The Building Department was created in 1910 to administer public buildings and enforce City construction codes. The Department was responsible for issuing all building permits for construction within the City limits.

In 1980, the Department of Construction and Land Use was formed by merging the Code Enforcement, Housing Conservation, and Administrative Services divisions of the Building Department with the Department of Community Development's Technical Review Section. This consolidated land use administration in one department. The department's name was changed to Design, Construction and Land Use in 1998 to reflect an effort to increase the visibility of good design in the built environment. The name was changed again in 2003 to the Department of Planning and Development.

The department's mission was to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare through enforcement of land use, housing, and construction codes and standards. Department responsibilities included code development, inspection of new construction, code enforcement, and review of development applications. Programs were funded primarily through a variety of permit fees.

In 2015, DPD was split into two new agencies, the Office of Planning and Community Development (see record group 6300-00) and the Department of Construction and Inspections. DCI was charged with administering city ordinances that regulate building construction, the use of land, and housing.