This update was corrected at 5:55 p.m. on Monday, April 28, 2008, to say that the city will fill Lee Urban's position. It was a reporter's error.

Lee Urban, the director of Portland’s Planning and Development Department, is the first employee to take up the city’s early retirement offer.

The city announced Urban’s retirement Monday and plans to release additional names to the City Council’s finance committee Monday. Urban is one of 22
employees who have indicated that they intend to take the offer.

Urban, 61, was a real estate and land use attorney for more than 25 years before joining the city in 1999 as the Director of Economic Development.

During his tenure as Planning and Development Director, Urban led efforts to redevelop Portland’s Bayside neighborhood and create the city’s creative economy policies.

The city will fill his position, which has a salary of about $81,000.

The city’s retirement incentive for eligible employees allows them to choose between an $8,500 cash payment or 18 months of COBRA health coverage paid by
the city.

While last Wednesday was the deadline for the 128 city employees eligible for a voluntary retirement, discussions are continuing, said city spokeswoman Nicole Clegg.