2007 National Streamlining Conference “Setting a Course for Change” Best Practices from Zoning & Land Use

2007 National Streamlining Conference2007 National Streamlining Conference“Setting a Course for Change”“Setting a Course for Change”

Best Practices from Zoning & Land UseBest Practices from Zoning & Land Use

Why Are We Here?Why Are We Here?

““Perceptions Rule”Perceptions Rule”

Fire• Land Use &

Building Project Review• Fire & Life Safety

Requirements

Planning • Process Land Use

Applications• Review Building Plans

• Pre-ApplicationConferences

• Public Noticing

EnvironmentalServices

• Land Use & Building Project Review

• Sewer/StormwaterRequirements

• Wetlands & Protected Habitat

Buildings• Operate Permit Center &

Tracking System• Construction Inspection

• Building Code Plan Check• Coordination with

other staff

Public Works• Land Use &

Building Project Review • Street & Traffic Flow

Requirements• Improvement Permits

for Streets, Curbs, & Sidewalks

Water Utilities• Land Use &

Building Project Review• Water Service Review

Departmental “Silos”Departmental “Silos”

Where do I start and who do I deal with?

Customer

Health• Food Services

• Septic & Water Review• Other Health Requirements

Functional OrganizationFunctional Organization

BUILDING DEPARTMENT

??

Multiple Permit HurdlesMultiple Permit Hurdles

Customer

Customer

Structural P

lan Check

Structural P

lan Check

Subdivision

Subdivision

PlatsPlats Enviro

nmental

Environmental

Requirements

Requirements

Conflicting

Conflicting

Interpretations

InterpretationsConditio

nal Use

Conditional U

se

ReviewReview Water &

Sewer

Water & Sewer

Requirements

Requirements

Zoning Code

Zoning Code


Structural P

lan Check

Structural P

lan Check

Subdivision

Subdivision

PlatsPlats Enviro

nmental

Environmental

Requirements

Requirements

Conflicting

Conflicting

Interpretations


nal Use

Conditional U

se


Sewer

Water & Sewer

Requirements

Requirements

Zoning Code

Zoning Code

Customer

Customer


Structural P

lan Check

Structural P

lan Check

Subdivision

Subdivision

PlatsPlats Enviro

nmental

Environmental

Requirements

Requirements

Conflicting

Conflicting

Interpretations


nal Use

Conditional U

se


Sewer

Water & Sewer

Requirements

Requirements

Zoning Code

Zoning Code

Customer

Customer

Regulation “Quality” GapRegulation “Quality” Gap

Responding to Growth

Current Regulations

CodesCriteriaStandards Interp

retation

Battlegro

und

Unclear/Outdated Regulations

Limited or No Construction Stds.

Limited or Missing Policy Master Plans (i.e. - Watershed, Transportation)

Subdivision & Land Use Criteria Outmoded

Changing Urban Development Needs or Trends

Striving for Lower Maintenance & Better Safety through New Construction Methods

Need to Manage Impacts of Booming Growth (Traffic, Runoff, etc.)

New Requirements from Federal, State and Local Policy Makers (w/o changes to local regulations.)

Result

Incomplete Applications & Poor Response

Staff Perceived as Arbitrary, Subjective, & Unfounded

Designer vs. Reviewer Clash

Uncoordinated TechnologiesUncoordinated Technologies

Accounting dataAccounting data GIS MapsGIS Maps Ownership & Site Ownership & Site

DataData Ordinances/CodesOrdinances/Codes Permit & Application Permit & Application

InfoInfo Violations Violations Licenses Licenses Assessor dataAssessor data Zoning Use dataZoning Use data Special AssessmentsSpecial Assessments Engineering DrawingsEngineering Drawings

EngineeringAssessor

Utilities

Planning

Fire

Clerk –Recorder

BuildingServices

Customer “Likelihoods”Customer “Likelihoods”

"Savvy" "Poor Soul" "Simple"

Consultants Probably Later, Once Enlightened No

Lawyer Probably No No

Need to Know High High Low

Complexity High High-Medium Low

Elapsed Time Lengthy, Variable Lengthy, Medium Short

Project Stages Multiple One One

Documentation High Medium Low

Preliminary Review Voluntary Mandatory Voluntary

Information Needs Low Low-High High

If You Asked Your Customers to If You Asked Your Customers to Finish This Statement……Finish This Statement……

““The development review The development review process will be successful if process will be successful if there is ..….”there is ..….”

How Would They Respond?How Would They Respond?

Key Customer ExpectationsKey Customer ExpectationsThe development review process will be successful if there is ..….The development review process will be successful if there is ..….

