REGION — Encinitas Planning Director Jeff Murphy is moving on to San Diego, as San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced that Murphy will lead the city’s planning department.
Murphy, who has served as Encinitas director of planning and building since 2013, will lead a department with a $10 million budget, 67 full-time employees that oversees 52 community planning areas and 42 community planning groups.
“Community planning is key to empowering our neighborhoods and bringing better infrastructure and opportunities to residents across San Diego,” Faulconer said. “I’m confident that Jeff Murphy’s experience will help our city continue to make great strides in providing affordable housing, protecting our environment and enhancing our city infrastructure.”
Murphy was one of the first major hires made by former City Manager Gus Vina, and helped to spearhead the city’s current housing element update and other housing and planning-related initiatives.
Faulconer in his news release highlighted Murphy’s “creative technological approach to public engagement,” as one of his strengths, which he said increased transparency and encouraged residents to participate in land development operations in their communities.
Prior to his arrival in Encinitas, Murphy worked for the County of San Diego for 13 years, including as the chief of Advance Planning for the county’s planning and development services division, which was responsible for maintaining and updating the County’s long-range plans, programs and ordinances.
Before working for the county, he was employed by KPMG in San Diego.
In addition to these accomplishments, Murphy also has private sector experience in San Diego. As an employee for KPMG, he cultivated relationships with business organizations and community members to foster economic development. Murphy earned a bachelor’s of science in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly, Pomona and a master’s degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in city planning from San Diego State University. He currently lives in San Diego with his wife and their two children.
