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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNB 1 BLD PERMIT PROCESS 8-19-91ti ti`s � W r� NEW BUSINESS N0. 1 8-19-91 AUGUST 81 1991 '�: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER R0'i\A; COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 7(1+; jEC*'F: BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS RECOMMENDATION Receive and file. BACKGROUND At their meeting of July 15, 1991 the Council directed the Community Development Department to prepare a report addressing processes and improvements that could be implemented to improve customer service regarding the Building permit process. Several objectives and implementation of new procedures have been identified that will improve the quality and response time in providing customer assistance. The three major objectives are: 1. To improve public services to ensure the utilization of the best practices and techniques. 2. To create organizational conditions for the full development and utilization of employee skills. 3. To assist the homeowner and first time builder by providing time saving measures. Internal changes will be implemented to meet these objectives. Department employees have been directly involved in proposing formulation of a strategy to achieve improved customer service and no cost or low cost processes which are flexible and responsive to customer needs. Customer Service Approach The following operational and organizational changes can be implemented immediately: Customer Service Evaluation Forms - Each customer at the Community Development Department counter would be asked to complete a Customer Service Evaluation form after they have received services (see Exhibit A attached). A form drop box City Council Report Customer Service Improvements August 8, 1991 Page 2 will be placed on the counter so the forms could be deposited. The Customer Service Evaluation Form will be printed as a postcard with the City address on the reverse side for those persons wishing to mail in the form rather than filling it out at the counter. During each regular weekly staff meeting responses contained on the Customer Service Evaluation Form will be discussed and based on responses/comments/suggestions additional changes, if necessary, will be considered in light of cost-effectiveness, staffing levels or additional training opportunities. Supervisors may also do random calls to these customers responding to the questionnaire to identify more specific customer service issues. Customer Service Goal - Effective immediately, a back-up planner or building technician will be called out to the counter to assist the public whenever it is anticipated that the wait for customer service will be greater than ten (10 ) minutes or there are more than three (3) persons needing counter assistance. single Family Residential Design Review - The process of requiring a separate design review for single family residential construction including room additions will be eliminated. Staff level design review will be incorporated into the plan check process and a separate application will not be required. However, due to the amount of work and staff time involved in the design review, fees are not recommended to be waived at this time. Staff will reevaluate our current fee schedule during Fiscal Year 1991-1992 to determine current costs associated with each application process. This will expedite the process for the customer who currently has to wait for planning design review corrections or approval before submitting plans to plan check. Note: This process is not proposed to include single family construction which is part of a subdivision (i.e. East Tustin). 3-day/Quick Plan Check - Many of the plans which are regularly submitted to the Building Division for plan check involve residential room additions, accessory structures, tenant improvement work (TI) and new single story single family construction (when not part of a subdivision). The Building Division will commit to a 3 -day first submittal quick check process for standard types of additions, TI's and single story City Council Report Customer Service Improvements August 8, 1991 Page 3 single family construction, unless outside department review/input is required. This will give priority to these standard plan submittals instead of prioritizing based on the date that plans were submitted. Note: Exceptional or complicated plan checks may not be able to be handled under the 3 -day process. Over the Counter Permits - Where all standard details are provided and there are no corrections needed of submitted information, staff will issue over the counter building permits for patios, walls, pools/spas, security fencing and lighting. Plan Check Appointments - Community Development Department staff will strongly suggest that customers make appointments with the plan checker for any second or third rechecks, if necessary. The plan checker will work one-on-one with the customer to clarify comments and requests, reducing the need for telephone communication, unscheduled counter visits and written comments being forwarded back and forth between the customer and the plan checker. Most potential problems or questions will be able to be answered in a more expedient manner. The following improvements will take more time to develop although many of the handouts and code amendments are already in draft form: Standard Plan Detail - Standard plan details will be developed for permit items such as fences, walls, pools, spas, signs and patio covers. These items have been chosen because they are the most commonly requested permits and there are generally fewer variations or unusual circumstances. A customer will be saved the time and money of preparing their own detail plans. By attaching a standard plan detail to a plot plan and application for permit in most cases the customer will be able to receive an over the counter permit. Development Standards Handout - Two brochure. handouts have already been completed and have been available to customers for some time (fences/walls, hedges and chimney/ fireplace spark arrestors). Other brochures that are in draft form include information on pools/spas, room additions/accessory buildings, temporary use permits, and patio covers/gazebos. The purpose of the brochures is to simplify the city code City Council Report Customer Service Improvements August 8, 1991 Page 4 standards for the homeowner and answer commonly asked questions. Department Computer Network/Permit Automation system - The department is currently soliciting proposals for a computer network and land use/permit system which would enable all aspects of permit plan check, fee calculation, permit issuance and inspection process to be tracked and automated. This will improve efficiency within the division with respect to providing consistent information, efficient record updates, project processing, and monitoring established deadlines. Code Amendment - The Tustin City Code will be amended to provide greater authority to the Director of Community Development in determining the appropriation of unlisted uses and in granting Administrative Adjustments. Presently, the Planning Commission makes Use Determinations of whether a requested unlisted use is similar in character to other listed uses within a district. By giving the Director of Community Development the authority, processing time and costs will be reduced. An Administrative Adjustments section of the Tustin City Code will be added to deal with requests for minor modification or adjustments to certain development standards. Adjustments are intended only for special circumstances of hardships and will apply to small percent decreases or increases in standards for site area, setbacks, fence/wall height, and decrease in required parking. Presently the Tustin City Code requires a variance regardless of the percent deviation to modify development standards. The Administrative Adjustment process whereby the Director of Community Development is the approving authority will reduce processing time and costs. In both Use Determination and Administrative Adjustment decisions, the action of the Director of Community Development will be appealable to the Planning Commission and City Council. Plan Check Position - An additional plan checker position has been authorized as part of the Fiscal Year 1991-92 Budget. Presently the Community Development Department has only one staff plan checker. The new position will reduce the backlog of plan checks, will permit the Department to handle more plan checks in house providing greater oversight control. This City Council Report Customer Service Improvements August 8, 1991 Page 5 will overall expedite plan processing and will provide more available counter hours to assist the public. Fee Adjustments - The Community Development Department will be undertaking a comprehensive study to review our current fees. In some cases it may be determined that over the counter permits and development review fees for standard single family additions may be reduced. Rita Westfield Assistant Director of Community Development RW:kbc\custserv.mem Christine A. Shifdleton Assistant City Manager CITY OF TUSTIN CUSTOMER SERVICE EVALUATION Our goal is to provide fast, quality service to our customers. To assist us in our efforts, we need your valuable input. Please take a few moments to complete this form and either mail it back to us or leave it in the suggestion box at the City Department you visited. Date Department you visited. Who assisted you? Reason for your visit. How long. did. you wait before you were helped.? Did you receive courteous service? Did the person helping you seem knowledgeable? How would you rate the service you received? How could we improve our service/ comments and suggestions: (Optional) Name: Address: Phone: DO:kd\custserv.frm Time Excellent Good Fair Poor