Director of Development Services

Location:  City of Missouri City, TX Download:  City of Missouri City, TX - Director of Development Services Brochure

City of Missouri City, TX
Director of Development Services

The Community

Missouri City, known as the “Show Me” city, has a population of over 70,000 and is conveniently situated 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston.  The city covers 29.8 square miles and is easily accessible by major transportation thoroughfares including US 90A, Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway), Fort Bend Toll Road, and State Highway 6.  Most of the city is located in Fort Bend County, with a small portion in Harris County.  Missouri City is a short drive from both major Houston airports and less than 60 miles from Galveston.

Since being incorporated in 1956, Missouri City has seen tremendous economic growth.  Major employers include Niagara Bottling Company, Warren Alloy Valve & Fitting Company, Southwest Electronic Energy, LT Foods USA, Flair Flexible Packaging, Ben E. Keith Food, and Twin Star Bakery.   Missouri City is currently experiencing significant growth and industrial / warehouse development along US 90A and Beltway 8.  Business Park 8Ninety has recently broken ground.  Park 8Ninety is a 127 acre site with capacity for 1.75 million square feet of Class A industrial.  This project begins on the heels of the highly successful Lakeview Business Park, which is a 168 acre business park that is reaching full buildout.  

Missouri City is respected nationwide for its high-quality development requirements.  It is designated a Platinum Scenic City by Scenic Texas, a program that honors cities excelling in fostering a sense of pride in their communities by utilizing strict ordinances and regulations.  Missouri City is only one of nine cities to have received this designation in Texas and the only city in the Houston region.  It should be noted that unlike neighboring Houston, Missouri City has been a zoned city since 1981.   

Residents of Missouri City enjoy a high quality of life that combines the advantages of a major metropolitan area with the comfortable atmosphere of a smaller community.  The City has 20 parks totaling 393 acres and a state-of-the-art Recreation and Tennis Center that houses a cardio and weight room, gymnasium, batting cages, multi-purpose rooms, locker rooms, and tennis courts.  The City also owns an award-winning 36-hole golf course and meeting facilities. 

Recognitions and Accolades

·         2014-The City has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from GFOA for the past 26 consecutive years.

·         2014-The City has received the GFOA CAFR Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award 31 consecutive years.

·         Recognized nationally as one of the Safest Cities in America by Congressional Quarterly.

·         One of the Best Places to Live in America by CNN/Money magazine. 

·         Rice University report indicated that Missouri City surpassed Houston as the region’s most diverse city. 

Government

The City functions as a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council appoints the city manager as the Chief Executive Officer who reports to the City Council.  The City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Council Members serving staggered two-year terms.  Under provisions of the Charter, the City Council enacts local legislation, adopts budgets, determines policies and appoints the city manager, city secretary, and city attorney.  

The Department

The Development Services Department is comprised of three divisions: Planning and Zoning, Inspections, Permits and Health, and the Community Development Block Grant program(CDBG). 

The Planning and Zoning Division is responsible for a variety of activities and initiatives related to the protection of property values and the responsible growth of the community. Among other duties, this division is the contact point for the following services:

• Architectural Design Reviews 
• Planned Developments and Specific Use Permits
• Platting and Subdivisions
• Signage Reviews
• Zoning

The Inspections, Permits, and Health Division supports the city’s mission statement in the following ways:

·         Create value added service – The division’s processes should facilitate and enhance the private construction investments being made in the community

·         Develop and organize for optimal performance – The division will cooperate with other city departments to ensure timely review of applications and completion of construction projects

·         Retain existing property values – Strict, yet fair, enforcement of building codes protects each individual’s property value and investment in the community

·         Increase commercial development – Streamlined processes facilitate timely development that benefits the city’s tax base and creates jobs for residents

·         Inspects all food establishments to assure proper handling, storage and preparation of food being offered for consumption

·         Provides food protection management training to all food establishments

The Community Block Grant Program (CDBG) 

The Community Block Grant Program (CDBG) is a program administered through the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department of the Federal Government.  The funds, granted through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), target programs and/or projects geared toward assisting low and moderate-income persons by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunity. The Position

The Director of Development Services is responsible for directing the daily operations of the City’s Development Services Department.  The Director of Development Services is a member of the City's Leadership team and reports to an Assistant City Manager.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

·         Oversees the development, maintenance, implementation, and continuous improvement of the City’s Comprehensive Plan relative to annexation, land use, and demographics.

·         Reviews proposed zoning and development plan requests to ensure uniformity with the Comprehensive Plan.

·         Ensures that land use proposals are compatible with adjacent properties and intended uses;

·         Partners with other departments to increase collaborative efforts and improve guidelines relative to land use.

·         Reviews and updates subdivision, signs and landscaping ordinances, and architectural overlay districts to ensure that they reflect established community standards

·         Manages department staff to ensure fair, consistent and effective development processes with the goal of facilitating rather than regulating appropriate developments, as identified in the Comprehensive Plan;

·         Manages staff charged with providing recommendations and administrative assistance to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council Zoning Board of Adjustment on matters pertaining to City planning and zoning;

·         Provides administrative services to the City Development Authority, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones and Public Improvement Districts;

·         Oversees the administration of the City’s Community Development Block Grant funds

·         Directs operations of the Environmental and Health Code and Inspections Division to ensure the application, enforcement, appropriateness and relevance of all codes;

·         Directs operations of the Chief Building Official office to ensure the fair and consistent application of applicable codes and to provide efficient and effective customer service;

Education and Experience

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Engineering, Architecture or a closely related field from an accredited college or university; a Master’s degree is desired. In addition, a minimum five years of professional experience in administration, senior level city government, architecture, or urban/regional planning, at the assistant director, director or comparable level is required.  An equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience may be considered.

An American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification is highly preferred.                    

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate should have extensive planning experience to include knowledge of city code, permitting, and zoning. Experience developing and implementing a comprehensive plan is essential.  The ideal candidate should be a confident public speaker with experience addressing the media, community groups, and other audiences.   

The ideal candidate should be an innovative leader with experience working for a high performance organization. This individual should have proven experience in building and maintaining a broad spectrum of partnerships both internally and with the community to ensure that a common vision is enacted and supported. 

The ideal candidate must have the capacity and interest to be an effective mentor and leader for staff.  Strong collaboration and team building skills will be necessary for this individual to be successful; excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills are essential.  

Salary
The City of Missouri City is offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will also be available for a successful out of area candidate. 

How to Apply
Applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to: 

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: MCDDS 

Affion Public
2120 Market Street
Camp Hill, PA 17011
888.321.4922
Fax: 717-214-8004
www.affionpublic.com

The City of Missouri City is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

 

*Deadline to receive resumes is  March 25, 2016

Posted: 03/22/2022