They All Work

Together For

Success

Define standard operating procedures that are Define standard operating procedures that are predictable and consistent and works for a variety of predictable and consistent and works for a variety of customer typescustomer types

Make the rules clear enough to know how to design Make the rules clear enough to know how to design without asking a personwithout asking a person

““Time is money” so make the process timelyTime is money” so make the process timely

Staff make decisions and “stick” with themStaff make decisions and “stick” with them

Set performance standards and meet Set performance standards and meet themthem

Have sufficient resources to meet Have sufficient resources to meet the service demandthe service demand

CoreBusiness Processes

People Interactions

RegulatoryFramework

Technology Physical Space

OrganizationalStructure

Development Review System Development Review System “Building Blocks”“Building Blocks”


People Interactions

RegulatoryFramework

TechnologyPhysical Space


How Does Local Government How Does Local Government Respond?Respond?

3 Steps to 3 Steps to Guarantee SuccessGuarantee Success

“Sure-Fire”

>

So, How Should Local So, How Should Local Government Agencies Government Agencies

Respond?Respond?

Step 1:

Shoot all the politicians and lawyers !!

Step 2:Shoot them again to make sure they are dead !!

Step 3:Adopt a customer-oriented approach for improvement


People Interactions

RegulatoryFramework

TechnologyPhysical

Space


Start With FundamentalsStart With Fundamentals

Entry Point

EarlyAssistance

ApplicationIntake

Project Management

Annual Inspection & Enforcement

Construction Inspection

SharedInformation

Information or Interpretation

Project Decision

C.O. orFinal

Acceptance

Core Business Processes Core Business Processes

Building Permits

Subdivision Plat

Land Use Reviews

Utility

Connections

Improvement Plans

The Customer’s ProjectThe Customer’s Project

“All the Pieces Have

to Fit Together for the

Customer”

Customer Objectives

Receive Reliable Interpretations or Information

Get a Project Decision

Occupy or Use Their Facility

Customer “Sits in One Chair” -Customer “Sits in One Chair” -Consistent Way to Enter the System Consistent Way to Enter the System

Comprehensive Early Assistance Comprehensive Early Assistance Program Program

Project Manager/Point-of-Contact to Project Manager/Point-of-Contact to Facilitate All Project Types Facilitate All Project Types

Standardized ProcessesStandardized Processes

Integrated Processing Concepts

Project-Oriented ProcessProject-Oriented Process(Standardized & Defined Template Example)(Standardized & Defined Template Example)

Counter-Based Projects

Submittal-Based Projects

A

* Single Point-of-Contact* Single Point-of-Contact (Team of 1) (Team of 1)* Single Interaction* Single Interaction* Single Inspection * Single Inspection

Example Type:Example Type:

Electrical, Mechanical, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing “Trade” Plumbing “Trade” ApprovalsApprovals

B

* Single Point of Contact* Single Point of Contact Ad-Hoc Team of 2-3 Ad-Hoc Team of 2-3 Staff Members Staff Members * Staff Comes to Plan &* Staff Comes to Plan & Customer Customer* Not Distributed* Not Distributed


Residential Additions or Residential Additions or AlterationsAlterations

C

* Project Mgr. & Assigned* Project Mgr. & Assigned Team Team* Distributed & Interaction by* Distributed & Interaction by Appointment Appointment* Administrative Approval* Administrative Approval* Early Assistance Optional* Early Assistance Optional


New Commercial or Tenant New Commercial or Tenant FinishFinish

D

* Project Mgr. & Assigned* Project Mgr. & Assigned Team Team* Distributed & Interaction by* Distributed & Interaction by Appointment Appointment* Most Complex Type with* Most Complex Type with Public Hearing Public Hearing* Early Assistance Required* Early Assistance Required and/or Encouraged and/or Encouraged


Platting or RezoningPlatting or Rezoning

Consistent Customer RepresentativeConsistent Customer Representative – The – The Customer always has a primary point of contact and Customer always has a primary point of contact and mediator, if neededmediator, if needed

Project AccountabilityProject Accountability – The Project Manager will be – The Project Manager will be responsible for ensuring that project information is responsible for ensuring that project information is maintained and milestones are trackedmaintained and milestones are tracked

Customer “Sits in One Chair”Customer “Sits in One Chair” – The customer does – The customer does not need to visit and/or obtain approvals from not need to visit and/or obtain approvals from multiple counters multiple counters

Project Manager RoleProject Manager Role

Customer defines Customer defines project project and service is provided to and service is provided to meet the needmeet the need

Project management Project management approach with a issue approach with a issue resolution processresolution process

Point of contact for project Point of contact for project applications with a focus applications with a focus on processingon processing

System DesignSystem DesignCustomer NeedsCustomer Needs

Predictability of process and results

Implement policies and regulations

Single point of accountability for

process

Key Best Practice TrendsKey Best Practice Trends

Integrated development Integrated development services center where services center where customer “sits in one chair”customer “sits in one chair”

