The former planning director for the city of Lawrence has been hired to work full time for Douglas County.

At the request of County Administrator Craig Weinaug, Linda Finger was appointed by county commissioners Monday to fill the new position of planning resource official.

Finger will work with the public, the county’s Building and Zoning Department and the Public Works Department in implementing the subdivision and access management regulations approved late last year.

The new regulations affect how property can be divided and the distance requirements between entries from private properties onto major county roads. They also require the use of more county frontage roads to help prevent future traffic congestion.

Finger had been working with the county in writing the new regulations before she resigned her city job in November 2005. She continued to work on the regulations as a paid part-time consultant to the county.

Finger’s salary will $54,000; she begins work Monday.