Council Panel OKs Planning Staff Additions
The Los Angeles City Council personnel committee approved four new positions for the Planning Department, one of which is aimed at improving service at the customer counter in the Van Nuys office.
Counter work at the Van Nuys location has increased 17% over last year. Currently, three planners, one clerk, one case manager and one Geographic Information Systems person staff the counter, handling more than 13,000 visits and inquiries.
“We get 30% to 40% of all cases in the Valley,” said Bob Sutton of the Planning Department.
The increased workload cannot be absorbed by existing staff, officials said.
In an attempt to reduce the number of downtown trips for patrons, the Van Nuys office increased the use of computers and experienced staff. This resulted in even more use of the Valley office, activity which is expected to increase as citywide development continues to expand.
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