Community Development
Overview
The Community Development Department provides planning and environmental review for the City. This includes assistance to the City Council, and staffs the following City Boards: Planning Commission, Design Review Board, Tree Board, Climate Action Committee, and Public Arts Committee. The department also provides information about the City’s physical development to the City’s residents and the real estate, development and construction industries.
The Department is also responsible for parks planning and grants. Current projects include: Ives Park Master Plan Implementation; including Calder Creek naturalization, community sculpture garden, and pathway replacement; the Americorp Trail extension project.
Planning is divided into two primary functions: Current planning includes receiving and processing all applications for land use permits, subdivision and other development permits, preparing staff reports for the appropriate City boards and commissions and performing inspections to assure compliance with zoning and other planning regulations. This role includes preparation of necessary environmental documents as required by State and City law and policies.
Advance planning includes preparation of long-range planning documents, special studies, policy development, and preparation of municipal ordinances relating to a range of topics.
Background on City Planning
Development projects are often of concern to the community. New developments can change the character of a neighborhood by removing existing buildings and replacing them with new uses, different architectural styles, larger buildings, and a greater intensity of activity. Impact on traffic congestion, air quality, water consumption, shadows, housing affordability and neighborhood businesses can also be of concern. Construction period impacts, including noise, dust generation, vibration, and construction period parking can also be problematic for neighbors.
Development can also result in positive changes for the community by replacing deteriorated, outmoded, or unsafe buildings, by provided needed housing, by creating new services and jobs, and by augmenting the vitality and diversity of the local economy. With the substantial restrictions on municipal taxing powers imposed by the California voters, new development can also contribute revenues to provide basic city services, including Police, Fire, water, wastewater, and roads.
The history of land use regulation in Sebastopol has been marked by a continued progression and refinement of policies and regulations. The City’s decision makers have responded to changing concerns by enacting a variety of laws which have affected both the process by which development is considered, and the substance of that development.
