Community Development director outlines staffing, comp-plan update and code work for Benton County

Bob Chandler, speaking for the county’s Community Development Department, told the Planning Commission that hiring and rebuilding staff is the department’s top priority as it restarts long-range work.

“The community development department has a certain role today, and that role, can expand and change in in time as different priorities arise,” Chandler said, describing three core divisions — planning, building and a one-person compliance program — and stressing that new staff will help restore institutional knowledge lost to turnover. Chandler introduced Petra, a staff member who will assist with code updates and compliance work.

Chandler said the department is finalizing a contract with a consultant to lead a comprehensive-plan update that will include community outreach and produce draft amendments to the comprehensive plan and development code. He described the update as a multi-year effort that will include hydrologic and water-quality tasks intended to inform future policy choices.

Commissioners used the briefing to press staff about the department’s capacity to follow up on conditions of approval, manage advisory committees and support community engagement. Chandler acknowledged the limits of staff capacity but said the comprehensive-plan project will provide a structured opportunity to reconnect with community advisory committees and bring subject-matter experts into work sessions.