Community Development

What We Do

The Community Development Department oversees private development and land use review, and land use policy planning in the City. The department administers the General Plan and enforces the land use and development regulations in the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, plus local and state regulations related to the physical development of the City.

One of the department’s core functions is administering the One-Stop Permit Center. The Permit Center offers coordinated customer services related to zoning information and approvals, development applications, and building permits and inspections. The department runs the Green Building Program for new development and remodeled buildings, exceeding State mandates.

The Department also oversees the distribution of federal and City assistance funds for human services, and for affordable housing production and preservation.

The department is organized into four programs:

• Building Safety
• Planning
• Housing and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
• Department Administration

Department Organizational Chart

Select Services and Programs

• One-Stop Permit Center
• E-Onestop Online Self-service Permit Center
• Design Guidelines, Standards and Specific Plans
• Affordable housing programs
• Development and Construction Proposal Review

Provides staff support to the following Boards and Commissions:

• Planning Commission
• Housing and Human Services Commission
• Heritage Preservation Commission
• Board of Building Code Appeals