Tailor process for differing Tailor process for differing customer and project typescustomer and project types

Performance Performance standards are set standards are set and monitoredand monitored


Predictability for the application processing

Staff responsiveness and service

Service to customers


Process “roadmap” Process “roadmap” from start to finish from start to finish

Documented discussions Documented discussions & agreements& agreements

Interdisciplinary teams Interdisciplinary teams with “options thinking”with “options thinking”


Predictability of process and results

Reliability of interpretations

Accountability for consistency of

decision-making


One common computer One common computer system to let everyone system to let everyone communicatecommunicate

Accurate and real-time Accurate and real-time access to access to informationinformation

Enhanced web site design Enhanced web site design for online permitting & early for online permitting & early assistanceassistance

ConsistencyConsistency of of interpretationsinterpretations

CommunicationCommunication of of regulations, reqmts. & regulations, reqmts. &

processprocess

Easily accessible and Easily accessible and reliable information reliable information

Customer NeedsCustomer Needs System DesignSystem Design


There is There is NONO Silver Bullet Silver Bullet for Improvement!for Improvement!

System Improvement Implementation(Example)

CoreBusiness

Processes

People Interactions

RegulatoryFramework

TechnologyPhysical

Space


Project-Oriented Process

Early Assistance Program

Tailoring of Projects

Project Manager & Team Coordination

Standard Issue Resolution Process

Pilot Program for Complex Projects (Platting)

Training & Outreach Program

Regulatory Assessment & Update Strategy

Unified Development Code (UDC)

Infrastructure Master Plan Updates

“Code Scrubs”

Ongoing Maintenance Mechanism

Data & Historical Record Conversion

Enhance HTE Software

Integrated Development Services Web Destination

Rework “One Stop” Center Space

Self-Help Center

Cost-of Service Study & Fee Analysis

Performance Measurement Program

Key Work Elements to Establish ImprovementsKey Work Elements to Establish Improvements

1: System Operational Design

2: Data Assessment & Conversion Strategy

3: Performance Measurement Program

4: Regulatory Framework Assessment

5: Cost-of-Service Study & Fee Analysis

Creating Conditions for SuccessCreating Conditions for Success Adopt a Clear Process for ImprovementAdopt a Clear Process for Improvement

Set & Achieve Intermediate MilestonesSet & Achieve Intermediate Milestones

Appoint a “Manager of System Improvement”Appoint a “Manager of System Improvement”

Obtain Clear SponsorshipObtain Clear Sponsorship

Involve Customers in the Process From the StartInvolve Customers in the Process From the Start

Set Up Steering Committees & Work Teams Set Up Steering Committees & Work Teams Along the WayAlong the Way

Use Communication & Outreach Activities to Use Communication & Outreach Activities to Gain Customer and Staff Buy-In Along the WayGain Customer and Staff Buy-In Along the Way

Implementation Success FactorsImplementation Success Factors

Desired Speed of ImplementationDesired Speed of Implementation

Significance of ChangeSignificance of Change

Level of ParticipationLevel of Participation

Resources and Time Made AvailableResources and Time Made Available

Commitment and Involvement of Commitment and Involvement of “Sponsor”“Sponsor”

?

Improvement Strategies

& Action Plan

Development Review System Improvement Process Development Review System Improvement Process

Current System

Problems to Address

Customer’s Expectations for Success

Phase 1: System

Assessment

Phase 2: Operatio

nal

Designing & Piloting

System Operational

Design & Piloting

Phase 3: Implementatio

n

Project Tracking Software

Automating Historical Files & Data “One-Stop”

Space Enhancements

Project-Oriented Culture

Fees & Cost of Service Study

Communication & Training

User-Friendly Codes &

Publications

System Piloting Other Implementation Tasks

I m p l e m e n t a t I o n P l a n

How To Ensure Results?

“We Have a

Comprehensive Plan

for Improvement”

With Ongoing Support…It Will Happen!

Learn From Best PracticesLearn From Best Practices

Portland

Portland

San DiegoSan Diego

AustinAustin

Pasad

ena

Pasad

ena

PhoenixPhoenix

……and Many More

and Many More

Good Examples

Good Examples

Turn the system on end!Turn the system on end!

Redo how business Redo how business is done!is done!

Take a Take a “Customer-Oriented” “Customer-Oriented”

System ApproachSystem Approach

How To Become One of How To Become One of the Best? the Best?

But Don’t Copy Others, But Don’t Copy Others, Instead….Listen to Customers, Design, Test, Implement, Instead….Listen to Customers, Design, Test, Implement,

and Anticipate Resistance!and Anticipate Resistance!

presented by:

George N. Arimes, President

www.horizoncentre.com

Documents

2007 National Streamlining Conference “Setting a Course for Change” Best Practices from Zoning & Land Use