CDS reports midyear uptick in permits, announces $62,500 DOLA grant for comp plan

Jennifer Jones, who identified herself as Community Development Services staff, gave the board a midyear briefing on June 24, saying the department has processed 364 permits so far in 2026 and has posted a request for proposals to update the county's zoning and subdivision regulations.

Jones said the office has done 29 pre‑applications, received 20 formal land‑use applications and collected roughly $996,000 in impact fees year‑to‑date. She told commissioners the development‑projects report will be updated twice monthly and the associated map will be refreshed in near real time to give applicants and residents clearer status information.

Jones described several public‑facing improvements: community meetings are now livestreamed and recorded with a chat feature for remote questions, public notice signs are color coded to indicate the type of decision or meeting, and a monitor in the administration building lobby will display meeting and directional information. She thanked staff who helped implement the changes.

On funding, Jones said the county completed and closed out a Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) contract and has received the full $62,500 matching grant for work on the comprehensive plan. "We have completed the contract for the DOLA grant," she said, adding that DOLA accepted the approach of receiving the updated version once the county adopts a final plan.

Commissioners asked whether the planning commission's change to one regular monthly meeting—with the third Tuesday reserved for work sessions—would cause a backlog of hearings in the fall. Jones said special meetings can be scheduled and noted the commission can meet longer hours to handle stacked agendas.

The board did not take action on zoning changes at the June 24 meeting; Jones's report provided status and operational updates and launched the formal RFP process that will guide any future regulatory amendments.