The Planning Division's mission is to provide the highest level of customer service attainable, while assisting applicants through the planning and environmental review processes, to help the City provide a more accessible and business-friendly environment. The Planning Division provides a broad range of services that generally can be categorized into two areas: current and advance planning.

Current Planning covers the daily applications for remodels and new construction projects. Tasks for current planning include:

• Assisting developers and potential applicants through the planning and environmental review processes, and responding to questions from the public.

• Coordinating City staff review (such as Police, Fire, Recycling, Community Facilities) of all development proposals.

• Evaluating all Design Review and Planning Commission applications, working with applicants on suggested changes, preparing and presenting staff reports, issues of concern, findings, recommendations and proposed resolutions to decision-makers.

• Identifying and notifying all property owners within 300-500 feet of a proposed development in order to ensure adequate public input; after action by the appropriate board, prepare resolutions, meeting minutes and notifications to ensure an adequate and legal record of proceedings is maintained.

• Coordinating and managing consultants for environmental review of large projects.

• Reviewing and approving final occupancy permits to ensure all imposed planning conditions are addressed during the construction.

Advance Planning tasks are longer-range plans that help guide the development of the City without concentrating on a proposed project. The tasks below are general to Advance Planning.

• Continually monitoring and updating, as necessary, the City's policy and implementing documents, especially the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance.

• Revising the Zoning Ordinance to be consistent with the updated General Plan.

• Recommending appropriate tools for implementing long and short-term planning policies, including sign ordinance revisions.

• Assisting decision-makers in identifying and evaluating policy choices.

• Undertaking focused planning activities, such as the preparation of Specific Plans, so as to define the community's vision for specific geographic areas.

• Implementing General Plan policies, including plans, ordinances and other appropriate actions.