The Planning Department is a critical contributor and regulator of
Riverside County’s growth and change. Its role is critical to progress
and oversight of many projects on the Hill, from short-term rentals to
new construction.
At their Sept. 10 meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved the
creation of a Board Ad Hoc Committee for the continuous improvement of
the Transportation and Land Management Agency’s Planning Department.
Supervisors Kevin Jeffries (1^(st) District) and Yxstian Gutierrez (5th
District) submitted the proposal and will be the initial members
representing the Board.
Their memorandum identified four areas of concern and felt the Board’s
more specific oversight could help address and improve these areas.
Two of the areas involve the Department’s staff. There is concern that
some of the problems attributed to the Department are generated by its
inability to maintain a full complement of staff. The need to improve
recruitment and retention was mentioned as the first step to maintain
adequate staffing levels.
The overall competitive job market, exacerbated by the special skills
required in Planning, has limited the Department’s ability to keep
vacant positions filled, according to the proposal’s authors.
“This has contributed to service delays and reduced the department’s
overall effectiveness. The heavy load of planning casework adds to the
challenges of keeping staff, pointing to the need to stabilize our
workforce to achieve and maintain manageable caseloads,” Jeffries and
Guitierrez wrote in the request.
Hiring new staff requires their training, which is the second staffing
concern. The high turnover rate requires regular and thorough training
for new staff.
Another matter is the functionality of the Department’s systems and
processes. These may be outdated and a thorough review of their
capability and efficiency would be beneficial to the staff as well as
the public, both supervisors argued.
Related to the adequacy of the systems, Jeffries and Gutierrez added,
“There have been concerns raised from various constituents and
stakeholders regarding the timeliness of case processing from the
Planning Department. Delays in processing permits, reviewing plans, and
addressing inquiries are problematic and add to the cost of
development.”
The Ad Hoc Committee would focus on strategies to improve the timeliness
of projects and responses to public submissions and identify ways to
enhance recruitment and help existing staff.
Their goals are to improve efficiency, enhance responsiveness,
strengthen the workforce, and ensure better accountability.
Ivanna Uriate, representing the Leadership Counsel for Justice and
Accountability, was the only public speaker. She supported the proposal,
stating that it was an opportunity to adjust current challenges and
improve responses to the community. She emphasized greater collaboration
with local communities and engagement with stakeholders. She noted
several housing projects in the Coachella Valley as examples of where
better collaboration would be useful.
The proposal was adopted 5-0. The only discussion was Board Chair Chuck
Washington’s (3^(rd) District) request to be added as an alternate to
the Committee if either of the appointed Supervisors, Jeffries or
Guitierrez, were unable to attend an Ad Hoc Planning Department meeting.
