Our Approach
Our talented team of planners work at various levels, possess years of experience, and offer diverse backgrounds capable of managing your jurisdiction’s various projects, including general plans, specific plans, zoning codes, planning-related development and land use project review, developer projects, historical preservation, cannabis license processing, site visits, public counter services, technical plan check, map review, conformance with Federal, State and local regulations, particularly the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and general compliance with City Standards, Ordinances, and Regulations.

Planning Staff
Our planners are well versed in public processes and at presenting complex planning projects and concepts before Boards, Committees, Planning Commissions, and City Councils. Our planners are technically oriented and well-versed on the most current planning, zoning, building, public works, and environmental legislation. In addition, they have worked with many permit tracking and GIS systems. Their expertise ranges from former City Planners, Senior Planners, Assistant Planners, and other support personnel. And our staff will learn the City’s ordinances and adhere to City policies and procedures.

Proven Responsiveness
VCA has a strong reputation with references that will attest to our ability to expeditiously deliver highly qualified talent. We possess the experience, the team and the bandwidth to provide your jurisdiction with an excellent team of senior planners capable of working on any type of project as well as other on-call personnel to be available as-needed.

Communication and Methodology
We support your jurisdiction in accomplishing its objectives and we hereby commit to providing the on-call planners needed to ensure adequate staffing levels. VCA believes in a cooperative effort between your agency and VCA’s staff by acting as an extension of your staff, utilizing the City’s core values and processes. VCA’s staff shall work hand-in-hand with your staff and provide:

• Effective Communication and Presentations: Our staff is patient, knowledgeable, experienced, and courteous. They’ll help applicants understand what is necessary to get project approval based on stated requirements. Our staff has extensive presentation experience and they will attend, and make presentations to the Planning Commission, City Council, and community meetings as needed.  They’ll create effective PowerPoint presentations, graphics, flow charts, and other visual materials needed.
• Processes and Controls: Accountability will be achieved through detailed reports, attending meetings with various stakeholders, coordination between departments and agencies, visiting sites as needed, and assisting applicants at the counter. Our staff will carefully review, analyze, and evaluate applications for consistency with codes, standards and procedures.
• Methodology: VCA’s staff shall perform their duties in conjunction with and through coordination with your staff. Our employees will be thorough and comprehensive while working on their assigned projects. As an extension of your staff, they will keep the lines of communication open and behave as ‘one’ team whether working with internal or external stakeholders.

Project Management
Effective project management includes the proper documentation and appropriate communicate about the status of each project. Our staff will assemble data for presentations, prepare assessments, conduct studies; ensure plans are routed to various departments, work to resolve inconsistencies, recommend revisions, prepare comments, write letters, and make presentations or provide training as needed.

Technology
Our staff will learn the City’s systems. Our staff have years of experience working through changes in technology, including implementation of new software and hardware systems. In addition, they’re familiar with GIS and permit tracking systems, and zoning codes. Our counter staff know how to utilize systems, conduct research, and serve applicants at the counter to help them understand the planning process.