The mission of the Planning and Development Department is to help facilitate the orderly development of the city as well as to assist the general public in obtaining necessary development approvals.

Planning and Development Department assists developers and citizens through the processes of annexation, platting, and zoning, as well as the review of site plans, conditional use permits, and variances. The Department acts as staff for the Plan Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals and is responsible for setting agendas for these committees as well as compiling and analyzing information for committee action. The Department is responsible for operating the city's Geographic Information System (GIS) which is used extensively to produce maps for various uses throughout the city.