City of Santa Cruz

Lee Butler brings more than 25 years of public sector experience spanning community development, planning, economic development, building code enforcement and other development roles. His expertise spans community development, planning, economic development, building code enforcement and development processes.

Listening Shapes Leadership

I've been fortunate to work in great places, with great people and communities. My experience has taught me that the first step in public sector leadership is to listen.

What we hear from community members often means compromising or tempering what we think is best from a planning perspective and aligning it with political realities. We need to know when to ask for help and have a solid team of technical experts, attorneys, council members and community members. Success comes from working across disciplines, having candid conversations and being flexible with the outcome.

Building Support Around Shared Values

The first component of community work is recognizing core values. Sustainability and resiliency, affordability and public health are important to the vast majority of our community members. Even when people agree on values, they may disagree on how to achieve them. Hearing out the community and incorporating changes into a project or plan to address concerns, ideally without compromising its primary benefits, is critical to moving projects forward.

Incrementalism can help. Move in the desired direction, see how it works and then consider a larger policy change. Being transparent about what we're trying to achieve and why, bringing technical backing and grounding the approach in core values can build majority support.

Addressing Divisive Community Dialogue

One significant challenge is divisiveness in community dialogue. Social media algorithms can expose people to similar perspectives, while those angry or upset about change may be more likely to participate, allowing a relatively small group to shape a project outcome.

Success comes from working across disciplines, having candid conversations and being flexible with the outcome.

The challenge is helping people affected by a project while ensuring it improves quality of life for the greater community. Current residents are present and affected, while future residents who may benefit from a new housing project aren't there to advocate for it. 

Leading With the Greater Good

The first tenet of my leadership philosophy is doing the right thing and thinking about what is best for our community as a whole. 

That principle guides my team. We use our core values and vision to pursue greater affordability through affordable and market-rate housing, addressing localized impacts without losing sight of the bigger vision. Because team members understand these guiding principles, they can make decisions without coming to me with every question. 

Adapting Development to Changing Needs

We are living through a time of intense change. In California, decision makers have less discretion to deny or reduce the scale of residential projects, putting collective needs over individual needs. Localized impacts, such as public street parking availability, can occur, but projects can create greater affordability for the larger community.

We're also at a transition point with climate change. Transportation is a prime example: we can't keep widening roadways and creating car-centric developments. Cities need to transform how we move, with the built form playing a large role. E-bikes, car share and autonomous vehicles are part of that transition.

We need denser, mixed-use communities where daily needs are met nearby, along with transportation mode shifts.

Growing Through Curiosity and Experience

I'd encourage people to pursue public service, where they can create positive change in the built environment, economic development, sustainability and quality of life.

Get your foot in the door through an internship or technician job, then diversify through transfers and projects that expand your experience. Listen, learn, find your passion and stay curious.

Subscribe to publications, pursue certifications such as the American Institute of Certified Planners, read best practices and attend conferences. Learn beyond your field, as related disciplines can benefit your career.