About Raymond's Work
Raymond Costantino is the Park Planning, Design and Development Manager for the Department of Youth, Parks and Community Enrichment for the City of Sacramento. He has 20 years of government sector experience specializing in urban planning, park planning and park development delivery, as well as open space, and land management efforts within an urban context. He oversees a team of park planners and landscape architects that provide open space resources and recreation amenities for a city of 500,000 residents with 234 parks and over 4000 acres of parkland. He administers several local regulations and fee programs on park development and parkland dedication, as well as development compliance with park planning policies and guidelines. Most recently he worked as the project manager for the City's comprehensive development impact fee update that funds new infrastructure and supports infill development citywide.
During his time with the City of Sacramento, he has worked on several key projects with lasting benefit. He acquired the rights to provide park and recreation services for the Panhandle LAFCO annexation; negotiated the joint-use agreement with Natomas Unified School District to contribute towards capital and maintenance costs at the new North Natomas Aquatic and Community Center; established the Del Paso Regional Park Quarterly Stakeholder meetings to increase community collaboration, reduce discord, and in the process secured a $3.2 million Prop 68 grant to renovate the historic Renfree Field; and implemented innovative community engagement strategies for the Park Plan 2040 Update that prioritized engagement with under-resourced and youth communities.
Prior to his current role, he worked for several City Planning divisions, including Long Range Planning and Current Planning. He also spent a short stint working at the CA Natural Resource Agency’s Delta Protection Commission focusing on trail development, recreation planning, water-policy and updating the Commission's Land Use and Resource Management Plan.
Raymond holds a Master of City and Regional Planning and a Master of International Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. His graduate research focused on a squatter settlement improvement program called Favela Bairro, in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. In particular, his research analyzed how this program, which implemented land tenure for the poorest of Rio's population, also improved land, air and water resources by upgrading urban infrastructure and services. Raymond holds an undergraduate degree from Rhode Island School of Design. His interests focus on sustainable design, land-use planning, environmental policy, community engagement and urban planning. He started his career working in low income, LGBTQ and People of Color Communities in New York City.
