David Efland, FAICP has been named the Planning & Development Director for the City of Westerville.
Effland joins the Westerville team after 18 years leading the Planning & Community Development Department at the City of Delaware. Efland is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners: the association’s highest honor recognizing outstanding contributions of professional planners.
Efland will fill the position in preparation for the retirement of Karl Craven, who has managed Westerville Planning & Development for more than 40 years. Efland holds a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s degree from Miami University in Urban and Regional Planning. He held professional planning positions in Oxford, Ohio and Cincinnati prior to Delaware.
In Delaware, Efland directed all planning and development activity in and around the fastest growing county in the state of Ohio. He steered the community’s two-year old comprehensive plan, Delaware Together, administered nearly $2 billion in construction investment, and a 42% growth in population. Business expansion and attraction projects in Delaware during Efland’s tenure, including downtown development, earned state and national recognition.
“Dave’s expertise and experience is a blend of urban, town/gown and suburban planning that Westerville wanted as we continue our own growth trajectory with both economic and residential opportunities,” said Westerville Assistant City Manager Jason Bechtold. “With change happening all around us in Central Ohio, Dave is the right leader to help us capitalize on development opportunities that make sense for Westerville.”
Efland will oversee a staff of 30, comprising the engineering, building and code enforcement functions of the City. He will manage the continued implementation of the Westerville Community Plan, the upcoming publication of an updated zoning code and other planning efforts for housing, mobility and special districts, like Uptown Westerville.
“Westerville is known across the state for its excellence in planning and development, and I want to be a part of that team,” said Efland. “While honoring the history and character of the community, we have unprecedented opportunities to pursue building on the existing strong quality of life enjoyed by residents, businesses and the workforce.”
Efland begins his role June 12. For more information on the City of Westerville, please visit www.westerville.org.
Source: City of Westerville; Image by John Dortmunder from Pixabay
