UPDATE: Diane Sugimura, director of the city's Department of Planning and Development, confirms that planning director Ray Gastil is leaving the city. She says Gastil " sees that there's a new administration, and he has chosen to resign and look at those things, like teaching and writing and learning, that he's interested in.

Numerous sources at the city tell PubliCola that Ray Gastil, director of planning at the city's Department of Planning and Development, is leaving the city. Marshall Foster, head of waterfront planning at DPD, has reportedly been tapped to replace Gastil as head of planning. Since late last year, Foster has been a board member at Great City, a green-urbanist nonprofit founded by McGinn in 2006.

Gastil started at DPD just over a year ago, in late August 2008. He came to Seattle from New York City, where, as Planning Director for Manhattan, he was credited with revitalizing the city's urban waterfront.

It's unclear whether Gastil was asked to leave or did so on his own accord. Gastil did not return a call for comment, and mayoral spokesman Mark Matassa said he had no comment and could not confirm or deny that Gastil was leaving.

Foster also did not return a call for comment.