Describe your current job. Please include your title and years of service.

Staci Bungard, City Planner, Brookings, SD

Staci Bungard, City Planner for the City of Brookings, SD

I’ve had the opportunity to serve the City of Brookings for the past 3.5 years and have over 12 years of experience in the planning field. I currently work on a variety of projects and focus on both current and long-range planning. I also serve as the primary zoning administrator and historic preservation staff liaison.

How did you get into the planning profession? Describe your planning background and education.

I’ve always been intrigued by the development process and where and how City’s grow. I graduated from Montana State University-Bozeman with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and from Rocky Mountain College with Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science and Economics. After college, I wanted to find a career field that utilized my educational background and found that I was particularly interested in both planning and economic development. I had the opportunity to work for Madison County, MT as a County Planner and as a City Planner for Gillette, WY prior to coming to Brookings.

Describe your favorite planning project. Why was it your favorite? What was your role?

My favorite planning project was being a part of the Brookings Comprehensive Plan Update. We worked with RDG Planning & Design to update the Comprehensive Plan and looked at future growth and development. Brookings is a unique community that has both development opportunities and constraints as the City is nearly surrounded by floodplain and high water table areas making future development challenging. The Comprehensive Plan focuses on a shift away from Euclidean Zoning to a greater mix of uses and densities. There is also an emphasis on the intensity and compatibility of uses, form of development, and opportunities for re-development. The plan provided ample opportunities for public comment and was a chance to think differently about development and density as the way we develop today will greatly affect the amount of developable land in the future. Brookings is a growing community so we need to focus on how we develop. The Comprehensive Plan can be viewed at 2040 Brookings Comprehensive Plan

Another favorite project of mine, was writing the secondary access requirement in the Subdivision Regulations. Staff wanted to find a way to regulate single access development, but work with developers on the phasing and build-out of improvements. In order to draft the regulation, we utilized the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) trip generation data to determine when a secondary access is required. For example, a secondary access is required when a residential subdivision exceeds 400 vehicle trips per day which equate to 40 single-family residential lots. The requirement was discussed with the development community, in advance, and the adoption process went smoothly. The regulation not only assists with emergency access, but it also provides better connectivity through neighborhoods. The secondary access requirement can be viewed at Street Standards - Secondary Access

Describe a mentor or someone you admire that has had an impact on your career.

Working alongside former Gillette Senior Planner, Michael Surface, I really learned the importance and positive impacts of planning in the community. Michael was a wonderful mentor and taught me to believe in myself and keep trying.

What is your favorite pieces of advice given to you? Who gave it?

“Always stick to the regulations and do not try to guess which way the political winds will blow.” Tom Langston, Former Community Development Director for the City of Gillette, WY

“Embrace the difficulty in the process now for the betterment of the future.” Mike Struck, Community Development Director for the City of Brookings

Featured Planner: Staci Bungard