Planner, add'l request BudgetPlm~ming Services Deparb~en~
Cffy H~
50 West 13th Stxee~
Dubuque, Iowa 520014864
(563) 5894210 office
(563) 5894221 fax
planning@cityoffiubuque.org
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
February 10, 2003
RE: Budget Request for Additional Planner
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The City Council has established planned and managed growth as a 2002-2007 Goal.
Like this goal, historic preservation is smart growth. The Council also has established a
vision for our community that supports historic preservation, among other objectives.
As a result, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) joins the Long Range
Planning Commission in requesting an additional planner for the Planning Services
Department.
The HPC has made this budget request for the last three years because during that
time, the Planning Services staff has provided support for the Historic Preservation
Commission and three other boards without an increase in staff. In addition to the case
load of the HPC, the HPC and staff have initiated several new preservation programs at
the City Council's direction: a homeowner grant program, a revolving loan fund, design
guidelines, and demolition districts. As a result, the staff support for the other
commissions assigned to the Planning Services Department has been reduced.
Historic preservation is an economic tool that helps spur downtown and neighborhood
revitalization. The HPC believes that these City objectives need adequate staff support.
We also believe that the City Council's vision requires sufficient staff support. We ask that
you budget the necessary funds for an additional planner to accomplish these important
goals for our community.
Historic Preservation Commission
Plarmin$ Services Deparb~ent
O~7 ~
50 West 13ffi Street
Dubuque, Iowa 520ffi-48~
(563) 589-4210 office
(563) 589-4221 fax
planning~cityofdubaqne.org
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
February 4, 2003
RE: Budget Request for Additional Planner
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The City Council has established planned and managed growth as a 2002-2007 City
Council Goal. The Zoning Advisory Commission supports the Long Range Planning
Commission's request that this goal be supported by an additional planner in the
Planning Services Department.
In the past few years, the Planning Services staff has had to provide support for
another commission without an increase in staff. As the Chairperson of the Zoning
Advisory Commission, and as a business owner that deals with the Planning Services
Department on a regular basis, I have noticed that the Planning staff is not able to keep
up with the workload of the Commission or their customers.
The Planning Services Department should have enough staff to support the boards and
commissions tha~ they are assigned to support. They also should have enough staff to
handle the re,q~.,e, .sis for service from their customers - business owners, homeowners,
contractors, e/t'c[' We request that you budget the funds for an additional planner to meet
these need~
Sincerely,/
E'Egene Bird, Jr., Chairperson
Zoning Advisory Commission
Plannin~ Servic~ Department
Ch7 Ha~
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 5894210 office
(563) 5894221 fax
plann/ng~ityoffiubuque.org
January 31,2003
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13~ Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
RE: Budget Request for Additional Planner
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The City Council has established planned and managed growth as a 2002-2007 City
Council Goal. The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) supports the Long Range
Planning Commission's request that this goal be supported by an additional planner in
the Planning Services Department.
In the last several years, the Planning Services staff has had to provide support for a
fourth Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission, without an increase in staff.
As a result, the staff support for the ZBA has been reduced.
The Board of Adjustment has seen the effects of this reduced staff support. The amount
and quality of the information provided with the staff reports has diminished. We have seen
a higher frequency of errors and omissions in the staff reports. We think that this affects
the Board, the applicants and the neighbors that attend our meetings.
We believe that all four boards that are supported by the Planning Services Department
should have an adequate level of staff. We do not believe that the current staff support is
at this level. We ask that you budget the funds for an additional planner to meet the needs
~f these four boards.
Michael Ruden, 'Chairperson
Zoning Board of Adjustment
Planning Sel~ces Depariment
City Hall
50 West 13fit Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
(563) 589-4210 office
(563) 589~221 fax
planning@cityofdubuque.org
February 11,2003
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
RE: Budget Request for Additional Planner
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The City Council has established a strong, diverse economy; riverfront development; and
planned and managed growth as goals for 2002-2007. City planning goals like these have been a
focus of the City Council since the creation of separate planning and zoning commissions in
1990. The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission commends the City Council on your
foresight and long-standing commitment to these smart growth initiatives.
