Our Mission

We aim to empower individuals to understand their communities and make meaningful contributions to the greater good. We assist people in confidently navigating complex and bureaucratic landscapes. Our mission is to provide strategic solutions that educate and empower residents and stakeholders, enabling them to achieve their goals and shape their communities.

Meet Matt!

With Planning degrees from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the University of Southern California, Matt has spent the last 20 years working with numerous cities and counties throughout California. He's your go-to guy for development permitting and policy implementation. Matt's expertise in crafting zoning laws, conducting environmental impact assessments, and collaborating with public officials has been vital in helping residents and business owners accomplish their goals. He's also great at using GIS technology for spatial analysis and public engagement processes. Matt has a proven track record in leading cross-functional teams to achieve consensus on complex development projects. Outside of work, he's a father of two who enjoys movies, the outdoors, and spending time with his family.

Experience

Long Range Planning: Experience leading policy changes, community visioning, changes to General Plan and Zoning, review of community plans, and housing topics. Extensive work with data analysis, regional plans, site surveys, and graphics and maps with AutoCAD and GIS systems.

Current Planning: Over twenty years in planning with experience dealing with General Plan and Zoning amendments, community and master plans, tentative maps, development agreements, use permits, design reviews, variances, telecommunication issues, nonconforming issues, environmental documentation/CEQA, settlement agreements, and annexations. Skills in customer support, code enforcement, front counter services, and land use research.

Management: Managed staff, assigned tasks, and supervised departmental work. Included project facilitation, budget, and staff management, work with multiple groups, and conflicting deadlines. Experience dealing with politically sensitive community projects involving officials, developers, and citizens. Procurement skills include proposal preparation and review, RFP and SOQ review, and marketing.

Projects/Cities

Public Side

  • The undertaken projects encompassed a wide range of initiatives, including the update of the Housing Element, a comprehensive overhaul of the Development Code and Design Guidelines, formulation of Housing and Neighborhood Action Plans, implementation of substantial code and map amendments, meticulous review of significant entitlements, coordination of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), negotiation of Development Agreements, rigorous scrutiny under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), provision of staff training, and resolution of legal matters.

  • Responsibilities included entitlement review, public outreach and service, code amendments, code enforcement, and coordination of Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) projects.  

Private Side

  • On-call staffing aid for staffing for the Cities of San Mateo, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, Stockton, City of American Canyon, City of Concord, City of Manteca, City of Napa, City of Roseville, Sacramento County Sanitation District, City of Signal Hill, City of Westminster, and Yuba County.

  • Entitlement and code amendments for Lincoln, Suisun, Antioch, Benicia, Cities of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, Placer County, Sacramento County, and Yuba County.

  • Planned Unit Development Guidelines and Municipal Service Reviews. Aid in creating Master Plan Communities: Greenbriar, Natomas Central, Sunridge Specific Plan-Anatolia.

  • Land use projections, constraints maps, data management, map creation, parcel surveys, AutoCAD integration, and public workshop presentations. Preparation of Certified Housing Elements and condition surveys: City of Woodland, City of Lincoln, City of Lathrop, City of American Canyon, City of Wasco, and City of Weed. 

  • General Plan Update Special Corridor Study, County of Sacramento: Corridor Conditions and Opportunities Assessment Report/ Technical Appendix. Design Guidelines Implementation and Case Study. 

  • Proposal writing, budget creation, and cannabis regulation amendments.  

FAQs

What is Civic NOW?

A company comprised on seasoned city planners who have worked with architects, lawyers, engineers, elected officials, developers, business owners, and residents to solve complex community problems. Civic NOW is a low cost solution to understanding city processes to help you cut through the bureaucracy and empower you to achieve your goal. Whether it be work on your home, opening a businesses, or understanding development in your community.

Why not use an Architect or Lawyer?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.