The City of Boulder today announced that Sam Assefa, director of the Office of Planning & Community Development at the City of Seattle will interview for the city’s Planning director position.

The community is invited to meet Assefa at an open house Aug. 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in the Municipal Building Lobby at 1777 Broadway.

Assefa was Boulder’s Senior Urban Designer from 2010-2016 and was responsible for urban and building design policies for current and long-range planning projects, directed sustainable streets and centers projects, and managed design processes and procedures for the city.

During his career, Assefa served as the deputy chief of staff to the mayor in the city Chicago, deputy commissioner and director of Land Use and Planning Policy for Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development, and as senior urban designer for the City of San Francisco. In his current role with Seattle, Assefa is responsible for developing and implementing planning policies and programs to support Seattle’s current and future growth as envisioned in the city’s Comprehensive Plan. His office is also Seattle’s lead planning agency charged with coordinating cross-departmental functions to systematically address growth, prioritize and direct investments, and assess how existing policies and practices encourage or discourage equity and future development.

“Our goal is to find the most qualified director who reflects the community’s planning values and who can effectively manage the complexities of Boulder’s process to implement our Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan,” said City Manager Jane Brautigam. “Mr. Assefa offers a unique opportunity for Boulder because he has broad experience and familiarity with our community, the planning processes and the importance of community engagement.”

Brautigam said Assefa will be interviewed by city leadership, representatives of the Planning Board and Planning staff, followed by an opportunity to meet with members of the community. She invited community members to get to know Assefa Aug. 29, and to share their feedback with the city selection team. Light refreshments will be served during the reception.

Assefa is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master’s in City Planning, and the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.A. in Architecture.

Published: Aug. 22, 2019

Media Contact:

Patrick von Keyserling, Communication Director, 303-441-4959



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