Durham Planner Patrick Young has been tapped to lead Raleigh’s Planning and Development Department.
In January, the City of Raleigh opted to merge its planning and development services departments. Raleigh Planning Director Ken Bowers and Development Director Tom Hosey remain on staff and will now work under Young as deputy directors.
Young was picked from a national pool of about 60 applicants and the selection process involved input from community and “business stakeholders,” according to a statement released by the city Wednesday.
His salary will be $167,000 a year, city spokeswoman Julia Milstead told the INDY.
“Managing growth and development continues to be a high priority for our community. This opportunity to build and shape the new Planning and Development Department and to be a part of the ongoing investment in Raleigh is exciting,” City Manager Ruffin Hall said in a statement. “We had a number of strong candidates, but Patrick’s proven success in Durham demonstrates his ability to creatively solve problems and to facilitate collaboration both internally and in the community. This along with his familiarity with Raleigh both personally and professionally, will make Patrick an asset to our team.”
Young has worked for the Durham City-County Planning Department since 2008, serving as assistant director until being promoted to director in 2017. In Durham, he led the a revamping of development services to streamline land use reviews and also spearheaded the city’s Expanding Housing Choices initiative passed last year by the Durham City Council.
Young, who has resided in Raleigh since 1999, called the career move, “the greatest honor of my professional life,” and expressed excitement at the prospect of being able to “contribute to the growth and development of my adopted hometown.”
“I am committed to working with the community on critical growth issues and to build on Raleigh’s unparalleled quality of life,” Young said in a statement. “My 12 years in Durham taught me that growing communities must be intentional about diversity, inclusivity, and social equity.”
Contact Raleigh news editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com.
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