With this continuing emphasis on city planning, we believe that the City Council should provide
the resources needed to accomplish these goals. We believe that this requires an additional
planner. We are supported by the Historic Preservation Commission, Zoning Advisory
Commission, and Zoning Board of Adjustment in this request.
BACKGROUND
With the addition of the Historic Preservation Activity to the Planning Services Department, staff
previously assigned to provide support for the Development Services Activity of the Zoning
Advisory Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment had to be re-assigned to the Historic
Preservation Activity. The creation of new preservation programs and incentives has only
increased the workload on the staff.
The City Council's long-standing commitments to planned and managed growth, downtown
revitalization, and rived'ront redevelopment have increased the workload of the Planning Services
staff as well.
In addition to providing staff support for the Board and the three Commissions, the Planning
Services staff suppod other committees. These include two subcommittees of the Long Range
Planning Advisory Commission: the Downtown Planning Committee and the Joint City/County
Planning Committee.
Planning Services staff also coordinates the staff-level Development Review Committee, Historic
Preservation Homeowner Grant and Loan Committees, and the Port of Dubuque Design Review
Committee.
Planning Services staff is responsible for plan preparation, grant writing, and grant administration
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
Page 2 of 3
for the Heritage Trail Riverfront System, Port of Dubuque Master Plan, and Downtown Master
Plan. In addition, Planning Services staff administers state grants for required historic and
architectural surveys of Dubuque's older, established neighborhoods.
The program/service review for the Planning Services Department indicated that staff could take
on these assignments only with adequate personnel resources.
DISCUSSION
An additional full-time planner will benefit the City Council, Zoning Advisory Commission, Zoning
Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission, Long Range Planning Advisory
Commission, City staff and the community. We believe that these benefits include the following:
Planning Services staff has successfully leveraged nearly $2.3 million in federal and state
grants for plans, surveys and facilities that support the goals, objectives and outcomes of
City plans and programs. This amount would increase with an additional planner to take
advantage of more grant opportunities.
The new preservation programs and incentives that are facilitated by the Planning
Services staff provide an economic return to the City through increased property values.
These benefits would increase with an additional planner to promote and leverage the
City's programs with state and federal programs.
· The Zoning Advisory Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment would be able to
have the increased level of staff support that they enjoyed previously.
· The staff assigned to the Development Services Activity would be more proactive,
effective, and efficient when they are returned to their full staffing level.
· The Historic Preservation Commission would have adequate staff support to implement
the City's historic preservation goals and programs.
· The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission would have adequate staff support to
implement the Comprehensive Plan and other city planning priorities.
RECOMMENDATION
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission, Zoning Advisory Commission, Zoning Board of
Adjustment, and Historic Preservation Commission recommend funding for an additional full-time
planner. The projected cost of this additional planner is $70,000 annually for an Associate
Planner, which is a supervisory level.
We propose that the primary duties of this Associate Planner would include:
Page 3 of 3
Assist Planning Services Manager in providing and supervising staff support by the
Assistant Planners and Planning Technician for the Historic Preservation Commission
and Long Range Planning Advisory Commission, and their related task forces and
subcommittees (e.g. Downtown Planning Committee, Joint City/County Planning
Committee).
· Prepare and administer grants for historic preservation programs and projects, and
conduct Section 106 reviews currently done by Economic Development staff.
· Review development projects and proposals within the context of City plans.
· Coordinate the Port of Dubuque Design Review Committee meetings, agendas, and
approvals.
· Review development projects and proposals within the context of the Port of Dubuque
Master Plan and Design Standards.
· Coordinate implementation of the Port of Dubuque Master Plan. Downtown Master Plan,
Annexation Study Update, and 28E Joint City/County Planning Agreement.
· Prepare and administer grants for Heritage Trail routes riverfront development and
related projects.
· Coordinate staff participation, research and related support for local committees.
The Long Range Planning Advisory Commission, in conjunction with the Zoning Advisory
Commission; Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Historic Preservation Commission, respectfully
requests that the City Council fund the additional full-time planner as proposed above
Sincerely,
Long Range Planning Advisory Commission
Enclosures
CO
Eugene Bird, Jr., Chairperson, Zoning Advisory Commission, with enclosures
Michael Ruden, Chairperson, Zoning Board of Adjustment, with enclosures
Christopher Wand, Chairperson, Historic Preservation Commission, with en :losures