Drummond Buckley

Civilian Master Planner with DOD Secret Clearance embedded with the United States Air Force 777th Expeditionary Prime BEEF (Base Engineer Emergency Force) Squadron. Personally responsible for over 20 Base Master Plans throughout the country, each prepared in consultation with U.S., NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners. Responsibilities include:

- Working with civilian and USAF committee to develop a standard format for “Master Plan Light” and “Master Plan Ultralight” based on adopted USAF Operational Instructions;
- Situational analysis based on military standards, base population and mission, and timeline;
- Quantifying projected demand for housing, services, transportation, utilities, and security;
- Classifying needs and recommending facilities based on core capacities and requirements, with an emphasis on orderly land use clusters, base logistics and identification of urgent projects; and
- Presenting the existing base layout and proposed improvements in a condensed, easy-to-read format of plan graphics, tables, text and imagery.

Owned and managed a planning consulting firm that specialized in agency liaison services, planning strategy, and entitlement processing for real estate investment, private developers, and urban design firms. Key services included:

- Project management of a 1, 600-acre, $1 billion residential and recreational development, with a team of developers, civil engineers, lawyers, architects, landscape architects, marketing professionals, financial analysts, and planners;
- Economic feasibility analysis of potential redevelopment projects in Northern California;
- Entitlement strategies to ensure regulatory approval by local, state and national agencies;
- Managing relationships between clients, government officials, and consultants;
- Conducting neighborhood meetings to address local concerns; and
- Preparing and evaluating subdivision, site and specific plans.

Managed the Planning Department for the City of Sausalito, in Marin County, CA. Responsibilities included:

- Collaborating with the City Manager, elected city officials, and the Chamber of Commerce to develop planning policies that would enhance the city’s economic position as one of San Francisco Bay’s most popular tourist destinations;
- Managing all aspects of the Planning Department, including staff supervision, mentoring, preparation and monitoring of the department budget, setting planning goals and objectives, and interfacing with the public and city leaders;
- Presentations, staff reports and meeting management for the City Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board and Historic Landmarks Committee;
- Completion of a new City of Sausalito Zoning Ordinance, based on input from all stakeholders, including business owners and residents, a committee, the Planning Commission, and the City Council; and
- Ensuring that all planning-related matters were addressed in a timely and professional manner with an emphasis on excellent community relations and customer service.

Owned and managed a planning consulting firm with one full-time planner employee that exclusively served public agencies in Northern California, including the City of Orinda, City of Oakley, City of Martinez, City of Piedmont, City of Sausalito, Town of Los Altos Hills, and County of Napa. Provided the following services as adjunct departmental staff:

- Interim Planning Director at City of Orinda;
- Environmental compliance review and processing of land use and development permits and staff reports;
- Interfacing with the public and local officials as a contracted representative of the local government agencies;
- Economic development and analysis, including an economic feasibility study for the Blue Ridge/Lake Berryessa area of Napa County prepared in collaboration with Mundie Associates; and
- Presentations to local officials at public hearings.

Managed complex current and advanced planning projects for City of Orinda, a 17, 600-person community in the foothills of the San Francisco East Bay, including:

- Mentoring and supervision of journey-level staff (Interns, Assistant and Associate Planners);
- Economic development of the Orinda business districts, including the Heart of Orinda Plan and a Farmer’s Market;
- Authoring zoning code regulations, including an innovative Wireless Facilities Ordinance governing cell phone towers;
- Processing commercial and residential Subdivision, Development Agreement, Design Review, Conditional Use and other permits; and
- Facilitating community meetings and staffing the Architectural Review Board and Planning Commission.

Planner for a consulting firm that prepared Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) for large residential, commercial and institutional development projects throughout California. Responsible for:

- Project Management of EIRs, including proposals, scopes of work, budgets, public sector client relations, and managing teams of sub-consultants specializing in biology, transportation, air quality, noise, and aesthetic analysis;
- Evaluating the significance of all potential environmental impacts pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Protection Act;
- Working closely with state and national “responsible agency” staff and local planning officials to ensure regulatory compliance and adequate mitigation measures; and
- Authoring, compiling, managing and editing the mandated initial environmental checklist studies and EIRs.

Processed development permits and worked with the public at the City of Santa Monica Community Development Department. Promoted from Assistant to Associate Planner in 1992. Responsibilities included:

-Fielding questions at the public planning counter;
-Processing permits of progressively increasing complexity; and
-Making presentations to boards and commissions.