Santa Rosa planner, long in political crosshairs, resigns after 26 years

<p>Wayne Goldberg, a 26-year veteran of the city of Santa Rosa’s planning department, has resigned.</p><p>Goldberg, who was at the center of a split council vote in March on the future of his position, submitted a letter of resignation to deputy city manager Greg Scoles on Friday.</p><p>Goldberg, 64, said Tuesday that the most recent round of discussions over his job, as well as a high-profile reassignment four years ago that created his current position of director of advanced planning and policy, did not contribute to his decision to leave.</p><p>“That was something that the city needed to consider and they had that discussion. Again, it’s something that happened in the past and really doesn’t affect my next steps,” he said. “Anytime you make a decision like this, it is for whole variety of reasons. All things considered it seemed like it was time.”</p><p>In his position as one of the city’s top planners and as a former department head in charge of permitting and green lighting many building projects, Goldberg has long been in the crosshairs of the debate over growth and long-range planning.</p><p>In discussions this spring over a projected $23 million deficit, City Manager Jeff Kolin had recommended cutting Goldberg’s pay by $20,000 and reducing his title to a lower status.</p><p>Goldberg’s annual salary and fringe benefits total approximately $185,000 annually.</p><p>In a 4-3 vote, the City Council voted to keep Goldberg’s position and pay unchanged.</p><p>“I’m sad for the city because I think he’s very trusted by the neighborhoods in the community to give them a straight shot,” said Council member Gary Wysocky, who voted to keep Goldberg’s position as is. “Some of us value advanced planning. Without any advanced planning, without any zoning, you can have pig farms (anywhere).”</p><p>Goldberg has been the target of the building community, which unsuccessfully pushed for his dismissal several years ago, a move that led to his removal as head of the city’s Community Development Department and the creation of a three person-advanced planning team.</p><p>Builders had complained that Goldberg’s department imposed too many regulations on development and was slow in processing plans and permits, costing developers money and stifling business and job creation.</p><p>Goldberg went from overseeing a staff of 65 and an annual budget of $6.4 million in 2005 to leading a team of three planners focusing on area plans, corridor development and other long-range policies.</p><p>Kolin said Tuesday he was caught off guard by Goldberg’s announcement.</p><p>“I talked to him briefly,” he said. “I said, ‘Wow, this is a surprise to me.’”</p><p>Both Goldberg and Kolin dismissed any suggestion that a personal conflict had spurred the move.</p><p>Kolin said the city continues to struggle with a deficit in light of California’s budget woes, but said the future of advanced planning in the city hasn’t been settled.</p><p>“There will be an advanced planning function in the city,” he said. “There will be a manager of advanced planning. Whether it’s going to be a department head level, we haven’t determined.”</p><p>Goldberg, who will take a long scheduled vacation in the coming weeks, said he will return around Aug. 10 to finish his tenure before Sept. 2.</p><p>He will continue to teach at Sonoma State University as a lecturer and said he hasn’t ruled out doing work with other public agencies.</p><p>“I’m very interested in remaining involved in the profession,” he said.</p>