Get to know the City Staff: Darrell Gentry

How do all of the pieces of a town fit together?

Darrell Gentry knows.

Gentry serves as the City Planner within the Development Services Department, where he is tasked with reviewing building plans and plats, the zoning established for that area and how they fit into the overall plan for Pilot Point. Because of this and the huge growth projected for Pilot Point, he is vital to the Comprehensive Plan process, which will help inform all of Development Services as our city continues to grow.

“We will integrate all of the data and input received through the Comprehensive Plan process into a set of goals and objectives,” Gentry said. “Those points of input and the existing conditions will inform our set of goals and objectives and help us develop strategies. The strategies are the action items to implement the plan.”

Gentry has served as the City Planner for two years. Previously, he received a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning from Cal Poly-Pomona. He has spent a large part of his career focused on sustainability, working with several wastewater and water districts to set the policies for the best environmental planning. All of those elements fit right into his duties for the city.

“When you look at a site plan or a plat map, you’re looking at how the project is situated within geographic boundaries,” he explained. “You want to avoid flood plains or sensitive habitats. You utilize the natural elements of wind and sunlight for the setting and you have standards that you apply to get there, including building orientation and articulation, making the neighborhood functional for human beings.”

As we proceed with the Comprehensive Plan process, which is slated to be completed later this year and sent to City Council for adoption in early 2025, Development Services Director John Taylor and his team will be leaning heavily on Gentry for next steps moving forward.

“It’s critically important to have a skilled City Planner, especially in a city that’s growing,” Taylor said. “The city is going to grow either way – planned or not planned. It’s great to have thoughts of where you want to be and to have someone leading the efforts.“