Scott Orr, who has worked through the ranks of Sonoma County’s permit and planning department, has been named the director of Permit Sonoma.
Orr began his nearly 10-year career with Permit Sonoma as an entry level planner processing permits. He worked up through the Planning Division to become Deputy Director in 2020. With the retirement of former Permit Sonoma Director Tennis Wick in July, Orr became interim director.
Sonoma County Chief Executive Christina Rivera said that she selected Orr after a nationwide search that yielded a talented pool of applicants.
“Scott has the knowledge and the temperament to lead Permit Sonoma into the future,” she said. “He is deeply familiar with the nuances of the planning and permitting world, and he knows all of the major projects that Permit Sonoma has undertaken. He was recently elected vice president of the California County Planning Directors Association, so he clearly has the respect of his colleagues.”
Permit Sonoma is Sonoma County’s consolidated land use planning and development permitting agency. Any land development or construction in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County is reviewed, permitted and inspected by Permit Sonoma. The department includes Code Enforcement, Engineering and Construction, Fire Prevention, Natural Resources, and Planning divisions.
Orr has a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
My favorite memory of Scott is how he couldn’t remember if I was an employee and would constantly reminded me, through conversations with others in the planning department, that he would be kicking my team out of our space in the near future.