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DPZ trims FY26 operating request, advances Route 1 and APFO work amid staff constraints
Summary
The Department of Planning & Zoning presented a modestly smaller FY26 operating budget driven by chargeback updates and three frozen positions; staff highlighted HOKO by Design implementation, an upcoming APFO public hearing May 20 and plans to update Route 1/Route 40 design manuals and the landscape manual.
Department of Planning & Zoning Director Eisenberg told the County Council that the department’s FY26 general operating budget is roughly $287,000 less than the prior year, mostly because of an updated DTCS chargeback inventory and the temporary freezing of three vacant positions in engineering, land development and resource conservation.
Eisenberg said the department continues to implement HOKO by Design — a major county planning initiative — and praised the county’s recent award from the National Association of Counties for related work. DPZ said it has completed outreach and technical work on multiple fronts and is preparing an APFO (Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance) report; the department scheduled a second public hearing for the APFO work for May 20.
The department also described a work program that will proceed in FY26 if resources allow: a Route 1 and Route 40 design manual update (consultant selection imminent), a landscape manual update (public and stakeholder engagement in progress), a gateway master plan and an online zoning‑navigation tool. DPZ staff said Route 1/40 manuals would likely take 12–18 months once a consultant is selected and that the Route 1 update will be coordinated with HOKO by Design and the Route 1 corridor plan.
Council members questioned personnel, enforcement and the timing of universal design guidance. Director Eisenberg and deputy staff said three specific vacancies were held for budget savings after a prior year reshuffling of positions; the department said the frozen roles are an engineering specialist, a planner position and a historic/resource planning specialist and described the internal promotions that led to those openings.
Members pressed on zoning enforcement and alternative compliance (waiver) processes. DPZ explained that technical staff from DPZ, Department of Public Works and other agencies review alternative‑compliance requests; the county’s waiver process is administrative and includes a staff technical assessment, interagency review and a recorded approval/denial. The department said staff would provide the council the formal list of task‑force appointments for the New Town (task force) effort and the APFO final materials after the May 20 hearing.
Eisenberg said DPZ plans to use a mix of prior year PAYGO funds and FY26 work‑program money for several consultant projects and that the department hopes to complete several plan and manual updates by late 2026.
