South Gate planning staff outline 2024 workload, staffing challenges and code work; interim director pledges customer-service focus

John Signall, planning manager for the City of South Gate, presented the planning division’s 2024 year-in-review to the Planning Commission, describing caseload, staffing changes, procedural improvements and planned code work.

Signall told commissioners the division handled about 2,600 customers at the planning counter in 2024, an average of 12 to 13 customers per day, and that roughly 92.4 percent of those visitors proceeded with an appointment or application. He said planning staff reviewed about 763 residential project applications last year, including 233 accessory dwelling unit applications and four Senate Bill 9 projects. Staff also logged 57 commercial projects, 18 miscellaneous projects such as zoning verifications, and 13 entitlement projects that require hearings before the commission.

Signall said building permits issued in 2024 totaled 105 residential units: 86 ADUs, 15 junior ADUs, three multifamily…