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Council asks about jump in planning and zoning professional services as staff propose ordinance recodification
Summary
Development services staff told the council that a proposed $200,000 professional-services allocation would fund a comprehensive update and codification of the city's planning and zoning ordinances. Staff said the work is overdue and that consultant costs are necessary to modernize ordinances that staff described as a decade(s)-old backlog.
Development Services staff told council that a major portion of the planning and zoning professional services request for FY2026 would support a comprehensive recodification and update of the city's planning and zoning ordinances. The staff presentation said the work would be conducted by a planning and zoning consultant and that the cost for ordinance recodification was expected to be in the $200,000 to $250,000 range.
Council members flagged a steep year‑to‑year increase in certain Development Services professional‑services line items and asked staff to provide detailed backup. Staff said earlier encumbrances reduced apparent spending in FY2025 and that the 2026 request reflects the ordinance recodification, updates to construction standards and other consultant needs tied to capital projects and deferred maintenance.
Staff also described in‑house savings on some planning work (the "one‑stop shop" study) that previously would have required outside consultants, while noting that certain technical tasks (structural engineering, code recodification) will require external expertise.
Council asked for a written breakdown of all Development Services professional‑services increases and the expected deliverables tied to the requested funds.
