[1982 Code, Ch. XIII, § 1]
The Department of Community Development and Planning (hereinafter called the Department) is hereby created with the general intent and purpose of providing a coordinating/centralizing function for matters relating to the planning and development of the community environs, physical plant and socioeconomic features. This is to be accomplished through the application of technical skills, the exercise of regulatory controls, the implementation of program initiatives and the providing of coordinating services to the various municipal agencies, boards, and authorities which impact upon the community's growth and development.
[1982 Code, Ch. XIII, § 2]
(A) 
The Department of Community Development and Planning shall have all the powers and duties imposed and conferred by the Massachusetts General Laws, City ordinances and any special legislative act, upon city planners, community development block grant administrators, program coordinators, municipal code enforcement inspectors, building inspectors, plumbing inspectors, wire/electrical inspectors, gas inspectors, housing code inspectors and sealers of weights and measures. It shall be responsible for:
(1) 
Federal and state fund coordination;
(2) 
Community development block grant administration;
(3) 
Capital improvement planning;
(4) 
Land use planning;
(5) 
Zoning code research and enforcement;
(6) 
Environmental and long range physical planning and financing;
(7) 
Transportation systems planning; and
(8) 
Municipal code enforcement pertinent to building, plumbing, wire, gas, weight/measure and housing code inspection.
(B) 
It shall function to provide direct advisory technical services and coordinating services to the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission, and Industrial Development Finance Agency. In all cases, except where specifically noted herein or contained in subsequent amendment hereto by ordinance and/or special act, the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and Conservation Commission shall retain all enabling powers and duties as presently conferred.
(C) 
In so much as these or other bodies may be assisted through the reorganization of agency support personnel and/or activities budget, within the Department of Community Development and Planning, the City Manager shall undertake the administrative actions as noted herein or as subsequently determined and approved by City Council. Advisory, technical, and coordinating services shall also be provided by this Department, as required to the City Council, City Manager, and any and all other City department, board or commission.
[1982 Code, Ch. XIII, § 3]
The positions and functions as conferred by existing ordinance or agreement of the City planner(s), Building Inspector(s), Plumbing Inspector(s), Wire Inspector(s), sealer of weights and measure and all ancillary/support positions(s) to the above personnel categories shall be and are hereby transferred to and made employees of the Department. All existing ordinances in whole or in part, which serve to define and/or limit those functions noted above as transferred to the Department shall be assumed incorporated within this subchapter.
[1982 Code, Ch. XIII, §§ 4 — 5]
(A) 
General.
(1) 
The Department shall be constituted as a municipal department of the general City government under the supervision and control of the City Manager. For the purpose of Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 68A, the Department shall be considered a municipal agency, without limiting the power of the City Manager, to classify additional special municipal employees pursuant to this chapter, and any person who performs professional or personal services for the department on a part-time, intermittent, or consultant basis, such as those of architect, attorney, engineer, planner, or real estate or traffic expert, shall be considered a special municipal employee.
(2) 
The City Manager, in consultation with the director, shall appoint officers, employees and special employees as may be determined necessary to carry out the work of the office, each of whom may have functions, rights and powers as may be delegated to them by the director. Specific administrative support inclusive of personnel and activities budget will, to the extent determined by the City Manager, be vested within the Department's jurisdiction for the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission, and Industrial Development Finance Agency.
(3) 
The City may annually appropriate money sufficient to fund expenses incurred by the Department in exercising powers and performing duties under this subchapter.
(B) 
Department head.
(1) 
An officer to be known as the director of the Department who shall be executive and administrative head of the Department, who shall serve at the pleasure of the City Manager. Qualifications for appointment as director shall be at minimum, a bachelor's degree and five years of increasing responsibility in areas of community development administration, capital improvement and programming, land use, zoning, environmental analysis, public administration, and facilities planning/construction. At least four years of experience shall be related to the operation of municipal government or equivalent qualifications.
(2) 
Subject to the powers exclusively, vested in the City Council, City Manager and/or any other City department, board or commission by the City Charter and the statutes of the Commonwealth, the director shall have cognizance and exercise supervision of:
(a) 
Federal funds coordination;
(b) 
Community development block grant administration;
(c) 
Capital improvement planning;
(d) 
Land use;
(e) 
Zoning;
(f) 
Environmental and long range planning;
(g) 
Rehabilitation, residential, industrial, and commercial development planning and financing;
(h) 
Transportation planning;
(i) 
Municipal code enforcement pertinent to building, plumbing, wire, gas and weights and measures, and housing code inspection.
(3) 
The director shall be charged with internal organization of staff, exercising supervision over staff wherein the director shall delegate to members of the Department, from time to time, his or her powers and duties as he or she may consider expedient and proper so as to accomplish the greatest efficiency of the Department.