For more than 23 years, Darcy Smith has been a driving force for successful economic and housing policies for numerous cities around the Bay Area. This month, Darcy will bring her experience and leadership to the City of Millbrae as its new Community Development Director.
“I’m incredibly passionate about smart, transit-oriented growth that takes into consideration the spirit of the community,” said Darcy Smith. “I first visited Millbrae 30 years ago. My immediate family lives here today. I love what the city was and what it is today just as much as the potential for what it can be in the future. That’s why I accepted this role.”
As Millbrae’s new Community Development Director, Darcy will be responsible in helping develop and implement city policies, working with the City Manager to set and achieve department specific goals, and leading the City’s planning, building, code enforcement, and economic development/housing divisions.
“We are very excited to have someone with Darcy’s proven success, extraordinary talent and leadership join our team,” said Millbrae’s City Manager Tom Williams. “She truly knows Millbrae and the issues we face. She brings a tremendous amount of experience, and with her record of success, is the perfect person for this role.”
Before coming to Millbrae, Darcy served as the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of San Bruno, and as the Principal Planner and Zoning Administrator for the City of San Mateo. In those roles, she developed a great reputation as a professional and dependable leader who managed several large retail, hospitality and commercial development projects including San Bruno’s Bayhill Specific Plan and associated EIR, and the 84-acre Bay Meadows II Transit-Oriented Development project in San Mateo.
“I worked on the Bay Meadows project for 15 years,” said Darcy. “My team and I helped turn an old, dilapidated race track into a thriving mixed-use center that created 1,200 new homes, thousands of jobs, and a vibrant public space, all next to a transit hub. Importantly, we helped create a robust economic engine for the city while supporting important quality-of-life initiatives.”
Since 2004, Darcy has been a certified member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. She started her career in urban planning and community development in 1998 after earning her Bachelor of Science in Earth Systems from Stanford University. In 2003, Darcy earned her Master’s in Urban Planning from San Jose State University.