The Peachtree City Council has approved a part-time contractor to help with work in the city’s planning and zoning department until a full-time department director can be hired.
The unanimous vote on May 21 came after a letter from Public Services/Community Services Director Jon Rorie noting that the planning department continues to be short-staffed and is expected to fill the planning and development director position in the near future.
Rorie said the department is currently engaged with 21 active retail, office and industrial development projects, five active residential development projects and ongoing requests pertaining to issues such as zoning interpretations, signage and variance requests.
Due to the current workload and being short-staffed, Rorie requested that the council approve the services of LSL Planning (Safebuilt) at a cost of $27,000. The approval would provide an additional planner two days per week with an option for three days and not to exceed 18 hours per week.
It was stated at a recent meeting that the planning department director position has been vacant for approximately one year.
Rorie said the applicants for the director’s position have been narrowed to five candidates and the hiring process is moving forward.
