News

Richmond-native, Dustin Purvis has been hired as Richmond’s new City Planner.

He fills the position after nearly 13 months of vacancy, during which period Ian Vanness served as the Interim City Planner.

As City Planner, Dustin is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive plans, evaluating development applications, and making formal recommendations to the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. He will also help move many planning-related projects outlined in the Richmond Rising: Community Action Plan forward.

The search committee was impressed not only with his abilities but also with his approach. Being from Richmond, he articulated a passion for supporting growth through planning while also recognizing the challenges that face communities like Richmond.

"I am thrilled to be back in Richmond and grateful for the opportunity to serve this community as its new City Planner. Richmond is poised to grow and transform in exciting ways while continuing to embrace the rich history that makes this city unique, and I look forward to doing my part to help bring this about." Dustin said upon his hire.

According to Ian Vanness, Director of Infrastructure & Development, "Dustin will be an invaluable asset to the city of Richmond and its growth. His enthusiasm and experience will help move projects forward and ensure planning decisions benefit our community. I am looking forward to working with him and seeing what he will accomplish in this role."

This spring, Dustin will complete his Ph.D. from West Virginia University where he has spent the past several years teaching English classes and studying the relationship between human activity and the built environment.