COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

110 S. Pine Street, No. 101
Santa Maria, CA 93458

The Community Development Department is responsible for the planning and building divisions functions. Staff reviews all residential, commercial and industrial projects in the City. The Planning Division writes and updates the City's General Plan and Specific Plans including the Downtown Specific Plan. Staff reviews all projects for zoning compliance, processes land division applications, and processes all environmental assessments and reports. The Building Division regulates building and associated construction activities to protect public health, safety and welfare pursuant to uniform construction codes governing land use and code enforcement. The staff's activities include building plan review and inspection during construction.

photo of Larry Appel, Director of Community Development LARRY APPEL
Director of Community Development

City Phone: (805) 925-0951 x240
City Fax: (805) 928-7565
E-mail

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT:

  • B.A. Environmental Studies (U.C. Santa Barbara)
  • A.S. Biology (Santa Barbara City College)
  • Certificate of Post-Graduate Education, Supervisory Skills (U.C. Extension)
  • Director, Community Development Department, City of Santa Maria
  • Acting Director, Development Services, El Dorado County
  • Deputy Director, Development Services - Planning, El Dorado County
  • Senior Planner, Planning and Development, County of Santa Barbara
  • Environmental Specialist, Senior Environmental Planner, and Supervising District Planner, County of Santa Barbara
  • Environmental Specialist, Interface Planning, Santa Barbara

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

  • Boy Scouts of America, Executive Board, Live Oak District
  • Member, Alan Hancock College Concert Band
  • Tailwinds Bike Club, Santa Maria
  • Member, Grace Baptist Church
  • Rancho Verde HOA, past Recording Secretary
  • El Camino Jr. High School, PTC past member

PERSONAL:

  • Marital status: Married 31 years
  • Children: Two
  • General interests: Scuba, long-distance bicycling, music, and photography

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Community Development Department Director is responsible for Current and Advance Planning, maintenance of the General Plan, Specific Plans, and Secretary to the Planning Commission. The Community Development Director is responsible for the Building Division which processes and checks all plans for compliance with the building codes, processes all building permits and inspects all buildings. The Community Development Director is also the "Environmental Officer," "Noise Control Officer," "Secretary to the Planning Commission," and "Zoning Administrator."

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Mission Statement
To plan for the orderly growth of the City, consistent with the goals and objectives of the community's General Plan, to process projects quickly and efficiently consistent with the public's interest and safety in mind, and to provide departmental services in a courteous and responsible manner.

2010-11 Goals/Objectives

  1. Complete the update to the City's Land Use and Circulation Elements, as well as update the City's Specific Plans in order to provide the public with the most updated information on all developable areas within the City Limits.
  2. Enhance revenues by identifying Building and Planning efforts that are currently either unbilled or under billed, and bring forward for Council's consideration recommendations to enhance revenues.
  3. Identify performance measures, train staff in the development of performance measures, and monitor performance measures for the Planning and Building Divisions.
  4. Implement an "e-distribution" of upcoming agendas and provide planning documents online for public review to improve and encourage public participation in the development review process.
  5. Enhance the "Citywide Development Activity Map" format to allow for "interactive" public access from the City Web site.
  6. Expeditiously process applications for new residential projects in order to meet the housing needs of the community.
  7. Continue supervisory training opportunities for departmental employees and develop a standardized training program for the Planner job series.
  8. Continue to operate the five-year cycle mobile home maintenance inspection program and distribute the recently revised staff-developed mobile home reference booklet to all parks within the City.
  9. Provide training for all Building Inspectors to successfully pass the CASp (Accessibility certification) exam so that the City is in full compliance with State regulations.
  10. Implement a scanning program to permanently retain the records of historical planning files and make them available to staff and the public.