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Development Services requests flat FY26 operations and flags comp-plan timing after community outreach
Summary
Development Services presented a FY26 budget request showing a small net reduction from the prior year, no new positions but requests to reclassify a vacant position for a water-focused role, and a $250,000 CIP request to update the county comprehensive plan.
Ada County Development Services Director Richard Beck presented his department’s FY26 budget request, emphasizing staff development, continued community outreach on a county zoning ordinance update and a planned request for funding to update the county comprehensive plan.
Beck said Development Services’ FY26 base request was about $3.9 million (personnel just under $3.6 million; operating roughly $288,000) and included no new permanent positions or supplementals. He noted one current vacancy resulting from a retirement would be converted to a new position focused on water issues to relieve the county engineer.
Beck described outreach the department paused and expanded while revising the county zoning ordinance and said the ordinance package is expected to return to the board July 30. He also raised a CIP/EOE funding request of $250,000 to support a consultant-led update to the Ada County comprehensive plan (last adopted in 2016 and typically on a 10-year horizon).
Why it matters: Development Services enforces building and zoning standards and prepares the county’s comprehensive plan, which informs future land-use decisions. Beck told commissioners his office is meeting most statutory mandates and that about 75% of department activity is linked to mandated planning and permitting work. He said delays in the comp‑plan update could be managed, but recommended timely planning funds to avoid a multi-year backlog.
Other requests and operational notes: Beck described continued cross‑department collaboration (parks, expo, water resources), internal cross‑training initiatives, and a limited set of market-rate salary adjustments recommended by HR. Beck said Development Services was monitoring building‑permit trends, which have been relatively flat year‑over‑year and did not currently justify new staff additions beyond the planned reclassification.
