Deschutes County hires new Community Development Department Director

Deschutes County has hired Peter Gutowsky to serve as its new Community Development Department director. 

Gutowsky, who currently serves as the County’s Planning Manager, will transition into his new role on Friday, Oct. 8. He replaces Nick Lelack, who was hired as the County’s Administrator earlier this year.

In his role, Gutowsky will lead the day-to-day operations of the County’s Community Development department, which employs nearly 70 people and oversees land use planning, building safety, code compliance and on-site wastewater systems in the unincorporated areas of Deschutes County. The department also provides construction plan reviews, consultation and inspections to assure compliance with federal and state building codes in the cities of Sisters and La Pine.

“I have no doubt that Peter will hit the ground running in his new role,” Lelack said. “He has solid relationships with regional partners, a great working knowledge of Oregon’s planning and development laws, an outstanding team, and demonstrated successes with numerous high profile projects.”

Gutowsky, who has more than 24 years of experience in Oregon land use planning, has worked in the County’s Community Development Department since 2004. He has served as a senior planner, principal planner, and since 2014, as the County’s planning manager. He was selected from a highly competitive field of candidates following a national recruitment.

Gutowsky holds a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).