About Us

The City has adopted laws that regulate the use of land and the design of most commercial and housing projects.  The purpose of these laws is to protect the health, safety and welfare of community residents and visitors.  Laws, such as the Zoning Regulations, architectural review requirements, and Subdivision Regulations, require that people submit applications for project approval to the Community Development Department.  The review evaluates the proposals for consistency with the City's General Plan and all other applicable plans and regulations.  These applications are acted on by the Administrative Hearing Officer or citizen commissions appointed by the City Council, such as the Planning Commission and the Architectural Review Commission.  Some of the more complex development projects are acted on by the City Council.

The planning staff also prepares and oversees reports that study the environmental effects of development projects and identify ways of avoiding environmental damage.  This work is required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Planning actions are those taken by the City Council, Planning Commission, Architectural Review Commission (ARC), or the Administrative Hearing Officer.  They cover a wide range of activities from the City Council's approval of a housing subdivision to the Hearing Officer's approval of a permit for a six-foot fence in the front yard of a house.

Quarterly Project Status Report

Permits

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