How we support
cities
Facing challenges with managing work backlogs or ensuring customer satisfaction? Perhaps there’s a growing list of Zoning Code updates awaiting your team’s attention? Look no further. City Advisors offers a comprehensive range of services designed to meet any planning challenge head-on.
Effective city planning relies on policy documents that reflect the current needs of its community. City Advisors is here to guide those looking to rejuvenate their Zoning Ordinances. Whether you aim to streamline procedures, align your Zoning Code with a freshly adopted General Plan Update, or simply revamping an antiquated Code, we're your partners in innovation. Our approach to ordinance drafting is both strategic and pragmatic, ensuring that updating your Code is not only cost-effective but a value-adding endeavor.
The evolving landscape of State bills, especially those impacting land use and housing, presents cities with intricate challenges. As these changes unfold, Zoning Codes can quickly become outdated, leading to ambiguities and potential conflicts with State law. Enter City Advisors: We offer an efficient solution to navigate this maze. Our expertise encompasses the latest on ADUs, density bonuses, and other pivotal housing bills. Collaborating closely with city staff and the City Attorney’s Office, we can also create tailored development standards and processes that align with your community’s values, all while ensuring full State compliance.
Development
Review
With deep expertise in current planning and plan check reviews, City Advisors ensures development applications comply with Zoning Ordinances, entitlement permit conditions, and all relevant local, state, and federal regulations. We hold specialized proficiency in permits for ADUs/JADUs, wireless telecom and small cell facilities, signs, coastal developments, and housing applications qualified for streamlining (including SB 9). Beyond this, our commitment encompasses vital administrative duties: from updating the City’s permit software, maintaining public records in shared drives, and timely responses to applicant inquiries.
City Advisors stands primed to assist cities with their long-range planning endeavors. From drafting ordinances and resolutions, updating local policies, to representing projects before the City Council and Planning Commission during public hearings, we've got you covered.
At the core of our project management is a commitment to consistent, clear communication and a collaborative, transparent approach. We excel at distilling expansive work programs into digestible segments, strategically addressing individual facets of extensive projects. This ensures city staff are integrally involved at each juncture. Not only does this meticulous oversight ensure our first ordinance draft aligns with the staff’s vision, but it also guarantees they aren't overwhelmed with excessive details when concluding the project.
At City Advisors, we pride ourselves on being proactive Project Managers. Our approach extends beyond just collating feedback from various departments; we're dedicated to aligning all divisions with overarching goals, ensuring a consistent, unified voice. By cultivating close ties with applicants, we add a personal touch to our feedback, ensuring they grasp the city’s broader objectives. This collaboration often paves the way for more robust project outcomes.
Additionally, we take on the responsibility of handling developer deposits, relieving staff of administrative burdens. Our commitment to responsiveness and diligence is evident in everything, from prompt answers to applicant questions to meticulously maintaining records in the city's database for future access.