Community Development

Mission Statement

The Community Development Department's mission is to proactively manage and facilitate enhanced vitality of the city's neighborhoods, business districts, and parks. We are committed to attracting and incentivizing high-quality development, creation of new jobs, diversity of housing opportunities, city financial growth to support quality services, and the prevention of decay and degradation of neighborhoods, business districts, and parks.

The department operates under the direction of the Mayor to carry out City Council policies and procedures.

Functions

The City of West Richland Community Development Department is responsible for the following divisions.

Building Division

• Building Inspection
• Code Enforcement
• Residential and Commercial Building Permits

Planning, Parks, & Economic Development Division

• City's Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and subdivision regulations
• Comprehensive Plan (Land Use) Map
• Economic development programs and initiatives
• GIS and mapping
• Land use and building codes, programs, and regulations
• Land use studies, annexations, environmental studies, special permit requirements, and variance requests
• Long-range planning
• Park programming and reservations
• State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) analysis and notifications
• Site plan review
• Staff assistance to city volunteer boards and commissions (Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Board, and Board of Adjustments)
• Zoning Map