Bellevue City Administrator Jim Ristow has announced some organizational changes within the City of Bellevue following the resignation of Community Development Director Mark Elbert. Mr. Elbert is leaving his employment with the City of Bellevue with nearly 30 years of service, including over four years in the Community Development role, to take a position with Sarpy County.
The City of Bellevue is proud to announce the promotion of Tammi Palm to the position of Planning Director. Mrs. Palm has been with the City of Bellevue’s Planning Department since 2004 and has served as a Planning Assistant, City Planner and most recently, as the Planning Manager since 2019.
In her new role, Mrs. Palm will oversee the City of Bellevue’s Planning Department which is responsible for reviewing all development applications for areas within the city and its two-mile extra-territorial zoning jurisdiction (ETJ). This includes applications for changes of zone, subdivisions, special use permits, conditional use permits, street and alley vacations, redevelopment plans, and text amendments to either the Zoning Ordinance or the Subdivision Regulations.
Since the Planning Department plays a role in the issuance of building permits, City Administrator Ristow has also announced that Bellevue’s Permits & Inspections Department under the management of Mike Christensen, will be overseen by Mrs. Palm and the Planning Department. The day-to-day functions of the Permits & Inspections Department will not change, and the public will still interact with this department in the same way.
Additionally, the Code Enforcement Department, under the direction of Joe Bockman, will now report directly to City Administrator Jim Ristow. This change will ensure the efficient handling of disputes by giving a direct line of reporting to the City Administrator.
The City of Bellevue will soon start a search to hire a new Director of Community and Economic Development to promote all the great things going on in Bellevue and helping to grow our community by securing relationships with interested businesses and partners.