Costa Mesa : Development Head to Leave for Marin County

Douglas Clark, director of the city’s Development Services Department, will be leaving his post at the end of the month to become city manager of Larkspur, a small city in Marin County in Northern California.

Clark, 38, said he is giving up his $57,000-a-year post to change careers after 14 years in the planning and development services departments.

“Every once in a while, you have to re-pot yourself to keep from getting root-bound,” Clark said in an interview in his office Wednesday.

Clark began his career in 1972 as a city planner, working his way up to director of the Development Services Department in 1981. Clark and his staff of 39 are responsible for the city’s planning, building safety, code enforcement and business license functions.

During 1985, Clark oversaw private development of projects valued at $290 million, including construction of a 3,000-seat Performing Arts Center, expansion of South Coast Plaza and development of numerous office buildings.

Clark said he plans to start his new job in mid-February.