WINDHAM – Windham councilors are searching for a replacement for Brooks More, the former planning director whose last day on the job was Sept. 19.

According to those he worked with, More’s commitment to his duties as town planner will not be forgotten. More was an asset to the community, said assistant planner Ben Smith, who worked closely with More during his six-and-a-half years in Windham.

“It’s been great, and I’ve learned a lot from him,” Smith said, including what it’s like to work closely with the Planning Board and Town Council on long-range community development plans and reports.

More was instrumental in rewriting the town’s land use ordinance in 2009, and led the yearlong creation of the Windham 21st Century Downtown Master Plan. He was also tasked with rewriting the town’s comprehensive plan, Smith said, which was last updated in 2003.

“His guidance is definitely appreciated,” Smith said. “He will definitely be missed.”

According to Town Manager Tony Plante, More, who became planning director in 2007, left his Windham job to become development officer for Avesta Housing.

Plante said the Town Council is working on developing a search process, including a review of the planning director’s job description. Councilors will also complete an organizational needs assessment and put together a search committee to screen applicants and conduct the initial round of interviews.

More, this week, said he has enjoyed working as planning director for Windham and greatly appreciates the opportunity. He said he believes he has laid a good foundation through his completed projects for his replacement.

“When I came on board, [Windham] reformed the planning department, he said. “One reason I took on the position was to reform the department, hire an assistant planner and put procedures in place.”

Establishing the town’s 21st Century Downtown Plan was a highlight of his work in Windham, More said.

One project he is leaving in the hands of the next director is an update of the town’s comprehensive master plan in line with state standards, he said. He said the update will be the department’s biggest project over the next several years. According to More, the town has also been trying to solicit members to form a comprehensive plan committee to move the process along.

The most challenging tasks as planning director, he said, included amendments he proposed to the town’s land-use ordinance and rewriting zoning standards.

“For the last several years, we’ve dealt with a lot of zoning issues, but they’ve been sort of ad hoc,” he said. “We haven’t really been working toward a consistent vision.”

For Avesta, the largest nonprofit developer of affordable housing in New England, More will be applying lessons he learned in Windham to his new job as development officer, he said.

“Through tax credit programs and federal bonds they are able to offer lower rents. Somebody living in one of the units could apply to one of the housing authorities for Section 8 [housing] vouchers … to meet their income levels,” More said.

More said he is excited about everything the position at Avesta has to offer, including what he will learn about the financial aspects and seeing the results of helping people in need.

“One of the reasons I got into planning was to have a positive impact on our communities,” he said.