A prospective applicant or agent may request a pre-application conference with the Department prior to formal submittal of a land use permit application. This conference should take place prior to any substantial investment (i.e., land acquisition, site, engineering and construction plans) in the preparation of the proposed development application. During the conference, the Department representative(s) shall inform the applicant of applicable policies, plans, and requirements as they apply to the proposed development project, review the appropriate procedures outlined in this Development Code, and examine possible alternatives or modifications relating to the proposed project.