The Community Development Department helps the City Council develop policies to guide the physical, economic, and housing development of the City and for implementing ordinances consistent with those physical development policies.

The long range vision is included in the General Plan, a 20-year plan for the future development adopted by the Planning Commission and City Council.  The General Plan is a vision of what the City will look like in 10-20 years.  The current General Plan was adopted in 1993.  The City is currently doing a comprehensive update of the General Plan, which will be completed in 2006.

The General Plan vision is implemented primarily through the Zoning Ordinance, which divides the city into various geographic zones.  Each zone allows different land uses, such as residential, commercial, industrial, or public use.  The Community Development Department reviews a variety of permits for new development, including use permits, design review, subdivisions, sign permits, and variances.

The Community Development Department also provides economic development services described in the Economic Development section of the website and a variety of affordable housing programs.

The Community Development Department serves as staff to the City Council and a variety of committees and commissions, including the Planning Commission, Economic Development Commission, and General Plan Citizen's Advisory Committee.

Building Division – Overview
This department accepts permits for residential and commercial projects, provides plan review, issues permits, and conducts site inspections.  They are responsible for ensuring compliance with adopted building codes and act as building code enforcement officials.