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City planning outlines timetable to consolidate zoning review into a new Development Services Bureau, launch planned for January 1
Summary
City Planning reported it is consolidating zoning review work from Building and Safety into a new Development Services Bureau to create a single point for zoning review and to improve pre‑development coordination; the bureau aims to launch January 1 and will include transferred staff and a new performance unit to track outcomes.
City Planning presented a status report on plans to consolidate zoning review functions into a new Development Services Bureau and launch a unified zoning review service on January 1. The bureau will house roughly 190 staff, including about 42 positions transferring from the Department of Building and Safety, and will combine the office of zoning administration, development service centers, a specialized services division, and a new performance management unit.
Kevin Keller of City Planning said the consolidation is intended to reduce the current bifurcated review path that requires applicants to interact separately with Building and Safety and Planning. The department said the reorganization will not change filing requirements or fees but will provide coordinated pre‑development review, “one‑stop” routing for zoning questions, over‑the‑counter checks for simple items, and a public‑facing dashboard to report performance measures.
The report noted the move was funded within the FY2025–26 budget and that some follow‑up supplemental requests may be necessary to tidy resource allocations. City Planning said it is coordinating technology work with Building and Safety and the citywide permitting system so project tracking and referrals can be seamless. The department plans cleanup code amendments and anticipates returning to the committee with proposed code text before the end of the year.
Councilmembers asked how the bureau will measure improvements and accountability; City Planning said the new performance management unit will produce metrics and publicly report service levels. The committee received and filed the report; no formal action beyond receiving the report was taken.
