Planning, Community, & Economic Development

Evaluate existing department effectiveness, staff planning support, and implementation of economic, retention, and project strategies.

The MRG team of experienced consultants has the broad background and depth of experience to successfully meet our clients’ needs for community development, economic development, and planning services. Typical services include planning staff support; evaluation of Community Development Departments to determine their overall effectiveness; assisting clients in implementing effective economic development, business attraction and business retention strategies; and project management for complex planning projects.

Recent and current relevant projects include:

  • An organizational assessment of the City of Elk Grove Community Development Department, including recommendations for restructuring the department, balancing in-house and contract staffing levels, development plan review processes and customer service practices.
  • Management of complex planning projects for the City of Antioch, including the implementation of a planning process for the extension of BART to Eastern Contra Costa County and the processing of an annexation critical to the economic development of the City.
  • Recommendations and implementation of economic development strategies for the City of Lincoln, including business retention surveys, trend analyses, trade area and market analysis and targeted recruitment strategies. Working with a diverse Economic Development Committee and community stakeholders, MRG consultants assisted the City in meeting its economic development goals.
  • Project management for the City of Hercules, implementing key economic development programs associated with property disposition and management, Successor Agency property analysis and preparation of a Long Range Property Management Plan.
  • Project management for the City of Vallejo, including projects to stimulate new investment and development of the downtown area, and preparation of the Successor Agency Long Range Property Management Plan.
  • Project management for the preparation of a Specific Plan, EIR, Development Agreement and financial studies for the redevelopment of the Solano County Fairgrounds.
  • Project management for a development proposal and Development Agreement to redevelop Mare Island military base properties.
  • Project management for a proposed specific plan and annexation of properties to the City of Roseville in Placer County.