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A Williamsport planner will oversee all subdivision and land development plans as administrator of the city Planning Commission.
Scott Williams, city planner, assumes the extra role as a means of coordinating and being a first-point-of-contact for developers with ideas.
It's part of the citywide effort to stimulate growth and bolster the tax base, according to Valerie Fessler, director of community and economic development.
It was the recommendation of a team from the administration, including Mayor Derek Slaughter, Fire Chief Tracey Harer and a third-party consulting firm that works with codes, Barry Isett and Associates.
Williams' role will place him front and center in coordinating the planning commission's activities including the eventual completion of a citywide comprehensive plan. He also will be there for any future zoning ordinance amendments.
It is hoped that his role will be in coordination with existing plans and strategies that will guide the city's future strategic direction.
"It is an exciting step and a good step," Councilwoman Liz Miele said. "I know that we can all be a little difficult to get in touch with but try and keep us abreast of that," she said, of the activities in the community and economic development, planning department and planning commission.
"We are getting a lot of questions right now about specifically development and zoning and codes and understanding what proactive steps community development is taking in that regard would probably be helpful," Miele said.
In September, probably by the second council meeting, Phil Prout from Barry Isett is expected to bring fee updates and subdivision and land development matters before council, Slaughter said.
Prior to voting for Williams' role, Fessler told council how in the strategic management plan (STMP), approved by council earlier this year in January, there was a section in it for recommendations about how to grow the tax base in the city. It also noted how in the previous administration (before January 2020) the community development department was focused on primarily administrating federal grants received by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Fessler said she was reminded of what Miele said when she was hired for this job. She said, "I really hope you understand this job is just not managing the dwindling HUD fund entitlement that we receive."
"I want you to know that I did take that to heart," Fessler said.
Fessler added for council and the public how she hoped that council could see over the last two years that the department has made great strides to expand and do more than that.
Under the current administration, she said, the department has adopted a more creative and proactive approach to the work it is doing.
Currently, for example, it is undertaking plans, policies and programs that foster citywide economic growth, expand housing opportunities and support neighborhood revitalization.
"We are becoming a true planning department," Fessler said, adding, "this is how we will contribute to the growing tax base in the city in a deliberate and strategic way."
As part of this effort to improve economic development, the strategic management plan (STMP) plan noted how as a city there should be moving from using the city ordinances as an obstructive tool to prevent economic growth but as a more proactive tool to promote economic growth.
"So, rather when developers come in and we say 'No, you can't build that here,' we want to be saying 'Yes, you can build that here if you follow the historical, functional and safety attributes outlined in our ordinances," Fessler said.
With strategic plans under way -- such as a housing plan, a Safe Streets for All plan, and a comprehensive plan the city is working on with the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the department wants to think about how it is executing those plans and make sure that "we have our zoning and land development ordinances ready to go in a way where we can promote the type of development that we want to see in the city," Fessler said.
"Our department will be measuring our success on whether we are attracting and retaining residents and businesses in the city," she added.