The Planning and Development Services (PDS) Department promotes citywide development and increase investment in the community. The planning, building, and economic development divisions are part of the department.
Christina Ratcliffe
Planning & Development Services Director: April 2022 — Present
Interim Planning & Development Services Director: October 2020 — April 2022
Planning Manager: September to October 2020
Christina Ratcliffe was originally hired as the city’s planning manager before being swiftly promoted to interim planning & development services director following the promotion of Gillian Hayes to interim deputy city manager in October 2020. Ratcliffe remained the interim director until being promoted to the permanent position in April 2022.
Conditional Offer of Employment as Planning Manager (Aug. 2020)
Gillian Hayes
Assistant City Manager: April 2022 — Present
Interim Assistant City Manager: July 2021 — April 2022
Interim Deputy City Manager: October 2020 — July 2021
Planning & Development Services Director: October 2019 — October 2020
Gillian Hayes was originally hired as the city’s planning & development services director in October 2019 by then-City Manager Greg Nyhoff and was promoted to the now defunct interim deputy city manager position in October 2020 by Nyhoff. Hayes was then promoted to interim assistant city manager in July 2021 by then-Assistant City Manager Anne Cardwell following her elevation to interim city manager. Following the city council’s decision to make Water Director Mike Malone the permanent city manager in April 2022, Hayes was made the permanent assistant city manager by Malone at the same time.
Differential Pay Authorization as Interim Assistant City Manager (2021)
Differential Pay Authorization as Interim Deputy City Manager (2020)
Employment Agreement (2019)
Revised Offer of Employment (November 15, 2019)
Conditional Offer of Employment (September 4, 2019)
Mandale “Rob” White
Planning & Development Services Director: December 2018 –April 2019
Mandale “Rob” White joined the city of Vallejo in December 2018 but his time with the city was short, after he was terminated from his position.
White previously served as director of redevelopment and economic development for the city of Livermore, assistant city manager for the city of Davis, with the special title of chief innovation officer, permit ombudsman and deputy director of economic development for Sacramento County.
Separation Agreement and Release of Claims (April 2019)
Conditional Offer of Employment (October 2018)
Afshan Hamid
Interim Planning & Development Services Director: July 2018 — December 2018
Planning Manager: September 2017 – June 2020
Afshan Hamid was hired as planning manager in September 2017, and she took on the role of interim planning & development services director in July 2018 until Mandale “Rob” White was hired in December 2018.
Amended Offer of Employment (August 2017) and Differential Pay Authorization (July 2018)
Planning Division
Assists the community to establish its vision of the future and recommends appropriate
regulations and standards to achieve that vision. The division facilitates the entitlement process so that people wishing to invest in the community can successfully and efficiently do so. Planning Division staff help applicants through the development review process, including use permits, development review permits, sign permits, tentative maps, and other land use entitlements. The Division also staffs the public counter, conducts preliminary development review, responds to zoning related inquiries, and supports the Planning Commission, the Architectural Heritage and Landmarks Commission and the Design Review Board.
Margaret Kavanaugh-Lynch
Planning Manager: November 2020 – Present
Margaret Kavanaugh-Lynch was hired as planning manager following the promotion of Christina Ratcliffe to interim planning & development services director in October 2020.
Conditional Offer of Employment (October 2020)
Building Department
Provides plan review, permit, and inspection services for construction projects and ensures
compliance with California Building Codes and the International Property Maintenance Code. The Division also protects community safety by enforcing the California State Health & Safety Code for habitability in all living units. Division staff investigate citizen complaints and unpermitted construction work as part of Building Code compliance efforts. Building Division staff respond to Police and Fire department dispatch for buildings that have suffered significant structural damage as a result of earthquakes, floods, fires, high winds or vehicle accidents, and are some of the first responders for the City’s Emergency Operation Center (EOC). The Division is overseen by the chief building inspector.
Steve Arnold
Chief Building Inspector: June 2018 — Present
Building Inspection Supervisor: May 2015 — June 2018
Steve Arnold was hired as building inspector supervisor before being tapped to serve as chief building inspector with the departure of Lonell Butler in June 2018.
Offer Letter as Building Inspection Supervisor (April 2015)
Lonell Butler
Chief Building Inspector: May 2014 — June 2018
Resignation Letter (May 2018)
Offer Letter (April 2014)
Economic Development
Michael Nimon
Senior Advisor to the City Manager: August 2022 — Present
Michael Nimon replaces Paul Kelley, who held a similar position for two years before the position was eliminated.
City officials let the position lapse on June 30, 2022, with the intent of resurrecting the economic development manager position, but that plan was quickly abandoned as city staff asked the Vallejo City Council to reestablish the special advisor position. The council obliged the request in July 2022.
The position will oversee the economic development division until August 2023.
Paul Kelley
Senior Advisor to the City Manager: May 2020 — June 2022
Paul Kelley was hired to serves as economic development manager overseeing the city’s economic development division following the termination of Slater Matzke in April 2020.
Conditional Offer of Employment (May 2020)
Offer of Employment (March 2020)
Will Morat
Assistant to the City Manager – Economic Development: October 2018 — April 2020.
Interim Housing & Community Development Manager: January — October 2018
Administrative Analyst: December 2013 — January 2018
Will Morat was first hired as an administrative analyst by then-City Manager Daniel Kenn in December 2013. Morat was promoted to interim housing & community development manager in January 2018. He was later elevated to assistant to the city manager for economic development overseeing the department before his termination in April 2020.
Offer of Employment (December 2013)
Ron Gerber
Economic Development Officer: March 2017 — January 2019
Ron Gerber was originally hired as economic development manager to oversee the economic development department in 2017. With the arrival of then-City Manager Greg Nyhoff, the department was downgraded to a division and placed within the city manager’s office. Will Morat was named as Assistant to the City Manager – Economic Development and tasked with overseeing the division. Gerber was reassigned to a new position of economic development officer. He left the city in early 2019. Economic development has since been removed from the city manager’s office.
Retirement Letter (December 2018)
Offer of Employment Part I and Offer of Employment Part II (2017)
Justin Peters
Real Property and Asset Manager: February 2019 — 2021
Conditional Offer of Employment (November 2018)
JohnGlidden.com 