The City of Grover Beach is pleased to welcome Megan Martin as the new Community Development Director beginning on January 23. Martin is filling the vacancy following Bruce Buckingham’s retirement at the end of 2022.
“The Community Development Director plays a key role in expanding access to housing and ensuring that our commercial areas continue to thrive,” commented Grover Beach Mayor Karen Bright. “The Council is looking forward to seeing the progress that Megan and her staff will make on important projects in the works, especially the mixed use development projects on West Grand Avenue.”
Martin has an extensive background in planning and development. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Earth Science from the University of California Santa Cruz and a Master of City and Regional Planning from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Martin also has over 10 years of hands-on experience in local government and the private sector.
Before coming to Grover Beach, Martin served as the Planning Manager for the City of Pismo Beach, where she oversaw the daily functions and activities of the Planning Division. She made several notable contributions toward current and advance planning and environmental review activities. Prior to her work in local government, Martin worked in the private sector as the Director of Entitlement and Compliance under Jamie Jones of Kirk Consulting.
Additionally, Martin served as a Supervising Planner for the Cannabis and Long Range Planning Divisions with the County of San Luis Obispo. Martin’s experience in regulatory oversight and economic development enhancements will be especially beneficial to the City of Grover Beach’s safe and responsible commercial cannabis industry. Commercial cannabis is an important component of the City’s growing business community and has generated a significant amount of revenue to better serve the community through infrastructure improvements and public services.
As the Community Development Director, Martin will manage the overall operation of the Community Development Department, including planning, building, code compliance, housing, community block grant programs and commercial cannabis regulatory oversight. Martin will play an important role in implementing the recent Development Code updates, updating the General Plan Circulation Element to create safe and efficient ways to travel around Grover Beach and providing short-term rentals regulatory oversight. She will also work with the City Manager’s Office to promote economic development and expand commercial, industrial and housing uses to enhance the City’s vitality.
“After completing an extensive recruitment process, we are excited to welcome Megan to the Grover Beach team. Her leadership skills, public and private sector experience and passion for housing and other development opportunities made her stand out among other candidates,” said Grover Beach City Manager Matthew Bronson. “We are confident she will prove to be a valuable addition to our Executive Team and help us achieve our city’s development goals.”
Interested in joining the Grover Beach team? Visit the City’s job opportunities webpage for a list of open positions.