Development Services Department

Medina’s Development Services Department provides a wide array of services through the two distinct and inter-connected functions, or divisions of Planning and Code Enforcement.  We are too small to formally define separate divisions within our department so each of the three staff work under the director.  The director is responsible to the City Manager.  Duties of staff often become shared meaning that distinguishing differences in job descriptions is not exact.

Through planning, changes within the city are coordinated in an orderly manner considering the desires of the residents and mandates of the State of Washington. 

Code enforcement is a broad term which describes our department’s requirement to enforce zoning, building, environmental, and many other ordinances found within our Municipal Code and state code.

Our Staff

Because Medina is small Development Services only has 4-full time staff members.  However, due to the complexity of projects we see and volume of work, we contract with several professional consultants. 

Development Services Director

• Works closely with other directors and staff.
• Works closely with residents, Council, and Commissioners.
• Responsible for department activities.
• Responsible for, and manages the activities of staff.
• Manages professional consultants and their contracts.
• Manages enforcement of permits issued.
• Manages enforcement of various chapters of the Medina Municipal Code.  
• Manages construction mitigation program including enforcement.
• Manages permit pre-application process.
• Processes Construction Activity Permits including Open Houses.
• Assures product quality and efficiency of work.
• Develops and manages annual budget.
• Prepares and manages professional consultant contracts.
• Code development as found needed, as directed, or as mandated.
• Interpretations of the state building code.
• Interpretations of environmental requirements of the Medina Municipal Code.
• Creates administrative process necessary for operations.
• Chairs and participates in committees, and commissions.
• Conducts, and participates in various public meetings.
• Works with outside agencies such as Bellevue Fire Marshal’s Office, Bellevue Utilities, State Building Code Council, Department of Commerce, Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Ecology, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and others.
• Represents the City of Medina in state level meetings.
• The Director also serves as Medina’s Building Official.
• Responsible to assure that building construction complies with minimum standards for safety as required by Washington State.
• Provides regular service through answering development and other code questions.

Planning Manager

• Works closely with other directors and staff.
• Works closely with residents, Council, and Commissioners.
• Assures zoning and land use codes are maintained in conformance with state law.

• Staff liaison to the Planning Commission which is a significant portion of this positions time and efforts.
• Leads development of the annual Planning Commission Work Plan.
• Manages or participates in the maintenance and drafting of city zoning, land use, and environmental codes.
• Interpretations of zoning and land use state and local ordinances.
• Manages activities of professional consultants involved in various zoning or land use code compliance reviews.
• Responsible for zoning code compliance reviews associated with development projects including management of professional consultant.
• Shoreline activity permit process and code compliance.
• Responsible for critical areas code compliance reviews.
• Responsible for the state mandated Periodic Comprehensive Plan Update, and for associated interim amendments as necessary.
• Manages the Shoreline Master Program.
• Special projects such as the Housing Action Plan, right of way tree inventory, Shoreline Master Program User Guide, etc.
• Responsible for keeping Council and staff informed about pending state legislation that will impact Medina.
• Works with outside agencies such as the Department of Commerce, Fish and Wildlife, Army Corp of Engineers, and others. 
• Provides support to staff and consultants as requested.
• Participates in the permit pre-application process by providing zoning, land use and other environmental information.
• Represents the City of Medina in state level meetings.
• Provides regular service through answering development and other code questions.

Deputy Building Official

• Works closely with residents, contractors, staff, and others.
• Performs inspections of building construction for conformance with minimum state and local codes.
• Assures permitted development projects conform with zoning approvals.
• Enforces development project construction mitigation rules through inspections.
• Prepares code enforcement documents. 
• Responds to miscellaneous code enforcement complaints.
• Responsible for a variety of non-development project code enforcement such as loose animals, illegal signs, barking dogs, trash bins in the right of way, etc.
• Review construction mitigation plans for code conformance.
• Mechanical permit code compliance reviews.
• Select building permit code compliance reviews.
• Calculation of permit valuation.
• Promotes environmental protection through enforcement of erosion control on construction sites and the public right of way.
• Assists the Building Official.
• Assists the Development Services Coordinator in complete permit application determinations.
• Assists the Planning Manager through the review of certain permit applications involving zoning compliance.
• Assists with enforcement, and processes violations of clean water rules through the Department of Ecology.
• Proposes code amendments, procedures and policy.
• Monitors state building official associations for potential rule changes.
• Works with outside agencies such as Bellevue Fire Marshal’s Office, Bellevue Utilities, State Building Code Council, Department of Commerce, Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Ecology, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and others.
• This position currently assists the Public Works Director with right of way permit reviews, permit inspections, and the Department of Ecology mandated annual private stormwater facility program.
• Supports Central Services staff by providing non-permit related questions at the customer service counter.

Development Services Coordinator

• Responsible for routing and tracking permits.

• Development Services Department first contact for customer service.
• Supports Central Services staff by providing general back-up support, answering the general phone line, and assisting with non-permit related questions at the customer service counter.
• Works closely with residents, permit applicants, and staff in person, by email, and phone.
• Tracks cash deposits. 
• Assists the Development Services Director/Building Official as needed.
• Assists the Deputy Building Official and other staff.
• Assures professional consultants are using our permit tracking and inspections software consistently and properly.
• Determines permit complete applications in compliance with city ordinance.
• Provides staff assistance at all Planning Commission meetings.
• Provides staff assistance as requested at public meetings.
• Manages the permit tracking and permit submittal system.  
• Maintains the permit tracking and permit submittal software.
• Works closely with our permit system vendor in development of our software and corrections to problems.
• Manages pre-application meeting scheduling and is on-line host.

Professional Consultants

• Development projects zoning code review.
• Building code compliance review.
• Building inspector support.
• Sound testing.
• Grading and Drainage.
• Critical areas.
• Development project arborist permit review, inspections, code development.
• Non-development arborist permit review, resident assistance, hazardous tree evaluation, right of way tree removal permits.
• Periodic Comprehensive Plan Update.
• Special projects of the Planning Manager.