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Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Community Development is to maintain and improve all aspects of the City's physical environment. The Department serves as a custodian of Bellflower's vision and an agent for the implementation of City Council policy, as that vision and policy relate to land development, housing, construction, code enforcement and regional issues that affect the City of Bellflower. The Department accomplishes its mission by monitoring the various components (zoning, building, and property maintenance codes) which influence the quality of life for Bellflower residents. The Community Development Department is primarily concerned with providing services that promote the community's short and long term interests in maintaining Bellflower's traditionally high standards of development in both residential and commercial areas. The Department seeks to protect and enrich the quality of life in the community through the care and maintenance of the City's infrastructure and physical assets. The Department continually evaluates the physical condition of physical assets and infrastructure components and the methods used in maintenance, to maximize the efficiency, cost effectiveness and quality of the services provided to the community.

Department Description
The Community Development Department was established under the authority granted the City Administrator under Section 2-3 of the Bellflower Municipal Code.

The Department of Community Development is responsible for promoting and contributing toward the environmental quality of life for residents of our community. The Department coordinates the functions of Planning, Building, Public Works, and Code Enforcement Divisions, and provides staff support to the Redevelopment Agency. Further, the Department provides staff assistance to City Council, Planning Commission, Redevelopment Agency Board, and Design Review Committee.

The City contains 6.14 square miles. Of the City's area, 67 percent (2,050 acres) is zoned for residential uses, 13 percent (403 acres) is zoned for commercial areas, and 4 percent (110 acres) is zoned for light industrial uses. In this predominantly residential City, there are currently 24,334 housing units occupied by a population of 65,990 persons. The City's important location within seventeen (17) miles of downtown Los Angeles and with convenient to the port and airport calls for demolition and improvement of buildings because of age or obsolescence. Rehabilitation or replacement must be effected to reduce possible blighting influences and encourage new development. The City's General Plan, zoning code and other development standards must be reviewed and revised periodically to facilitate the continual process of eliminating deterioration, recycling underutilized land uses, and promoting high quality development.

The General Plan provides the basic framework for development within the community. Four of the six State-mandated elements of the General Plan were adopted in 1995. The Land Use and Circulation Elements were adopted in 1997. A program of General Plan updates is required to ensure that the City's goals and programs are being implemented.

A Development Review Board, coordinated through the Community Development Department, brings together key personnel concerned with development. They meet with applicants to ensure that all conditions and concerns including security, emergency accesses, public improvements, architecture and design, signage, and landscaping are addressed early in the development process.

Department personnel comment on and process all applications for the Town Center Design Review Committee and Planning Commission actions. Field inspections and background research are conducted by staff members leading to preparation of staff reports with recommendation for denial, approval, or approval with conditions. Reports are presented to advisory bodies and the City Council.

The Community Development Department enforces Chapter 19, the zoning code of the City of Bellflower; Chapter 8, Streets & Sidewalks Section; Chapter 9, Building and Housing section; and Chapter 10, Sewer & Water section, of the Bellflower Municipal Code, and Section 19-31, the Public Nuisance portion of the code. The Community Development Department is also responsible for the implementation of restrictions and requirements of Chapter 18, regarding subdivisions and Chapter 5 dealing with business licenses and regulations. Follow-up to permits and development are conducted by Department inspectors, including Code Enforcement, to check all conditions of approval, business licensing, and maintenance matters.

Administration Division

The Administrative Division of the Community Development Department is responsible for supervision and direction of operations including land use planning, plan processing, public works, code enforcement, business licenses, customer service, and building activities. In addition, this division accepts responsibility for special projects requiring dedicated top management level attention. Examples include:  developer agreement negotiations, intergovernmental coordination and the primary role in the development and implementation of the City's redevelopment and economic development program.

Community Development Department

Bellflower City Hall

16600 Civic Center Drive

Bellflower, CA 90706

(562) 804-1424 ext. 2225

Planning Division

Building and Safety Division

Code Enforcement Division

Housing and Grants Division

Housing Element

Business License

Parking Division

Public Works

Film Permit Program