Development Services Review. Final Report. Zucker July 2016

System. The City hired PlaceWorks, Inc., consulting, to complete this work under the management of the Senior Planner. According to the adopted budget, the General Plan Update work effort will be funded by Long Range Planning Fee Fund 207 (e.g., Fund comprised of long-range planning maintenance fee), growth and inter-fund transfers, a one-time infusion of housing in-lieu funds, and approved transfers from Community Development Fund 206 (e.g., Special Revenue Fund). In addition to managing key long-range projects, the Senior Planner for Long-Range will also supervise the new Associate Planner position and is also responsible for managing General Plan Amendment applications, the Habitat Conservation Plan Report and coordinating regional planning activities with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the Association of Bay Area Governments. When time is available, the Senior Planner may also manage 2-3 current planning projects. We did not receive any feedback that the Long-Range Planning Program was understaffed and we were told that the Morgan Hill 2035 project is on schedule and there were no long-range planning work backlogs. We received some feedback from focus group members and staff that the Current Planning Program may be understaffed, given the recent increase in development activity and staff’s undertaking of Morgan Hill 2035 and the TRAKiT data management and permit processing software implementation project. For example, interviewees reported that there are project management inconsistencies, communication silos and project coordination issues between contract planners and full-time planners in Current Planning. They also reported that processing takes too long. However, other staff stated that they believe that staffing levels are adequate, due to the utilization of contract staffing. The City also just hired another Associate Planner to supplement both Current and Long-Range Planning staff (e.g., position will be divided equally among the two programs). Management staff further stated that all planning positions process planning applications, although some staff process fewer than others. Current Planning

Fulltime Regular Senior Planners

There are 3 fulltime regular planners. As noted above, the majority of one of the Senior Planners’ available hours is allocated to Long-Range Planning activities, which leave only fractional time available to manage 2-3 Current Planning projects per year.

Morgan Hill, California

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Zucker Systems