The Planning Department’s purpose is to serve the public by providing information, guidance, alternatives and professional recommendations to the Planning Commission and the City Council as they shape, define and implement the vision of the City into the next century. The Planning Department is responsible for the implementation of land use in Oceanside under the auspices of the federal, state, regional and local laws, ordinances and City policies. The Department works for the enhancement of public participation and knowledge of the planning process. Within the Planning Department, there are several interrelated functions.
Primary function of the Department is development processing, which handles the day-to-day processing activities of discretionary applications for public hearing before the Planning Commission and City Council. Environmental review, zoning review and public hearing notification are included in this effort. The second area of responsibility is policy planning and special projects, where processing of projects to supplement or implement the City’s General Plan and its various programs. This area handles General Plan Amendments, the Local Coastal Program, the Oceanside Historic Preservation Commission, Buena Vista Lagoon Joint Powers Committee and other long-range planning activities such as regional growth management and the Multiple Habitat Conservation Plan (MHCP) 
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The grants function of the Department coordinates the City’s Grants Team, which compiles information on available grants and awards, and assigns staff and resources to prepare and submit grant applications. The team is co-managed by the Planning Department and the City Manager’s Office, and consists of a core team of staff members from each department.
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