. Specific programs of the division include:

• Development review to assist property owners in making improvements which are in conformance with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance;
• Review of commercial and industrial business requests to ensure compliance with zoning provisions;
• Updating the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance and related long-range planning documents to meet the changing land use and development needs of the community; and
• Administration of the City’s Historic Preservation program to assist property owners who submit applications to designate their own properties as historic landmarks and/or historic districts, and to safeguard the City’s heritage, identity, and visual character.

Building & Safety
The Building & Safety Division is charged with the plan checking, permitting, and inspection of all private construction within the City, with the goal of improving the safety and livability of our neighborhoods. The tide of construction activity in the City rises and falls in an ongoing cycle. The Building & Safety Division staff is committed to the mission of providing efficient, cost-conscious service to all property owners and businesses for their construction needs. The Building & Safety Division is dedicated to supporting quality of life by ensuring safe development throughout the City.