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Planning Department presents two‑year budget plan, proposes more preservation staff and a PIC preservation planner
Summary
Planning Department staff outlined a new two‑year fixed budget approach, projected permit revenue growth and a $5 million surplus, and proposed new preservation positions including a full‑time preservation planner at the Planning Information Center and a survey coordinator to support citywide preservation work.
Planning Department staff told the Historic Preservation Commission that the city’s new budget rules require a two‑year fixed budget and that the department is projecting continued growth in development applications.
Tom DeSanto and John Grama presented financial trends showing roughly double the department budget over five years and year‑over‑year application increases in the low teens. DeSanto said the department is projecting a $5,000,000 revenue surplus for the current fiscal year and plans to propose a 4% budget increase next year while reserving some one‑time funds for large projects. "We're projecting another, substantial surplus this year," DeSanto said, and staff is discussing a supplemental appropriation with the mayor's budget office to fund one‑time projects.
Tim Frey detailed preservation program asks in the proposed work program: annualization of a preservation survey coordinator, a proposed preservation planner at the Planning Information Center (PIC) to provide daytime, front‑line preservation advice, CEQA/historic resources consulting funds ($75,000), Article 10 plaque pilot funding and contract money for additional survey work. Frey said the department will come back with more details in early February and expects to present the full department budget to the Planning Commission in early February before the mayor’s deadline on Feb. 22.
Commissioners asked about staffing distribution and the PIC position; staff said the preservation planner at PIC is intended to provide public‑facing preservation advice and to handle over‑the‑counter inquiries. Staff also said they would track time and workload for legacy business registry work and other new program elements if added. The department noted it will return on February 3 with a full departmental budget and a work program recommendation to the commission.
The presentation did not include final appropriation numbers for the preservation fund; staff indicated some items (such as transcription services for commission meetings) are included as proposed shared costs across commissions. The proposed additions aim to expand capacity for citywide survey, preservation program delivery and community outreach.
