The District Welcomes New Director of Planning, Lands & Permits

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

For Immediate Release                                                       

West Vancouver, BC: This month marks the end of an era as the District’s Director of Planning, Lands & Permits, Steve Nicholls, transitions into a new role to focus on some special projects including re-writing development bylaws and managing some major land projects, before enjoying a very well-deserved retirement. Nicholls has been with the District since October 1979!

On March 12th, Bob Sokol will join the District as the new Director of Planning, Lands and Permits. He and his family will be moving from Seattle, Washington. Bob comes to the District with a background in the local government sector, though most recently as a Senior Project Manager for AHBL Inc. Sokol has also worked as the Community Development Director with the City of Kenmore, Washington; the Principal Planner with the City of Auburn, Washington; the Associate Planner with City of Vancouver, Washington; and a Development Engineer with a firm in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. He has a Master of Science in Urban Planning from Columbia University, New York, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University, Massachusetts.

“The community is fortunate that Mr. Nicholls has chosen to dedicate himself to addressing our outdated zoning bylaw, with a focus on preserving neighbourhood character, at the same time as he welcomes and supports our new Director of Planning,” says Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones.

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For more information, please contact:
Donna Powers, Communications Coordinator
604-925-7168

Steve Nicholls, Associate Director of Major Projects
604-923-2012

Bob Sokol, Director, Planning, Lands & Permits
604-925-7058