City hires new planning director

By NEWS-TOPIC STAFF

LENOIR — The city of Lenoir has given its interim planning director the job on a permanent basis.

Hannah Williams has been hired as the city’s new planning director. Williams has been working in the City Planning Department for more than five years, and has served as interim planning director since January this year.

City Manager Scott Hildebran said Williams is familiar with the city’s planning efforts and current projects and has the skill, ability, and connections to be a successful department director.

“Hannah has worked with the county and the city for more than five years, and she’s very knowledgeable in the fields of planning, zoning, and development,” Hildebran said. “She served as an intern with us, worked for Caldwell County, and then joined the planning department full-time when she had the opportunity.

Hannah is customer service driven and has chaired the city of Lenoir customer service team for a number of years. She’s done great work for us as a planner and I believe she’ll continue that commitment as our new planning director.”

Williams grew up in Greensboro and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Development and a Master of Arts degree in Geography and Planning from Appalachian State University. She received her Certified Zoning Official designation in 2019 from the North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials and certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) in 2022. AICP is the only nationwide, independent verification of planners’ qualifications.

Williams started her career with Lenoir as an intern during the summer of 2016 while completing her degrees at App State. As an intern, she completed a feasibility study on implementing a stormwater maintenance fee. She finished her Master’s degree that fall, and started working in the Caldwell County I.T. Department as the GIS director and address coordinator.

“I finished grad school on a Friday and started working a full-time job on Monday. I probably should have taken a vacation,” she said laughing.