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Home My WebLink AboutPCD 2021-10-18 Item 1C - Update - Department of Community Developmento/ z City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Planning and Community Development Committee FROM: Nora Gierloff, DCD Director CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: October 11, 2021 SUBJECT: Community Development Update ISSUE Update on Department of Community Development (DCD) progress in hiring and permit review. BACKGROUND The 2021-2022 City budget showed 28 funded full time equivalents (FTEs) for DCD and three frozen positions. Based on improving financial projections, in May the Council granted approval to unfreeze the positions and fill the Development Review Engineer early to cover an expected retirement, see the organization chart at Attachment A. Originally streamlined sales tax funding was targeted to cover this increase, but currently Tukwila's American Rescue Plan Act funds are planned to be used. The reorganization and hiring over the last six months has resulted in the following changes: • Max Baker taking on the Development Supervisor role (formerly Planning Supervisor); • Nancy Eklund moving into the new Long Range Planning Manager role; • Hiring a Code Enforcement Officer, Joseph Mose, who will be able to cover the rental housing program when Kia Shagena goes on leave in January; • Hiring two Associate Planners, Isaac Gloor and one pending offer; • Hiring a Senior Plans Examiner, Kevin "KC" Ellis; and • Hiring a Development Review Engineer who has unfortunately just given notice that he will be leaving so we will need to start over on this position. We have been unable to fill the Combination Inspector position but are still recruiting. This leaves the Department at 30 FTEs. DCD still has one vacant position, which would bring the Department's FTE total to 31. I would like to focus on filling the current set of positions, onboarding, and training that group before deciding where an additional staff person would make the most difference. DISCUSSION The department expenditures are on track to be slightly below the budgeted amount at the end of the year, though the different divisions are higher and lower than budgeted. It has been hard to project forward due to the substantial cash outs for retiring employees, hiring for different positions than shown in the budget, the need to bring staff in above the midpoint of the salary range, and use of consultant contracts to cover vacancies in plan review and inspection services. The number and valuation of development permit applications continue to show a downward trend this year, see table below. DCD's YTD expenditures are $2,362,000 while combined development and land use permit revenues are approximately $1,700,000. In past years permit revenues have equaled or exceeded the Department budget. 25 26 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 514,000,000 $1z0)0,o0) 5610400 $4,00100 51.380.380 s- • • 2021 Building Permit Activity Per Month thru August 2021 i 14n Feb Mar Apr May Jun lul Aug Sep Oct Now Oec 513)321,493 .7,734649 510,919.816 59,197,445 57,498.884 55,101.088 53,949,864 54.858.338 Project and Permit Issuance 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Land Use Projects Issued �Il,llill cA F 4\13 3 ,Jc lJ\i CJS` '0 PJ e- SeQc ■ Land Use Projects Issued 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Development Permits Issued I I I I I i i I r . 1 qac, ac� �a�c PQi 9 10 Q • Development Permits Issued PJ�JS` `F41. e 4589 https://tukwilawa.sharepoint.com/sites/mayorsoffice/cc/Council Agenda Items/DCD/PCD InfoMemo 10-18-21.docx INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 3 We have been onboarding and training the new staff, a process that will continue with the latest hires. We should see some productivity gains as they begin to work more independently. The loss of the new development review engineer will set the engineering group back. The Building Division may need to assist with Fire plan review during the vacancy in the Fire Marshal's office which would increase their workload. Recent Achievements • The Transit Oriented Development Housing Action Plan has been adopted and we have joined with other South King Housing and Homelessness Partnership (SKHHP) cities on a grant to address two of the action items in the Plan. This would allow SKHHP to perform regional tracking of regulated and unregulated affordable housing. • The small cell ordinance updating our wireless communications regulations has been adopted and we are working on streamlining the franchise permit process. • The HB 1220 shelter/housing code changes have been adopted. • Tukwila South residential design guidelines will return to Council with final recommended language. FINANCIAL IMPACT Information only. RECOMMENDATION Information only. https://tukwilawa.sharepoint.com/sites/mayorsoffice/cc/Council Agenda Items/DCD/PCD InfoMemo 10-18-21.docx 27 28 Nora Gierloff DCD Director Wynetta Bivens Assistant to the Director Nancy Eklund Long Range Planning Manager Alison Turner TDM Program Manager Chris Andree TDM Program Coordinator Jaimie Reavis Senior Planner Meredith Sampson Associate Planner Isaac Gloor Associate Planner VACANT Associate Planner Max Baker Development Supervisor Joanna Spencer Engineer Cherie Du Engineer Kerry Murdock Engineer Heidi Watters Urban Environmentalist Jim Toole Code Enforcement Officer S Kia Shagena Code Enforcement Officer S Joseph Mose Code Enforcement Officer S Lori Solberg Rental Housing Admin Technician Rachelle Sagen Permit Supervisor Shana Markstrom Admin Support Coordinator Laurie Werle Permit Technician S Elisa Villegas Permit Technician Amy Wardian Permit Technician Elizabeth Williams Permit Technician Jerry Hight Building Official S Jim Benner Senior Electrical Inspector Bill Centen Combo Inspector S Scott Moore Senior Project Inspector S Lee Sipe Senior Plans Examiner KC Ellis Senior Plans Examiner VACANT Combo Inspector