Council to Consider Restructuring Plan

The City Council will discuss a possible restructuring of its community development department to put its divisions under the control of the city manager, a move that has drawn opposition from the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation.

“Our concerns are that the city’s chief financial officer will also be the city’s chief planner,” said Toby Keeler, the federation’s president. The council is expected to hear the issue at a budget workshop Wednesday night.

Keeler said the current system is more efficient, with a director of community development overseeing the planning, building and safety, engineering and transportation divisions.

“If there is going to be any cooperation between lines, it’s going to be at the discretion of the city manager,” Keeler said. “I see the potential of a lot of things falling through the cracks, with people saying that didn’t get done because it’s not their department.”

But Calabasas City Manager Charles Cate said the proposed change would not have a significant effect on the divisions’ administration, and that they have always been under his review.

“They reported to me in a practical manner anyway,” Cate said. “There will be no change in terms of corporate philosophy and environmental planning. It’s just that I will be better able to coordinate these divisions.”

Currently, a director of community development oversees the four divisions and reports to the city manager.

The proposed changes would split the department into four departments, each with a division head--director of planning/environmental programs, public works director/city engineer, traffic/transportation manager and a building official--reporting to Cate.

Cate said the divisions have grown beyond the scope of one person’s ability to manage.

Wednesday’s council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 26135 Mureau Road.