SYRACUSE — Cristian Toellner was recently appointed director of zoning administration in the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development of the City of Syracuse, Mayor Ben Walsh announced. In the role, Toellner manages the city’s Office of Zoning Administration, which regulates land use and development in Syracuse. He is responsible for the implementation of a […]
SYRACUSE — Cristian Toellner was recently appointed director of zoning administration in the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development of the City of Syracuse, Mayor Ben Walsh announced. In the role, Toellner manages the city’s Office of Zoning Administration, which regulates land use and development in Syracuse. He is responsible for the implementation of a comprehensive planning, land-development, and zoning-regulation process in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, according to a city news release. Toellner oversees zoning and planning projects by managing timelines and procedures for development plans and zoning applications. He also assists with zoning amendments and legislation to help shape sustainable development and growth in the city, and conducts meetings of the City Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and related public meetings and hearings. Toellner has worked for the City of Syracuse since July 2023 and previously held the role of plans examiner II, where he helped lead the team in administering ReZone Syracuse, a multi-year initiative to update the city’s zoning laws. “Cristian, who specializes in environmental and land-use planning, has been instrumental in building a strong team in a new office,” Jake Dishaw, Syracuse deputy commissioner of code enforcement and zoning administration, said in the release. “His knowledge and understanding of how the built environment impacts quality of life has helped us make positive changes to our zoning laws and will continue to drive innovation towards how we manage growth in the city.” Toellner holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University at Buffalo.