At the top of the year, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti kicked off 2016 by putting his attention toward the future of L.A.’s physical shape as he nominated Pasadena Planning Director Vince Bertoni as the new head of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning (LADCP).

If approved by the City Council, Bertoni will replace long-time department director Michael LoGrande. The nomination comes at a time when the planning department has taken heat for pro-development and pro-density positions and neighborhood groups have leveled lawsuits at the agency.

Mayor Garcetti touted Bertoni’s 25 years of planning experience, which includes a previous tenure at LADCP as well as planning positions in Beverly Hills, Santa Clarita, and Malibu.

“As we work together to shape the future of the Los Angeles cityscape, we need an expert at the helm who brings both fresh ideas and an intricate understanding of our city’s complex planning process,” said Mayor Garcetti in a press release.

Bertoni would take over a department that, according to the L.A. Times, has expanded in recent years, going from 270 to 408 planners. When he served as Deputy Planning Director in Los Angeles, Bertoni oversaw the adoption of 16 historic preservation overlay zones, new guidelines for the Broadway corridor, a bicycle master plan, and a Hollywood community plan, all projects that continue to be part of the mayor’s vision for the city.