Atascadero hires SLO senior planner

Phil Dunsmore, a city of San Luis Obispo senior planner, has been hired as Atascadero’s director of community development. He is expected to start work Sept. 28 and will earn $111,478 plus benefits annually, according to the city.

Dunsmore fills a position previous held by Warren Frace, who left in January to lead Paso Robles’ community development department. The process to fill the position involved hiring a search firm to recruit and process candidates, interviews with community panels and a final interview of the top two candidates with City Manager Rachelle Rickard.

Rickard selected Dunsmore and the City Council confirmed the choice Tuesday.

Dunsmore was an assistant planner with the city of Atascadero from 1999 to 2001. In San Luis Obispo, he managed commercial development projects such as the Target and Costco shopping center, oversaw several annexations and was staff liaison to the Architectural Review Commission, the Cultural Heritage Committee and the Planning Commission. He was named San Luis Obispo’s 2009 Employee of the Year.

A Cal Poly graduate, Dunsmore lives in Atascadero with his wife, Mari Dunsmore, an elementary school teacher, and their two sons.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Atascadero hires SLO senior planner."