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Staff urges board to fill community development director role as rezoning requests rise
Summary
Community development staff reported more rezoning and special-exception requests since January 2024, recommended renaming second-dwelling language to ADUs and urged adding an assistant/code-enforcement position to reduce single-person workload and improve proactive enforcement.
Community development staff told the board the office is handling substantially higher demand for zoning advice, rezoning petitions and special-event permitting and recommended structural staffing changes.
"Since January 2024, the Rezoning requests, we've had about 8," the community development presenter told supervisors, and said special-exception requests have also increased. Staff said Berkeley Group Planning Services is reviewing the county's zoning ordinance with priority on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and proposed ordering clearer zoning signs to improve public notice. Because the office is currently staffed primarily by a single person assisted by contractors, staff recommended hiring a permanent Community Development Director and an assistant or combined code-enforcement position to avoid burnout and to enable proactive code enforcement and better record digitization.
Board members supported the recommendation and discussed fee adjustments, targeted enforcement revenue potential and funding formulas to cover additional staff costs. Staff said they would coordinate with Berkeley Group on ordinance revisions and return with options for the board's budget review.
