I am in favor of proposed charter amendment 5 – Appointment of Director of Department of Community Development.
An elected Department of Community Development director is always prejudiced.
The director role is leadership and management.
Policy belongs to the commissioners.
The director provides relevant information to policy makers formulating or modifying land use and building policies.
Implementation of policy belongs to the department.
Municipal forms of government were created to support growth and development.
Consistent and predictable implementation of land use and building policy supports this purpose.
Polices enacted are implemented by the director.
Implementation of land use and building policies is a management responsibility: ensuring the right people have the right tools and assets to process permit applications.
The current director and predecessor have gotten lost in their own prejudices.
The current director is designing tiny houses to sell to the public (competing with design professionals), issuing false information to applicants (it is not true that un-permitted preexisting structures must be permitted before a buyer can get a loan), requiring applicants wanting to permit preexisting structures conform to current codes versus codes in force when structure was built.
What’s next, forcing land owners to demolish historic barns because it’s cost prohibitive to comply with current codes, etc.?
The previous director issued erratic and unfounded favoritisms, primarily to builders, but only builders in favor.
Please vote yes for this amendment ensuring consistent, predictable, and timely permit processing, based on established policies, free from personal preferences.
Ken Hays
Sequim