The Malibu City Council took a significant step to enhance operational efficiency and improve service delivery by voting to reorganize the Environmental Sustainability and Planning Departments into a unified Community Development Department (CDD) during the November 25, 2024, meeting.
Assistant City Manager Joseph Toney presented the item to the Council, explaining that this initiative is one of the key recommendations from the Development Services Report, known as the Baker Tilly Report, completed in 2023. The merger benefits cited by the Study include but are not limited to: cohesive leadership, consistent practices and turnaround times, improved processing ability, and alignment with industry best practices.
The decision includes the creation of a new Community Development Director position and the adoption of a resolution to establish classifications for additional roles essential to the department’s success.
“The creation of the Community Development Department reflects Malibu’s commitment to providing streamlined, efficient, and applicant-focused services to our community,” said Mayor Doug Stewart. “By unifying these departments under strong leadership, we are paving the way for a more cohesive approach to planning and sustainability that will benefit our residents.”
Toney emphasized additional benefits of the new Community Development Department, including:
- Single Point of Contact: A single point of contact will help streamline communications for development inquiries will simplify interactions for residents, applicants and city departments.
- Long-Range Planning: A dedicated Long Range Planning Division should allow for better coordination of long-term and significant projects to help manage the General Plan and liaison with key stakeholders ensuring projects align with its values and vision.
- Culture of Innovation: Bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise from different operational areas under one umbrella should help foster a Culture of Innovation and teamwork.
- Functional Area Alignment: A single CDD provides for consolidating operations for consistent practices. Eventually leading to working through updates and clarity amongst the various policies and rules the City has.
A Multi-Year Commitment to Change
The initial draft of the reorganized department will consist of six divisions: Planning, Long-Range Planning, Building, Code Enforcement, Environmental Programs (Sustainability), and Administrative. Each division will play a critical role in achieving the City’s strategic goals and fostering a well-planned and thriving community.
This initiative is part of a multi-year effort to implement the foundational changes recommended in the Development Services Report. Immediate next steps include recruiting the Community Development Director, whose leadership will shape the final structure and vision of the department.
“The reorganization reflects Malibu’s proactive approach to meeting the evolving needs of our community,” added Assistant City Manager Toney. “It is representative of the forward-thinking strategy to enhance service-delivery and streamline our processes to benefit all who call Malibu home.”
For more information, see the staff report.