The Town of Monument’s temporary suspension of new applications under the Land Development Code will continue to July 15.

The Monument Town Council heard an update on the town’s temporary suspension of new Land Development Code applications during its regular meeting May 6 at Monument town hall. The suspension was approved by council at its Jan 16 meeting, allowing it to continue until July 15 with updates from town staff through the period.

The reason for the suspension was due to the town having its planning director position which came open for a second time in the prior 12 months. With a large number of LDC applications pending at the time and being processed by town planning staff, some of which involved large and complex developments, town manager Mike Foreman cited mistakes over the weeks prior to warrant a temporary suspension.

In February, Foreman introduced Ben Thurston from Baseline Engineering Corp, the firm which had been selected from the town’s request for proposal to be the planning department’s consultant. Foreman noted the existing list of case load applications had already gotten smaller with the inclusion of Baseline.

Daniel Ungerleider has since been hired as the planning department’s new planning director and Foreman said he has been updated on the LDC application suspension and met with Baseline to measure where the department is on present projects.

Ungerleider said he understands the suspension also allows him the opportunity to fill vacant planning department positions, to establish quality services and processes. Ungerleider started as director of planning on April 15 and is in the process of restructuring and rebuilding the planning department in order to support the expected large number of LDC applications, Foreman said, urging the need to allow the suspension to continue to its predetermined end date of July 15.

Foreman said Ungerleider may request the suspension be ended by mid to late summer depending on the availability of new staff and supporting consulting services.

Calls for a planning department administrative position and a Planner II position should be going out after the Human Resources department and town manager reviews the post listings, Ungerlieder said. Candidates for both positions would be certified by AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners).