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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
September 14, 2004 | |
Author: |
Rob Jenkins | |
Phone No.: |
604.873.7082 | |
RTS No.: |
04506 | |
CC File No.: |
1366 | |
Meeting Date: |
September 28, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
General Manager of Community Services |
SUBJECT: |
New Position - Assistant Director, Central Area Planning |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT City Council approve the creation of a Regular Full-time exempt Assistant Director position within the Central Area Planning Branch of Current Planning, Planning Department, Community Services Group (CSG). The new position to be partially offset by closing an existing position in CSG, resulting in a net annual budget increase of $12,000 from 2005 onward. Any additional costs incurred in 2004 to be covered by CSG's existing operating budget.
B. THAT City Council approve the closing of a vacant Planner III position in City Plans
(Position #50002523) and that subsequent budget savings be transferred to Current Planning to fund the majority of the costs associated with the new Assistant Director position.
COUNCIL POLICY
The City Manager, on a case by case basis, seeks Council approval for the creation and closing of regular positions.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to recommend to City Council the creation of a new full-time Assistant Director of Planning position, responsible for the Central Area Planning Branch of Current Planning Division of the Planning Department.
BACKGROUND
Prior to 1994, the senior management structure of the Department consisted of the Director of Planning and five Associate Directors, each in charge of separate divisions. With the reorganization of the Department in 1994 and subsequent organization shifts related to the creation of Community Services Group, the Department's management structure evolved to consist of two Co-Directors of Planning and two Assistant Directors. There are two divisions in the Department - Current Planning and City Plans.
The Current Planning Division consists of two branches, Central Area Planning and Current Initiatives. The two branches are managed by the Director of Current Planning, Larry Beasley and the Assistant Director of Current Planning, Rob Jenkins. Mr. Beasley has directly managed Central Area, in addition to his other significant responsibilities as the Director of Planning Approval authority and member of the Development Permit Board. Mr Jenkins' area of responsibility has primarily been direct management of the Current Initiatives Branch.
DISCUSSION
There are a number of ongoing and increasing demands on the management of Current Planning and specifically the Central Area Branch. Central Area major application and development proposal volumes are up and the complexity of applications and proposals is increasing. The Director of Current Planning is required to spend more time on Director of Planning Authority and Development Permit Board matters and more time directly with applicants on conflict resolution of development related issues.
In planning policy areas, addressing the high demand for residential in the downtown core while protecting future office development potential remains a priority - new policy is being developed and implemented. Major land use policy programs include Southeast False Creek, Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre Expansion, and Downtown Transportation policy and implementation.
Ongoing Council priority programs and projects related to Central Area Planning include the Downtown Eastside programs (Four Pillars implementation, SRO Replacement Policy, Gastown Economic Revitalization, Chinatown and Hastings revitalization) and special Council initiatives include the Woodward's building, and the Casino/Slot Machine initiatives.
New major policy programs and projects emerging include Northeast False Creek, Plaza of Nations and False Creek Flats planning. Central Area Planning staff play a major role in managing and/or substantive land use planning in the metropolitan core policy work and contribute to various cost recovery programs in this area.
In addition, the Co-Directors of Planning are involved in an expanding array of other departmental responsibilities and corporate initiatives including the 2010 Olympics, RAV and other transportation land use planning.
Significant additional demands in the above-noted areas means that other areas have been given less than the required attention, including the day-to-day management of Central Area Planning programs and projects.
More direct management of Central Area programs and projects will result in increased efficiencies, shorter report times for Council-directed programs and shorter delivery time for applicant- and community-initiated work. There will be improved and more efficient undertaking of administrative responsibilities including the filling of temporary positions assigned to new high-priority work and work programming. The new position will allow the Director of Current Planning and the Assistant Director of Current Planning - Planning Initiatives Branch, to devote the required time to address high priority Council-approved and corporate initiatives, and other assigned work in Current Planning.
PERSONNEL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The new position will be at the same level, Payband 12, as the two existing Assistant Director positions in Planning. Following approval of the position, a competition will be held to fill the position.
The position will be funded by the CSG operating budget. The majority of funds required will be off-set by the closing of a City Plans P III position (Position # 50002523). This position, which has been vacant for a number of years, was most recently used to fund planning work related to the review of secondary suite regulations. The remaining funds for the position will come from a $12,000 increase to CSG's operating budget.
CONCLUSION
In order to respond to increasing demands on the management of Central Area planning policy and development project review work, and in order to better serve Council and the public, a new Assistant Director position in Central Area Planning is proposed. Funding for the new position would be through the CSG operating budget.
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