A community development director oversees planning and zoning activities in a city, deciding which zones are best for different areas, enforcing compliance, and acting as a liaison between the zoning board and the city. They consider designations such as residential, industrial, or commercial and may offer subdivisions. They can recommend variations for unauthorized use, but if the problem persists, fines or other enforcement actions are possible. They also present issues to the zoning board and provide possible solutions.
A community development director is usually responsible for overseeing the planning and zoning activities of a community, usually a city. The job typically involves deciding which zone is best for various areas of the city, making recommendations to a zoning board regarding requests for changes, and oversight to ensure businesses and homes are in compliance. If they are not in compliance, the community development director may be responsible for imposing fines or referring the case to law enforcement who can handle enforcement issues.
A community development director often spends a lot of time determining what makes the most sense for a specific city space. Without proper zoning laws and administration, the city can become a disorganized collection of interfering homes, businesses, and manufacturers. Planning different functions for different areas helps keep the city attractive and increases the quality of life for residents.
There are usually several important designations that a community development director considers when zoning areas. Designations usually take the name of the primary use, such as residential, industrial, or commercial. Of these important designations, the director of community development may also offer subdivisions such as light industrial or heavy industrial, single family residential or high density residential just to name a few. In some cases, designations may change depending on city needs.
If a landlord wants to use a property for something other than zoned, a community development director can look into the matter. If the use causes minimal impact to the owners, the director can recommend a variation, which would only apply to that particular property for that particular case. A variation may be open, without an expiration date, or it may need to be renewed periodically.
When the property owner does not have a variance and is using the property for unauthorized use, the community development director may be responsible for enforcement issues. Enforcement action is often spurred by a complaint from another resident, but it may also be discovered by the principal or other city official. Typically, the community development director will send a letter to the owner explaining the violation and allow the owner time to correct the problem. If this does not happen, fines or other enforcement actions are possible.
The director is also usually responsible for acting as a liaison between the zoning board and the city. Often, the director presents the issue to the board and provides a list of possible solutions. One of these can be accepted by the board, or the board can come up with its own solution or ask the director to provide more information. These meetings can occur one or more times a month, generally.
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