Community Development

Mission Statement

To provide administrative and technical service to the public, City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Commission, Historic Resource Commission, and City staff in support of the planning and building needs of the community; to anticipate changing community needs and opportunities and then facilitate the development of policies, goals and objectives.

This mission is achieved through the following programs and activities:

• General Plan, Local Coastal Program, and Zoning Code maintenance
• Land use policy evaluation and development
• Staff the City's Planning, Design Review, and Historic Resource Commissions
• Processing of applications for special use permits, variances, coastal permits and parking plans
• Processing of applications for subdivision maps, lot line adjustment, and lot consolidations
• Processing of applications for Design Review for commercial and residential development and signs
• Administer the City's Historic Preservation program, including processing Nominations for Historic Designation, Historic Resource Alteration Permits, Mills Act Agreements, and Determinations of Historic Significance (Notice of Intent to Demolish) Reviews
• Environmental review of projects in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
• Building construction plan check, permit issuance, and inspections
• Zoning and Building Code enforcement
• Public information source including archives for planning and building public records
• Inter-agency coordination and representation on regional committees and
• Special studies and review of public projects

More Information

Department Organizational Chart (PDF)